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Wednesday, November 25, 2020 (No. 36)

Orders of the Day

Government Orders

Business of Supply

September 23, 2020 — The President of the Treasury Board — Consideration of the business of supply.

Supply period ending December 10, 2020 — maximum of nine allotted days, pursuant to order made Monday, April 20, 2020.

Days to be allotted — three days remaining in current period.

Opposition Motions

September 23, 2020 — — That the House call for an official apology from the Prime Minister for the enactment, on October 16, 1970, of the War Measures Act and the use of military force against the people of Quebec by the Government of Canada in order to arrest without cause, and then incarcerate without charge, close to 500 innocent Quebeckers.

Notice also received from:

— September 23, 2020

September 23, 2020 — — That the House call on the government to unconditionally increase the Canada Health Transfer so that it represents 35% of the health care spending of Quebec and the provinces for the current year, and to index this transfer to maintain this ratio, in keeping with the request from the premiers of Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba.

Notice also received from:

— September 23, 2020

September 23, 2020 — — That the House recognize that French is the official language of Quebec and its common language; and that it call on the government to promise not to obstruct the application of the Charter of the French Language, R.S.Q., c. C-11, in Quebec to businesses under federal jurisdiction.

Notice also received from:

— September 23, 2020

October 15, 2020 — — That the House:

(a) recognize that the People’s Republic of China’s decision to impose a national security law on Hong Kong is a violation of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which guarantees Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy in the “one country, two systems” framework, and which guarantees the people of Hong Kong rights and freedoms, including those of the person, of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of travel, of movement, of correspondence, of strike, of choice of occupation, of academic research and of religious belief; and

(b) call on the government to work with Canada’s allies to immediately impose sanctions, such as Magnitsky sanctions as per the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, on officials responsible for the violations of this international treaty.

Notice also received from:

— October 15, 2020

October 15, 2020 — — That the House call on the government to ban Huawei from Canada’s 5G network.

Notice also received from:

— October 15, 2020

October 20, 2020 — — That the House call on the government to make a decision on Huawei’s involvement in Canada’s 5G network within 30 days of the adoption of this motion.

Notice also received from:

— October 20, 2020

October 30, 2020 — — That, given that the alarming rate of suicide in Canada constitutes a national health crisis, the House call on the government to take immediate action to establish a national suicide prevention hotline that consolidates all suicide crisis numbers into one easy to remember three-digit (988) hotline that is accessible to all Canadians.

Notice also received from:

and — October 30, 2020

October 30, 2020 — — That, given that the pandemic has had devastating consequences on Canadian workers and businesses, especially in the restaurant, hospitality and tourism sectors, the House call on the government to: (a) immediately pause the audits of small businesses that received the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy until at least June 2021; (b) immediately introduce legislation to enact promised extensions and amendments to support programs; and (c) provide additional flexibility in the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, and other support programs.

Notice also received from:

and — October 30, 2020

November 3, 2020 — — That:

(a) the House recognize that,

(i) it is a prerogative of the Crown to dissolve Parliament at its pleasure,

(ii) the confidence convention is an important cornerstone of the Canadian political system,

(iii) the confidence convention has never been clearly codified and this has sometimes led to confusion among members and the general public as to the nature and significance of certain votes,

(iv) governments have sometimes abused the confidence convention to reinforce party discipline or influence the outcome of a vote that is not explicitly a matter of confidence or that would not be considered a matter of confidence by convention;

(b) in the opinion of the House,

(i) the House itself, not the Prime Minister, should be the final authority as to whether the government of the day enjoys the confidence of the House,

(ii) the means by which the House may pronounce itself on a question of confidence should be explicit, clear and predictable so that all members know well in advance when the confidence of the House will be tested,

(iii) once the House has determined such means in its Standing Orders or in legislation, the government should not seek to circumvent the process established by the House by declaring a vote to be a matter of confidence if the rules of the House would not otherwise designate that vote as a matter of confidence, and any attempt to do so may constitute a contempt of Parliament,

(iv) a question of confidence is a serious matter and should not be used as a pretext for dilatory tactics by either side of the House;

(i) by adding, after Standing Order 53.1, the following new standing order:

“53.2(1) The government must enjoy the confidence of the House of Commons. The House may express its confidence, or lack thereof, in the government by adopting a confidence motion in one of the following forms: (i) “That the House has lost confidence in the government”; (ii) “That the House has confidence in the government”.

(2)(a) Notice of a confidence motion pursuant to section (1) of this standing order shall meet the requirements of Standing Order 54, provided that four sitting days shall be given prior to the motion being placed on the Order Paper. Such notice shall be signed by the sponsor and 20 other members representing more than one of the recognized parties.

(b) Notwithstanding Standing Order 18, the House may pronounce itself on the motions listed in section (1) of this standing order more than once.

(c) Only one confidence motion pursuant to section (1) of this standing order: (i) may be placed on notice in each supply period; (ii) shall be sponsored or signed by the same member of the House in a session of a Parliament.

(3) At the expiry of the notice period pursuant to section (2) of this standing order, an order of the day for the consideration of a confidence motion shall be placed on the Order Paper, be considered at the next sitting of the House and take precedence over all other business of the House, with the exception of a debate on a privilege motion.

(4) When the order of the day on a confidence motion is called, it must stand as the first order of the day. The confidence motion is deemed to have been moved and seconded and shall not be subject to any amendment.

(5) Private Members’ Business shall be suspended on a day any such motion is debated.

(6) No dilatory motion shall be allowed during debate on a confidence motion pursuant to section (1) of this standing order and the provisions of Standing Orders 62 and 63 shall be suspended.

(7) The proceedings on the order of the day on a confidence motion proposed thereto shall not exceed one sitting day.

(8) No member shall speak for more than 20 minutes at a time in the debate on a confidence motion. Following the speech of each member, a period not exceeding 10 minutes shall be made available, if required, to allow members to ask questions and comment briefly on matters relevant to the speech and to allow responses thereto. Any period of debate of 20 minutes may be divided in two pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 43(2).

(9) When no further member rises to speak, or at the ordinary hour of daily adjournment, whichever is earlier, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings and the question shall be put and forthwith disposed of, notwithstanding Standing Order 45.

(10) Any matter of confidence so designated beyond those provided for in Standing Orders 50(8), 53.2(1), 81(18)(e), and 84(6)(b) may be called to the attention of the Chair and the member may ask that the matter be referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. As the case may be, the Speaker shall automatically refer the matter to the said committee.”,

(ii) in Standing Order 45(6)(a), by adding, after the words “An exception to this rule is”, the following: “the division on a confidence motion pursuant to Standing Order 53.2(9) and”,

(iii) by adding, after Standing Order 50(7), the following: “(8) If the main motion is defeated, the government has lost the confidence of the House.”,

(iv) by adding, after Standing Order 67(1)(p), the following: “(q) for the consideration of a confidence motion”,

(v) in Standing Order 81(13), by adding the following: “Opposition motions cannot contain explicitly worded expressions of confidence in the government.”,

(vi) by adding, after Standing Order 81(18)(d), the following: “(e) After having disposed of any opposed item, if the motion to concur in the main estimates is defeated, the government has lost the confidence of the House.”,

(vii) by renumbering Standing Order 84(6) as Standing Order 84(6)(a),

(viii) by adding, after Standing Order 84(6)(a), the following: “(b) If the main motion is defeated, the government has lost the confidence of the House.”,

(ix) in Standing Order 99(1), by adding, after “52(14),”, the following: “53.2(5),”; and

(d) the Clerk of the House be authorized to make any required editorial and consequential alterations to the Standing Orders, including to the marginal notes, as well as such changes to the Order Paper and Notice Paper, as may be required.

Notice also received from:

— November 3, 2020

November 3, 2020 — — That, given that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian billionaires are $37 billion richer while the most vulnerable are struggling, the House call upon the government to put in place a new one percent tax on wealth over $20 million and an excess profit tax on big corporations that have been profiteering from the pandemic.

November 3, 2020 — — That, given that over 80% of COVID-19 deaths in Canada have occurred in long-term care facilities and that seniors living in for-profit homes are four times more likely to become infected and die from the virus than seniors living in non-profit homes, the House call on the government to take the profit out of long-term care, by: (a) building a strong system of public and non-profit run facilities for the future; and (b) bringing long-term care homes owned by the government, including Revera, into public operation so that seniors in these facilities can receive a proper standard of living and of care.

Notice also received from:

— November 3, 2020

November 3, 2020 — — That, given that the Garderie Tunney’s Daycare has been forced to close as a result of the government’s decision to increase its rent, a decision that puts 21 people out of work and leaves dozens of families searching for other child care options, the House call upon the government to immediately reverse its decision to increase the rent charged to this daycare, and to put in place a quality, affordable publicly funded child care program, including: (a) investing an additional $20 billion over four years to build this system, as well as $2 billion in emergency funding to follow through on the motion passed in the House on August 12, 2020; (b) committing $10 million right away to an affordable child care action fund and creating a national child care secretariat to develop the government’s role and to collaborate with the provinces and territories on initiatives such as a workforce strategy and improved data sharing and research; and (c) bringing in legislation modeled on the Canada Health Act to enshrine this commitment in law and to set out the principles, conditions, and requirements for federal transfer payments to provinces, and Quebec's right to opt out with compensation.

Notice also received from:

— November 3, 2020

November 3, 2020 — — That, given that: (a) Canadians in every community are experiencing an opioid overdose crisis of epidemic proportions; (b) the current COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating the health impacts and death toll by increasing isolation and the toxic illegal drug supply; (c) pharmaceutical companies should be held responsible for the negative impacts of their products and their misrepresentations and omissions concerning opioids in particular; (d) the federal and state governments in the United States have pursued legal cases against opioid manufacturers for misrepresenting and minimizing the dangers that opioids present, resulting in some $23 billion in damage awards and settlements; (e) the government has not yet joined certain provinces that have launched lawsuits against opioid manufacturers; and (f) there is a systemic shortage of affordable and publicly funded addiction treatment facilities and programs in Canada, the House call on the government to instruct the Department of Justice to launch a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers in Canada or to join the lawsuits currently filed by certain provinces to hold opioid manufacturers legally responsible for the consequences of their products and for any malfeasance or unlawful acts in marketing these products, and to use any funds recovered by the awarding of damages or settlements to create publicly funded addiction treatment facilities and programs in every province and territory.

Notice also received from:

— November 3, 2020

November 3, 2020 — — That, given that: (a) oral health is a crucial part of Canadians’ overall health; (b) over 12 million Canadians have no dental insurance, with millions more with partial or sub-standard coverage; (c) inattention to oral health leads to serious medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes complications and premature birth; and (d) the Parliamentary Budget Officer recently estimated that the federal government could ensure that every Canadian with an annual individual or family income under the median figure of $70,000 gets the dental care they need for an annual cost of $1.4 billion, not including the potential savings that such dental care would accrue to our healthcare system through the avoidance of complications due to neglect, the House call on the government to implement a plan to deliver comprehensive dental care to all Canadians who do not have dental insurance and who have annual individual or family incomes under $70,000 as a first step toward ensuring universal dental care coverage for all.

Notice also received from:

— November 3, 2020

November 12, 2020 — — That, in light of the increasing unaffordability of housing and recent issues involving the arrest of individuals connected to gang activity and illegal gambling across Canada, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security be instructed to undertake a study on the prevalence and effects of money laundering in the Canadian economy, and that this study evaluate, review and examine:

(a) the purchases of real estate, mortgages and other financial products, investments or instruments, and the impact of these practices on housing affordability, real estate development and tax evasion;

(b) the involvement of criminal enterprises, affiliations or organizations across Canada;

(c) the efforts of the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada and Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation in tracking information for the purposes of reporting to, and cooperating with, the relevant law enforcement authorities, or provincial regulators, regarding any illegal or suspicious financial activity related to the above;

(d) the efforts of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in investigating, including joint investigations with other Canadian police services and with international law enforcement organizations, regarding money laundering and any other connected criminal activities related to money laundering operations;

provided that,

(e) the study begin no later than seven days following the adoption of this motion; and

(f) the committee present its findings to the House within 90 days of the adoption of this motion.

Notice also received from:

, and — November 12, 2020

November 12, 2020 — — That the House call on the government to make the completion of Keystone XL a top priority in bilateral relations with the incoming administration of the United States.

Notice also received from:

, and — November 12, 2020

November 12, 2020 — — That, given that:

(a) the Commissioner of Official Languages concluded in his 2020 annual report that the language rights of Canadians “are not being respected for three reasons:

(i) federal institutions are not complying with the Official Languages Act;

(ii) the current Official Languages Act is outdated and needs to be modernized; and

(iii) the government is not doing enough to promote linguistic duality”; and

(b) the Commissioner of Official Languages also concluded that the obvious lack of bilingual services jeopardizes the public safety of Canadians in the context of the pandemic, thus making immediate action even more urgent;

the House call on the government to commit to introducing a bill to reform and modernize the Official Languages Act before the end of 2020.

Notice also received from:

and — November 12, 2020

Consideration in Committee of the Whole

Thursday, November 26, 2020 — second appointed day.

November 2, 2020 — Consideration in committee of the whole of all votes under Department of Health in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021.

Debate — limited to four hours, pursuant to Standing Order 81(4)(a).

Subject to special order — see Journals of Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

Ways and Means

Government Bills (Commons)

C-2 — September 24, 2020 — — Second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities of Bill C-2, An Act relating to economic recovery in response to COVID-19.

Royal recommendation — notice given Thursday, September 24, 2020, by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

C-8 — November 23, 2020 — Resuming consideration of the motion of , seconded by , — That Bill C-8, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's call to action number 94), be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

C-10 — November 19, 2020 — Resuming consideration of the motion of , seconded by , — That Bill C-10, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage.

C-11^R — November 24, 2020 — Resuming consideration of the motion of , seconded by , — That Bill C-11, An Act to enact the Consumer Privacy Protection Act and the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

C-12 — November 19, 2020 — — Second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development of Bill C-12, An Act respecting transparency and accountability in Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2050.

Government Bills (Senate)

Government Business

No. 2 — November 19, 2020 — — That this committee take note of the status of the French language in Montréal.

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 — designated day, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1(1).

Take-note debate — limited to four hours, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1(3).

Subject to special order — see Journals of Thursday, November 19, 2020.


^R Recommended by the Governor General

House Publications

Orders of the Day

Government Orders

Business of Supply

Ways and Means

Government Bills (Commons)

Government Bills (Senate)

Government Business