43rd PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION House of Commons Debates Official Report (Hansard) Volume 150 No. 045 Tuesday, December 8, 2020 Speaker: The Honourable Anthony Rota CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 3109 HOUSE OF COMMONS Tuesday, December 8, 2020 The House met at 10 a.m. PETITIONS INSECTICIDES Prayer Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP): Mr. Speaker, I am rising today in Parliament to present a petition dealing with an issue that is of grave concern to many constituents. It is the issue of neonicotinoid insecticides and particularly their impact on pollina‐ ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS tors. The petitioners call on the government to take action to follow ● (1005) the lead of the European Union, adhere to the cautionary principle and ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in Canada. [English] [Translation] CANADA POST CORPORATION ACT Mr. Dan Albas (Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, FALUN GONG CPC) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-260, An Act to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act. Mr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House this morning to He said: Mr. Speaker, I am certainly pleased to rise today to table present a petition signed by Canadians who want to remind the my private member's bill, Bill C-260, entitled an act to amend the government that the Chinese Communist Party has committed Canada Post Corporation Act. The title of the bill may sound sim‐ crimes against the Falun Gong community. The petitioners want the ple, and that is intentional. That is because it is simple. The bill in‐ people involved in these crimes to be sanctioned under the Magnit‐ tends to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act to allow Canadi‐ sky Law. ans to order and enjoy their favourite wine, spirit or craft beer from any province or territory from sea to sea to sea, without restriction, I will read part of the petition: delivered to their doorstep by the fine employees of Canada Post. For over 21 years, China's communist party officials have orchestrated the tor‐ As it currently stands, many Canadians cannot find their pre‐ ture and killing of large numbers of people who practice Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline promoting the principles of “Truth, Compassion and Tolerance“, includ‐ ferred wine, spirit or craft beer on the shelf of their local stores, and ing the killing of practitioners on a mass scale for their vital organs to fuel the com‐ Canadian producers are unable to ship their product because of munist regime's organ transplant trade. these archaic and outdated interprovincial restrictions that continue to vex this country. This not only stands in the way of the enjoy‐ Members of Falun Gong have been making representations for ment of these products by all Canadians, but also hurts these small years, and a number of MPs from all parties have supported their and medium-sized businesses by limiting who they can sell and requests. Today I am pleased to table this petition in the House. ship to. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that Canadians feel [English] more comfortable and safe shopping online or over the phone. This simple amendment would not only increase the happiness of Cana‐ THE ENVIRONMENT dians and allow them to shop safely, but also help the small busi‐ nesses that are seeing a sharp decrease in their local foot traffic be‐ Mr. Richard Cannings (South Okanagan—West Kootenay, cause of the pandemic. NDP): Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition from young people from across my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay and the I am confident that all members in this place will join me in sup‐ neighbouring riding of Kootenay—Columbia. These young people porting this bill to enact a simple amendment and open the taps to are concerned about the increasing impacts of climate change. They all Canadians. point out that the government's targets and actions are woefully in‐ adequate, and they want jobs that are sustainable, not for short-term (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) gain at the expense of future generations. 3110 COMMONS DEBATES December 8, 2020 Government Orders The petitioners ask the government to support their future with a [English] detailed climate strategy based on science. They want to eliminate fossil fuels subsidies and redirect those funds to renewable energy, energy efficiency, low-carbon transportation and job training. As I said when I spoke to the previous bill, now Bill C-7, four * * * and a half to five years ago, when we debate the role of the state at the end of life of one of its citizens, there is compassion on both QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER sides. There are people who do not want to see the suffering of Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Presi‐ someone near the end of life. dent of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and to the Lead‐ er of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand. The Deputy Speaker: Is that agreed? I will speak to the Sue Rodriguez case, when the Supreme Court was first charged with this. Someone with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Some hon. members: Agreed. disease, loses their physical abilities and is confined in a horrible way. Approaching end of life, are they able to consent in the same way that someone would otherwise and make their own decisions GOVERNMENT ORDERS about end of life? [English] CRIMINAL CODE There is compassion from people who want the well-being of The House resumed from December 4 consideration of the mo‐ their loved ones to be provided for. There is also compassion from tion that Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical as‐ people who are concerned about the state making determinations sistance in dying), be read the third time and passed. about quality of life. In fact, the justice in Quebec quoted many Hon. Erin O'Toole (Leader of the Opposition, CPC): Mr. speeches from the last Parliament on the previous bill, following Speaker, it my pleasure to rise on behalf of the Conservative Party the Carter decision, including my speech. I talked about the con‐ on probably the most important bill before this Parliament. I say cerns of a slippery slope and that we would be back in a few years. that, without knowing how long this Parliament will run, because I said more vulnerable people might be swept into a law, and I am this is a decision with respect to the state interacting with one of its sad to say that is exactly where we are. citizens at end of life. This is probably one of the most important debates this Parlia‐ ment will have, and if there is commentary coming from the gov‐ As a Parliamentarian, a lawyer, a father and the son of a brave ernment or from some pundits on why we are late and why we are woman who fought cancer, with profound memories of her from approaching a time limit, that was entirely in the hands of the gov‐ the palliative stage of that disease when I was nine, I am here to ernment for three reasons. make sure the bill is debated properly and that safeguards are pro‐ First, the government decided, with no reason and no grounds, to vided. Anyone who suggests we should be rushing this debate does prorogue Parliament. We lost several months that could have been not understand how profound it is. spent having substantive and compassionate debate on Bill C-7 and a range of other things. Second, the bill results from a Superior Court judgment in Que‐ [Translation] bec, and normally something so fundamental would have been ap‐ pealed to two higher courts: the Court of Appeal in Quebec and the Supreme Court of Canada. That was not done, and it should have been. Most legal observers believe this should have been the case. Today's debate should be approached with respect and compas‐ sion. It is not a normal debate on normal policies. We are talking Finally, as we may hear from the government and the Attorney about the power of the government to take away a person's life at General today, they could have asked for more time, given the pro‐ that person's request. It is a very serious action, and the debate that rogation, their own delays and the pandemic. I think they will end seeks to establish an appropriate legal framework is a necessary up doing that today, and that is appropriate. one. We are talking here about the value of human life, about hu‐ ● (1010) man dignity. [Translation] We are getting close to the deadline for this bill because of the government's inaction. The government was slow to appeal a Que‐ I know that people on both sides of this debate have good inten‐ bec court decision. The government also prorogued Parliament. tions, but I am concerned that the bill is a first dent in the value we That is why we are so close to a deadline set by a Quebec court de‐ place on life. It is a slippery slope that we should not be taking with cision. such a vague law and no safeguards. December 8, 2020 COMMONS DEBATES 3111 Government Orders [English] Disability organizations hear almost daily from individuals who are considering MAiD because the appalling lack of state supports makes life intolerable. It may be In the Rodriguez decision, Justice Sopinka, who represented the because they are institutionalized, because they cannot afford treatment, or because Supreme Court at the time in the 1990s, talked about the distinction they are socially isolated.