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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 217

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 20, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 217 - Jun/20/23
Ms. Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo—Ladysmith, NDP)
  • Jun/20/23 8:56:52 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, 450 news outlets in Canada have closed since 2008. At least one-third of Canadian journalism jobs have disappeared. I am wondering what the member can share with us this evening about why it took so long to start the work on implementing this important move in the right direction.
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Jun/20/23 8:57:19 p.m.
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I do not usually do this, but we are talking about Bill C-42 right now and not Bill C-18. The hon. parliamentary secretary.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
Madam Speaker, I do not mind commenting on Bill C-18. Bill C-18 is wonderful legislation, and I am very glad the member and the NDP are supporting it. It is unfortunate that the Conservative Party is like a fish out of water and flip-flopped once again—
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Jun/20/23 8:57:46 p.m.
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We are not being relevant to the bill being discussed right now. The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.
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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)
  • Jun/20/23 8:57:56 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, I am going to put the hon. parliamentary secretary out of any sense of suspense over how I will vote on this bill. I will probably vote for it. The reason I waffled was that I was so impressed the other day by the speech from the hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, who took us through, as a collective, what it was like to be in committee and to have the evidence from Transparency International put forward minutes before clause-by-clause amendments. Those improvements could have been made. Transparency International is the gold standard, and Canada has been falling behind. Obviously we need the beneficial registry. We need this legislation, and we should have had it years ago. However, it is not great to be famous, as a country, for being a great place for money laundering, and we could have done better. I just wanted to explain that to the parliamentary secretary. I do not how the member for Kitchener Centre will vote. We do not whip votes here. We find it liberating for people to represent their constituents. In any case, I will be voting for it, but with some considerable regret that the bill was pushed through without entertaining good amendments based on witness testimony.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • Jun/20/23 8:59:10 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, I would not underestimate the member's influence over her colleague, her seatmate, and I highly recommend that she recommend to him that he join her in supporting this legislation, because it is good legislation. One thing that I hope I have emphasized at great length is recognizing that Ottawa plays a strong national leadership role. I would like to emphasize and re-emphasize how important it is that Ottawa continue to work with provincial jurisdictions, in particular, to ensure that we can expand the registry so that all Canadians will be that much more emboldened to feel we have public confidence and trust in corporations. The bill would ultimately add more value to our economy, because even corporations want to see this type of legislation.
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Mr. Maxime Blanchette-Joncas (Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, BQ)
  • Jun/20/23 9:00:06 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, according to Transparency International, between $43 billion and $113 billion a year is laundered or is lost to tax evasion. Obviously the Bloc Québécois is in favour of Bill C‑42, which calls for more transparency from businesses in order to determine who exactly is hiding behind these businesses. My question for my colleague is on the need for co-operation between the federal government and the Government of Quebec. In fact, Quebec has already brought in measures to improve transparency and to prevent tax evasion. How does my colleague see this co-operation? Business ownership and business ownership law are areas of provincial jurisdiction, not federal jurisdiction. How does my colleague think the federal government will be able to bring this bill into force while securing real co-operation and getting the necessary information, which belongs to and is the responsibility of the provinces, including Quebec?
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • Jun/20/23 9:01:14 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, it is important we recognize that the legislation establishes a searchable public ownership registry of a scale that the provinces that want to be able to participate in it can participate. I do not know all of the nuances. I know Quebec has been very progressive in advancing some legislation already. I would like to think that all provinces and municipalities would. In fact, members of this House can talk to their provincial counterparts and recommend that. After all, we all benefit if there is one registry that enables us to tap into it. When I say all, I am talking about the communities that we represent and corporations in general.
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Mr. Rick Perkins (South Shore—St. Margarets, CPC)
  • Jun/20/23 9:02:07 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, we had two committee meetings on this bill at the industry committee, one with officials and the minister and the other with a couple of witnesses, including the RCMP and Transparency International. As the leader of the Green Party said, Transparency International proposed a number of important changes. I put forward those amendments and the government voted against every one of them. It is interesting that the parliamentary secretary mentioned real estate and provincial co-operation. I put forward amendments proposing that residential or real estate assets be included and the Liberal Party voted against them. I put forward an amendment where, if a provincial government has a provincial beneficial registry, the federal government would enter into an agreement so they could share the data back and forth and the Liberals voted against it. Therefore, I hear the words, but I do not see the votes, and I wonder if the parliamentary secretary could explain that.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • Jun/20/23 9:03:15 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, what the member does not necessarily indicate is that this a minority situation, so if he was losing votes at committee, that means it was not just the Liberal Party but the majority of the committee membership did not support the Conservative amendments, so it is not fair for him to say that it is the Liberal Party. What I have witnessed is that this government has no objection to adding strength to legislation if a bill or amendment can add true value to it. It is up to the critics of the parties to work within the committee to maybe do a bit of lobbying with the minister, which never hurts, and if there are things we can do to make the legislation more sound and better in a timely fashion we are always open to those ideas. Keep in mind that one always needs a majority, even at committee, in order to pass an amendment. We do not have a majority, but maybe we will after the next election.
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Mrs. Élisabeth Brière
  • Jun/20/23 9:04:15 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, Facebook's decision to block Canadian news targets major media outlets—
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Jun/20/23 9:04:29 p.m.
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The hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon is rising on a point of order.
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Mr. Brad Vis
  • Jun/20/23 9:04:31 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We are not here to debate Bill C-18; we are here to debate Bill C-42. The member was asking about Facebook.
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Jun/20/23 9:04:44 p.m.
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We are debating Bill C-42. I thank the hon. member. Questions and comments, the hon. member for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley .
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Mr. Marty Morantz (Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, CPC)
  • Jun/20/23 9:04:54 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, I want to go back to one particular issue that has to do with the significant interest clause, which the member discussed during his speech. He said that it was okay for now, which leads me to think he might think it should be lower. The fact of the matter is it should be lower and is a major hindrance to making this legislation as effective as it could be. I wonder why the committee did not support that. Your argument earlier made no sense at all. If the Liberals had voted for it, it would have passed with the Conservative votes.
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Jun/20/23 9:05:28 p.m.
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I want to remind the hon. member that it is not my argument. The hon. parliamentary secretary.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • Jun/20/23 9:05:32 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, what I was attempting to say is this. There were some who would have liked to have seen it lower and some who may have wanted to see it higher. I believe 25% is what they agreed to and that is what was passed at committee. As I indicated to the previous—
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Jun/20/23 9:05:52 p.m.
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I am sorry, but we have to resume debate. The hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon.
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Mr. Brad Vis (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, CPC)
  • Jun/20/23 9:05:56 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-42 
Madam Speaker, I am going to be speaking on Bill C-42, an act to amend the Canada Business Corporations Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other acts. Before I begin, I seek unanimous consent from the House to split my time with the hon. member for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley.
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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Jun/20/23 9:06:19 p.m.
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I have heard from all recognized parties that they are in agreement with this request. Does the hon. member have the consent of the House to split his time? Some hon. members: Agreed.
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