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House of Commons Debates VOLUME 147 Ï NUMBER 038 Ï 2nd SESSION Ï 41st PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Thursday, January 30, 2014 Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 2327 HOUSE OF COMMONS Thursday, January 30, 2014 The House met at 10 a.m. they ask the question: “Why are we applying for Canada pension disability when we are getting it deducted here?” We think that is unfair and unconscionable. This bill would correct Prayers that deficiency to ensure that the heroes of our country receive all the monies they require in order to get on with their dignified lives. ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) Ï (1005) *** [English] PETITIONS PUBLIC SECTOR INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER PRIVACY The Speaker: I have the honour, pursuant to section 38 of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, to lay upon the table the Mr. Ted Hsu (Kingston and the Islands, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, case report of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner concerning today I have four more petitions regarding the United States' Foreign an investigation into allegations of wrongdoing. Account Tax Compliance Act. [Translation] The petitioners ask the government to ensure that the privacy of This report is deemed permanently referred to the Standing Canadians, especially their financial privacy, and their rights are Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. respected in any discussions with the United States on how the *** United States would like to enforce the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. They ask that Canadian laws be obeyed and that [English] the rights of all Canadians be respected. ENERGY SAFETY AND SECURITY ACT [Translation] Hon. Joe Oliver (Minister of Natural Resources, CPC) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-22, An Act respecting Canada's offshore PASSPORT CANADA oil and gas operations, enacting the Nuclear Liability and Compensation Act, repealing the Nuclear Liability Act and making Mr. Claude Patry (Jonquière—Alma, BQ): Mr. Speaker, I am consequential amendments to other Acts. pleased to present a petition signed by over 12,000 residents of Jonquière—Alma who want the Passport Canada office in Place (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed) Saint-Michel in Jonquière to remain open. I present this petition in *** the House this morning. CANADIAN FORCES SUPERANNUATION ACT [English] Mr. Peter Stoffer (Sackville—Eastern Shore, NDP) moved for leave to introduce Bill C-572, An Act to amend the Canadian Forces THE ENVIRONMENT Superannuation Act and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP): Mr. Speaker, Superannuation Act (deduction of disability pensions). I rise today to present two petitions. He said: Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Thunder Bay for seconding the bill. The first petition is from residents primarily in the Vancouver area who call upon the government to establish a permanent ban on crude For members of the RCMP and the military, when they are oil tankers on the west coast of British Columbia. permanently disabled and medically released from the RCMP or the military, they can apply for Canada pension disability in the event Coincidently, I was just meeting with halibut fishers who were that they can no longer work again. The problem is that, if they talking to me about the treacherous waters of the Hecate Strait and receive Canada pension disability, then that is deducted dollar for how it would certainly be impractical to imagine supertankers safely dollar from any superannuation benefits they receive. Therefore, traversing those waters. 2328 COMMONS DEBATES January 30, 2014 Business of Supply LYME DISEASE addressing the mental health crisis facing Canadian soldiers and veterans by hiring appropriate mental health professionals; (b) reversing its decision to close veterans' Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP): Mr. Speaker, offices; and (c) prioritizing and concluding the over 50 outstanding boards of inquiry the second petition is from residents in my own riding of Saanich— on military suicides so that grieving families may have answers and closure. Gulf Islands in support of my private member's bill, Bill C-442, which is coming up for a vote soon. The bill is for a national Lyme disease strategy. I am certainly He said: Mr. Speaker, I have the tremendous honour and great hoping that this can be treated as a non-partisan, compassionate and pleasure of rising in the House to move an important motion that will urgent matter for people across Canada suffering from Lyme disease. allow us to address some serious issues that many veterans across Canada will face as a result of the closure of Veterans Affairs offices. HOUSE OF COMMONS I am also honoured to be sharing my time with the hon. member for Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Sackville—Eastern Shore. In fact, I would like commend him for all today I table a petition signed by many of my constituents who of the hard work he does on the issues facing our veterans. He has indicate that they do not believe the government has justified the been doing this work passionately for many years now, and I must need to increase the number of members of Parliament from 308 to commend him for it. 338. The petitioners suggest there are greater needs in terms of what could be done with the money, such as protecting seniors' pensions Getting back to the motion, tomorrow will be the last day of and increasing bedside nurses and community policing. There are operation for several Veterans Affairs Canada offices. The affected many other priorities they would rather have seen. offices are located in Corner Brook, Newfoundland; Charlottetown, EXPERIMENTAL LAKES AREA Prince Edward Island; Thunder Bay and Windsor, Ontario; Brandon, Manitoba; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Kelowna, British Colum- Mr. Bruce Hyer (Thunder Bay—Superior North, GP): Mr. bia. These seven offices will close tomorrow—in addition to the Speaker, today I have the pleasure of presenting a petition from Prince George office, which has already closed—if the government residents of Thunder Bay and across Ontario who are concerned does not reverse its decision. about the far-reaching consequences of the government's failure to negotiate a timely transfer for the Experimental Lakes Area in northwestern Ontario, also known as the ELA. These looming closures, which are happening because the The petitioners note the importance of this world-renowned Conservatives do not comprehend the importance of the services freshwater research centre and how much it contributes to science in offered by the Veterans Affairs Canada offices, will affect nearly Canada. They feel it is in jeopardy, as the area is not currently 20,000 veterans. They will no longer have access to in-person staffed, and without proper staffing and financial resources, the services with a case manager who is familiar with the services important environmental and ecological resources of the ELA could offered by Service Canada and who can help them take advantage of be lost. the services they are entitled to. For example, they can have their compensation claims filled out. These services are important to *** veterans, yet they are having to deal with a government that does not QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER understand that at all. The government does not respect them. Mr. Tom Lukiwski (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of Closing these offices will force veterans to travel more than the Government in the House of Commons, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I 100 kilometres to meet with a case manager. That means five or six ask that all questions be allowed to stand. hours of driving in many cases. The Acting Speaker (Mr. Bruce Stanton): Is that agreed? Some hon. members: Agreed. For these veterans, having access to in-person services is crucial because they do not necessarily know about all the compensation options and services they are entitled to. Government propaganda is seeking to appease the veterans because they are truly frustrated. GOVERNMENT ORDERS They are being told that Service Canada will open 662 offices and Ï (1010) will offer them services, but that is not the case. In fact, these offices [Translation] will only give them access to a computer—when the vast majority of them already have one at home—and a telephone number to call for BUSINESS OF SUPPLY information. OPPOSITION MOTION—CANADIAN FORCES Mr. Sylvain Chicoine (Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, NDP) moved: Contrary to what the government is saying, Service Canada will not offer any services to veterans. That will be tragic for the some That, in the opinion of the House, the men and women who bravely serve Canada in the armed forces should be able to count on the government for support in their time 18,000 veterans affected by the closure of these offices. It needs to of need, and that the government should demonstrate this support by (a) immediately be said. January 30, 2014 COMMONS DEBATES 2329 Business of Supply This motion is designed to tell the government that our veterans This is extremely important. Nearly 20,000 veterans are being and soldiers have many issues and have lost faith in their denied that service. government. This week, a group of veterans was welcomed—that word is a bit strong considering they were snubbed—by the Minister Not only does government propaganda suggest that the govern- of Veterans Affairs. He offered to meet with them but then did not ment is providing 500 points of service, but the Conservatives are even have the decency to show up. He arrived very late and lashed saying that they have invested an additional $5 billion since coming out at a veteran who did not agree with him about the importance of to power.