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House of Commons Debates VOLUME 148 Ï NUMBER 161 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 42nd PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Thursday, April 6, 2017 Speaker: The Honourable Geoff Regan CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 10241 HOUSE OF COMMONS Thursday, April 6, 2017 The House met at 10 a.m. FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Hon. Robert Nault (Kenora, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Prayer Development, entitled “A Coherent and Effective Approach to Canada's Sanctions Regimes: Sergei Magnitsky and Beyond”. This unanimous report is the culmination of the committee's ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS statutory review of the Freezing Assets of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act and the Special Economic Measures Act, as referred to the Ï (1005) committee pursuant to the order of reference of Thursday, April 14, [English] 2016, and as required by section 20 of the Freezing Assets of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act. GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO PETITIONS Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): government table a comprehensive response to this very important Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to report. table, in both official languages, the government's responses to two I want to congratulate the committee for its fine work. petitions. *** *** DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND GOVERNMENT [Translation] SERVICES ACT COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE Mr. Ramesh Sangha (Brampton Centre, Lib.) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-344, An Act to amend the Department of Public OFFICIAL LANGUAGES Works and Government Services Act (community benefit). Hon. Denis Paradis (Brome—Missisquoi, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, He said: Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely honoured to stand in the two-thirds of our House colleagues are either bilingual or working House, with the support of the member for Don Valley North, to on it. Before I present the report, I would like to acknowledge the introduce my first private member's bill, the community benefit act, outstanding contribution made by the Translation Bureau’s transla- or CBA, regarding the federal investment in infrastructure. tors, interpreters, and terminologists as well as all of its employees to building a country that is proud and respectful of its two official The CBA is the modern way of giving power to communities. languages. This will benefit not only my riding of Brampton Centre but ridings across Canada. My bill will define what community benefits are and I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth how government can collaborate with communities to obtain report of the Standing Committee on Official Languages entitled maximum benefits. The CBA will provide for community participa- “Follow-up to the Study of the Translation Bureau—Reverse the tion so they can achieve their fair share of the federal government's Trend: Strive for Excellence”. spending. The CBA will ensure reliable growth and meaningful [English] employment while fostering a healthier environment. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) NATIONAL DEFENCE Mr. Darren Fisher (Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, Lib.): Mr. *** Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the [Translation] fourth report of the Standing Committee on National Defence in CANADA LABOUR CODE relation to its study of force protection. Ms. Anne Minh-Thu Quach (for Ms. Christine Moore) moved Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the for leave to introduce Bill C-345, An Act to amend the Canada government table a comprehensive response to this report. Labour Code (pregnant and nursing employees). 10242 COMMONS DEBATES April 6, 2017 Routine Proceedings She said: Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the motion passed unanimously ANIMAL WELFARE in this House last month, I am pleased to introduce, on behalf of the member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue, a bill standing in her name on Mr. Robert Oliphant (Don Valley West, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I the Order Paper, and move the motions for the introduction and first rise today to table seven petitions from across the country relating to reading of the bill to amend the Canada Labour Code in order to animal protection. Petitioners call on the Minister of International authorize the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Development and La Francophonie to develop more funding toward Labour to enter into an agreement with the government of a province the protection of animals during disasters. that provides for the application, to pregnant or nursing employees, of certain provisions of the provincial legislation concerning occupational health and safety. I would like to thank World Animal Protection for its hard work and dedication to this issue, which is crucial for so many of the The bill also requires the minister to prepare a report on the world's vulnerable. agreements and to cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament. This bill represents an important step forward for female RAIL TRANSPORTATION workers in a given province, ensuring that they all enjoy the same rights and compensation when they are pregnant or nursing, Mr. Brian Masse (Windsor West, NDP): Mr. Speaker, it is a regardless of whether their job falls under provincial or federal pleasure to rise with a petition regarding the Algoma rail service, jurisdiction. which was cut by the current government. It is very important that Passing this legislation could help ensure that women are not the petitioners receive rail transportation service, which is necessary forced to choose between sustaining their income and risking the not only for first nations but for the population along that corridor. health of their unborn child or finding themselves in a precarious The corridor was closed by the previous government. It was financial position. reinstated and is now closed again. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) The petitioners are calling for the end of this political football. *** They want the government to actually do what is necessary to make Ï (1010) sure there is reliable travel for men, women, and children in this area. [English] CRIMINAL CODE FIREARMS ACT Mr. Bob Zimmer (Prince George—Peace River—Northern Mr. Mark Strahl (Chilliwack—Hope, CPC): Mr. Speaker, it is a Rockies, CPC) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-346, An Act to pleasure for me to present my first electronic petition. There are a amend the Firearms Act (licences). thousand signatories calling on the government to automatically He said: Mr. Speaker, I especially want to thank the member for designate persons convicted of multiple sexual crimes against a child Foothills for being my first seconder on this bill. or children as dangerous offenders, to increase mandatory minimum sentences for sexual crimes against children, to increase the period of The bill is an enactment that amends the Firearms Act to eliminate parole ineligibility for persons convicted of sexual crimes against the expiry of certain firearms licences and to provide for the children, and to ensure that criminals convicted of multiple sexual relinquishment of licences. It also requires individuals to update their offences against a child or children serve their sentences consecu- licence application information every 10 years and provides for the tively. suspension of licences in certain circumstances. The essence of the bill is the premise that an expired licence RAIL TRANSPORTATION should not make a law-abiding firearms owner a criminal. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) Mrs. Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise again to table a petition *** to the Minister of Transport. The petitioners are from Sault Ste. Marie, Prince Township, Massey, Echo Bay, Blind River, and even PETITIONS Saskatoon. It is with respect to the Algoma passenger rail. The THE ENVIRONMENT petitioners indicate that it has not been operating for quite some time now, which has resulted in substantial hardship for residents, Mr. Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, businesses, and other passengers. In terms of the impact, the $2.2- NDP): Mr. Speaker, it is a real honour for me to stand on behalf million investment from the remote subsidy funding they used to get of the residents of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, who recognize actually netted about $48 million in return. Therefore, as members the effect climate change is having on the Cowichan River, in my can see, it is quite problematic. home, in the Cowichan Valley. They are calling on the federal government to take the action necessary to provide federal funding to raise the weir at Lake Cowichan so we have adequate flow levels Again, 75% of the properties in proximity to the rail line are in the river to sustain important fish and fish habitat, which, I should inaccessible except by rail service. For those who have access to note, is under federal jurisdiction. roads, we are talking about bush roads. April 6, 2017 COMMONS DEBATES 10243 Routine Proceedings The petitioners call upon the Minister of Transport to put the Question No. 879—Hon. Tony Clement: Algoma passenger train back in service to ensure that the mission of Transport Canada, to serve the public interest through the promotion With regard to security at government owned residences: (a) how many RCMP of a safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible officers are located at 24 Sussex Drive; (b) how many RCMP officers patrol 24 Sussex Drive; (c) how many private security contractors are located at 24 Sussex transportation system in Canada, is fulfilled. Drive, broken down by (i) company, (ii) value of the contract; (d) what security Ï (1015) infrastructure upgrades have been made to 24 Sussex Drive since November 4, 2015, broken down by (i) company that provided the upgrade, (ii) value of each contract; Mr.