SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 339 - Sep/19/24

Hon. Kamal Khera (Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 3:12:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we will not take any lessons from the party opposite when it comes to fighting for equality in the country. The Conservatives were against $10-a-day child care. These are the cuts that they want to make. They want to ensure and they support back door legislation that actually would ban abortions and take away women's right to choose, or there is the fact that their leader uses misogynistic hashtags in videos to attract men who hate women. We will not take any lessons from the Conservatives when it comes to ensuring that we support women in the country.

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Mr. George Chahal (Calgary Skyview, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 3:13:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this summer, I, like many Canadians, watched in horror as wildfires ravaged the municipality of Jasper and Jasper National Park. Jasperites are strong and resilient, and despite the devastation, we will rebuild stronger than before. I was able to visit the wildfire command centre in Jasper with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Employment and the mayor of Jasper. Could the Minister of Employment update Canadians on how our government is supporting residents and businesses in Jasper?

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Hon. Randy Boissonnault (Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 3:14:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity as a kid to go to Jasper with my grandparents and parents. This July, I visited Jasper and witnessed the devastation first-hand. I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the first responders who made sure that the destruction was not even worse. We have a historic opportunity to help Jasperites recover and rebuild faster. We have an act to amend the Canada National Parks Act, which will put the powers the mayor needs in his hands. I urge every single party in the House to vote this motion in.

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Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Sep/19/24 3:15:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, communities across the country are in crisis. They do not have the resources they need to support people who are struggling with trauma, mental health and substance use disorders, but the Liberals keep delaying support. Today, the Nuu-chah-nulth nations declared a state of emergency. They are pleading for federal help. This comes after every single substance use and addictions program application that they applied for was denied. What more will it take for the Liberals to finally provide the mental health resources that these nations desperately need?

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Hon. Ya'ara Saks (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 3:15:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that across the country the illegal toxic drug supply is taking the lives of loved ones every single day. That is why, in budget 2024, this government pledged to work directly with communities through the emergency treatment fund, $150 million, over the next three years, to work directly with communities like the ones the member discussed. We know we need to be there to save lives, and that is exactly what we will be doing.

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

Sep/19/24 3:16:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on October 23 and February 8, I asked questions about the problems people were having with their Canada greener homes application. In my riding alone, more than 20 people are still waiting for the federal payment, despite the fact that every step has been taken, the money has been spent and the work has been done. In Quebec, it takes two to six months at most for files to be processed while in Canada, with any luck, it takes more than 18 months. Can the Prime Minister and the Minister of Environment confirm that changes will be made to address this unacceptable situation for once and for all?

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Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson (Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 3:17:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Canada greener homes program is very important for improving building efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Many people have already received money from the federal government. However, if there are problems in my colleague's riding, I will be happy to discuss it with him to try to find a solution.

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Mr. Peter Julian (New Westminster—Burnaby, NDP)

Sep/19/24 3:17:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, people across Canada watch question period to learn about government business and hear about important issues of public interest. What we saw today was a torrent of insults hurled at the leader of the Bloc Québécois, the leader of the NDP and other members. That is simply not allowed under our rules. Standing Order 18 says very clearly that disrespectful and offensive language is not permitted. The member for Carleton had questions that were simply an expression of spewing personal insults and had nothing to do with public administration—

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The Deputy Speaker

Sep/19/24 3:18:43 p.m.
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I just want to make sure that the hon. member gets to what the point of order is. The hon. member for New Westminster—Mr. Burnaby.

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Mr. Peter Julian

Sep/19/24 3:18:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would ask that you review the tapes from question period today and that, after reviewing those tapes, you oblige the member for Carleton to rise in his place to withdraw and apologize for those offensive and disrespectful comments.

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The Deputy Speaker

Sep/19/24 3:19:05 p.m.
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We will take that under advisement.

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The Deputy Speaker

Sep/19/24 3:20:17 p.m.
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It being 3:19 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion to concur in the 13th report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. Call in the members.

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The Deputy Speaker

Sep/19/24 3:32:23 p.m.
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I declare the motion carried. I wish to inform the House that, because of the deferred recorded divisions, Government Orders will be extended by 12 minutes. As mentioned in the Speaker's statement of Monday, September 16, the volume for earpieces will now be reset. Members using their earpiece at this time will have to readjust the volume. I thank members for paying particular attention to the sound level. It is now time for the Thursday question. I recognize the hon. House leader for the official opposition.

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Hon. Andrew Scheer (House leader of the official opposition, CPC)

Sep/19/24 3:33:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is that time of the week when CPAC ratings skyrocket: the Thursday question. This being the first Thursday back, I would like to welcome my counterpart, who was the House leader for a while. I see he is going to be answering today. He now has a different portfolio, but I know one of the things he misses most about his previous role is the Thursday question, so I am glad to see him have an opportunity to answer it again today. We already know a little bit about what might come next week, but I would like to know whether the government could inform the House officially what will be the business of the House for the rest of this week and for next week as well.

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Hon. Mark Holland (Minister of Health, Lib.)

Sep/19/24 3:33:39 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-71 Bill C-66 Bill C-63 Bill C-33

Yes, Madam Speaker, by popular demand, I am back. I really missed these exchanges. Some of our great moments are on Thursdays, not just for CPAC viewers, but also for you and me personally, I know. Therefore it is wonderful to exchange and wonderful to be back. I want to wish members a good return. I hope everybody had a productive and happy time with their families and their constituents in their ridings. This afternoon, we will resume second reading debate of Bill C-66, the military justice system modernization act. Tomorrow, we will begin the report stage debate of Bill C-33, the strengthening the port system and railway safety in Canada act. On Monday, we will begin second reading debate of Bill C-63, the online harms act. Madam Speaker, you will be very happy to know that next Wednesday we will also be resuming second reading debate of Bill C-71, which would amend the Citizenship Act. I would also like to take the opportunity to inform the House that both next Tuesday and next Thursday shall be allotted days. Furthermore, on Monday, the Minister of Finance will table a ways and means motion on capital gains taxation that incorporates the feedback received during consultations over the summer. The vote will take place on Wednesday of next week during Government Orders.

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Hon. Andrew Scheer (Regina—Qu'Appelle, CPC)

Sep/19/24 3:35:32 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to respond to the interventions on my question of privilege concerning the government's failure to obey the House order adopted on June 10. From the outset I want to thank the Bloc Québécois House leader and the hon. member for Windsor West for their interventions in support of my question of privilege. As for the Bloc Québécois House leader's comment about my one-week proposed time frame possibly being too short, I would invite him to consider the fact that the documents have already been assembled. Computers and filing cabinets have been searched. If we were asking for documents to be searched for to begin with, like we did when the House adopted a 30-day deadline in its June 10 order, then he would have a fair point. However, in any event, it has been over three months now. Instead we are saying that the government should simply grab the original set of documents, the ones to which the government applied its big sharpie for redactions, and hand the clean versions over. That should not take very long, so one week, I believe, is quite generous. The government House Leader, on the other hand, made a substantial response with which I fundamentally disagree. Certain points require, I believe, a rebuttal to assist you, Madam Speaker, in coming to your decision. As I understand her intervention, the Liberal House leader's argument was fourfold. She believes that the House order exceeded its authority in adopting the order—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Sep/19/24 3:36:50 p.m.
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Could we check the noise in the courtyard, please? It is quite disruptive. The hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle has the floor.

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Hon. Andrew Scheer

Sep/19/24 3:37:00 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the Liberal House leader's argument was fourfold. She believes that the House order exceeded its authority in adopting the order, that redactions were authorized because the order did not explicitly require unredacted documents, that any use made by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police of the documents produced could amount to a breach of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that the only permissible remedy here would be to refer the matter to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. Permit me to address her arguments in turn. First, it would not surprise you, Madam Speaker, to know that I actually believe that the House order of June 10 was entirely within the authority and jurisdiction of the House and that clear jurisprudence will support my position. In her submissions, the government House leader cited page 190 of Parliamentary Privilege in Canada, second edition, which states, “The only limitations, which could only be self-imposed, would be that any inquiry should relate to a subject within the legislative competence of Parliament”. While I will also revisit this citation from Maingot later, let me first add for good measure a quotation from page 1 of the Prime Minister's former caucus colleague Derek Lee's book The Power of Parliamentary Houses to Send for Persons, Papers and Records: “Based on principles firmly established in constitutional and parliamentary law (and apart from the following limitations pertaining to Her Majesty, other Houses of parliament and foreign jurisdictions), a House of parliament has the full authority to summon and compel the production of any document.” It is also worth recalling that the order originated from a Conservative opposition motion, and Standing Order 81(13) provides that, “Opposition motions...may relate to any matter within the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada". I would respectfully submit that the motion debated on June 6 and adopted on June 10 was squarely within the jurisdiction of Parliament. It concerned Sustainable Development Technology Canada, an organization incorporated by Parliament through the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology Act. Many of its directors and the chair of its board are appointed by the federal cabinet, which is most certainly accountable to Parliament. Quite importantly, SDTC's operations are run with monies that have been appropriated by Parliament. The motion was precipitated by the bombshell report of the Auditor General of Canada, an officer of Parliament, which outlined a massive scandal. Conservatives were troubled that, given the conduct uncovered by the Auditor General and brave whistle-blowers, crimes may well have been committed. The criminal law is, of course, a well-established area of federal jurisdiction. The documents were to be transmitted to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada's police force, also established by an act of Parliament—

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

Sep/19/24 3:39:57 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, on a point of order, the Speaker actually asked for additional comments a while back. Everyone else has responded. The member has already addressed this particular issue. I am not too sure why he would be standing up again.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Sep/19/24 3:40:12 p.m.
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The hon. member is answering the leader of the government's points. I think it is his privilege to do so.

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