Skip to main content
;

House Publications

The Debates are the report—transcribed, edited, and corrected—of what is said in the House. The Journals are the official record of the decisions and other transactions of the House. The Order Paper and Notice Paper contains the listing of all items that may be brought forward on a particular sitting day, and notices for upcoming items.

For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.

Previous day publication Next day publication
41st PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION

Journals

No. 231

Thursday, March 28, 2013

10:00 a.m.



Prayers
Government Orders

The Order was read for the third reading of Bill S-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Canada Evidence Act and the Security of Information Act.

Mr. Kenney (Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism) for Mr. Nicholson (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mr. Blaney (Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister for La Francophonie), moved, — That the Bill be now read a third time and do pass.

Debate arose thereon.

Statements By Members

Pursuant to Standing Order 31, Members made statements.

Oral Questions

Pursuant to Standing Order 30(5), the House proceeded to Oral Questions.

Daily Routine Of Business

Tabling of Documents
Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Clement (President of the Treasury Board) laid upon the Table, — Reports on Plans and Priorities, Main Estimates, 2013-2014 (USB key included), as follows:
(1) Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and Canadian Polar Commission. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-203;
(2) Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-204;
(3) Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-205;
(4) Canada Border Services Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-206;
(5) Canada Industrial Relations Board. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-207;
(6) Canada Revenue Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-208;
(7) Canada School of Public Service. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-209;
(8) Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-210;
(9) Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-211;
(10) Canadian Food Inspection Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-212;
(11) Canadian Forces Grievance Board. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-213;
(12) Canadian Grain Commission. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-214;
(13) Canadian Heritage. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-215;
(14) Canadian Human Rights Commission. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-216;
(15) Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-217;
(16) Canadian Institutes of Health Research. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-218;
(17) Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-219;
(18) Canadian International Development Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-220;
(19) Canadian International Trade Tribunal. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-221;
(20) Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-222;
(21) Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-223;
(22) Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-224;
(23) The Canadian Space Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-225;
(24) Canadian Transportation Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-226;
(25) Citizenship and Immigration Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-227;
(26) Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-228;
(27) Copyright Board of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-229;
(28) Correctional Service Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-230;
(29) Courts Administration Service. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-231;
(30) Department of Finance Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-232;
(31) Department of Justice Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-233;
(32) Department of National Defence. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-234;
(33) Economic Development Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-235;
(34) Environment Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-236;
(35) Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-237;
(36) Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-238;
(37) Fisheries and Oceans Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-239;
(38) Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-240;
(39) Health Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-241;
(40) Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-242;
(41) Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-243;
(42) Industry Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-244;
(43) Infrastructure Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-245;
(44) Library and Archives Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-246;
(45) Military Police Complaints Commission. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-247;
(46) National Energy Board. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-248;
(47) National Film Board of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-249;
(48) National Research Council Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-250;
(49) Natural Resources Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-251;
(50) Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-252;
(51) Northern Pipeline Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-253;
(52) Office of the Auditor General of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-254;
(53) Office of the Chief Electoral Officer. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-255;
(54) Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-256;
(55) Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-257;
(56) Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-258;
(57) Office of the Communications Security Establishment Commissioner. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-259;
(58) Office of the Correctional Investigator. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-260;
(59) Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-261;
(60) Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-262;
(61) Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-263;
(62) Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-264;
(63) Parks Canada Agency. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-265;
(64) Parole Board of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-266;
(65) Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-267;
(66) Privy Council Office. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-268;
(67) Public Health Agency of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-269;
(68) Public Prosecution Service of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-270;
(69) Public Safety Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-271;
(70) Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-272;
(71) Public Service Commission of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-273;
(72) Public Service Labour Relations Board. - 2 Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-274;
(73) Public Service Staffing Tribunal. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-275;
(74) Public Works and Government Services Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-276;
(75) RCMP External Review Committee. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-277;
(76) Registry of the Competition Tribunal. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-278;
(77) Registry of the Specific Claims Tribunal. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-279;
(78) Royal Canadian Mounted Police. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-280;
(79) Security Intelligence Review Committee. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-281;
(80) Shared Services Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-282;
(81) Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-283;
(82) Statistics Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-284;
(83) Status of Women Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-285;
(84) Supreme Court of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-286;
(85) The National Battlefields Commission. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-287;
(86) Transport Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-288;
(87) Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-289;
(88) Transportation Safety Board of Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-290;
(89) Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-291;
(90) Veterans Affairs Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-292;
(91) Veterans Review and Appeal Board. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-293;
(92) Western Economic Diversification Canada. - Sessional Paper No. 8520-411-294.

Presenting Reports from Committees

Mr. Wallace (Burlington), from the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, presented the 21st Report of the Committee (Bill C-394, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the National Defence Act (criminal organization recruitment), with amendments). — Sessional Paper No. 8510-411-212.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meetings Nos. 64 and 66) was tabled.


Mr. Preston (Elgin—Middlesex—London), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 46th Report of the Committee, which was as follows:

The Committee recommends, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114, the following change to the list of members of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament:

Peggy Nash for Claude Patry

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 1) is tabled.


Mr. Preston (Elgin—Middlesex—London), from the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented the 47th Report of the Committee, which was as follows:

Pursuant to Standing Order 92(3)(a), the Committee hereby reports that it has concurred in the report of the Subcommittee on Private Members’ Business advising that the following item of Private Members’ Business should be designated non-votable:

M-408 — Mr. Warawa (Langley) — That the House condemn discrimination against females occuring through sex-selective pregnancy termination.

A copy of the relevant Minutes of Proceedings (Meeting No. 68) is tabled.

Statement by the Speaker

The Speaker ruled that the Order for the consideration of motion M-408, standing on the Order Paper in the name of Mr. Warawa (Langley), be dropped to the bottom of the Order of Precedence on the Order Paper to allow the Member for Langley the opportunity to appeal, pursuant to Standing Order 92(4), the decision of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.


Motions

By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That seven members of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs be authorized to travel to Washington, D.C., United States of America, in the Spring of 2013, for the purpose of inquiring about programs and benefits offered to veterans by Veteran organizations, Government and NGOs and to visit the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.


By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, in relation to its study on the Organization of American States (OAS) and Canada's Engagement in the Americas, eight members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development be authorized to travel to Washington, D.C., United States of America, in the spring of 2013, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.


By unanimous consent, it was ordered, — That, in relation to its study on the Economics of Policing, six members of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security be authorized to travel to Calgary, Alberta, and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, in the spring of 2013, and that the necessary staff accompany the Committee.


By unanimous consent, it was resolved, — That the 46th Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented on earlier today, be concurred in.


Presenting Petitions

Pursuant to Standing Order 36, petitions certified correct by the Clerk of Petitions were presented as follows:

— by Mr. Weston (West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country), one concerning sex selection (No. 411-3530);
— by Mrs. Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing), one concerning the protection of the environment (No. 411-3531);
— by Mr. Lamoureux (Winnipeg North), one concerning the democratic process (No. 411-3532);
— by Mr. Sullivan (York South—Weston), one concerning the protection of the environment (No. 411-3533).
Questions on the Order Paper

Mr. Anderson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board) presented the answers to questions Q-1183, Q-1185 and Q-1186 on the Order Paper.


Pursuant to Standing Order 39(7), Mr. Anderson (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and for the Canadian Wheat Board) presented the returns to the following questions made into Orders for Return:

Q-1108 — Mrs. Groguhé (Saint-Lambert) — With regard to the May 29, 2012, announcement of the closure, to the public, of the visa section of the Canadian Consulate General in Buffalo : (a) how many permanent resident visa applications were transferred to Ottawa (i) in total, (ii) broken down by type of visa application, including Federal Skilled Worker, Quebec Skilled Worker, Provincial Nominee Program, Federal Investor Program, Self-employed Class, Quebec Business Class, Canadian Experience Class, Entrepreneur Class, Permanent Resident Class, Family Class, and other classes of application; (b) how many of the total permanent resident visa applications that were transferred to Ottawa have been fully processed as of (i) May 29, 2012, (ii) June 29, 2012, (iii)July 29, 2012, (iv) August 29, 2012, (v) September 29, 2012, (vi) October 29, 2012, (vii) November 29, 2012; (c) how many of the permanent resident visa applications that were transferred to Ottawa have been fully processed, broken down by type of application including Federal Skilled Worker, Quebec Skilled Worker, Provincial Nominee Program, Federal Investor Program, Self-employed Class, Quebec Business Class, Canadian Experience Class, Entrepreneur Class, Permanent Resident Class, Family Class, and other classes of application; (d) how many of the total permanent resident visa applications that were transferred to Ottawa have been fully processed as of (i) May 29, 2012, (ii) June 29, 2012, (iii)July 29, 2012, (iv) August 29, 2012, (v) September 29, 2012, (vi) October 29, 2012, (vii) November 29, 2012; (e) how many of the total permanent resident visa applications that have been transferred from Buffalo to Ottawa required medical examination results; (f) of the total permanent resident visa applications that have been transferred from Buffalo to Ottawa that required medical examination results, (i) how many more exceeded the 12-month validity period of the medical examination results, (ii) how many more can be reasonably expected to exceed the 12-month validity period of the medical examination results; (g) what kind of provisions has or will Citizenship and Immigration Canada make for permanent resident applicants that have seen the validity of their medical examination results expire as a result of the delays in processing that have arisen from the transfer of applications from the Buffalo to the Ottawa office, in particular for those applicants that already have a job waiting for them and in general for other applicants; (h) how many calls and emails has the department received regarding the delays that have resulted from the transfer of applications from the Buffalo to the Ottawa office, broken down by (i) inquiries regarding the status of an application due to delays in applications processing, (ii) complaints regarding the status of an application due to delays in applications processing; and (i) what is the value of Budget 2012 cuts reflected in the closure of the Buffalo office in (i) personnel reductions, measured in full-time equivalence, (ii) service level impacts? — Sessional Paper No. 8555-411-1108.

Q-1170 — Mr. Trudeau (Papineau) — With regard to overseas tax evasion for the period from February 6, 2006 to September 30, 2012: (a) how many Canadians have been identified as having undeclared overseas bank accounts; (b) how many accounts have been identified; (c) how many identified Canadians have availed themselves of the Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA); (d) how many identified Canadian accounts have settled with the CRA; (e) how much money has the CRA assessed as a result of investigating these secret overseas bank accounts (i) in unpaid taxes, (ii) in interest, (iii) in fines, (iv) in penalties; (f) how much of the money in (e) has been collected; (g) how many of the cases are under appeal; (h) how many cases remain open; (i) how many more cases does the CRA anticipate will be opened; (j) how many cases have been closed (i.e. the full amount of taxes, interest, fines and penalties has been collected); (k) how much money in (j) has been collected (i) in unpaid taxes, (ii) in interest, (iii) in fines, (iv) in penalties; (l) how many account holders in the cases have made partial payment; (m) of the partial payments made, (i) what was the largest amount, (ii) what was the smallest amount, (iii) what was the average amount; (n) how much does the CRA anticipate it has yet to collect (i) in taxes, (ii) in interest, (iii) in fines, (iv) in penalties; (o) of the amounts of money contained in overseas accounts declared or discovered by CRA (i) what was the largest amount, (ii) what was the smallest amount, (iii) what was the average amount; (p) how many of the identified Canadians with overseas bank accounts (i) have had their account(s) audited, (ii) have had their account(s) reassessed, (iii) have been the subject of a compliance action; (q) how many of the identified Canadians with overseas bank accounts (i) have not had their account(s) audited, (ii) have not had their account(s) reassessed, (iii) have not been the subject of a compliance action; (r) how many tax evasion charges were laid; (s) has the government made any changes to the VDP in the past 24 months; (t) how many Canadians have been convicted of tax evasion; and (u) how many Canadians have been convicted of tax evasion related to money and other assets held overseas? — Sessional Paper No. 8555-411-1170.

Q-1225 — Mr. Andrews (Avalon) — With regard to the March 11, 2013, announcement regarding broadband improvements for Labrador communities, what are all the costs associated with the event, including (i) writing, translating, and transmission of press releases, (ii) printing, (iii) production of backdrops, banners, or other visual material, (iv) travel and accommodation for any participants, (v) rental of equipment or facilities, (vi) any other costs? — Sessional Paper No. 8555-411-1225.
Government Orders

The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Nicholson (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mr. Kenney (Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism), — That Bill S-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, be now read a third time and do pass.

The debate continued.

Private Members' Business

At 1:30 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 30(6), the House proceeded to the consideration of Private Members' Business.

Mr. Byrne (Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte), seconded by Mr. Lamoureux (Winnipeg North), moved, — That, in the opinion of this House, in relation to the enrollment and registration process for the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band, the government should commit: (a) to completing the enrollment and registration process for all applicants who applied on or before November 30, 2012 by agreeing to extend the 2007 Agreement for the Recognition of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band beyond March 21, 2013 until all such applications are processed; (b) to ensuring that the rules of eligibility for membership are followed by all government decision makers in any continuation of the enrollment process; (c) that all previous interpretations, precedents and rulings on matters affecting enrollment that were not specifically addressed within the 2007 Agreement but were established instead through the records of decisions made by the Enrollment Committee and the Appeals Master be made known to all participants in any future enrollment process and that the decision makers in any future enrollment process be instructed to guide their decisions in a manner consistent with such previous interpretations, precedents and rulings; (d) to the same standard of evidence as well as the same thresholds for the quantity and quality of information that was previously deemed acceptable by the Enrollment Committee, for the remaining 75,000 unprocessed applications to the Band; (e) that an independent Appeals Master will continue to be employed in any future enrollment process for the assessment of the remaining 75,000 applicants and that this person will be drawn from outside of government, from outside of the Federation of Newfoundland Indians and from outside of the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band and that this Appeal Master will be vested with the same powers and authority and be drawn from the same legal and administrative background as the previous Appeals Master to ensure consistency with the rules and standards established under the previous enrollment process; (f) to maintaining all existing memberships, except in cases where fraud can be established that is material to the application; and (g) to ensuring that no eligible applicant who submitted an application in good faith prior to the November 30, 2012 deadline is disenfranchised from enrollment. (Private Members' Business M-432)

Debate arose thereon.

Pursuant to Standing Order 93(1), the Order was dropped to the bottom of the order of precedence on the Order Paper.

Returns and Reports Deposited with the Clerk of the House

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(1), papers deposited with the Clerk of the House were laid upon the Table as follows:

— by Mr. Clement (President of the Treasury Board) — Reports of the Federal Public Service Health Care Plan Administration Authority for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-411-961-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)
— by Mr. Clement (President of the Treasury Board) — Reports of the Federal Public Service Health Care Plan Administration Authority for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-411-961-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)
— by Mr. Clement (President of the Treasury Board) — Reports of the Federal Public Service Health Care Plan Administration Authority for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-411-961-03. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)
— by Mr. Clement (President of the Treasury Board) — Reports of the Federal Public Service Health Care Plan Administration Authority for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, pursuant to the Access to Information Act and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1 and P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-411-961-04. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights)
— by Mr. Flaherty (Minister of Finance) — Report on operations under the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Agreement Act for the year 2012, pursuant to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Agreement Act, S.C. 1991, c. 12, s. 7. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-411-485-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)
— by Mrs. Shea (Minister of National Revenue) — Summary of the Corporate Business Plan for 2013-2014 to 2015-2016 of the Canada Revenue Agency, pursuant to the Canada Revenue Agency Act, S.C. 1999, c. 17, sbs. 49(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8562-411-839-03. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Finance)
— by Mr. Toews (Minister of Public Safety) — Report on the administration of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Account, together with the Auditor General's Report, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, pursuant to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, R.S. 1985, c. R-11, s. 31. — Sessional Paper No. 8560-411-231-03. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security)
Adjournment

At 2:30 p.m., pursuant to Order made Monday, February 25, 2013, the Speaker adjourned the House until Monday, April 15, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Orders 28(2) and 24(1).