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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 116

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 24, 2022 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 116 - Oct/24/22
Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • Oct/24/22 7:05:41 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member for Edmonton Strathcona seems to be unaware of the fact that we can watch a speech from outside of the chamber itself.
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Oct/24/22 7:05:47 p.m.
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I just ruled that we do not mention presences or absences. We do not need to elaborate on the subject. Could the hon. member just continue with the question, please?
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Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • Oct/24/22 7:05:55 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, there were discussions among parties beforehand. There was an agreement to adjourn this debate to the evening, so it would not take place during Government Orders' time in the hope that we could have a substantive conversation about the fact that, in the world's second-largest economy, the government is committing an ongoing genocide. Instead of addressing those very real issues, the member chased all kinds of rabbit tracks, asking why we were not talking about other issues. However, when we talk about those other issues, such as the last time we had a concurrence debate on Ukraine, the member said we should not have been talking about that either. Every time we try to raise these human rights debates, this member has some reason to suggest why we should not be talking about them. Meanwhile, we have an agreement among parties to discuss this in the evening, and then he comes in the evening after the time normally set aside for Government Orders and he still complains about the fact that we have a concurrence motion going on. This is an extremely serious issue. We have people from the Uighur community in Ottawa advocating this week. This is an issue that requires urgent discussion. Could the member find it in his heart to spend some time learning about the issue and actually speaking about the issue, instead of all this gobbledegook nonsense?
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • Oct/24/22 7:07:14 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in many ways the member is wrong and misleading the House. If we take a look at it, the member knows full well what he is doing if a member says well in advance he is going to bring forward another concurrence motion, as the member did last week, in order to prevent debate during government business. The member would not stand up on a concurrence motion during an opposition day. Maybe the member could tell the House when he has stood up during an opposition day on a concurrence motion. I have been around far too long to be manipulated by that member or other members who try to give an impression that is misleading to Canadians and exploiting the issue of human rights. That is in fact what the member is doing.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola (Beauport—Limoilou, BQ)
  • Oct/24/22 7:08:02 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, with all due respect, I have to disagree with my colleague about the timing of this discussion. As I listened to him, I wondered how many more people have to be raped and abused in concentration camps and how many more organs have to be stolen before we realize it is time to adopt this motion so that 10,000 to 15,000 people can have the rights enshrined in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and see their children grow up and live with hope.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • Oct/24/22 7:08:49 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, as I said at the very beginning, this is not about belittling or trying to minimize the severity of the issue. The issue is all about time management in terms of what takes place on the floor of the House of Commons. If we were to follow the logic that some might try to say, which is that we need to have more debates, it would be virtually endless. For example, if we say we would have an additional 20% across the board, on opposition days, government days, to have more debate time on human rights issues, then I would be a little more sympathetic. However, to try to give the impression that what is taking place this evening inside the House is going to have an impact on what is such a critically important issue is somewhat disingenuous. If we really and truly believe that, then why was it not suggested in a take-note debate or an opposition day motion. Then there would have been more debate on the issue. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Oct/24/22 7:10:02 p.m.
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Order. Another member is asking a question. The hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona.
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Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • Oct/24/22 7:10:27 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, on a point of order—
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Oct/24/22 7:10:32 p.m.
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The hon. member is apologizing for saying something.
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Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • Oct/24/22 7:10:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, she is doing indirectly what she cannot do directly, and she knows it.
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Oct/24/22 7:10:56 p.m.
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We are going into debate right now. I did call it when it happened. The hon. member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan on a point of order.
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Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • Oct/24/22 7:10:56 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, we speak often about family-friendliness. My daughter is in town, and I was in the lobby with her, listening to the speech—
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Oct/24/22 7:11:07 p.m.
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Honestly, this is really getting into debate. We are not going—
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Mr. Garnett Genuis
  • Oct/24/22 7:11:07 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, for the member to try to make a grand point—
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Oct/24/22 7:11:43 p.m.
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We are not going to start debating. We know that we cannot talk about who is in the House and who is not, period. It is not a subject for discussion. The hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona on a question, please.
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Ms. Heather McPherson
  • Oct/24/22 7:11:45 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I recognize that for many of us, having our family in town is a very special event. My son, Maclean, is in town today. My nephew, William, is in town. Of course, I will not be seeing them this evening because I am participating in this debate. However, the importance of what is happening in China with the Uighur people is vital. I was part of the subcommittee that brought forward this report. I wonder if the member could talk a little about the motion that we will be debating tomorrow on the Uighur genocide and the impacts that debate will have on how our Parliament can move forward.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • Oct/24/22 7:12:44 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is interesting to note that the standing committee had a good, thorough discussion in regard to the issue and then presented it in the form of a report. The report has some wonderful thoughts that we could share with the House. For example, it reads: a) extend existing special immigration measures to Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, including the expansion of biometrics collection capabilities in third countries and the issuance of Temporary Resident Permits and single journey travel documents to those without a passport In other words, our standing committees do phenomenal work, and I think at times that gets lost. I would like to think there are all sorts of forums in which we can have the type of debate that is necessary, so that as a House of Commons we can speak not only to Canadians but in fact to the world. A lot of that good work takes place in our committees.
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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)
  • Oct/24/22 7:12:53 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I appreciated that the member worked into his speech on this motion this evening the importance of the United Nations in multilateral work. It is the definition of multilateral work that we have a United Nations and that we are able to work within it even in times when the world is in graver crises than we have seen, I think, in my whole lifetime. We are closer to nuclear war, and we have more conflicts around the world. I would ask the hon. member whether the United Nations cannot do more to speak out and to ensure that we protect the Uighur Muslim population from genocide.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • Oct/24/22 7:13:46 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I really appreciate the question, because from a personal perspective and that of my Liberal colleagues, we understand and appreciate the important role the United Nation plays in our world today. I believe we will be a better planet, the stronger the United Nations is. The work it does in regard to human rights and dignity for individuals is so critically important. If, in fact, we are going to learn from history and try to build strong pathways to minimizing human rights violations, then we need to have institutions like the United Nations. That is why, as a government and no matter what political stripe we happen to be, we should be very supportive of the efforts taking place through our United Nations.
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Mr. Lloyd Longfield (Guelph, Lib.)
  • Oct/24/22 7:14:46 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Winnipeg North for highlighting the functioning of the House of Commons and the importance of the debates we have here. When I was coming to the Hill today, I was prepared to talk about Bill S-5. I told my community that we were going to be talking about Bill S-5. I sit on the environment committee, and I wanted to hear what other members were going to say about Bill S-5. However, when I came into the chamber, we were not talking about Bill S-5. In order for us to prepare as parliamentarians, could the hon. member talk about how we could do a better job at setting agendas and sticking to agendas?
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