43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2021e-2892e-2892 (Foreign affairs)StéphaneHandfieldAlexandreBoulericeRosemont—La Petite-PatrieNDPQCOctober 22, 2020, at 3:29 p.m. (EDT)November 21, 2020, at 3:29 p.m. (EDT)February 4, 2021March 22, 2021November 23, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:26 Canadian children born in the Islamic State are currently being detained in Kurdish camps in northeast Syria; Most are under the age of six; Canadian families have urged the Government of Canada to recognize their citizenship and repatriate them, but nothing has been done;For close to two years, these Canadian children have been living in overcrowded camps and facing inhumane conditions such as unsafe water, malnutrition and violence;This is an emergency;The Government of Canada claims that the situation in Syria is too dangerous to go there;The documentary film team behind "Les poussières de Daech" entered Syria and visited the camps;They met with the Kurdish administration in Syria, who offered to help the Government of Canada;On October 5, 2020, a young girl who had been detained in the camps was repatriated; This precedent shows that, contrary to what it says, the Government of Canada can take action in Syria; andIn failing to act, the Government of Canada (i) reneges on its promise to citizens to provide effective consular services and emergency assistance at all times, (ii) violates the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which it ratified in 1961, (iii) violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which it ratified in 1989, (iv) does not properly represent the progressive country that Canada is.We, the undersigned citizens of Canada , call upon the Government of Canada to immediately repatriate the 25 innocent Canadian children living in inhumane conditions in the camps of northeast Syria.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is aware of Canadian citizens being detained by Kurdish authorities in northeastern Syria and is particularly concerned with cases of Canadian children.Global Affairs Canada actively engages Syrian Kurdish authorities to seek information on Canadians in their custody and continues to monitor the situation very closely. Consular officials communicate with Syrian Kurdish authorities to advocate, on an ongoing basis, for the well-being of Canadians in their custody The department also maintains contact with extended family members. When issues regarding the well-being of Canadians are brought to the attention of consular officials, the Government of Canada raises these with the Syrian Kurdish authorities and requests appropriate intervention. Global Affairs Canada is cognizant of the sensitivities surrounding consular cases involving children and is providing consular assistance to the extent possible. However, given the security situation on the ground, the Government of Canada's ability to provide consular assistance in Syria is extremely limited. Canada's embassy in Syria closed in 2012 and Canada has no diplomatic representation in the country at this time.The security environment in northeastern Syria is highly complex and unpredictable. Intermittent combat operations between various armed actors remain ongoing. There is also an active terrorist threat from several violent extremist organizations. In the absence of diplomatic presence, and given the important security risks, Government of Canada officials do not travel to northeastern Syria and are limited in the assistance they can provide to Canadians. In October 2020, the Government of Canada did provide assistance to a Canadian orphan living in northeastern Syria to bring the child safely to Canada to be united with their extended family. This case involved a unique set of circumstances which called for an exceptional response.The Canadian Consular Services Charter outlines the consular services the Government of Canada may provide to Canadians. Each consular case has unique facts and circumstances. There will be circumstances in which Canada’s ability to provide consular support may be limited. In certain locations, such as countries without permanent consular staff, Canada’s ability to provide even basic consular services could be severely limited. This is currently the case in Syria.Canada remains committed to helping partners address humanitarian needs in Syria. As part of Canada’s strategy in the Middle East, Canada has committed over $497 million in humanitarian assistance funding in Syria since 2016. This includes support to partners delivering assistance to displaced persons in northeast Syria, including through international NGOs and UN partners.
Canadians in foreign countriesChildrenCOVID-19PandemicRepatriationSyria
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2021e-2830e-2830 (Indigenous affairs)ColleenHele CardinalGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 16, 2020, at 5:22 p.m. (EDT)December 15, 2020, at 5:22 p.m. (EDT)January 28, 2021March 22, 2021December 16, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas: The Sixties Scoop refers to a practice that occurred in Canada of taking or "scooping up" Indigenous children from their families and communities for placement in foster homes or adoption;The Sixties Scoop began in the late 1950s and persisted into the 1980s; It is estimated that over 20,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families; andIn 2018, the Government of Canada announced a settlement agreement with the survivors of the Sixties Scoop.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to work with the Sixties Scoop Network and survivors on a ceremony with the intent of asking forgiveness and issuing a national apology in the House of Commons.
Response by the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): GARY ANANDASANGAREEThe Sixties Scoop is a dark and terrible chapter in Canada’s history. Working together to bring a meaningful resolution to its painful legacy is an important step in our journey of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.The current settlement represents the first step in resolving the Sixties Scoop litigation. The Government of Canada is committed to working with plaintiffs, their counsel, provinces, territories and leadership to resolve outstanding claims with other Indigenous people affected by the Sixties Scoop, including Métis and non-Status Indians.The Government of Canada remains committed to righting the wrongs of the past and will consider the important request for a national apology as work toward reconciliation with all Sixties Scoop survivors continues.
AdoptionChildrenIndigenous peoplesOfficial apology
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021e-2443e-2443 (Health)JENN RICKYSMITHDerekSloanHastings—Lennox and AddingtonConservativeONJuly 8, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. (EDT)November 5, 2020, at 5:39 p.m. (EDT)December 4, 2020January 25, 2021November 6, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:There is enormous evidence suggesting psychologically and emotionally vulnerable children are identifying as transgender at enormously disproportionate rates; Recent information suggests that Foster children are identifying as transgender at rates 15 to 20 times higher than children not in government care;These kids are being victimized by a predatory medical pharmaceutical complex that stands to make billions of dollars off of these kids;There is evidence to suggest transgender science is tainted with pharmaceutical industry conflicts of interest;An inquiry can be carefully screened to make sure there are no, even minor, conflicts of interest with the pharmaceutical complex or any other pecuniary or non-pecuniary conflicts exist; The medical transitioning of these vulnerable youths could be regarded as a crime against humanity that preys on the weakest children and can permanently sterilize them and cause irreversible changes to their bodies and lives; andAt a bare minimum a national inquiry should be conducted.We, the undersigned, residents of Abbotsford, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately order a moratorium on the medical transitioning of minors under the age of 18 and launch a carefully screened national inquiry into why so many vulnerable children (including high numbers of autistic children) are going on to medically transition.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is committed to working towards a more equitable, diverse and inclusive country, where everyone is free to be themselves and participate fully in society. As part of this work, the Honourable Bardish Chagger was appointed as Minister to the newly created Diversity and Inclusion and Youth portfolio in November 2019. In addition to other areas, the Minister’s mandate letter includes five LGBTQ2-specific commitments, namely: 
  • Continuing the work of the LGBTQ2 Secretariat in promoting equality, protecting rights and addressing discrimination;
  • Additional investments for LGBTQ2 organizations;
  • Working with the Minister of Health to end the blood ban for men who have sex with other men;
  • Consulting LGBTQ2 civil society representatives to lay the groundwork for an LGBTQ2 Action Plan; and,
  • Supporting the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to amend the Criminal Code to ban the practice of conversion therapy.
 The Minister’s updated mandate letter asks for the acceleration of an LGBTQ2 action plan that will “guide the work of the federal government on the priorities of LGBTQ2 Canadians.” As part of its commitment to promoting equality and protecting LGBTQ2 rights, the Government of Canada has taken concrete measures in recent years that protect trans youth from discrimination. LGBTQ2 rights are human rights. Everyone in Canada deserves access to quality and compassionate healthcare – and that includes access to gender affirming surgery. Canada has in place robust laws to protect children from all forms of abuse, including the criminal law at the federal level and child protection laws at the provincial and territorial level. In 2020, it introduced Bill C-6: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy), with work continuing to progress on the proposed legislation. Amongst other offenses related to the practice, this amendment will protect trans youth from undergoing coercive efforts to change their gender identity to cisgender.  Launched on November 27, 2020 with a national online survey, the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth is also currently undertaking a comprehensive engagement process with LGBTQ2 communities across Canada to inform a federal LGBTQ2 Action Plan. There is the potential that this engagement will help to identify further ways through which the federal government can address discrimination against trans communities, including youth. This builds on Bill C-16: An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code, which received royal assent in 2017. This amendment added gender identity and expression to the Canadian Human Rights Act as prohibited grounds for discrimination. Treatment for children and youth who experience distress as a result of their gender identity not matching their sex assigned at birth is a matter that falls within provincial and territorial responsibility for health care (with the exception of eligible First Nations and Inuit peoples, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, veterans, resettled refugees and some refugee claimants, and inmates in federal penitentiaries). However, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has integrated components specifically designed to address needs of LGBTQ2 populations within a number of its community-based grants and contribution programs. In this context, the following is relevant research and evidence, as well as some of the measures the Government of Canada has taken to advance gender equality, which is an important determinant of health. It is well established that many obstacles faced by gender diverse individuals can lead to distress, including a lack of acceptance within society, direct or indirect experiences with discrimination, or assault. These experiences may in turn cause gender diverse people to suffer with anxiety, depression or related disorders at higher rates than non-transgender persons, leading to higher rates of suicide among transgender Canadians.[1] Creating conditions where transgender and gender diverse people are recognized, feel valued, and are free from discrimination is an important step towards supporting their health and wellbeing. Research has shown that transgender youth are over-represented in the foster care system, at a rate approximately twice that of cisgender youth.[2],[3] While transgender youth enter the child welfare system for reasons similar to those of other children and youth, conditions are exacerbated for transgender youth when their families reject, neglect, or abuse them because of their gender identity. It is estimated that 43% of LGBTQ2 youth experiencing homelessness are forced from their homes because of conflicts with their families about their sexual orientation or gender identity; 32% of homeless LGBTQ2 youth have experienced physical, emotional, or sexual abuse at home over their sexual orientation or gender identity.[4] To promote the health and welfare of transgender and gender diverse persons in all cultural settings, evidence-informed protocols and guidelines in the care of transgender, gender dysphoric and gender non-conforming people have been developed by individual clinics, and national and international professional associations alike. These guidelines include providing psychoeducational and social support to young people and their parents, as well as appropriate psychological evaluation. Treatments available to youth who meet criteria for gender dysphoria and who are determined to be appropriate for physical interventions include puberty suppression, cross-sex hormones in later adolescence, and gender-affirming surgical procedures (which are generally available when a person reaches the legal age of majority to give consent).[5] Standards of care are updated and revised as new scientific information becomes available.[6] PHAC’s commitment to address the health needs of transgender populations is also supported by the Government of Canada-wide mandatory use of sex and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+) in all research, program and policy development. SGBA+ is a tool to assess the potential impacts of policies, programs, and initiatives on diverse groups of men and women, boys and girls, and to mitigate those impacts. Using SGBA+ while considering other identity factors, such as gender identity, supports PHAC’s commitment to health equity, and allows for coordinated action to address health inequalities of LGBTQ2 populations. These important steps will benefit all Canadians by creating a more gender equitable and inclusive society that supports mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing throughout the life course. Our government will continue to work closely with LGBTQ2 communities and all our partners to achieve greater equality, inclusion, and safety for LGBTQ2 Canadians.   [1] Veale, J. F., Watson, R. J., Peter, T., & Saewyc, E. M. (2017). Mental health disparities among Canadian transgender youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(1), 44-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.09.014[2] Fish, J. N., Baams, L., Wojciak, A. S., & Russell, S. T. (2019). Are sexual minority youth overrepresented in foster care, child welfare, and out-of-home placement? Findings from nationally representative data. Child abuse & neglect, 89, 203-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.01.005[3] Wilson, B. D., Cooper, K., Kastanis, A., & Nezhad, S. (2014). Sexual and gender minority youth in foster care: Assessing disproportionality and disparities in Los Angeles. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6mg3n153[4] Durso, L. E., & Gates, G. J. (2012). Serving our youth: Findings from a national survey of services providers working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/80x75033[5] Strang, J. F., Powers, M. D., Knauss, M., Sibarium, E., Leibowitz, S. F., Kenworthy, L., & Pervez, N. (2018). “They thought it was an obsession”: Trajectories and perspectives of autistic transgender and gender-diverse adolescents. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 48(12), 4039-4055. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3723-6[6]https://www.wpath.org/about/ethics-and-standards
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionInquiries and public inquiriesMoratoriumTransgender persons
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021e-2667e-2667 (Foreign affairs)CoreyLevinePaulManlyNanaimo—LadysmithGreen PartyBCJuly 6, 2020, at 1:08 p.m. (EDT)November 3, 2020, at 1:08 p.m. (EDT)November 20, 2020January 25, 2021November 3, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canada’s foreign policy indicates a ‘priority commitment’ to protection of the rights of children around the world;As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Israeli authorities must respect and ensure basic due process rights and the absolute prohibition against torture and ill-treatment of children in accordance with international juvenile justice standards;The Secretary General of the United Nations released his report on Children and Armed Conflict on June 20, 2019;It reiterated the Special Representative’s "call upon Israel to uphold international juvenile justice standards, as well as to cease the use of administrative detention for children and end all forms of ill-treatment in detention, and to cease any attempted recruitment of detained children as informants”;Israel has the distinction of being the only country in the world that automatically and systematically prosecutes children in military courts that lack fundamental fair trial rights and protections;Defense for Children International Palestine reported that “Three out of four Palestinian children experience some form of physical violence following arrest by Israeli Defense Forces”; and These children often give confessions after verbal abuse, threats, physical and psychological violence with no access to legal counsel during their interrogation.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to ensure the human rights of Palestinian children are protected by instructing a Special Envoy to promote, monitor and report on the human rights situation of Palestinian children living in the occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral aspect of Canadian efforts abroad, and children’s rights are a top concern of our foreign policy. Canada is a strong advocate of the effort to end all violations of human rights against children, particularly in situations of humanitarian emergencies and armed conflict.Canadian officials continue to closely monitor the status of children’s rights in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Canada believes that both Israel and the Palestinian Authority must fully respect international humanitarian and human rights law. Respect for these laws is key to ensuring the protection of civilians, and contributes to the creation of a climate conducive to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.Canada encourages Israel and the Palestinians to resume dialogue and direct negotiations to foster peace and stability.
ChildrenCivil and human rightsIsraelPalestine
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 23, 2020e-2683e-2683 (Taxation)LeeNewmanScottSimmsCoast of Bays—Central—Notre DameLiberalNLJune 18, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. (EDT)July 18, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. (EDT)October 8, 2020November 23, 2020July 21, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:COVID-19 has had a catastrophic effect on youth arts programs; With mandatory closures across the country, businesses in youth arts have had little to no income;Students have been left without an important outlet for physical activity, social interaction, and arts education;Increasingly, experts are emphasizing the importance of moving from STEM to STEAM education, to include the arts and humanities in the development of young minds;The new economic reality will mean that these businesses will see a decline in revenue; and Many parents will be financially unable to register their children in the arts at a time when they need it most.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to classify children’s arts (dance, drama, visual arts) in the same educational category as music, and provide HST/GST-exempt status, retroactive to January 1, 2019.This will provide a critical infusion of funds for businesses that paid in the previous year, lessen the financial burden for businesses that have yet to pay, lessen the burden of accounting for the HST/GST for owners, who are often owner-operators, and provide a drop in the cost of arts programming for parents when affordability will be critical, helping arts education business owners secure enough business to keep their doors open.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandWe know that across Canada, families, workers and businesses are facing uncertainty. Our Government is providing support to help Canada’s economy through this challenge and to make sure we are ready to bounce back quickly when the time comes.  In these extraordinary times, no Canadian should have to worry about paying their bills, rent or putting food on the table. Our Government will be unwavering in our commitment to support Canadians, our healthcare system and our economy.Through Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, we are providing immediate assistance to help Canadians and businesses get through these challenging times. Details of the Plan can be found online on the Government of Canada’s website at canada.ca/economic-response-plan. Examples of measures to support businesses include the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the proposed Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), and the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP).  
  • In October 2020, the Government announced its intention to extend the CEWS until June 2021, to help businesses keep employees on the payroll and encourage employers to re-hire their workers. This measure is part of the Government’s commitment to create over 1 million jobs and restore employment to the level it was before the pandemic.
  • The Government also announced in October its intention to introduce a new Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, which would provide simple and easy-to-access rent and mortgage support until June 2021 for qualifying organizations affected by COVID-19. The rent subsidy would be provided directly to tenants, while also providing support to property owners.
  • The Government also announced plans to further expand the CEBA to allow more businesses to qualify and to provide an additional loan of $20,000, based on an assessment of ongoing need. This means businesses are eligible to access a total of $60,000 in interest-free loans, $20,000 of which will be forgivable if the balance is repaid by December 31, 2022. 
  • The BCAP includes several support options to access credit, including  a Loan Guarantee and Co-Lending Program for Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), which offer business with loans of up to $6.25 million and $12.5 million, respectively. Interested businesses are encouraged to contact their financial institutions directly to see how they may benefit from these programs. 
In addition, tax assistance was provided to businesses by allowing them to defer, until after September 30, 2020, the payment of income tax amounts that became owing on or after March 18 and before September 2020, and to defer Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) and customs duty payments until June 30, 2020.The Government recognizes the importance of the cultural and arts sector to Canadians. On May 8, 2020, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced the details of a new COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations. The $500 million Emergency Support Fund provides additional temporary relief to support cultural, heritage and sport organizations and help them plan for the future. The Fund will help maintain jobs and support business continuity for organizations whose viability has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.Our Government also provided support to families through a special one-time $300 top-up of the Canada Child Benefit for each child, in May 2020. Additionally, for over 12 million low- and modest-income families in Canada, we doubled the GST credit in April, giving, on average, single adults close to $400 more and couples close to $600 more.Our Government is committed to continuing to do whatever it takes to protect individuals and businesses from the economic disruption caused by the pandemic. A limited number of exceptions are made to the wide application of the GST/HST, which include most education services and certain children’s programs provided by public and non-profit organizations.  With respect to education, most educational services provided by a school board, college, or university are exempt from GST/HST. As part of the GST/HST relief for education, an exemption is provided for services of tutoring or instructing an individual in a course that is approved for credit or that follows a curriculum designated by a school authority, or that is a prescribed equivalent of such an approved course.  Music lessons designed to result in a progression or development of skills toward a pre-set lesson goal or objective and that involve formal instruction are also exempt as they have been prescribed as equivalent to courses that are part of a school curriculum.In recognition of the important role that charities, non-profit organizations and other public sector bodies (PSBs) play in Canadian society, certain supplies of goods and services made by these organizations are exempt from the GST/HST. In this regard, supplies of athletic or recreational programs, including many children’s arts activities, provided to children 14 years of age or under are generally exempt when provided by a PSB.Specific tax relief from the GST/HST is provided for low- and modest-income Canadians through the GST Credit rather than excluding more items from the tax base. The GST Credit normally provides about $5 billion in annual assistance to help offset the sales tax burden faced by low- and modest-income families and individuals, thereby ensuring that sales tax burdens are sensitive to differences in income and family type. The enhanced GST Credit for this year will provide over $10 Billion in assistance (including the regular credit as well as the special one-time COVID-19 payment).
ChildrenCulture and creativitySmall and medium-sized enterprisesTax exemption
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 20, 2020e-2466e-2466 (Transportation)CaraMcNultyGregFergusHull—AylmerLiberalQCMarch 13, 2020, at 5:02 p.m. (EDT)April 12, 2020, at 5:02 p.m. (EDT)May 13, 2020July 20, 2020April 14, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="214333" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Transport</Addressee>Whereas:Boating accounts for more than one-third of immersion/drowning deaths in Canada, and has been the most frequent activity among 10,000 immersion/drowning deaths during the past two decades;Not wearing a lifejacket/Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is the number one reason for drownings in boating related fatalities in all age categories above 0-4;The Small Vessel Regulations under the Canada Shipping Act only require that a proper sized PFD for each passenger be on board a vessel;Wearing a lifejacket/PFD is not a requirement, not even for children, and this regulation does little to protect Canada’s children on our nation’s lakes, rivers and oceans; andCanada is significantly behind the United States and other Western jurisdictions that have mandatory wear laws and regulations in place.We, the undersigned, citizens or residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to amend the Small Vessel Regulations to make it mandatory for children under the age of 14 to wear a lifejacket/PFD while passengers in (or drivers of) small vessels covered under Parts 2,3 and 4 of the regulation.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Marc GarneauTransport Canada (TC) acknowledges receipt of Petition 431-00186, calling upon the Minister of Transport to amend the Small Vessel Regulations (the Regulation) to make it mandatory for children under the age of 14 to wear a personal flotation device (PFD) or lifejacket while passengers in (or operators of) small vessels covered under Parts 2, 3 and 4 of the Regulation.TC acknowledges that wearing a PFD or lifejacket while boating significantly increases the chances of survival and is one of the best ways of ensuring a boater’s safety on the water. TC focuses its initiatives on improving educational activities to increase boating safety knowledge among Canadians. TC’s Office of Boating Safety was recently expanded to further support public engagement and collaborative work with safety partner organizations. These activities will advance knowledge of boating safety issues, best practices, and behaviours for both recreational and small commercial vessels. The importance of wearing lifejackets will continue to be central to these educational initiatives.Educating the public about the importance of wearing a lifejacket and encouraging their use by providing safe, affordable, and comfortable options are key in preventing drownings. TC is also conducting policy work to explore options to address the mandatory wearing of PFDs or lifejackets through potential regulatory amendments. The issue of regulating mandatory wear has not been explored since the Small Vessel Regulations were substantially updated over 10 years ago. As such, additional analysis and consultation on the issue is currently underway to assist in determining how regulatory initiatives could be used to supplement educational outreach initiatives and prevent boating-related fatalities. TC is also examining international approaches to mandatory wear to help inform any potential regulatory amendments.Given the large geographic area where boating activities occur in Canada, enforcement of recreational boating requirements is limited in many areas of the country. As such, any regulatory amendments would need to be supported by continued education and behavioural insights to support enforcement efforts. To assist with this, TC has tasked a behavioural scientist with conducting a research project on the issue of mandatory wear. The initial part of this project will begin later this summer. Overall, this project is intended to help fill gaps in existing research and data by providing insights on wear rates and justification for wearing or not wearing a PFD/lifejacket. In the future, the project will assess the effectiveness of various types of messaging to promote PFD/lifejacket use among different demographics.TC is taking all of these factors (e.g., Canada’s vast geography, available enforcement resources, demographics and age groups deemed most at risk, public perceptions towards PFD and lifejacket usage, and international examples) into account in developing options to require mandatory wear for specific age groups, such as children under a certain age, or during specific activities. TC will begin consulting with Canadians on these options this summer through its Let’s Talk Transportation website, which can be found at: https://letstalktransportation.ca/. Input received on these options, and the issue of mandatory wear in general, will inform potential regulatory amendments.TC will continue to provide updates on this ongoing work and looks forward to discussing the findings in greater detail with stakeholders and the general public during the upcoming consultations, as well as through regularly scheduled meetings of the Canadian Marine Advisory Council, available at: https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/rsqa-cmac-tor-106.htm and other fora.
ChildrenMaritime safetyPleasure craft43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 27, 2020431-00005431-00005 (Social affairs and equality)PeterJulianNew Westminster—BurnabyNDPBCDecember 6, 2019January 27, 2020June 12, 2019Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS, The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children; the Convention defines a child as any human being under the age of eighteen;WHEREAS, The first paragraph of Article 3 of the UNCRC tells us that the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children.;WHEREAS, The Government of Canada ratified the UNCRC on December 12, 1991 and has responsibilities for the care of children as outlined in the National Child Agenda and the Social Union Framework; these responsibilities further extend to initiatives with provinces and territories that set out programs such as the National Child Benefit, the Early Childhood Development Initiative and the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care;WHEREAS, Housing First funds are one size fits all, only fund for the adult individual, with no additional allocation for a parent with children and the amount is set at a rate per adult, which further materially deprives children;WHEREAS, many children are excluded from receipt of the Canada Child Benefit and Child Special Allowances, as they are in informal care arrangements wherein their caregivers are ineligible to claim the tax deduction for a child, and therefore cannot establish entitlement for the monthly payment;WHEREAS, the degree of flexibility afforded provincial and territorial governments has led to significant variances in services and programs across the country; in direct violation of Canada's obligations as a signatory of the UNCRC, certain subpopulations of children systematically derive no benefit from the above-mentioned programs;WHEREAS, the potential of children is being lost due to relative invisibility and the lack of standards requiring they be considered and addressed;THEREFORE, your petitioners call on the Government of Canada, having agreed to meet the standards in the UNCRC, to recognize the barriers within its own direct payments to families systems and remedy them; that the funded services like the Homelessness Partnering Initiative provide funding for client supports for children; that it provide Canada Child Benefit and Child Special Allowances for all children; that it needs to set standards within the Canada Social Transfer to ensure that all children-without discrimination in any form benefit from special protection measures and assistance and to recognize children of parents with addictions and homeless children in need of special support to enable them to achieve improved life outcomes and receive equal benefit to their rights under the UNCRC; that it reduce the level of material deprivation for children who move a lot for reasons related to homelessness, parental addiction, incarceration, or government care experience; that it reduce interprovincial and territorial disparities that exclude children living in circumstances not considered under current eligibility rules; and that it increase supports for children living with the highest level of exclusion.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherIn response to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), in 1992, the Government of Canada developed “Brighter Futures: Canada’s Action Plan for Children”, a comprehensive plan that identified programs aimed at promoting the health and wellbeing of children. As part of this plan, the Government of Canada established two programs aimed at encouraging healthy pregnancies, healthy early development and positive parenting, specifically amongst at risk populations: the Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) and the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP).Launched in 1992, CAPC provides $53.4 million in annual funding to community-based groups to develop and deliver comprehensive, culturally appropriate prevention and early intervention programs for vulnerable children aged 0-6 years. CAPC reaches approximately 230,000 participants across Canada each year. CAPC participants report improved parental capacity, child physical wellbeing, social competence and overall healthy development.Launched in 1995, CPNP provides $27.2 million in annual funding to community-based groups to improve the health of vulnerable pregnant women and their infants. CPNP serves approximately 45,000 participants across Canada each year. CPNP participation is associated with higher rates of breastfeeding, improved prenatal vitamin supplement intake, improved maternal mental health, and reduced smoking and alcohol consumption.Through its Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is dedicated to supporting research on developmental, physical and mental well-being throughout the life cycle from a population perspective. To ensure the best outcomes for children, youth and families, as well as to provide an equitable chance at a healthy life beginning at pre-conception up to early adulthood, CIHR is investing in strategic areas of research, such as health developmental trajectories; healthy reproduction, pregnancy, childhood and youth; and healthy public policy and systems integration.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam VaughanThe Government of Canada takes the protection of children’s rights and well-being very seriously, and is committed to reducing poverty and improving the economic well-being of Canadian families and children. Several existing and recently introduced initiatives and programs are helping increase the economic and social security of Canadians, including children. These include, for example, the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Canada Child Benefit, the Multilateral Early Learning and Childcare Framework, the Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework and the National Housing Strategy. Between 2015 and 2017 the number of children living in poverty was reduced by almost 300,000.Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy was released on August 21, 2018. It reflects principles that include universality, non-discrimination and equality, participation of those living in poverty, accountability, and working together. The Government of Canada took an approach to the development of the Strategy that is consistent with a human rights-based approach by engaging broadly with Canadians, including people with lived experience of poverty. In keeping with Canada’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, targeted engagement was also undertaken with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis across Canada.Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy establishes, for the first time in Canada’s history, an official measure of poverty: Canada’s Official Poverty Line, based on the cost of a basket of goods and services that individuals and families require to meet their basic needs and achieve an adequate standard of living in communities across the country. The Strategy sets targets of a 20 percent reduction in poverty by 2020 and a 50 percent reduction in poverty by 2030, which align with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. In the Strategy, the Government also commits to improving poverty measurement, and to establishing a National Advisory Council on Poverty to report annually on the progress made towards meeting the targets. As part of the Strategy, the Government introduced poverty reduction legislation to ensure that poverty reduction remains a lasting priority well into the future. On June 21, 2019, the Poverty Reduction Act received Royal Assent and entrenches Canada’s Official Poverty Line, the targets and the National Advisory Council on Poverty into law.Based on 2017 Canadian Income Survey data, Canada’s poverty rate decreased from 12.1% in 2015 to 9.5% in 2017. These results confirm that investments are lifting people out of poverty and helping Canadian families.Ensuring that every child gets the best possible start in life is a priority for the Government of Canada. The Government is therefore committed to giving families more money to help with the high costs of raising their children and to making a real difference in the lives of children in Canada. To this end, it introduced the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) in July 2016.Because the CCB is tax-free and based on income, it provides more support to families who need help the most. The CCB helps almost 3.7 million families and about 6.5 million children, putting nearly $24 billion annually, tax-free, in the hands of families. Based on the 2017 Canadian Income Survey data released in February 2019, the CCB is having a significant positive impact on the income of families. The CCB resulted in higher incomes for families with children. Couples with children saw their median child benefits increase by $1,200 and single-parent families received an extra $1,300 in 2017 compared to 2016, contributing to a positive start for Canadian children. Between 2015 and 2017 the number of children living in poverty was reduced by almost 300,000.To ensure that the CCB continues to help Canadian families over the long term, since July 2018, the CCB has been indexed to keep pace with the cost of living. Indexing the CCB provides an additional $5.6 billion in support to Canadian families over the 2018-2019 to 2022-2023 period. That means Canadian families have more money to help pay for things like healthy food, sports programs and music lessons. With this increase, in the 2019-2020 benefit year, the maximum annual benefit is $6,639 per child under 6 years of age, and $5,602 per child aged 6 through 17. Families with less than $31,120 in adjusted family net income receive the maximum benefit.In addition, beginning in summer 2020, the Government has committed to increasing the CCB by 15% for children under the age of 1. This added financial boost will help families when the costs of raising kids are highest.To ensure all eligible families receive the CCB they are entitled to, Budget 2018 provided $17.3 million over three years, starting in 2018-2019, to improve access to the CCB and other benefits, to expand outreach efforts to Indigenous communities, and to conduct pilot outreach activities for urban Indigenous communities.The Government has also committed to develop a Guaranteed Paid Family Leave program that will provide a guaranteed income to families during the first year of a child’s life.   In instances where a child is placed in care outside the parental home, the Government provides Children’s Special Allowance (CSA) payments to the provincial department, agency, or institution that supports the child. The CSA is a tax-free monthly payment provided by the federal government to child protection agencies and institutions to help offset the costs related to supporting a child in care. The monthly CSA payment is equal to the maximum CCB payment.Recognizing that a number of provinces and territories offer kinship and close-relationship care programs (referred to as kinship care programs), as alternatives to foster care (or other formal care by the state), Budget 2019 amended the Income Tax Act to ensure that care providers are eligible to receive financial supports. These amendments were made to the Income Tax Act to clarify that financial assistance payments received by care providers under a kinship care program are neither taxable, nor included in income for the purposes of determining entitlement to income-tested benefits and credits.In addition, Budget 2019 amended the Income Tax Act to clarify that an individual may be considered to be the parent of a child in their care for the purpose of the Canada Workers Benefit, regardless of whether they receive financial assistance from a government under a kinship care program. The Canada Workers Benefit is a refundable tax credit that is intended to supplement the earnings of low income workers and improves work incentives for low-income Canadians. With these amendments, Kinship care providers are now eligible for the Canada Workers Benefit amount available for families, provided all other eligibility requirements are met. These amendments help to ensure that children and their care providers are not excluded from financial benefits because of the nature of their informal care arrangement.Supporting early child development can have long-term benefits that can extend throughout children's lives. Research shows that there are positive relationships between quality early learning and child care, parental labour market participation and child development outcomes. The Government of Canada has committed to supporting more accessible and less costly child care that will help all children get a better start in life, help parents who wish to work or return to work, and support families by reducing the burden of child care costs. To this end, the federal, provincial and territorial governments reached a historic agreement on a Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework on June 12, 2017. This Framework sets the foundation for governments to work toward a shared long-term vision, where all children across Canada can experience the enriching environment of quality early learning and child care. The federal government invested $1.2 billion in three-year (2017-18 to 2019-20) bilateral agreements with each province and territory that outline the unique early learning and child care needs to be addressed within their respective jurisdiction.In addition, on September 17, 2018 the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council and the Government of Canada jointly released a new, co-developed Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework. The Framework reflects the unique cultures, aspirations and needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis children across Canada. This Framework provides a guide for communities, program administrators, service providers, policy makers and governments to work in partnership towards achieving a shared vision that all Indigenous children have the opportunity to experience high-quality, culturally strong early learning and child care. In support of this Framework, the Government has committed $1.7 billion over 10 years in new funding. The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework complements the Multilateral Early Learning and Child Care Framework.Canadians need and deserve housing that is safe, adequate and affordable. Affordable housing is a cornerstone of inclusive communities as it helps to strengthen the middle class and grow the economy. This is why we launched Canada’s first ever National Housing Strategy in November 2017. Thanks to new investments proposed in Budget 2019, Canada's National Housing Strategy is a 10-year, $55+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home. To help more Canadians access housing that meets their needs and they can afford, the Strategy sets out to achieve bold outcomes by investing into new programs that will create over 125,000 new housing units, repair and renew another 300,000 units and will help remove or reduce housing need for as many as 530,000 households.As part of the National Housing Strategy, the Government committed to expand and extend its support to tackle homelessness. Reaching Home, the redesigned federal homelessness program that replaced the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, was launched on April 1, 2019 with an investment of $2.1 billion over nine years (2019-20 to 2027-28). Reaching Home maintains a community-based approach, delivering funding directly to communities and local service providers. Reaching Home supports the goals of the National Housing Strategy, in particular, the reduction of chronic homelessness nationally by 50 percent by 2027–28.Reaching Home’s design was informed by the Advisory Committee on Homelessness, chaired by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, which undertook cross-country engagement throughout 2017. During this process, the Committee  heard that imposing investment targets for the Housing First approach – which focuses on placing homeless individuals in housing without any preconditions, and then providing them with the wrap around supports needed to address their challenges – on communities, and specifically targeting this to the chronically homeless, inhibited their flexibility to meet the needs of vulnerable populations such as young people, LGBTQ2 communities, women fleeing violence, and Indigenous peoples.Under Reaching Home, the Housing First approach continues to be supported as it is a proven approach to tackling homelessness, including chronic homelessness, which remains an important priority. However, as of April 1, 2019, all mandatory Housing First investment targets have been removed. Under Reaching Home, the Government will work with communities to develop and deliver data driven system plans with clear outcomes. The new outcomes-based approach will give communities greater flexibility to address local priorities, including homelessness prevention, and programming designed to meet the needs of vulnerable populations (for example, youth, women and children fleeing violence, and Indigenous peoples).The Reaching Home Directives include eligible activities and guidance on increasing supports for children such as: services directed towards individuals and families to help them access income benefits, including child benefits; and discharge planning services for individuals being released from public systems (for example, health, corrections, and child welfare). Representation from youth and youth serving organizations including Child Welfare agencies on decision-making bodies within the program, namely Community Advisory Boards, is encouraged. The Reaching Home Directives also list the number of children and a woman’s pregnancy as factors that can be taken into consideration when prioritizing individuals and families for access to homelessness services. The Government of Canada will continue to explore and assess new opportunities to make progress on issues concerning children and families, recognizing that all children in Canada deserve an equal and a fair chance to succeed.  
Response by the Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Mr. Sean FraserThe Government of Canada recognizes the importance of supporting families with children, and provides assistance in a number of ways.Federal Child Benefit SystemIn 2016, the Government of Canada introduced the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) to give low- and middle-income families more money each month, tax-free, to help with the cost of raising children. Compared to the old system of child benefits, the CCB is simpler, more generous and better targeted to those who need it most. Nine out of 10 families get more under the CCB than they did under the old system of child benefits, and families benefitting are receiving on average about $7,000 in annual benefits; an amount that will continue to rise with the cost of living. About 3.4 million families receive the CCB, at a total federal cost of about $24 billion per year. By 2017, the CCB has helped lift nearly 300,000 children out of poverty compared to 2015.The Government of Canada believes that all families who qualify for the CCB should receive it, including those with children living under the care of a grandparent, extended family member or family friend. That is why, in 2018, the Government modified the tax rules to confirm that individuals caring for a child under a kinship program in provinces/territories across the country, are eligible for the CCB regardless of whether they receive financial assistance under such a program (provided they meet all other CCB eligibility criteria).The Government of Canada also provides a special allowance in respect of children who are in the care of, and maintained by a federal, provincial/territorial or First Nations agency/institution that cares for children (child protection agency). The Children’s Special Allowance (CSA) is equivalent to the maximum (unreduced) CCB amount available for a child of the same age. For the 2018-19 benefit year, the Government provided about $340 million in respect of close to 55,000 children in care under the CSA.Canada Social TransferThe Canada Social Transfer (CST) provides long-term, predictable funding for post-secondary education, social assistance and services, and early childhood development and childcare. It is allocated to provinces and territories on an equal per capita cash basis, and is legislated to grow by three per cent annually.  The CST is provided on a largely unconditional basis – the provinces and territories are not required to report on how CST funds are disbursed, with the exception that it prohibits minimum residency requirements in the provision of social assistance. The CST will transfer $15.0 billion to provinces and territories in 2020-21.Continued Work to Support ChildrenThe Government recognizes that more should be done to support children. The Government continues to make investments in support for children, to work with the provinces and territories to improve current programs, and to explore new ways to further this common goal.
Benefits for childrenChildrenEqual opportunitiesHarmonization of standardsHomelessness and homeless