House of Commons Debates
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House of Commons Debates VOLUME 148 Ï NUMBER 289 Ï 1st SESSION Ï 42nd PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, May 1, 2018 Speaker: The Honourable Geoff Regan CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 18951 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, May 1, 2018 The House met at 10 a.m. [Translation] ELECTIONS ACT Prayer Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-401, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (voting age). ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS She said: Mr. Speaker, it is my great honour to introduce a new bill today. Bill C-401 will lower the voting age in Canada and create Ï (1005) a system in which young people can vote once they turn 16. [Translation] [English] PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICER The objective of this legislation is to increase voter turnout among The Speaker: Pursuant to subsection 79.2(2) of the Parliament of young people in Canada. Across a number of western democracies, Canada Act, it is my duty to present to the House a report from the voter turnout is the weakest in the demographic where voting matters Parliamentary Budget Officer entitled “The Government’s Expendi- the most, the people on whose lives the decisions will have the most ture Plan and Main Estimates 2018-19”. impact. Young people in Canada, ages 18 to 24, vote the least. Research has shown that if they start voting at a younger age they *** will continue voting longer. If someone has not started voting before [English] the age of 25, that individual will not start voting at 30. The evidence is clear. COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE The goal of this amendment to the Canada Elections Act is to give HEALTH young people the right to vote at the age of 16, knowing that in the Mr. Bill Casey (Cumberland—Colchester, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I context of still being in high school, still being at home, and being in have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 16th report their own community, they are more likely to vote. of the Standing Committee on Health, entitled “A Study on the Status of Antimicrobial Resistance in Canada and Related I hope the House will look on this bill favourably. Some small Recommendations”. adjustments will need to be made based on Bill C-76, which was tabled in the House yesterday. The sense of urgency with respect to this issue was a really big surprise to me. We heard from professionals in the health care (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) industry about the ineffectiveness of antibiotics and the seriousness of this issue, and that unless something is done it will harm a lot of *** the great work that has been done in research in the health industry. PETITIONS I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 17th report of the Standing Committee on Health in relation to Bill PALLIATIVE CARE S-228, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibiting food and beverage marketing directed at children). Mr. Mark Warawa (Langley—Aldergrove, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present two petitions today. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments. The first petition relates to a national palliative care strategy. It highlights that 70% of Canadians who need end-of-life palliative This was an interesting study. Members of all parties shared their care do not have access to it. The petition also points out that it was expertise on this issue, and we feel we have improved the bill this Parliament's decision, passed unanimously, to create a national somewhat. palliative care strategy in support of Bill C-277. 18952 COMMONS DEBATES May 1, 2018 Routine Proceedings The petitioners call on every member in Parliament to support The petitioners ask that the Algoma passenger train be put back palliative care and respect the international definition of palliative into service in order to ensure the mission of Transport Canada, care by the World Health Organization that palliative care neither which is to serve the public interest through promotion of a safe, postpones nor hastens death. secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible transportation system in Canada. PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED DYING Mr. Mark Warawa (Langley—Aldergrove, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the second petition relates to conscience protection. It highlights that coercion, intimidation, or other forms of pressure intended to force INFANT LOSS physicians or health institutions to become parties to assisted suicide or euthanasia are a violation of the fundamental freedom of conscience. Mr. Blake Richards (Banff—Airdrie, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am tabling a petition today calling upon all members of the House to The petitioners call on Parliament to enshrine in the Criminal support Motion No. 110 in order to show better support and Code of Canada the protection of conscience for physicians, health compassion for parents who have suffered the loss of a pregnancy or care professionals, and institutions from coercion and/or intimida- an infant child. These are petitioners from Nova Scotia, Quebec, tion. Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and all across BANKING SERVICES Canada. They were quite disappointed to hear the government Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP): Mr. Speak- indicate, during debate on the motion, that it felt there was not er, I have two petitions. The first is from a group of Canadians in enough time to study an issue as important as this one. They believe support of postal banking. We know that nearly two million the government should be standing shoulder to shoulder with these Canadians desperately need an alternative to payday lenders, families and showing support and compassion for them, not telling because these predators are preying upon people with crippling them it does not have time to deal with their issues. lending rates that affect the poor, marginalized, rural, and indigenous communities the most. [Translation] We have 3,800 Canada Post outlets already in rural areas where there are few or no banks. Canada Post has the infrastructure to make a rapid transition that would include postal banking. Therefore, the petitioners are asking the Government of Canada to enact my GUARANTEED INCOME SUPPLEMENT motion, Motion No. 166, and create a committee to study and propose a plan for postal banking under the Canada Post Corporation. Ms. Karine Trudel (Jonquière, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I am Ï (1010) honoured to present a petition from residents of Jonquière regarding VOLUNTEER SERVICE MEDAL automatic enrolment for the guaranteed income supplement. The federal government recently announced a new process to auto- Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP): Mr. Speak- matically enrol seniors for the guaranteed income supplement, but er, the second petition is from a group of Canadians who are very sad automatic enrolment will not apply to all eligible individuals when that the Canadian volunteer medal has ceased to exist. They are they turn 64. We know this program is important for low-income petitioning the government to create and issue a new Canadian seniors who receive old age security. The extra income enables them military volunteer service medal to be designated the Canadian to remain in their homes, receive additional care, and access a military volunteer service medal for volunteer service by Canadians number of services. I am honoured to present this petition about in the regular forces, the reserves, the cadet corps, and support staff automatic enrolment for the guaranteed income supplement. who have completed 365 days of uninterrupted honourable duty for Canada. ALGOMA PASSENGER TRAIN [English] Mrs. Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I rise once again to table petitions regarding the Algoma passenger train, which was really the only safe, IMMIGRATION affordable, all-season access into the Algoma wilderness rail corridor for over 100 years. The loss of this train has resulted in substantial hardships for residents, businesses, communities, and passengers. Alternate ways of access are not reliable, safe, and year-round, or are Mr. David Tilson (Dufferin—Caledon, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I non-existent. There are only a few industrial roads, which are not have a petition signed by constituents from Dufferin—Caledon. very well maintained, for people to access some of their properties. They call upon Parliament to encourage the Canadian government to The passenger train was not only the best thing that was helping work with the Government of Israel to facilitate the completion of these individuals, but it was also an environmentally responsible way sponsorship applications of asylum seekers from Africa so they can to travel. immigrate to Canada as soon as possible. May 1, 2018 COMMONS DEBATES 18953 Business of Supply [Translation] studying Bill C-74, the government's budget implementation act, 200 INCOME INEQUALITY pages of which are dedicated to the creation of a national carbon tax. Before the committee were officials from the environment and Ms. Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet (Hochelaga, NDP): Mr. Speaker, finance departments. I asked specifically whether or not either of I am pleased to rise again today to table another petition that relates those departments had modelled how much that tax would cost the to the one I tabled yesterday. The petitioners wish to draw the average Canadian family. The assistant deputy minister of finance attention of the House to the gap between the rich and poor, which is confirmed that in fact the government has modelled that information. growing faster in Canada than in most developed countries. The In other words, the government knows the price tag but it is covering richest 100 Canadians have the same wealth as the 10 million it up, and that, in essence, is the carbon tax cover-up.