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| 43rd PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION | |
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JournalsNo. 16 Wednesday, October 21, 2020 2:00 p.m. |
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| Prayer |
| National Anthem |
| Statements By Members |
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Pursuant to Standing Order 31, members made statements. |
| Oral Questions |
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Pursuant to Standing Order 30(5), the House proceeded to Oral Questions. |
| Deferred Recorded Divisions |
Business of Supply |
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Pursuant to order made Wednesday, September 23, 2020, the House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. O'Toole (Durham), seconded by Mr. Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent), — That the House: |
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(a) note that the WE Charity scandal has preoccupied Parliament since the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) was announced on June 25, 2020, and despite many meetings on this topic held by several of the standing committees of the House of Commons in the subsequent weeks, the outstanding and unanswered questions only became more numerous and increasingly serious;
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(b) further note that several other scandals and potential scandals have come to light more recently in the context of government expenditures related to the COVID-19 pandemic response, including, but not limited to,
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(i) the awarding of contracts to the employer of the Prime Minister’s chief of staff’s spouse to administer the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program,
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(ii) allegations of lobbying by the Prime Minister’s chief of staff’s spouse to secure amendments to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy program (CEWS) which would benefit his employer,
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(iii) the acquisition of ventilators, which did not have regulatory approval for use, manufactured by a company owned by a retired Liberal member of the House of Commons;
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(c) acknowledge that the Prime Minister’s abrupt decision to prorogue Parliament intensified the need for parliamentary accountability;
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(d) believe that, to ensure that the work required to achieve this accountability does not interfere with the ordinary operations of the House’s network of committees, a special committee with a dedicated mandate should be established; and
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(e) therefore appoint a special committee on anti-corruption, to be styled: The Anti-Corruption Committee, with the mandate to examine and review,
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(i) all aspects of the CSSG, including its conceptualization, planning, development, establishment, implementation and termination,
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(ii) the assorted relationships between WE Charity, including any of its affiliated or related organizations and the Kielburger family, on the one part, and the government and ministers of the Crown and their families, on the other part,
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(iii) all aspects of the CECRA program, including its planning, development, establishment and implementation,
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(iv) all aspects related to the allegations of lobbying by Rob Silver or MCAP for amendments to the Income Tax Act in respect of the CEWS program,
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(v) all aspects related to the acquisition, purchase and regulatory approval of ventilators manufactured by, or otherwise associated with, the Baylis Medical Company,
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(vi) any other matter connected to the government’s COVID-19 pandemic response measures that any standing committee of the House may request the committee to investigate,
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provided that,
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(vii) the committee be composed of 15 members, of which six shall be government members, five shall be from the official opposition, two shall be from the Bloc Québécois and two shall be from the New Democratic Party,
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(viii) the members shall be named by their respective whip by depositing with the Clerk of the House the list of their members to serve on the committee no later than the day following the adoption of this order,
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(ix) the Clerk of the House shall convene an organization meeting of the said committee within five days of the adoption of this order,
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(x) changes in the membership of the committee shall be effective immediately after notification by the whip has been filed with the Clerk of the House,
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(xi) membership substitutions be permitted, if required, in the manner provided for in Standing Order 114(2),
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(xii) notwithstanding Standing Order 106(2), the committee be chaired by a member of the official opposition, and in addition to the Chair, the first vice-chair shall be from the Bloc Québécois, the second vice-chair shall be from the New Democratic Party, and the third vice-chair shall be from the government party,
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(xiii) quorum of the committee be as provided for in Standing Order 118 and that the Chair be authorized to hold meetings to receive evidence and to have evidence printed when a quorum is not present, provided that at least four members are present, including one member of the opposition and one member of the government,
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(xiv) the committee be granted all of the powers of a standing committee, as provided in the Standing Orders,
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(xv) the provisions of Standing Order 106(4) shall extend to the committee,
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(xvi) the committee and any of its subcommittees have the power to authorize video and audio broadcasting of any or all of its proceedings,
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(xvii) the provisions of paragraph (o) of the order adopted on September 23, 2020, shall apply to the committee and any of its subcommittees until January 29, 2021, provided that the meetings of the committee and any of its subcommittees shall have the first claim to the priority use of House resources available for committees,
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(xviii) the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth may be ordered to appear as witnesses from time to time, as the committee sees fit,
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(xix) the committee be instructed to present an interim report no later than February 15, 2021,
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(xx) the committee’s initial work shall be supported by orders of the House issuing for
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(A) the unredacted version of all documents produced by the government in response to the July 7, 2020, order of the Standing Committee on Finance, provided that these records shall be filed directly with the Clerk of the House either electronically or in hardcopy within 24 hours of the adoption of this order and, in turn, transmitted to the committee which shall, until it may decide otherwise, consider them in camera,
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(B) a copy of all records at Speakers’ Spotlight pertaining to speaking appearances arranged, since October 14, 2008, for the current Prime Minister, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Margaret Trudeau and Alexandre Trudeau, including, in respect of each speaking appearance, an indication of the fee provided, any expenses that were reimbursed and the name of the company, organization, person or entity booking it, which had been originally ordered to be produced on July 22, 2020, by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, provided that these records shall be filed directly with the Clerk of the House either electronically or in hardcopy within 24 hours of the adoption of this order and, in turn, transmitted to the committee which shall, until it may decide otherwise, consider them in camera,
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(C) all memoranda, e-mails, documents, notes or other records from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Privy Council Office, since June 25, 2020, concerning options, plans and preparations for the prorogation of Parliament, including polling and public opinion research, provided that these documents shall be laid upon the table within 10 days of the adoption of this order and, upon tabling, shall stand referred to the committee and to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs,
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(D) a complete accounting of all communications between the government and any of WE Charity (or its affiliated organizations), Craig Kielburger, Marc Kielburger, Speakers’ Spotlight, Rob Silver, MCAP, Frank Baylis or Baylis Medical Company since June 25, 2020, in respect of the prorogation of Parliament, provided that these documents shall be laid upon the table within 10 days of the adoption of this order and, upon tabling, shall stand referred to the committee and to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs;
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The House proceeded to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the amendment of Mr. Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent), seconded by Mr. Martel (Chicoutimi—Le Fjord), — That the motion be amended in paragraph (e):
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(a) by replacing the words before subparagraph (i) with the following: “therefore appoint a special committee on allegations of misuse of public funds by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, with the mandate to examine and review”; and
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(b) by adding the following: “, (xxi) the establishment of the committee shall not, in the opinion of the House, constitute legitimate grounds for calling a general election”.
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The question was put on the amendment and it was negatived on the following division: |
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| (Division No. 10 -- Vote no 10) | |
| YEAS: 143, NAYS: 181 |
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YEAS -- POUR Aboultaif DeBellefeuille Lawrence Sahota (Calgary Skyview) Total: -- 143 |
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NAYS -- CONTRE Alghabra Duguid Koutrakis Powlowski Total: -- 181 |
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PAIRED -- PAIRÉS Nil--Aucun |
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Pursuant to Standing Order 81(16), the House proceeded to the putting of the question on the main motion of Mr. O'Toole (Durham), seconded by Mr. Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent). |
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The question was put on the main motion and it was negatived on the following division: |
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| (Division No. 11 -- Vote no 11) | |
| YEAS: 146, NAYS: 180 |
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YEAS -- POUR Aboultaif Deltell Lawrence Sahota (Calgary Skyview) Total: -- 146 |
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NAYS -- CONTRE Alghabra Duncan (Etobicoke North) Kusmierczyk Qualtrough Total: -- 180 |
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PAIRED -- PAIRÉS Nil--Aucun |
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| Daily Routine Of Business |
Tabling of Documents |
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Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Lametti (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada) laid upon the table, — Charter Statement — Bill C-7, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), pursuant to the Department of Justice Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. J-2, sbs. 4.2(1). — Sessional Paper No. 8560-432-1232-04. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights) |
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Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), Mr. Lametti (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada) laid upon the table, — Document entitled "Legislative Background, Bill C-7: Government of Canada's Legislative Response to the Superior Court of Québec Truchon Decision". — Sessional Paper No. 8525-432-5. |
Presenting Petitions |
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Pursuant to Standing Order 36, petitions certified by the Clerk of Petitions were presented as follows: |
— by Mr. Vis (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon), one concerning foreign affairs (No. 432-00137);
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— by Ms. Gaudreau (Laurentides—Labelle), one concerning media and telecommunications (No. 432-00138);
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— by Mrs. Atwin (Fredericton), one concerning national defence and military operations (No. 432-00139);
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— by Mr. Manly (Nanaimo—Ladysmith), one concerning taxation (No. 432-00140);
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— by Ms. May (Saanich—Gulf Islands), one concerning the environment (No. 432-00141).
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| Government Orders |
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The House resumed consideration of the motion of Mr. Lametti (Minister of Justice), seconded by Mr. Guilbeault (Minister of Canadian Heritage), — That Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. |
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The debate continued. |
| Returns and Reports Deposited with the Clerk of the House |
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Pursuant to Standing Order 32(1), papers deposited with the Clerk of the House were laid upon the table as follows: |
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— by Mr. Champagne (Minister of Foreign Affairs) — Copy of the Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations (P.C. 2020-806), pursuant to the Special Economic Measures Act, S.C. 1992, c. 17, sbs. 7(1). — Sessional Paper No. 8560-432-495-02. (Pursuant to Standing Order 32(5), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development) |
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— by Ms. Hajdu (Minister of Health) — Reports of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, pursuant to the Access to Information Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1, sbs. 94(2) and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-432-602-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(v), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics) |
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— by Ms. Hajdu (Minister of Health) — Reports of the Department of Health for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, pursuant to the Access to Information Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1, sbs. 94(2) and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-432-629-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(v), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics) |
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— by Ms. Hajdu (Minister of Health) — Reports of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, pursuant to the Access to Information Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1, sbs. 94(2) and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-432-852-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(v), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics) |
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— by Ms. Hajdu (Minister of Health) — Reports of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, pursuant to the Access to Information Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1, sbs. 94(2) and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-432-855-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(v), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics) |
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— by Ms. Hajdu (Minister of Health) — Reports of the Public Health Agency of Canada for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, pursuant to the Access to Information Act, R.S. 1985, c. A-1, sbs. 94(2) and to the Privacy Act, R.S. 1985, c. P-21, sbs. 72(2). — Sessional Paper No. 8561-432-936-01. (Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(h)(v), permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics) |
| Adjournment Proceedings |
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At 7:51 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 38(1), the question “That this House do now adjourn” was deemed to have been proposed. |
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After debate, the question was deemed to have been adopted. |
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Accordingly, at 8:18 p.m., the Speaker adjourned the House until tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1). |