SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 214 - Jun/15/23

Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)

Jun/15/23 1:43:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, we are dealing with a stunt to delay the agenda. I will take this opportunity to add to the comments I made earlier this morning. When such schemes are used to delay the agenda, it is because the other side dropped the ball, as well. The government poorly managed its schedule and lacked respect for the opposition parties. There is a lack of dialogue. This morning, I asked the Conservatives to please ensure that we can work, and I take this opportunity to ask the same thing of the government. Can we get to work? I am calling for collaboration. Let us be serious. For how long will we have to deal with motions such as these? Of course, it is still an interesting topic. I understand my colleague's argument about dividing up the bill, but that is up to the committee, which is sovereign and can decide what it will do as part of its study. Does my colleague not believe that the Government Leader in the House of Commons should perhaps begin talking more often with Conservative and Bloc leaders so we can start moving forward and perhaps wrap things up at a reasonable time while getting real results for the ordinary people watching us?

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Mr. Rick Perkins

Jun/15/23 1:44:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is an excellent question. What the government thinks is manoeuvring is actually democracy in action, trying to prevent bad legislation from being put forward and passed. The member asked a great question about co-operation. The bill was introduced a year ago, and the government had eight months to put it on the floor. It chose not to put it up for second reading debate for about six months. The management of the calendar of the House of Commons is a responsibility, in co-operation and discussion with the opposition, but we cannot put government legislation on the floor. That is the job of the government House leader. The government House leader chose not to put the bill on the floor for discussion, chose never to talk about the bill in the House leaders meeting, and now the Liberals are surprised and shocked that somebody actually wants to have it discussed and split. Only Liberals would say that the last 10 days are when we should pass all the legislation that they could not bother putting on the agenda the rest of the year.

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Agenda

Mr. Dan Albas (Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, CPC)

Jun/15/23 1:45:37 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-27

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his arguments to divide the bill. I particularly dislike Bill C-27 for the artificial intelligence act that is included in it. It essentially would exempt the government from any kind of serious harms and any designated provincial government, while saying to business and innovation that it would hang this threat of a criminal offence over their heads, but not telling them what this means. It is going to push our industry and innovation down to the United States, where there is no legislation. Does he believe this bill needs to have a full vetting, because generative artificial intelligence can be something that we can innovate in Canada? It is powerful. I would not say dangerous, but this kind of bill would push that activity to areas that are not regulated.

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Mr. Rick Perkins

Jun/15/23 1:46:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would agree. This is critical legislation. On artificial intelligence, the U.S. and Great Britain are going in different directions than this version. They are allowing the subject matter experts, like their transportation departments that manage the automotive industry, to regulate artificial intelligence, not a grand central agency under the industry department, which is what this is. This bill would drive this important development of money, jobs and industry out of our country.

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

Jun/15/23 1:47:10 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-35 Bill C-27 Bill C-22

Mr. Speaker, I always welcome the opportunity to point out the hypocrisy of the Conservatives. Sometimes they just make it too easy. When I first walked in this morning, honest to God, I really thought we were going to be passing historic legislation. I really thought we were going to be talking about Bill C-22. After all, if anyone went on the Internet and looked at what is happening in Ottawa, what would be debated in the House of Commons, the first thing in government business was Bill C-22. I am sorry, Bill C-22 is another national program, that is the disability program. We do so much good stuff, there so much out there. We are supposed to be talking about Bill C-35, and it did not take a Conservative to point that out. They kind of get lost in the numbers. At the end of the day, we were supposed to be talking about Bill C-35 today. It is a national child care plan, from coast to coast to coast, and we are enshrining it into law. We had 20 minutes to go, and then it would go into law. However, no, the Conservatives had a different agenda. They have a partisan agenda. They have an agenda that says “cause frustration, do not allow legislation to pass.” The previous speaker stood up and said that we needed to have more legislation, referring to Bill C-27. He wants to multiply Bill C-27 into three bills. He wants us to introduce three more pieces of legislation so that the Conservatives have more to filibuster. The member is criticizing the government, saying that it has been months since we last called this legislation. A lot of issues are happening on the floor of the House of Commons, even with the frustrations caused by the Conservatives, and they cause a lot of frustration. I will give them that much. They know how to play a destructive force. Never before have I seen an opposition, and I was in opposition for 20 years, so focused on playing a destructive force with respect to legislation. Earlier today, I reminded the opposition that it was a minority government, and I acknowledge that. We accept the fact that we were elected as a minority government, and we thank Canadians for recognizing us and allowing us to continue in government. We take that very seriously. I kind of wish the Conservative Party would recognize that as well. Do they not realize there is a sense of “responsibility” for opposition members as well. Providing endless filibusters and trying to prevent every piece of legislation from passing is the goal of the Conservative. Just last week, and I referenced it this morning, the Conservative leader made a strong statement, and it made the news. It was on Newswatch in fact, not to mention other news agencies. The Leader of the Conservative Party said that he was going to speak and speak and speak, and he might have said “speak” a few more times, to filibuster our budget implementation bill. Let us think about all the things in that the budget implementation bill, and there is not enough time to elaborate on that. That was his intention. He was going to speak until we changed it, and four hours later it passed. We have these mechanisms to ensure that at least, even with the destructive force of the Conservative Party, we can still get things done for Canadians. Let us fast forward things here. The Conservatives did not want to debate the child care bill this morning. Instead, they wanted to talk about an issue that now brings us to Bill C-27—

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Mr. Bob Zimmer

Jun/15/23 1:51:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. I have been sitting here for the last 10 minutes, and I still cannot figure out what the member is talking about in relevance to the debate today. I wish he would get to the topic at hand or at least explain what he is talking about.

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The Deputy Speaker

Jun/15/23 1:51:58 p.m.
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I think relevance was called. The hon. parliamentary secretary.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

Jun/15/23 1:52:03 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-27

Mr. Speaker, it is amazing. I had just finished saying “Bill C-27”, and the member then stood up. Bill C-27 is what the motion is actually all about. The Conservative Party has actually moved a motion to try to get the government to divide Bill C-27 into more bills so Conservatives would have more opportunity to cause more filibustering in order to deprive Canadians of good, sound legislation. That is what the Conservative Party is doing. What is Bill C-27? It would be an actual modernization. Believe it or not, and I say this for the Conservative colleagues across the way, technology has changed over the last 20 years. A lot of things have happened. Do members know the last time we actually had a modernization of this legislation? We are talking about over two decades ago, when iPhones and Facebook did not exist. One would think that the Conservatives would have, and be able to comprehend, the need to change the legislation. However, there has been no signal whatsoever coming from the opposition benches to recognize the value of modernizing this legislation. The Conservatives should be concerned about it. Do they know the amount of data that is collected in both government agencies and private companies? People must understand that, through technological change, we have seen the development of huge data banks. Canadians are concerned about privacy. They want to make sure that the information being collected is, in fact, protected. A flash disk can have literally millions of entries, and that can be very damaging to the population. Twenty years ago, we did not have flash disks. We might have had the five-inch round disks; I can remember having those about 20 years ago. I will use Tim Hortons as an example, and I could easily use the example of McDonald's too. We can look at those restaurants' apps. People should open up and find out how many apps are out there. When we download these apps, whether they are for a restaurant or any other sort of service like a retail store, and we start using them, we are providing information. People should take a look at the airline industry, hotels and the many different industries out there that are actually collecting the private information of Canadians. In the Government of Canada, we recognize that we have a responsibility to look at what is impacting Canadians today, and to bring forward not only budgetary measures, as we have done to protect the backs of Canadians, but also legislative measures. That is what Bill C-27 would do in this particular area; it would ensure that the privacy of Canadians would ultimately be respected and that these huge data banks that are being created would not be abused or exploited at the expense of Canadians. We have consulted extensively. Through private, government and non-profit organizations, the department has done its job in terms of bringing forward legislation that would, in fact, modernize the industry. Most important from my perspective is that it would protect the interests and the privacy of Canadians. I want to emphasize, at the end of the day, the amount of change that we have witnessed in 20 years, as I said somewhat lightly a few minutes ago. We should understand that when I was first elected to the Manitoba legislature, the Internet was something which people dialed into. The first thing we heard was the “ching-ching-ching-ching” and then the dial tone coming. Then we had to double-click and we were into the Internet, and, boy, was it slow compared to what happens today. There were data banks at that time, and there was information being collected. That is why I would suggest that legislation of this nature is indeed warranted and needed. That is why we have standing committees. Earlier today, in the Conservatives' filibuster, they made a mockery of a standing committee and its efforts by moving an amendment even though the report was unanimously supported. They made a mockery of that. I will suggest to the members who participate in standing committees of Parliament that they can play a very important role in giving strength to legislation and to improving legislation. We have a minister who is following the debate, listening to what members have to say, and looking for ways we can improve and strengthen the legislation in the name of protecting Canadians, the data banks and our privacy rights. We want to see stability in the industry. Not only do consumers benefit from that stability, but businesses do as well. If we put more stability into place, also factoring in things like AI, it puts Canada in a better position to be able to continue to grow and expand our economy. This is an important aspect of that. We have a Prime Minister and a government that have consistently said we want an economy that works for all Canadians from coast to coast to coast, urban or rural. The impact of the Internet on rural communities has been significant in terms of economics, not to mention in many other ways. I will focus on the issue of economics. Retail stores can now be found within our computer, and the actual locations are often in rural communities. It can be a driving force for growth in rural communities. That is why it is important we get it right, that we have the confidence of consumers and Canadians in the information that is being gathered. We have to make sure that information is protected, whether it is names, financial information, health-related information and so much more. The legislation is good. It is sound. We would like to be able to encourage the Conservatives to see its value. By supporting the legislation, they are supporting Canadians. This legislation is a reflection of what Canadians want to see put into law. On that point, I know there is legislation the Conservatives say they support. Let us see if we can stop the filibustering here in the chamber so we can pass additional legislation so Canadians will be even better served by the House of Commons.

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Mr. Alain Rayes (Richmond—Arthabaska, Ind.)

Jun/15/23 2:00:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as you know, parliamentary business will be wrapping up in a few days. This is also a busy time in primary and secondary schools across the country, as the end of the school year is fast approaching for thousands of children and teens. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the teachers, education professionals, support staff, administrators and principals for the work that they do every day. These are dedicated, hard-working people who spend countless hours educating and training our future plumbers, electricians, psychologists, doctors, entrepreneurs, educators, lawyers, managers and, in some cases, future politicians, to name but a few professions. I wish to thank them for everything that they do. Our children, our fine young people, and our future are in good hands. I wish them all a wonderful end to the school year and an energizing summer break, so they can come back next year in top form.

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Ms. Valerie Bradford (Kitchener South—Hespeler, Lib.)

Jun/15/23 2:02:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Nicolas Hague and the Vegas Golden Knights on their remarkable triumph in winning the Stanley Cup. Nicolas, a Kitchener native, has achieved what many young Canadians dream of doing: hoisting the Stanley Cup. In this achievement, he will not only have his name etched among the greatest names in hockey, but will also inspire countless young athletes to dream big and strive for greatness. This triumph reminds us all of the indomitable spirit of hockey and the power it holds to unite communities. We look forward to Nicolas visiting Kitchener with Stanley. The citizens of Kitchener are truly having an incredible week, with two local sports heroes reaching the pinnacle of success by winning the national professional trophy in their chosen sports, first in the NBA, and now the Stanley Cup. On behalf of the House, I extend our warmest congratulations to Nicolas Hague and Jamal Murray on their amazing accomplishments. May these victories be a source of great pride and joy, and may they serve as a reminder of the immeasurable value of teamwork, determination and the pursuit of excellence.

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Mr. Corey Tochor (Saskatoon—University, CPC)

Jun/15/23 2:03:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about a citizen of Saskatoon who has passed on but will never be forgotten. Syed Shah came here in 1982. For the next 40 years, this was his city; it was his home, and he worked tirelessly to make it a better place for everyone. He was a pillar of the Ahmadiyya community, played a key role in welcoming many newcomers throughout the years, and was known for his hospitality to new and old alike. He was involved in the construction of three mosques in the province. Building a mosque in Saskatoon was always a lifetime goal of his, and he built an amazing one. He encouraged people of different backgrounds and faiths to get to know each other in order to build a more peaceful society, and he centred the community around these values. He was a father figure for the Ahmadiyya community of Saskatoon, and an important pillar of the broader Saskatoon community, which was reflected in the many dignitaries who attended his funeral. I believe that he will live on in his legacy, and I hope we can continue to unite people around the morals of love and harmony preached by him and the Ahmadiyya community: love for all, hatred for none. May my friend rest in peace.

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Ms. Sonia Sidhu (Brampton South, Lib.)

Jun/15/23 2:05:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as summer approaches and the sun shines brighter, I am looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead for active living in our communities. On the weekend, I joined the ninth annual Bike the Creek ride, a celebration of the joys of cycling and our environment. I want to recognize the team at BikeBrampton, including David and Dayle Laing; The Walnut Foundation and Linden King, who organized a walkathon for men’s health; EcoSikh Canada; Credit Valley Conservation; the Toronto conservation authorities that encourage people to plant trees; and the various seniors clubs that are keeping seniors active in Brampton. I am particularly excited about the upcoming Sun Life Walk to Cure Diabetes for JDRF in Peel. These events carry the very powerful message that the benefits of active living are vital for building a healthy and sustainable community. As we eagerly await the arrival of summer, let us seize the opportunity to embrace active living.

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Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ)

Jun/15/23 2:06:08 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-319

Mr. Speaker, since today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I would like to express my firm commitment to protecting and respecting the rights of the elderly. About one in six people over the age of 60 suffered some form of abuse in 2022. Elder abuse is a worrying reality that requires a collective response. There are many types of elder abuse, including ageism, one of the most common forms of discrimination. With Bill C‑319, which I introduced, we hope to break down this age barrier by increasing old age security for all seniors starting at 65. This is an important day in Quebec, which already has an action plan to fight elder abuse. Greater health transfers would help Quebec do more. We must work together to create a society that respects and protects seniors. Let us wear our purple ribbons today and commit to promoting the dignity and well-being of seniors.

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Mr. Peter Schiefke (Vaudreuil—Soulanges, Lib.)

Jun/15/23 2:07:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is a message to all the dads who are celebrating their first Father's Day or their 50th, to the new dads who gaze at their infant son's face and know that their priorities will never be the same, to the dads who work overtime so their kids can go to summer camp for the first time, to the dads who rushed home after a long day to tell their children bedtime stories. To the dads who just walked the daughter they used to carry on their shoulders down the aisle and are wondering where the time went; the dads who did not know if they would make it through the week and are still wondering if they will; the dads who walked into their first or their 100th AA or GA meeting, because they knew it was the only way; the dads who are not perfect but are trying to be better men, husbands and fathers, day in and day out; and all the dads, uncles, big brothers and mentors who know that fatherhood runs deeper than blood and who have opened their hearts and lives to children who no longer have a dad to call their own, I say happy Father’s Day.

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Mr. Fraser Tolmie (Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, CPC)

Jun/15/23 2:08:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan did not have an NHL team. However, in 2017, two young men from Saskatchewan, Justin Reeves and Greg Moore, made a social media plea to adopt the Vegas Golden Knights as Saskatchewan's team. At the same time, a young man named Brett Howden was playing for the Moose Jaw Warriors as their captain. Brett was a hard-nosed centre on the ice, and he fought hard for his teammates. Off the ice, he would bring players from the team to play floor hockey with the Special Olympics athletes in Moose Jaw. How he and his teammates were able to walk away after getting roughed up by them, I will never know. Brett knew what it was to give to the community he lived and played in. There is a saying in the Special Olympics: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” On Tuesday night, Brett Howden got his due reward and became a Stanley Cup champion with the Vegas Golden Knights. On behalf of Moose Jaw, the Moose Jaw Special Olympics and every Saskatchewanian who adopted Vegas as our NHL team, I say congratulations to Brett. I would like to point out that I work with his brother-in-law.

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Mr. Vance Badawey (Niagara Centre, Lib.)

Jun/15/23 2:09:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we believe in our hearts that if our loved ones were ever in danger, we would do whatever was necessary to keep them safe. However, how far would we be willing to go to help someone we did not know? Would we charge through the front door of a burning house to search for someone caught in the flames? Would we be willing to breathe air loaded with soot and ash, knowing it could shorten our lives? How far would any of us go? What risk would we take? Welland firefighter Captain Craig “Opie” Bowman knew the answer to those questions. Because of his courage and the courage of firefighters like him, few of us will ever face those kinds of decisions. On May 21, Captain Bowman lost his life after a courageous battle with occupational illness. His wife, Alisen, and children, Alexis and Colin, have suffered an enormous loss, but so many others have been spared that pain because of the bravery of such firefighters as Craig Bowman. On behalf of the people of Canada, I thank my friend Captain Bowman for his service. May he rest in peace.

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Ms. Iqra Khalid (Mississauga—Erin Mills, Lib.)

Jun/15/23 2:11:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we stand on the shoulders of giants as we inch towards progress. I stand today to recognize these giants, our seniors, who deserve to live with respect and dignity. Today, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, it is crucial to raise awareness about the well-being of our seniors and to provide them with the quality supports they need. Elder abuse can take many forms; it may be physical or psychological, or it may occur through neglect. We all have a role to play in fostering a culture of dignity and watching for warning signs. This also includes supporting elders, as our government has done, through budget 2023 and our New Horizons for Seniors program to ensure that our seniors and our elders have proper access to opportunities to actively participate in our society. Today and every day, let us recognize the many contributions our elders have made to Canada; let us cherish their health and security.

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Mrs. Anna Roberts (King—Vaughan, CPC)

Jun/15/23 2:12:19 p.m.
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Signor Presidente, it is an honour to rise today to celebrate Italian Heritage Month. I am one of over 94,000 Italian Canadians living in King—Vaughan. Many Italian immigrants, including my grandparents, came to Canada with enthusiasm and a desire to achieve their goals. They went on to succeed in business, education, entrepreneurship and community leadership, establishing the groundwork for future generations while fostering a deep love for Canada. The Italian language, the language of love and passion, is spoken by many across Canada. This month, we honour Italians across Canada for their contribution to the development of this country. [Member spoke in Italian]

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Ms. Ya'ara Saks (York Centre, Lib.)

Jun/15/23 2:13:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to welcome the next generation of leaders to Parliament. Two weeks ago, the Montessori Jewish Day School came to Parliament, and it was wonderful to engage with these young change-makers and answer their terrific questions. Today, I welcome the next generation of women leaders from the Eitz Chaim Girls school to Parliament. They come to see and learn how their House and the democratic institutions we all cherish work, as well as how they can engage with them. June marks graduation season for our students from coast to coast to coast, and the resumption of grad trips, which are the milestones of youth exploring our great country. Our students visit Ottawa to learn about our democratic institutions and nurture their curiosity. I would like to pay a special tribute to every teacher who has inspired our kids and prepared them for a bright future. I give my congratulations to all our graduates. We are proud of all they have accomplished. Yasher koach.

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Mr. Damien Kurek (Battle River—Crowfoot, CPC)

Jun/15/23 2:14:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it used to be that if somebody worked hard, they could live a good life here in Canada. They could own a home, drive a reliable vehicle, afford groceries and even save up to go on the occasional holiday. Those things are not luxuries and should not be items reserved for elites and trust fund beneficiaries; however, the reality is that these things are now out of reach for far too many Canadians. More and more Canadians are cancelling their vacations, going without the necessities or accessing food banks; many have totally given up on the dream of ever owning a home. One must ask why. The answer is simple: The Liberal-NDP policies are to blame. These are things like the carbon tax, attacks on Canada's most productive sectors, gatekeepers reducing productivity and inflationary spending that diminishes the purchasing power of Canadians. It is time for better, and the leader of Canada's Conservatives and his team from across the country are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work to make sure we axe the tax, make work count again and bring home a Canada that works for all Canadians.

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