44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 15, 2023 10:00AM
- Jun/15/23 2:48:09 p.m.
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The hon. government House leader.
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- Jun/15/23 2:48:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times, as every Canadian knows, the crimes that are in question are among the most grievous this country has ever faced. There is not a person in the House who is not impacted by them. I trust that the member cares deeply about it, as do I.
However, the assertion that this is a decision of the government is false and, in fact, it is dangerous. The decision to transfer inmates is a decision of Correctional Service Canada. The independence of our Correctional Services has been a foundation of our country for a very long time.
Having a mature conversation about how we respect that and respect victims is what I think Canadians expect.
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- Jun/15/23 2:48:54 p.m.
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I would point out for the hon. member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies that we have heard his comment. He does not have to repeat it over and over again. It is just not the right time. The member should talk to his whip about getting a speaking role.
The hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill.
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- Jun/15/23 2:49:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think it is worth noting that the government has the authority to introduce legislation, such as bills the Conservative Party has just put forward, to ensure that offenders like Paul Bernardo, one of Canada's worst serial rapists, stay in maximum security. That is its job.
The Prime Minister's Office and the Prime Minister knew about this for three months. He has a litany of highly paid staff to tell him about these things. It is preposterous to think they did not. His public itinerary today says that he is in the national capital region. How come he has not informed the House of the public safety minister's resignation?
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- Jun/15/23 2:49:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member across has made clear, not just now but for a long time, her desire for her party to be successful and for it to get on this side. They have to do that through an election.
I will say, on this issue, that the decision made was independent. If we want to have a conversation about Correctional Services's decision, that is exactly what we are doing. There is a review taking place, which concludes in two weeks. We have asked it to review this decision, and I think understanding that these decisions are done independently is important. It has been an important foundation of corrections in this country.
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- Jun/15/23 2:50:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government has had eight years to consult, and it should not be a leap of logic to understand that revictimizing families by allowing the transfer of serial rapists out of maximum-security prison is something the government should have worked to avoid, just like it failed with the Terri-Lynne McClintic case.
If the member looks behind to his caucus, he will see his caucus cringing. The public safety minister has the worst record of failure in the government outside of the Prime Minister. How come the Prime Minister, who is in the national capital region today, has not informed this House—
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- Jun/15/23 2:51:14 p.m.
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The hon. government House leader.
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- Jun/15/23 2:51:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think we should choose what we talk about. If we want to talk about the circumstances that are involved in these horrific crimes and how we can responsibly deal with a corrections system that is one of the best and most envied in the world—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Jun/15/23 2:51:34 p.m.
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I am sorry, but I have to stop the hon. member.
The hon. government House leader, from the top, please.
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- Jun/15/23 2:51:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when we talk about these issues, I would suggest that they require enormous sensitivity. I am concerned that the Conservatives are peppering every question with partisan commentary and trying to extract political advantage from this situation.
I have attempted, as I have talked about this, to talk about our responsibility. We have one of the greatest correctional services systems in the world. It is admired all over the world, and one of its principle tenets is to not interfere with it politically.
We all rightly feel outrage about this transfer. We have great emotion about the crimes that occurred, but we need to deal with that emotion responsibly and make—
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- Jun/15/23 2:52:35 p.m.
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The hon. member for Vancouver East.
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- Jun/15/23 2:52:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, international students who were victims of unscrupulous immigration agents should not be punished. They have invested everything they have to study in Canada. They have contributed to the economic, cultural and social fabric of our community. Halting the deportation and removal orders is a good first step.
The minister said that he is working on a long-term solution. However, what the students need is permanent residency status. Will the minister follow up to ensure that an alternate permanent residence pathway is made available to the victims of fraud?
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- Jun/15/23 2:53:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her advocacy, along with members who come from all parties represented in the House of Commons, in finding a solution for innocent victims who were taken advantage of by fraudsters who allowed them to enter Canada on the basis of fraudulent letters of admission.
Yesterday we announced a new path forward, including a task force, that would give an opportunity to students to demonstrate that they were not complicit in fraud but were in fact victims of fraud. They will be given temporary status in Canada to allow them to complete their studies or to continue to work. We have also advanced new measures to ensure they can apply for permanent residency or remain in Canada without prejudice. That is the right path forward—
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- Jun/15/23 2:53:55 p.m.
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The hon. member for London—Fanshawe.
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- Jun/15/23 2:53:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the London Food Bank is seeing its highest turnout ever. People cannot afford the cost of food right now, and major grocers are using inflation as a cover to jack up prices. The government is choosing to protect the profits and greed of major grocers while Canadians' bills skyrocket.
The multipartisan committee released a report stressing how a windfall tax would incentivize large grocers to keep prices low. Will the government implement this windfall tax immediately so that Canadians can stop going to food banks and can actually afford their groceries?
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- Jun/15/23 2:54:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we agree with the member, and we know that Canadians are paying far too much for their groceries right now. That is why, not long ago, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry wrote to the Competition Bureau to make sure that the bureau is using all the tools it has at its disposal to keep prices down and to prevent businesses from taking advantage of the high prices to profit off of Canadians. We have also asked the bureau to look immediately into these matters. We will continue to work to make life more affordable for Canadians in all matters.
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- Jun/15/23 2:55:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, around the world we are seeing the rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ people being restricted. Even within our own borders, we are seeing extremist groups callously using innocent trans and non-binary children as political targets.
The Minister of Labour recently represented Canada at the UN International Labour Organization in Geneva, where he raised this issue. Would the minister share with the House what he said to this international forum?
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- Jun/15/23 2:55:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a few days ago I stood before nations that have attempted to roll back 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and I reminded them that as a gay and married man, I would be jailed or even condemned to death if I happened to have been born in their countries.
Nations make progress and they achieve rights in their own time and in their own way, as was the case with Canada, and we respect that, but once those rights are achieved, once they are named, we will not stand by and see them swept under the carpet, put back in the closet or taken away, not here, not there, not anywhere.
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- Jun/15/23 2:56:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and cabinet have never taken responsibility for their many acts committed in bad faith.
For example, the Minister of Public Safety alone has misled the House no less than seven times. He even misled a judge by backdating documents. He should have been fired for that, but he is still here. The Liberals have also never showed empathy or compassion for the victims of Paul Bernardo.
The Prime Minister is in Ottawa. Can he rise today and tell us whether he is going to fire his public safety minister?
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- Jun/15/23 2:56:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, that is absolutely not true. I called the representatives of the families of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French to express our government's solidarity and our full support.
In addition, we will now work with CSC to prevent further cases like this from happening. Victims must be notified before such decisions are made. That is the commitment we are making for the future.
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