44th Parliament226Waiting for certificationMarch 28, 2024e-4706e-4706 (Environment)ShantiScarpetta-LeeDonDaviesVancouver KingswayNDPBCNovember 29, 2023, at 4:55 p.m. (EDT)March 28, 2024, at 4:55 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Worldwide, 80 billion pieces of clothing are consumed every year, a 400% increase from only twenty years ago. However, approximately 85% of these textiles end up in a landfill every year;Fast fashion generates enormous amounts of waste, from production cutoffs to discarded clothing. 57% of all discarded clothing ends up in landfill, contributing to the growing problem of textile waste;The entire lifecycle of fast fashion, from production and transportation to disposal, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. This exacerbates climate change, impacting ecosystems and biodiversity;The fast fashion industry is a significant contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for as much as 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions, as much as the European Union; andIf the industry maintains its course, an increase of 50% in greenhouse gas emissions is expected within a decade.We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of British Columbia, call upon the House of Commons to take immediate and decisive action to address the environmental impacts of the fast fashion industry. Specifically, we urge the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations tailored to the fashion and textile sector. We call upon the House of Commons to mandate an addition to the current EPR legislation across provinces to address textiles. This could include waste collection programs, establishing design standards for recyclability, providing financial incentives for sustainable design, and requiring transparent reporting on environmental efforts within the industry.Environmental protectionExtended producer responsibilityTextile and apparel goods industry44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 28, 2024e-4815e-4815 (Public safety)LambrosKiriakakosMelissaLantsmanThornhillConservativeONFebruary 26, 2024, at 3:14 p.m. (EDT)March 27, 2024, at 3:14 p.m. (EDT)March 28, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="300017" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs</Addressee>Whereas:Canadians of Eritrean descent are law abiding and peaceful citizens who value faith and the importance of family;Since the 1980s they have peacefully celebrated their heritage by attending large cultural and sports events held in public parks with broad support from municipalities and elected officials across the country;The Eritrean diaspora has recently become the new front line in violent attacks by political groups;Late last summer this came to a boil, when rioters calling themselves the Brigade N’hamedu or Brigade of Death, made international headlines by attacking and injuring attendees at events held in Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary;Over 30 people were transported to the hospital, some in serious condition suffering from stab wounds, head trauma and spinal fractures;The right to political expression is enshrined in the charter, but when the tone or position is expressed in violence, Canadians demand their government act to ensure law and order is enforced;Today, many Canadians of Eritrean origin feel unsafe in places where they work, celebrate and worship; andPolice authorities have charged a total of 24 members of the Brigade with over 47 Criminal Code violations and in Edmonton the riot act was read-the first time since 1999.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Designate foreign political groups who engage in violence as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code of Canada; and2. Provide support so Canadians of Eritrean descent wishing to gather peacefully in places of public trust can do so safely.Civil and human rightsEritrean CanadiansForeign influenced activitiesTerrorist entities watch lists44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 27, 2024e-4904e-4904 (Employment and labour)FannyLabelleAlexandreBoulericeRosemont—La Petite-PatrieNDPQCMarch 27, 2024, at 2:40 p.m. (EDT)July 25, 2024, at 2:40 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canadian women assume the vast majority of family responsibilities and make up the majority of single-parent families;Canadian women already face a job market where they are at a disadvantage in terms of salary, type of employment and promotion opportunities;Canadian women take almost all the weeks of parental benefits following the birth of a child; under the current provisions of the Employment Insurance Act, Canadian women who lose their jobs while on maternity leave, or too soon afterwards, are denied Employment Insurance regular benefits;This situation affects some 3,000 women a year, pushing them into vulnerable situations, poverty and economic dependence.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canadato put an end to this disadvantageous situation for Canadian women by amending the Employment Insurance Act by:1. Abolishing the 50-week stacking rule. (s. 12(6) EIA); and 2. Extending the 52-week benefit period (s. 10(2) EIA) by including maternity/parental benefits as grounds for extending (s. 10(10) EIA) the benefit period to 104 weeks, as is already the case in other situations (s. 10(14) EIA).Employment insurance benefits period extensionMaternity leaveParental leave44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 27, 2024e-4842e-4842 (Foreign affairs)NadiaLimaniJenicaAtwinFrederictonLiberalNBMarch 27, 2024, at 2:31 p.m. (EDT)July 25, 2024, at 2:31 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278918" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Foreign Affairs</Addressee>We, the undersigned, concerned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to end arms support to the State of Israel immediately. What the Palestinian people are facing is nothing short of a major humanitarian crisis. The State of Israel has broken many international laws and by Canada sending arms to Israel they are directly cooperating in these crimes against humanity. As Canada is a member of the United Nations, it is their duty to ensure and uphold basic human rights to all. We, as concerned tax paying citizens strongly condemn Canada's support of the apartheid regime and implore the Canadian government to stand for a ceasefire and allow aid for the Palestinian men, women and children.Foreign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelMilitary weaponsPalestine44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 27, 2024e-4800e-4800 (Citizenship and immigration)Mohammad Hamza PervaizShaikhIqraKhalidMississauga—Erin MillsLiberalONMarch 27, 2024, at 1:50 p.m. (EDT)July 25, 2024, at 1:50 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The visa processing times for citizens of Pakistan receives a lot of rejections and delays; andThe spousal applications take forever to process compared to other countries.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to address the prolonged processing times and high rejection rates faced by individuals applying for spousal immigration and Visitor Visa from Pakistan.The current delays in processing spousal immigration applications from Pakistan are causing undue hardship and prolonged separation for families, whereas from other neighboring countries, the processing times are really quick. Additionally, the disproportionately high rejection rates for visitor visas (TRV) for spouses even after AOR, despite comprehensive documentation, are deeply concerning.We call upon the Government of Canada to take the following actions:1. Expedited Processing: Implement expedited processing procedures for spousal immigration applications from Pakistan to reduce waiting times and facilitate family reunification.2. Transparency and Fairness: Enhance transparency in visa application processes and ensure fair assessment of applications from Pakistani spouses, with clear communication on reasons for rejections.3. Streamlined Procedures: Simplify and streamline documentation requirements for spousal immigration and visitor visa applications to prevent genuine relationships from being unfairly penalized.Addressing these challenges is crucial for upholding the principles of family reunification and promoting compassionate immigration policies. We urge the Government of Canada to take decisive action to alleviate the burdens faced by families seeking spousal immigration from Pakistan.Immigrant sponsorshipPakistanPassports and visas44th Parliament229Not certifiedMarch 27, 2024e-4780e-4780 (Business and trade)KevinKozakJenniferO'ConnellPickering—UxbridgeLiberalONJanuary 24, 2024, at 1:25 p.m. (EDT)March 24, 2024, at 1:25 p.m. (EDT)March 27, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada’s carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and UkraineCanada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 26, 2024e-4896e-4896 (Democratic process)BrianKerrJamieSchmaleHaliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockConservativeONMarch 26, 2024, at 4:05 p.m. (EDT)July 24, 2024, at 4:05 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:There are currently no election laws at the federal level of Canadian government that enable legally registered Canadian voters to fire an elected representative before their term;There are currently no election laws at the federal level of Canadian government that enable legally registered Canadian voters to repeal or remove legislation that is proven biased, bigoted, prejudiced, oppressive, authoritarian, or treasonous; andWithin this legislation must be a law that, politicians who are recalled, would no longer be entitled to their pension or any other benefits associated with their elected position. A sitting government cannot amend or remove the recall/initiative legislation without a public referendum.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to put into law, "Recall and Initiative" legislation at the federal level of government in Canada to give Canadian citizens a mechanism to protect their livelihood from an untrustworthy, tyrannical government ruling Canada.LegislationMembers of ParliamentParticipatory democracy44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 26, 2024e-4891e-4891 (Foreign affairs)RohilSharmaKenHardieFleetwood—Port KellsLiberalBCMarch 26, 2024, at 4:04 p.m. (EDT)July 24, 2024, at 4:04 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The disputed presidential election in Belarus in August 2020 has led to the administrative arrest, arbitrary detentions, and criminal prosecution of protestors—notably the members of Viasna, a prominent human rights organisation in Belarus that actively monitors and documents human rights violations against Belarusian political activists and provides legal and financial assistance to political prisoners;Marfa Rabkova, a member of Viasna, was detained in 2020 for numerous alleged criminal offences related to her nonviolent participation in nationwide protests. She was fined 22,400 Belarusian rubles and sentenced to 15 years in a penal colony, which was recently shortened to 14 years and 9 months in February of 2023; andMarfa Rabkova has reported numerous health complications during pre-trial prison and has repeatedly been denied adequate medical attention.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Urge the Government of Belarus to release Marfa Rabkova from prison and exonerate her from all charges; and2. Upon her release, ensure that Marfa Rabkova has a place of asylum to complete her education and continue her work as a human rights activist.BelarusPolitical prisonersRabkova, Marfa44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 22, 2024e-4894e-4894 (Environment)AlexHarrisElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMarch 22, 2024, at 5:01 p.m. (EDT)April 21, 2024, at 5:01 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="300019" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard</Addressee>Whereas:Southern Resident killer whales are an endangered population listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act and the United States Endangered Species Act;Legally protected critical habitat for Southern Residents is located within the heavily transited transboundary marine waters of the Salish Sea;Underwater noise and physical disturbance from vessels affects the ability of Southern Residents to communicate successfully and forage effectively;Southern Resident killer whales can lose more than 50% of their echolocation range when foraging near commercial shipping traffic;Increased shipping traffic from container expansions at Roberts Bank and oil tankers for Trans Mountain increase underwater noise in critical habitat. The lost foraging on salmon associated with this noise increases the risk of extinction for Southern Residents;More ships will reduce the quiet time Southern Residents can feed without noise interfering with echolocation and communication;Considering these threats, Washington State recently passed legislation (Senate Bill 5371) that establishes a mandatory 1,000-yard buffer for recreational and commercial whale watching vessels around Southern Resident killer whales; andCanada has committed to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, as declared with the signing of the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to implement a mandatory vessel distance regulation where recreational vessels and commercial whale-watch vessels must not be closer than 1,000 metres to Southern Resident killer whales, consistent with vessel distance regulations for these whales in Washington State.Endangered speciesKiller whalesVessel traffic44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 22, 2024e-4876e-4876 (Taxation)DarrylLuscombeRachelBlaneyNorth Island—Powell RiverNDPBCMarch 22, 2024, at 4:56 p.m. (EDT)April 21, 2024, at 4:56 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The impacts of greenhouse gas emissions are having increasingly serious negative effects on all aspects of Canadian society;The increases in extreme weather events are already clearly demonstrating that Climate Change due to human production and use of fossil fuels is causing significant harms to our society and way of life;The increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is already having significant impacts on the marine ecosystem and shellfish fisheries due to acidification of the ocean waters;The increase in marine heatwaves is already having a significant impact on marine ecosystems and commercial fisheries that many Canadians depend upon;The increase in extreme wildfire activity is threatening all Canadians in all provinces and territories in the country; andThat we must resist our desire for short-term self-interest and continuation of the status-quo and agree that we need to act now to protect our families and descendants for generations to come.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to fully support the planned increase to the Federal Carbon Tax in April of 2024 and to renew their their commitment to current Federal Carbon Tax legislation for the good of all Canadians.Carbon taxClimate change and global warming44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 22, 2024e-4820e-4820 (Foreign affairs)LoriKennedyHeatherMcPhersonEdmonton StrathconaNDPABMarch 22, 2024, at 4:54 p.m. (EDT)April 21, 2024, at 4:54 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Russian Federation attacked Ukraine in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 in violation of international law;On April 27, 2022 the Government of Canada unanimously declared that the Russian Federation is committing acts of genocide against the Ukrainian people;There is extensive evidence that the Russian Federation continues to perpetrate horrific acts of violence against Ukrainians, (including but not limited to rape, torture, and murder) in order to force Ukraine to surrender their sovereign territory;The conduct of the Russian Federation against Ukraine meets the definition of terrorism set out in section 83.01(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada; andReasonable grounds exist to believe that the Russian Federation is a state supporter of terrorism.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to add the Russian Federation to the List of Foreign State Supporters of Terrorism.RussiaSupporters of terrorismUkraineWar44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024e-4623e-4623 (Foreign affairs)DougPorterLeslynLewisHaldimand—NorfolkConservativeONOctober 10, 2023, at 8:42 a.m. (EDT)February 7, 2024, at 8:42 a.m. (EDT)March 22, 2024February 12, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Canada's membership in the United Nations (UN) and its subsidiary organizations, (e.g. World Health Organization (WHO)), imposes negative consequences on the people of Canada, far outweighing any benefits;Canada's agreement to participate in the UN/WHO comprehensive "Agenda 2030" undermines national sovereignty and personal autonomy;Agenda 2030 and its operational "Sustainable Development Goals" (SDG), Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), UN Judicial Review, International Health Regulations (IHR), One Health and similar programs are being rapidly implemented, absent the awareness and consent of the People or their elected representatives;SDGs have negative impacts on potentially every aspect of life, including religious and cultural values, familial relations, education, nutrition, child development, property rights, economic and agricultural productivity, transportation, travel, health, informed consent, privacy and physical autonomy;Under the CSE, publicly funded educational institutions are damaging children while concealing information from parents. Normalization of sexual values and activities with regard to children are endorsed and enforced, beginning at birth;Agenda 2030 and secretly negotiated amendments to the IHR could likely impose unacceptable, intrusive universal surveillance, violating the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; andThese sweeping impacts on public and private life serve the interests of UN/WHO and unelected private entities (e.g. World Economic Forum, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, International Planned Parenthood Federation, etc.), while diminishing the health rights and freedom of Canadians.We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to urgently implement Canada's expeditious withdrawal from the UN and all of its subsidiary organizations, including WHO.International organizationsUnited Nations44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02275441-02275 (Health)LeslynLewisHaldimand—NorfolkConservativeONMarch 22, 2024December 11, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02274441-02274 (Health)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONMarch 22, 2024February 16, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02273441-02273 (Justice)MichaelCooperSt. Albert—EdmontonConservativeABMarch 22, 2024February 26, 2024Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:For over eight years, the Liberal government has put the privileges of criminals ahead of the rights of victims;Frequent parole hearings often revictimize and retraumatize the families of victims of murder;The Liberal government has failed to respond to the Bissonnette decision, disregarding the impact that this decision will have on the families of victims of some of Canada's most heinous murderers; andBill S-281, Brian's Bill, is a modest response to Bissonnette that puts victims first by preventing convicted murderers from applying for parole every year after serving their minimum sentence.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge Parliament to swiftly pass Brian's Bill.Conditional releaseS-281. An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Act (parole review)Victims of violence44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02272441-02272 (Food and drink)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 22, 2024March 15, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food recommends that the Government of Canada increase its support to local and regional food system sustainability such as by encouraging:
    • - The development of small-scale community-based food systems;
    • - The building of local processing capacity, including regional slaughter capacity; and
    • - The development and expansion of initiatives aiming to strengthen food security such as the Local Food Infrastructure Fund;
  • The Government understands that there is a need to strengthen local and regional production, processing and distribution to ensure that our food systems are resilient and innovative and promote food security for Canadians;
  • Processing utilization in Ontario has increased from approximately 70% in 2015 to 100% in 2021. In 2021, Ontario provincial processing numbers were up approximately 20% on 2020 and 5-year averages and the processing volumes did not change in 2022 resulting in an unsustainable utilization rate at provincial abattoirs;
  • Many processing plants are operating at or above capacity for significant portions of the year due to increased beef demand;
  • While the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the focus on processing capacity, the beef sector across eastern Canada has had to contend with capacity challenges for some time due to a variety of factors that have led to periodic supply bottlenecks, significant negative pressure on farm gate prices, and lost market opportunities;
  • Some beef farmers must wait six to nine months and in many cases up to one year in advance to have their cattle processed at provincial facilities;
  • The abattoir, located at Joyceville Institution on Highway 15 in Ontario closed at the end of September 2022;
  • The closure has put even more strain on processing at abattoirs negatively impacting processing wait times even more for beef farmers in Lanark and Frontenac counties; and
  • The closure has had negative economic impacts on neighbouring businesses and restaurants that relied on products from the abattoir.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to explore all options to ensure the abattoir located at Joyceville Institution is re-opened to address the issues noted above.
AbattoirsJoyceville Institution
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02271441-02271 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 22, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02270441-02270 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 22, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024e-4317e-4317 (Fisheries)EmilyOrrKenHardieFleetwood—Port KellsLiberalBCFebruary 20, 2023, at 12:08 p.m. (EDT)March 22, 2023, at 12:08 p.m. (EDT)March 22, 2024March 23, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278923" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard</Addressee>Whereas:DFO’s mandate includes promoting the stability and economic viability of fishing operations;Canadian owner-operator fish harvesters are increasingly displaced by foreign acquisition of Canada’s commercial fishing licenses and quotas;Canada does not currently have any limitation on foreign ownership of commercial fishing licenses and quotas in the Pacific Region;Canada does not record or track citizenship within transactions of fishing licenses and quotas;The absence of restrictions on foreign ownership of commercial fishing licenses and quotas damages the economic viability of Canadian-owned fishing operations, harvesters and their families, and coastal communities;Foreign investment in Canadian commercial fisheries is in direct competition with DFO and First Nations’ pursuit of acquisition of fishing licenses and quotas thereby compounding challenges related to meeting reconciliation objectives;Foreign ownership of commercial fishing access compromises domestic food security and is directly linked to economic losses of domestic fish processing and processing jobs in Canada; andThe House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans’ 2019 Report on Sharing Risks and Benefits recommends “That based on the principle that fish in Canadian waters are a resource for Canadians (i.e. common property), no future sales of fishing quota and/or licenses be to non-Canadian beneficial owners based on the consideration of issues of legal authority, and international agreement/trade impacts.”.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to immediately ban any further transfer of Canadian commercial fishing licenses and quotas to foreign ownership or foreign beneficial interest.Fishing rightsForeign companies44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024e-4686e-4686 (Veterans' affairs)AmirFrcicKenHardieFleetwood—Port KellsLiberalBCNovember 21, 2023, at 3:13 p.m. (EDT)January 20, 2024, at 3:13 p.m. (EDT)March 22, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Extended wait times and inconsistent service delivery standards have a significant adverse impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of the Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and both past and present members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police;Despite service standards calling for processing of disability claims within 16 weeks of first application, veterans routinely wait over 40 weeks; There are incidents in which terminally ill Veterans pass away while waiting for claims to be adjudicated; Veterans suffering from service-related injuries face a lack of access to medical coverage and benefits and wait for extended periods to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred because of limited or no service access; andInadequate, timely communication from Veterans Affairs Canada on the status of their application creates uncertainty and needless stress.We, the undersigned, RCMP and Canadian Armed Forces Veterans, call upon the House of Commons and the Minister of Veterans Affairs to commit to resolving these deficiencies without delay out of the necessity to properly recognize and honour those who have served Canadians by preserving and protecting peace, security, the rule of law, and the social and democratic well-being of our nation at great personal cost and sacrifice.BacklogsDisability benefitsVeterans benefits44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02267441-02267 (Citizenship and immigration)YasirNaqviOttawa CentreLiberalONMarch 22, 2024January 31, 2024Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • Canada is recognized for its historical leadership in humanitarian actions in the global community. Our country is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy;
  • The government of Canada introduced special immigration measures in the face of the devastating and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and now Palestinians are also experiencing similar unprecedented levels of poverty, food insecurity, economic instability, the lack of basic health services, and internal displacement because of the ongoing catastrophic conflict in Gaza; and
  • Just as the government rapidly introduced the special immigration measures provided to Ukrainians so they could get to safety expeditiously, we request that the government provides similar equitable treatment to Palestinians in Gaza who are also in urgent need to get to safety.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Extend the same special immigration measures that were granted to Ukrainian nationals to Palestinians also;2. Allow Palestinians in Gaza to apply for the special immigration measures; and3. Establish a special work permit program for Palestinians to meet Canada's labour skill shortage.
PalestinePassports and visasRefugees
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02266441-02266 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMarch 22, 2024April 3, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyrampus marmoratus) is listed as "threatened" under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) since 2003 and is a migratory bird protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act;
  • The federal recovery strategy notes that the Marbled Murrelet is threatened primarily due to ongoing loss of old-growth forest nesting habitat, largely from industrial forestry operations;
  • While all nests are protected under both the federal SARA and Migratory Birds Convention Act, the Marbled Murrelets nests are virtually undetectable, therefore existing protections are insufficient for the protection of this species;
  • The forestry industry has consistently failed to uphold their reporting obligations within proposed cut blocks;
  • In 2021, biologists observed over 300 verified detections of Marbled Murrelets in cut block 8022, tree farm license (TFL) # 46 and observed behaviours of nesting within the forest;
  • Existing small Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs) in TFL #46 only contain 26% suitable nesting habitat as per the 2018 suitable habitat maps; and
  • Old-growth forests meet the definition of a "wide range of biodiversity values" as per the Convention of Biological Diversity definitions.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately protect all critical old growth habitat used by Marbled Murrelets yrampus marmoratus), habitat to which the Migratory Birds Convention Act applies.
Endangered speciesHabitat conservationMigratory birdsMigratory Birds Convention Act, 1994
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02265441-02265 (Health)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMarch 22, 2024February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • Statistics Canada cites that approximately 4.8 million Canadians do not have a regular doctor;
  • Despite the number of physicians in Canada growing, the number of Canadians without a regular doctor remains stable;
  • 92 per cent of physicians work in urban centres, while just 8 per cent work in rural areas; and
  • In Victoria and Sidney, B.C., average wait time for a walk-in clinic are 92 and 180 minutes respectively.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Work with all the provinces and territories in Canada to come to a holistic and fair solution to Canada's family doctor shortage.
Family doctorsHealth services accessibility
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02264441-02264 (Foreign affairs)AlistairMacGregorCowichan—Malahat—LangfordNDPBCMarch 22, 2024February 20, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • It is 77 years since the first use of nuclear weapons demonstrated their awesome power, yet we remain today under constant threat of warfare that could result in devastation from which the world may never recover;
  • The Government of Canada has published statements saying "We are committed to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons";
  • The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which addresses peaceful uses of nuclear energy, has failed to achieve its secondary aim of reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons;
  • Canada as a member of the UN Conference on Disarmament and the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament, has an obligation to promote internationally the elimination of nuclear weapons;
  • The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) has been signed by 86 countries and ratified by 66 but not by Canada; and
  • As non-nuclear state Canada is in a best position to comply with the articles of the TPNW and to guide its allies and other nations toward a world free from nuclear weapons.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to sign and commit to ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and to urge allies and other nations to follow suit.
DisarmamentNuclear weaponsUnited Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024441-02263441-02263 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABMarch 22, 2024May 31, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • There are no laws that require makers, distributers or advertisers of commercial pornographic material to ascertain and document the consent and age of those depicted in the material;
  • Recommendation #2 from the 2021 Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Report on MindGeek states: "That the Government of Canada mandate that contenthosting platforms operating in Canada require affirmation from all persons depicted in pornographic content, before it can be uploaded, that they are 18 years old or older and that they consent to its distribution";
  • Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act adds two offences to the Criminal Code: to create pornographic material for a commercial purpose without verifying the age and consent of the individuals shown, and to distribute pornographic material without verifying the age and consent of those depicted and also removing material if in writing, consent has been withdrawn; and
  • Organizations including Defend Dignity, the National Council of Women of Canada, London Abused Women's Shelter, Montreal Council of Women, Parents Aware and the National Centre on Child Exploitation have all expressed support for Bill C-270.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly adopt Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act.
C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)ConsentLegal agePornography
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 22, 2024e-4781e-4781 (Fisheries)GrahamWoodCliffordSmallCoast of Bays—Central—Notre DameConservativeNLJanuary 29, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. (EDT)February 28, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. (EDT)March 22, 2024February 28, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:The recreational cod season in the last several years has provided for 39 days on which cod fish could be retained by recreational fishers and tourism operators in Newfoundland and Labrador;Northern cod has recently been deemed to be a recovering stock and is no longer assessed to be in the critical zone and commercial catch rates are many times higher than historically;Providing three days per week in summer and ten days in the fall creates an urgency amongst participants to go fishing when the weather causes safety and access issues; andThe Department of Fisheries and Oceans has delayed the announcement of the recreational cod fishery dates and regulations, until late June, in recent years, thereby disadvantaging fishers and tourists in scheduling their vacations to participate in such fishery.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to:1. Instate a recreational cod fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador which allows for retention of cod, every day from July 1 through to October 1, with recreational fishers being allowed to retain five cod fish per day, with a limit of 20 fish per boat per day, and tourist licensed operators being allowed to retain two cod fish per tourist per day; and2. Mandate that the Minister announce the season dates and regulations by May 1 of each year.CodFisheries and fishersHunting and sport fishing44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02213441-02213 (Foreign affairs)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONFebruary 26, 2024March 22, 2024January 12, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Demand an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict;
  • Ask that Israel lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip and authorize the creation of a humanitarian corridor and an emergency humanitarian intervention;
  • Ask that Israel meet its commitments under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;
  • Meet its international commitment to promote and defend human rights; and
  • Take any other measure necessary to protect civilians, both Israelis and Palestinians, and help foster a climate conducive to building a lasting peace.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected. Canada will continue to call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.Canada is calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Hostages must be released. The need for humanitarian assistance has never been greater. Rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian relief must be provided to civilians. The International Court of Justice has been clear: Israel must ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian assistance and must protect civilians. The Court’s decisions on provisional measures are binding. Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining Canada's support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada is deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $100 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Ultimately, a negotiated political solution is needed to achieve lasting peace and security. Canada remains steadfast in it commitment to a two-state solution, including the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace, security, and dignity.
Foreign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02199441-02199 (Democratic process)ValerieBradfordKitchener South—HespelerLiberalONFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Prime Minister of CanadaSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, which recognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02198441-02198 (Taxation)DaneLloydSturgeon River—ParklandConservativeABFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024December 13, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02196441-02196 (Health)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPS) regulations;NHPs include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, and are used daily by Canadians as part of their proactive healthcare;The changes will cause consumer prices to rise significantly, and consumer choice to decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPS at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws; and This will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations and provide less NHP options for Canadians;THEREFORE:We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to on modernizing labelling and adjusting Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be considered once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations are running efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure stable operations and selection of natural health product choices continue for Canadians.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are adulterated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make the natural health product market safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation with stakeholders and taking their feedback into account, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, the Government passed legislation allowing Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Now, Health Canada is proposing fees for industry to allow the Department to create an even safer marketplace for consumers and begin to recoup a portion of the costs of services it provides to industry. Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time, the Department is considering how best to adjust the proposed approach to address the concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is not about limiting the production of NHPs or consumers’ access to them. Rather, these efforts are about making sure the products Canadians use every day are safe, and of high quality.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02194441-02194 (Business and trade)ValerieBradfordKitchener South—HespelerLiberalONFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power and buildings sectors.
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02193441-02193 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks. 
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02192441-02192 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks. 
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02191441-02191 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024December 19, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02190441-02190 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024April 24, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02189441-02189 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024April 24, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02188441-02188 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024April 24, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02187441-02187 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024April 24, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02186441-02186 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024April 24, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02185441-02185 (Correctional system)EarlDreeshenRed Deer—Mountain ViewConservativeABFebruary 16, 2024March 22, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • At the direction of the Liberal government, the Correctional Service of Canada is operating the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal correctional institutions, effectively encouraging illicit drugs use in prisons;
  • Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;
  • The presence of needles for illicit drug use in correctional institutions presents a severe safety risk to both inmates and correctional officers;
  • The already hazardous workplace of the correctional officer is made more dangerous by the presence of the PNEP; and
  • The Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy should focus on helping Canadians recover from addiction and receive treatment, not on supporting these addictions.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the Prison Needle Exchange Program's operations, stop permitting the use of illicit drugs in Canadian prions, and focus the efforts on helping inmates recover from their addictions.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Like much of Canadian society, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is experiencing the effect of Canada's opioid crisis. CSC began implementing a Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) to prevent the sharing of needles, facilitate referrals to health care services and programs, and limit the spread of infectious diseases, such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in federal institutions. It is important to note that this is just one measure that is available to incarcerated offenders and complements other existing measures. Of note, there have been no reported fatalities involving participants using our harm reduction services.Before an individual can participate in the PNEP program, CSC completes a Threat Risk Assessment (TRA), to confirm that it is suitable to allow the individual to possess a needle, similar to the one currently being used for EpiPens and needles for insulin use. As of February 1st, 2024, there have been no reported assaults on employees or incarcerated offenders involving needles used in the PNEP program.The safety and security of institutions, staff, offenders, and the public is a top priority. Preventing the introduction of contraband and reducing the use of illicit substances by incarcerated offenders in correctional institutions remains an ongoing key priority as they pose a risk to the safety and security of our institutions and impact offender rehabilitation. CSC works closely with local police agencies and communities to prevent and reduce contraband and unauthorized items, including drugs and substances, from entering institutions. Illicit drugs are considered contraband in federal institutions, and inmates found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs may be subject to administrative consequences, disciplinary charges/sanctions, and/or criminal charges.CSC has a National Drug Strategy, which incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to review and address an incarcerated individual’s substance use. Aligned with Commissioner’s Directive 585 National Drug Strategy, each institution has developed and implemented drug strategies to balance detection, deterrence, and treatment. As part of this, and to support the safety and security of everyone in our institutions, CSC continues to implement measures to address the introduction, trafficking, financing, and/or distribution of contraband within our institutions. The elements of the National Drug Strategy include:Reducing the supply of illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing and preventing the supply of illicit drugs through various efforts to investigate and disrupt the introduction and trafficking of contraband in our institutions. CSC also continues to lead intelligence investigations relating to the introduction and trafficking of contraband and strengthen partnerships with police to pursue criminal investigations into drug traffickers targeting our facilities.Reducing the demand for illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing the demand for illicit drugs by supporting innovative and effective approaches to intervening with, treating and rehabilitating offenders who use illicit drugs. CSC offers a suite of health interventions and correctional programming that addresses multiple criminogenic needs, including substance use disorder. Correctional programs are offered at intensity levels that are commensurate to the offenders’ risk level.Increasing the awareness of the negative consequences of illicit drug use - This component focuses on preventing illicit drug use by offenders in institutions. This is accomplished by providing awareness programs, infectious disease testing and associated treatment, and Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). It also involves delivering quality health services to incarcerated offenders to assist them in achieving a drug-free lifestyle.Strict policies concerning contraband and unauthorized activities are in place, which are enforced through dynamic and static security practices, including extensive search procedures for offenders, staff, and visitors. Incarcerated individuals found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs can face administrative consequences, disciplinary sanctions, and/or criminal charges.In addition to staff vigilance, dynamic security and security intelligence information, CSC relies on a combination of detection equipment, search practices and a variety of approved techniques to prevent the entry of drugs and contraband. This includes interdiction measures such as routine searches of persons (including inmates, visitors and staff), vehicles, cells/rooms, and other areas of the institution, which are in accordance with the Institutional Search Plan as well as non-routine searches, which may be authorized based on staff observations and intelligence information. Other measures include regular monitoring of offender activity; random urinalysis testing; and the non-intrusive searching of all visitors entering institutions using tools such as metal detectors, ion scanners, and detector dogs.
Correctional facilitiesDrug use and abuseNeedle exchange program
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02181441-02181 (Health)YvesRobillardMarc-Aurèle-FortinLiberalQCFebruary 15, 2024March 22, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02179441-02179 (Taxation)CarolHughesAlgoma—Manitoulin—KapuskasingNDPONFebruary 15, 2024March 22, 2024December 13, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02175441-02175 (Correctional system)ToddDohertyCariboo—Prince GeorgeConservativeBCFebruary 15, 2024March 22, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • At the direction of the Liberal government, the Correctional Service of Canada is operating the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal correctional institutions, effectively encouraging illicit drugs use in prisons;
  • Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;
  • The presence of needles for illicit drug use in correctional institutions presents a severe safety risk to both inmates and correctional officers;
  • The already hazardous workplace of the correctional officer is made more dangerous by the presence of the PNEP; and
  • The Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy should focus on helping Canadians recover from addiction and receive treatment, not on supporting these addictions.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the Prison Needle Exchange Program's operations, stop permitting the use of illicit drugs in Canadian prions, and focus the efforts on helping inmates recover from their addictions.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Like much of Canadian society, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is experiencing the effect of Canada's opioid crisis. CSC began implementing a Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) to prevent the sharing of needles, facilitate referrals to health care services and programs, and limit the spread of infectious diseases, such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in federal institutions. It is important to note that this is just one measure that is available to incarcerated offenders and complements other existing measures. Of note, there have been no reported fatalities involving participants using our harm reduction services.Before an individual can participate in the PNEP program, CSC completes a Threat Risk Assessment (TRA), to confirm that it is suitable to allow the individual to possess a needle, similar to the one currently being used for EpiPens and needles for insulin use. As of February 1st, 2024, there have been no reported assaults on employees or incarcerated offenders involving needles used in the PNEP program.The safety and security of institutions, staff, offenders, and the public is a top priority. Preventing the introduction of contraband and reducing the use of illicit substances by incarcerated offenders in correctional institutions remains an ongoing key priority as they pose a risk to the safety and security of our institutions and impact offender rehabilitation. CSC works closely with local police agencies and communities to prevent and reduce contraband and unauthorized items, including drugs and substances, from entering institutions. Illicit drugs are considered contraband in federal institutions, and inmates found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs may be subject to administrative consequences, disciplinary charges/sanctions, and/or criminal charges.CSC has a National Drug Strategy, which incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to review and address an incarcerated individual’s substance use. Aligned with Commissioner’s Directive 585 National Drug Strategy, each institution has developed and implemented drug strategies to balance detection, deterrence, and treatment. As part of this, and to support the safety and security of everyone in our institutions, CSC continues to implement measures to address the introduction, trafficking, financing, and/or distribution of contraband within our institutions. The elements of the National Drug Strategy include:Reducing the supply of illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing and preventing the supply of illicit drugs through various efforts to investigate and disrupt the introduction and trafficking of contraband in our institutions. CSC also continues to lead intelligence investigations relating to the introduction and trafficking of contraband and strengthen partnerships with police to pursue criminal investigations into drug traffickers targeting our facilities.Reducing the demand for illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing the demand for illicit drugs by supporting innovative and effective approaches to intervening with, treating and rehabilitating offenders who use illicit drugs. CSC offers a suite of health interventions and correctional programming that addresses multiple criminogenic needs, including substance use disorder. Correctional programs are offered at intensity levels that are commensurate to the offenders’ risk level.Increasing the awareness of the negative consequences of illicit drug use - This component focuses on preventing illicit drug use by offenders in institutions. This is accomplished by providing awareness programs, infectious disease testing and associated treatment, and Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). It also involves delivering quality health services to incarcerated offenders to assist them in achieving a drug-free lifestyle.Strict policies concerning contraband and unauthorized activities are in place, which are enforced through dynamic and static security practices, including extensive search procedures for offenders, staff, and visitors. Incarcerated individuals found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs can face administrative consequences, disciplinary sanctions, and/or criminal charges. In addition to staff vigilance, dynamic security and security intelligence information, CSC relies on a combination of detection equipment, search practices and a variety of approved techniques to prevent the entry of drugs and contraband. This includes interdiction measures such as routine searches of persons (including inmates, visitors and staff), vehicles, cells/rooms, and other areas of the institution, which are in accordance with the Institutional Search Plan as well as non-routine searches, which may be authorized based on staff observations and intelligence information. Other measures include regular monitoring of offender activity; random urinalysis testing; and the non-intrusive searching of all visitors entering institutions using tools such as metal detectors, ion scanners, and detector dogs.
Correctional facilitiesDrug use and abuseNeedle exchange program
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02171441-02171 (Health)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONFebruary 15, 2024March 22, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Millions of Canadians rely on Natural Health Products to supplement their health and well-being;
  • The Standing Committee on Health, upon extensive consultation, found Natural Health Products should not be regulated like chemical drugs;
  • Canada already has stringent regulations on Natural Health Products to ensure the safety of Canadians; and
  • The new changes will have a drastic impact on consumer affordability and consumer choice.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Liberal Government to repeal the amendments made to the Food and Drugs Act (Natural Health Products) by sections 500-504 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget, tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are adulterated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make the natural health product market safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation with stakeholders and taking their feedback into account, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, the Government passed legislation allowing Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Now, Health Canada is proposing fees for industry to allow the Department to create an even safer marketplace for consumers and begin to recoup a portion of the costs of services it provides to industry. Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time, the Department is considering how best to adjust the proposed approach to address the concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is not about limiting the production of NHPs or consumers’ access to them. Rather, these efforts are about making sure the products Canadians use every day are safe, and of high quality.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02170441-02170 (Democratic process)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABFebruary 14, 2024March 22, 2024February 7, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, which recognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02166441-02166 (Transportation)Hon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONFebruary 14, 2024March 22, 2024October 5, 2023Petition to the Minister of TransportWHEREAS:
  • Municipalities, property associations and thousands of individual residents are deeply concerned by the potential damage including environmental, social, economic and public safety impact(s) unregulated float homes in Ontario can cause to our waterways, if left unregulated;
  • The Ontario Government has recently consulted Ontarians on this matter and appears willing to bring these floating homes under regulation. But its hands are tied, they need your support to enact changes per the recommendation set out below;
  • The problem is that in Ontario, Transport Canada classifies such structures as "vessels", while in British Columbia, Transport Canada classifies them as "float homes". There is, accordingly, a lack of national consistency in Transport Canada's oversight of these structures;
  • As a result, in Ontario, as a "vessel", these structures are currently exempt from all forms of provincial and municipal oversight and regulation, including building code adherence, environmental protection, public safety, taxation and location management;
  • In British Columbia, where Transport Canada classifies them as "float homes", these structures must conform to strict building standards and can be duly regulated by the province and municipalities to ensure environmental protection, building code adherence and use/location management; and
  • Once this change has been made, municipalities will be enabled to create bylaws to control float homes in a manner consistent with provincial and municipal standards.
We, the undersigned, citizens of the province of Ontario, call upon the Minister of Transport to:Respectfully request that your Department classify both existing and new float homes within Ontario as float homes not vessels, in a manner consistent with the precedent your Department established in British Columbia in 2001.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe Government of Canada is attentive to public concerns about floating accommodations on Ontario (ON) waters, and their potential environmental, social, and public safety impacts. Within the rubric of Transport Canada’s (TC’s) legislative and regulatory mandate, these structures are defined as vessels under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (the CSA 2001):a boat, ship or craft designed, used or capable of being used solely or partly for navigation in, on, through or immediately above water, without regard to method or lack of propulsion, and includes such a vessel that is under construction. It does not include a floating object of a prescribed class.While these floating accommodations often have no means of propulsion, they can be navigated under tow and, as such, are subject to pertinent regulations under the CSA 2001. TC’sregulatoryauthority under the CSA 2001 covers safety equipment, construction, navigation, and environmental protection. The department does not regulate where these vessels can operate, nor the duration for which they can stay anchored or moored in any given location.Vessels of this nature must meet the requirements of the Small Vessel Regulations and Transport Publication 1332 - Construction Standards for Small Vessels (2010), including having necessary safety equipment and meeting construction requirements. They must also meet the applicable requirements of the Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemical Regulations, under which, for example, the discharge overboard of raw sewage is prohibited.While the floating accommodations of concern in ON are anchored near shore, independent of shore installations, and capable of navigation (i.e., can be moved to another location), those in British Columbia (BC) that are referenced as “float homes”, and that are not considered vessels, are permanently moored to the dock or shore, dependent on shore services (e.g., electrical power, fresh water, phone, waste management, etc.), and cannot be used for navigation. These float homes are normally located within the confines of a harbour or a marina.Such accommodations are treated as real estate, built in conformity with the BC Float Home Standard, and overseen by the BC Float Home Committee. Because of their features, these BC float homes are not considered vessels under theCSA 2001. In this regard, the CSA2001and the BC Float Home Standard are addressing different structures.In June 2023, the ON Government amended Regulation 161/17 (under the Public Lands Act) to prohibit floating accommodations from docking overnight on provincial waterways. The updated regulation clarifies the difference between floating accommodations and watercraft, applies only to public lands in ON, and does not address floating accommodations located on private water lots or on waterways under the authority of other governments (e.g., portions of the Trent Severn Waterway). The regulatory amendments do not impact TC’s definition of a vessel under the CSA 2001.TC, Parks Canada (PCA), and the ON Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) each have authorities related to floating accommodations, depending on whether they are secured to a waterbed and/or surface land controlled provincially or federally. TC, PCA, and the ON Government have met on multiple occasions to discuss floating accommodations.Going forward, TC will continue to work with its federal, provincial, and municipal partners, to help ensure safe navigation and environmental protections for ON’s navigable waterways. TC is interested in better understanding the public’s concerns regarding floating accommodations and the long-term anchoring of vessels generally and hosted an online consultation in fall 2023 to better understand the perspectives of Canadians.Should those consultations indicate sufficient interest in having an opportunity to restrict long-term anchoring, TC would consider incorporating restrictions to this effect in the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR). The VORR provide a mechanism for local authorities and municipal and provincial governments to regulate boating activities on their waters, and delegate enforcement powers to local enforcement authorities. Local authorities submit applications to TC on a regular basis seeking new restrictions. A restriction on long-term anchoring could be added for those instances where the anchoring poses a safety or environmental risk.
HousingRegulationSmall craft
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02165441-02165 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBFebruary 14, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02161441-02161 (Health)DougShipleyBarrie—Springwater—Oro-MedonteConservativeONFebruary 14, 2024March 22, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02160441-02160 (Taxation)Lisa MarieBarronNanaimo—LadysmithNDPBCFebruary 14, 2024March 22, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02157441-02157 (Democratic process)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABFebruary 14, 2024March 22, 2024February 12, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • We, the citizens of Canada, have lost confidence in Justin Trudeau and the Liberal/NDP coalition;
  • We call on the house for a vote of no confidence;
  • We ask for an election 45 days after the vote if won;
  • The current government elected is not acting in the best interest of all citizens;
  • The policies of this government aren't aligning with the crisis Canada is facing: housing costs, infringement of civil liberties, highest inflation in history, unbalanced immigration policies, taxation to the point of poverty, weakening of our economy by importing natural resources that Canada already has and under-utilizes; and
  • Based on the past eight years of this Prime Minister, Canadians do not have confidence in this Prime Minister, after five ethics investigations and Canada's reputation being tarnished on a global scale under his leadership, to the extent that Canada is being excluded from participating in statements regarding important geopolitical events.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to call for a vote of no confidence and a federal election 45 days following the vote.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLAs Canadians, we are blessed to live in a free and democratic country.In 2021, we collectively exercised the democratic rights guaranteed to us by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canada Elections Act. In the 44th General Election since Confederation, a total of 17,209,811 Canadian citizens exercised their right to vote, and to freely choose from among 2,010 fellow citizens who put themselves forward as candidates. We should all take pride in the fact that Canadians continue to be so deeply engaged in our democratic process and its institutions.Under our system of Parliamentary and responsible government, we continue to govern with the confidence of the House of Commons. We are accountable to Parliament and to Canadians, whether through Parliament proceedings, the scrutiny of the free press, and the many formal and informal ways in which Government and elected Members of Parliament engage with concerned citizens, organizations, and civil society every day.We continue to work to make Canada a place where we can all thrive. Our agenda as a Government includes measures to make life more affordable for Canadians, whether through investing in child care and dental care, or by improving important benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit, Canada Pension Plan, OAS, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. We are helping Canadians create new middle class jobs by tackling supply chain challenges, doubling the Tradespeople’s Tool Deduction, and promoting international trade to bring Canadian goods and services to the global marketplace. And we are protecting our environment for future generations by greening our electrical grid, electrifying our transport sector, and investing in the critical mineral sector that makes Canada a world leader.The Government is proud of this record. We continue to work hard to retain the confidence of Parliament for the remainder of this term, and Canadian citizens will once again exercise their democratic rights in the 45th General Election.
Confidence in government
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02155441-02155 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 13, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intendend parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02154441-02154 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 13, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intendend parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02153441-02153 (Civil and human rights)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 13, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Canada has a tradition of respecting, honoring, and affirming the role of faith traditions in the Canadian Armed Forces;
  • The Canadian Armed Forces Chaplaincy program contributes to the health, morale, and spiritual wellbeing of servicemen and women from all faith and non-faith backgrounds; and
  • The Liberal government undermines the rights and freedoms of all servicemen and women by prohibiting diverse religious expression.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Affirm that the Canadian Armed Forces ought to be free to support servicemen and women through public prayer in keeping with the hard-won and honourable traditions of the Canadian Armed Forces, such as and especially on Remembrance Day.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France LalondeThe Defence Team deeply values the work of military chaplains to support Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, and we will continue to build a diverse, inclusive military that attracts and retains talented people, as well as a chaplaincy that reflects the diversity of spiritual and faith beliefs of Canada and supports both the free expression of religious belief and the right of military members not to express a religious belief.The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service holds deep respect for the diverse religious and spiritual belief systems and practices of serving and retired CAF members, their families and Canadians. As such, CAF chaplains prioritize cultivating inclusive environments where all can feel welcome at ceremonies and events in which chaplains participate or offer leadership. This is why prayer and other faith-specific language that may be offered by CAF chaplains is very much subject to the context, participants and intended nature of the gathering or ceremony in which they are participating, including whether the ceremony or event is secular or non-secular in nature, open to the public at large, or private.With respect to Remembrance Day, specifically, most important to the Chaplain General is maintaining the focus on honouring the sacrifice of all who have gone before us in service to Canada, and to offer thanksgiving for their service and sacrifice. It is paramount that chaplains continue to offer words of remembrance, encouragement, and hope to CAF members and their families.
Canadian Armed ForcesFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02150441-02150 (Health)EricDuncanStormont—Dundas—South GlengarryConservativeONFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024February 12, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks. 
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02149441-02149 (Democratic process)RobMorrisonKootenay—ColumbiaConservativeBCFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024February 9, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, which recognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02148441-02148 (Democratic process)FrankCaputoKamloops—Thompson—CaribooConservativeBCFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, which recognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02146441-02146 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024September 14, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02145441-02145 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members’ Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02144441-02144 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024February 2, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02143441-02143 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024October 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Freedom of choice in health care is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada;It is a fundamental right for individuals to be able to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own bodies;Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness or how they will address illness or injury in their own bodies; andCanadians are competent and able to make their own health decisions without State interference.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the Charter of Health Freedom drafted for the Natural Health Product Protection Association on September 4, 2008.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are adulterated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make the natural health product market safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation with stakeholders and taking their feedback into account, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, the Government passed legislation allowing Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Now, Health Canada is proposing fees for industry to allow the Department to create an even safer marketplace for consumers and begin to recoup a portion of the costs of services it provides to industry. Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time, the Department is considering how best to adjust the proposed approach to address the concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is not about limiting the production of NHPs or consumers’ access to them. Rather, these efforts are about making sure the products Canadians use every day are safe, and of high quality.
Civil and human rightsHealth
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02142441-02142 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity. On January 23, 2024, in the context of the Universal Periodic Review of China at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Canada made specific reference to Falun Gong practitioners when it called on China to end all forms of enforced disappearance.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the United States, UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02139441-02139 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02138441-02138 (Correctional system)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCFebruary 12, 2024March 22, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • At the direction of the Liberal government, the Correctional Service of Canada is operating the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal correctional institutions, effectively encouraging illicit drugs use in prisons;
  • Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;
  • The presence of needles for illicit drug use in correctional institutions presents a severe safety risk to both inmates and correctional officers;
  • The already hazardous workplace of the correctional officer is made more dangerous by the presence of the PNEP; and
  • The Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy should focus on helping Canadians recover from addiction and receive treatment, not on supporting these addictions.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the Prison Needle Exchange Program's operations, stop permitting the use of illicit drugs in Canadian prions, and focus the efforts on helping inmates recover from their addictions.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Like much of Canadian society, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is experiencing the effect of Canada's opioid crisis. CSC began implementing a Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) to prevent the sharing of needles, facilitate referrals to health care services and programs, and limit the spread of infectious diseases, such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in federal institutions. It is important to note that this is just one measure that is available to incarcerated offenders and complements other existing measures. Of note, there have been no reported fatalities involving participants using our harm reduction services.Before an individual can participate in the PNEP program, CSC completes a Threat Risk Assessment (TRA), to confirm that it is suitable to allow the individual to possess a needle, similar to the one currently being used for EpiPens and needles for insulin use. As of February 1st, 2024, there have been no reported assaults on employees or incarcerated offenders involving needles used in the PNEP program.The safety and security of institutions, staff, offenders, and the public is a top priority. Preventing the introduction of contraband and reducing the use of illicit substances by incarcerated offenders in correctional institutions remains an ongoing key priority as they pose a risk to the safety and security of our institutions and impact offender rehabilitation. CSC works closely with local police agencies and communities to prevent and reduce contraband and unauthorized items, including drugs and substances, from entering institutions. Illicit drugs are considered contraband in federal institutions, and inmates found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs may be subject to administrative consequences, disciplinary charges/sanctions, and/or criminal charges.CSC has a National Drug Strategy, which incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to review and address an incarcerated individual’s substance use. Aligned with Commissioner’s Directive 585 National Drug Strategy, each institution has developed and implemented drug strategies to balance detection, deterrence, and treatment. As part of this, and to support the safety and security of everyone in our institutions, CSC continues to implement measures to address the introduction, trafficking, financing, and/or distribution of contraband within our institutions. The elements of the National Drug Strategy include:Reducing the supply of illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing and preventing the supply of illicit drugs through various efforts to investigate and disrupt the introduction and trafficking of contraband in our institutions. CSC also continues to lead intelligence investigations relating to the introduction and trafficking of contraband and strengthen partnerships with police to pursue criminal investigations into drug traffickers targeting our facilities.Reducing the demand for illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing the demand for illicit drugs by supporting innovative and effective approaches to intervening with, treating and rehabilitating offenders who use illicit drugs. CSC offers a suite of health interventions and correctional programming that addresses multiple criminogenic needs, including substance use disorder. Correctional programs are offered at intensity levels that are commensurate to the offenders’ risk level.Increasing the awareness of the negative consequences of illicit drug use - This component focuses on preventing illicit drug use by offenders in institutions. This is accomplished by providing awareness programs, infectious disease testing and associated treatment, and Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). It also involves delivering quality health services to incarcerated offenders to assist them in achieving a drug-free lifestyle.Strict policies concerning contraband and unauthorized activities are in place, which are enforced through dynamic and static security practices, including extensive search procedures for offenders, staff, and visitors. Incarcerated individuals found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs can face administrative consequences, disciplinary sanctions, and/or criminal charges.In addition to staff vigilance, dynamic security and security intelligence information, CSC relies on a combination of detection equipment, search practices and a variety of approved techniques to prevent the entry of drugs and contraband. This includes interdiction measures such as routine searches of persons (including inmates, visitors and staff), vehicles, cells/rooms, and other areas of the institution, which are in accordance with the Institutional Search Plan as well as non-routine searches, which may be authorized based on staff observations and intelligence information. Other measures include regular monitoring of offender activity; random urinalysis testing; and the non-intrusive searching of all visitors entering institutions using tools such as metal detectors, ion scanners, and detector dogs.
Correctional facilitiesDrug use and abuseNeedle exchange program
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02137441-02137 (Democratic process)LloydLongfieldGuelphLiberalONFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, which recognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02136441-02136 (Taxation)DanAlbasCentral Okanagan—Similkameen—NicolaConservativeBCFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024December 13, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02135441-02135 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity. On January 23, 2024, in the context of the Universal Periodic Review of China at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Canada made specific reference to Falun Gong practitioners when it called on China to end all forms of enforced disappearance.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the United States, UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02134441-02134 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024May 18, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Free and fair trials, judicial independence, and the rule of law are all cornerstones to Canada's democracy;
  • Since June 2019, protests for democracy, freedom, universal suffrage, and regional autonomy have been occurring in Hong Kong;
  • On many occasions, peaceful protestors of Hong Kong are charged and convicted of penal offences through a judiciary that is neither impartial, fair, or free;
  • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c.27), Section 36 renders foreign nationals who have committed or been convicted of a foreign offence outside Canada inadmissible on grounds of criminality and serious criminality; and
  • Hong Kong people who have been arbitrarily charged and convicted with pro-democracy movement related penal offences for political purposes are at risk of being deemed inadmissible to enter Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Recognize the politicization of the judiciary in Hong Kong and its impact on the legitimacy and validity of criminal convictions; 2. Affirm its commitment to render all National Security Law charges and convictions irrelevant and invalid in relation to Section 36(1)(c); 3. Create a mechanism by which Hong Kong people with pro-democracy movement related convictions may provide an explanation for such convictions, on the basis of which Government officials can grant exemptions to Hong Kong people who are deemed inadmissible under A36(1)(b), (2)(b), and (2)(c) upon examination of the circumstances and determination that the applicant's criminal record is political in nature; and 4. Work with the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other democracies to waive criminal inadmissibility of Hong Kong people convicted for political purposes, who otherwise do not have a criminal record.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada.Immigration officers examine foreign charges and convictions to determine if there is an equivalent offence in Canada for the act committed. If there is no equivalent offence, the individual would not be inadmissible for having committed or being convicted of that offence. For example, as there is no equivalent offence in Canada for peaceful protesting, a charge or conviction for having partaken in such activities would not make an individual inadmissible to Canada.Where there are some similarities between the foreign law and Canadian law, a person would only be inadmissible if the underlying action is considered an offence in Canada.Immigration officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific facts presented by the applicant. All inadmissibility decisions are based on evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations or other documents, such as media articles or publicly-available information.Decision-makers are required to follow the rules of procedural fairness throughout the decision-making process. In the event that an immigration officer has concerns over the criminal admissibility of an applicant, the individual is informed and given an opportunity to provide a response to concerns about their application.If an officer determines that an applicant is inadmissible to come to Canada, applicants may be eligible for relief, on a case-by-case basis, using mechanisms available under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. For example, a temporary resident permit may be issued, when justified in the circumstances, to allow an inadmissible foreign national to enter Canada.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob Oliphant(1) Canada has a special relationship with Hong Kong that is rooted in a shared history and extensive economic, institutional and people-to-people ties. Canada strongly believes that a stable and prosperous Hong Kong depends on respect for human rights. Canada has consistently underscored this essential fact, both in Canada’s public pronouncements and communication with the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong authorities. Canada has consistently expressed its deep concern that the National Security Law is eroding respect for human rights. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers expressed concerns in April 2023 about the National Security Law’s impact on the Hong Kong judicial system. In that report, the Special Rapporteur explained that the National Security Law can interfere with the independence of the judiciary, the ability of lawyers to exercise their profession independently, and the due process that guarantees the right to a fair trial in Hong Kong. Canada will continue to monitor all trials related to charges under the National Security Law and anti-sedition law, closely monitor developments in Hong Kong’s judiciary system, and will undertake appropriate action in response to emerging developments.(4) While Canada and its partners share a common interest in Hong Kong’s prosperity and security, each country has its own legislative framework and is responsible for applying its own sovereign rules and procedures, including those related to immigration and admissibility. For Canada, foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada. Inadmissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. With regards to human rights, Canada has repeatedly expressed its concern over the continued erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy and rights through joint statements with the G7 and the Media Freedom Coalition. Since 2019, these statements have specified shared concerns on the imposition of the National Security Law, the selection process of the Chief Executive in Hong Kong, changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system which barred opposition candidates from participation, and the deteriorating media environment in the region. Furthermore, Canada and like-minded countries each publicly expressed concerns about the Hong Kong authorities’ issuance of international bounties for pro-democracy advocates living overseas and reiterated opposition to the extraterritorial application of the National Security Law.During China’s recent Universal Period Review (UPR) appearance on its human rights record before the UN Human Right Council (January 23, 2024), Canada publicly called on China to repeal the National Security Law and to discontinue all cases against individuals in Hong Kong charged with exercising their human rights and freedoms. Furthermore, Canada and like-minded countries publicly expressed concerns at the UPR about the issuance by Hong Kong authorities of international bounties for pro-democracy advocates living overseas, and reiterated opposition to the extraterritorial application of the National Security Law. Moving forward, Canada will continue to express concern over the continued erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy and rights through joint efforts with like-minded countries.
Civil and human rightsCriminal recordsForeign policyHong KongImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02133441-02133 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024February 2, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02132441-02132 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024May 30, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Liberal government's so-called 'feminist international assistance policy' has shown a lack of respect for the cultural values and autonomy of women in the developing world by supporting organizations that violate local laws on abortion and push abortion at the expense of international development priorities like clean water, access to basic nutrition, and economic development;
  • The Liberal's approach to international development for women and girls has recently been criticized by the Auditor General for failing to measure results; and
  • The Muskoka Initiative (launched by the previous Conservative government) involved historic investments in the wellbeing of women and girls around the world. The initiative emphasized value for money and ensured that investments were in priorities identified by local women.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to align international development spending with the approach taken in the Muskoka Initiative, focusing international development dollars on meeting the basic needs of vulnerable women around the world rather than pushing ideological agendas that may conflict with local values in developing countries, and measuring outcomes.
Response by the Minister of International Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Anita VandenbeldCanada is a global leader in protecting and advancing the health, rights and well-being of the poorest and most vulnerable, with the empowerment of women and girls at the core of Canada’s international assistance policies and programmes. Canada spearheaded the Muskoka Initiative for Maternal, Newborn, and Child health (MNCH) during its G8 presidency in 2010, and committed $2.85 billion between 2010 and 2015. In 2015, Canada renewed its support for MNCH by committing an additional $3.5 billion over the 2016 to 2020 period. In 2016-2017, Under the Her Voice Her Choice initiative, Canada committed a further $650 million for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programming between 2017 and 2020. The added focus on SRHR was informed by consultations with Canadian and international stakeholders, the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), and research evidence published in the 2018 Guttmacher-Lancet Commission on SRHR. Canada’s current commitment, the 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights (10YC), builds on decades of Canadian leadership in global health. Through this commitment, starting this fiscal year (2023-2024), Canada will reach an average of $1.4 billion annually to support women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health around the world, of which $700 million is allocated to comprehensive SRHR. This is Canada’s longest, largest, and most comprehensive global health commitment to date and is a key vehicle for implementing Canada’s FIAP, strengthening health systems post COVID-19, and supporting the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.Through the 10YC, Canada continues to advance these priorities, while also promoting a complementary emphasis on comprehensive SRHR that supports country-led efforts to advance the health and rights of women and girls and address the socio-economic and cultural barriers that limit their attainment of gender equality. Through the 10YC, Canada is supporting initiatives such as school meals programs, water and sanitation programming, micronutrient supplementation, community-based nutrition programs, midwifery training, and enhanced neo-natal care. Canada also continues to support large-scale investments to combat infectious diseases and strengthen health systems with key global health players, including the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ($5.3 billion, 2002-2025) Gavi Vaccine Alliance ($2.3 billion, 2000-2025), and the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents ($630 million, 2015-2025).Canada is committed to ensuring its interventions in developing countries are locally-informed and led. Canada’s work is built on the value it places on local partnerships, and partners are carefully selected to ensure that government, local organizations and women and youth themselves, are central in the design and delivery of international assistance programming. This approach is consistent with the principles outlined in Canada’s Official Development Assistance Accountability Act (ODAAA), which requires that Canada’s aid responds to local perspectives and priorities. Aligned with the FIAP and ODAAA principles, Canada supports local ownership and works to ensure that all initiatives are grounded in local needs, priorities and contexts, which are the basis for deep and relevant engagement with local communities, including being designed and implemented with and by local partners and aligned with national legislation and country priorities. Within Canada’s global health investments, all efforts are made to ensure that, where appropriate, government, local organizations and beneficiaries, including youth and women’s-rights organizations, are involved throughout the project cycle, from design to evaluation. This ensures that programming remains responsive to local needs, values and priorities.Under the 10YC Accountability Framework, Canada has committed to publishing annual reports on the 10YC implementation progress, including tracking of funding and results achieved. The inaugural 2020-2021 Report on the 10-Year Commitment is an example of Canada’s commitment to transparency, dialogue and partnership, moving beyond discussions about money committed and spent to a different conversation about using evidence and experience to improve and drive results and impact for communities around the world. The 2021-2022 Report on the 10-Year Commitment was published in December 2023.
International development and aidWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02131441-02131 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024April 28, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members’ Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02130441-02130 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerEquality rights are at the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are intended to ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identities and expressions, from coast, to coast to coast.Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. It is important that parents be involved in the lives of their children, and that should be balanced with the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current.The Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Some highlights:• A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including trans people (Budget 2023, chapter 4)• 2022: Government of Canada criminalized conversion therapies, see Statement• 2017: Canadian Human Rights Act amended to protect gender identity and gender expression• 2022: Launch of Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action PlanThe first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan enables the federal government to help advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan achieves these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The plan is supported by an investment of $100 million, which will help create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both present and future generations. In doing so it builds upon work the Government of Canada has done to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country.
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02129441-02129 (Health)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Millions of Canadians rely on Natural Health Products to supplement their health and well-being;
  • The Standing Committee on Health, upon extensive consultation, found Natural Health Products should not be regulated like chemical drugs;
  • Canada already has stringent regulations on Natural Health Products to ensure the safety of Canadians; and
  • The new changes will have a drastic impact on consumer affordability and consumer choice.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Liberal Government to repeal the amendments made to the Food and Drugs Act (Natural Health Products) by sections 500-504 of Bill C-47, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget, tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are adulterated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make the natural health product market safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation with stakeholders and taking their feedback into account, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, the Government passed legislation allowing Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Now, Health Canada is proposing fees for industry to allow the Department to create an even safer marketplace for consumers and begin to recoup a portion of the costs of services it provides to industry. Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time, the Department is considering how best to adjust the proposed approach to address the concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is not about limiting the production of NHPs or consumers’ access to them. Rather, these efforts are about making sure the products Canadians use every day are safe, and of high quality.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02128441-02128 (Taxation)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024February 5, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024e-4667e-4667 (Social affairs and equality)JeffreySalisburyMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONNovember 3, 2023, at 11:58 a.m. (EDT)February 1, 2024, at 11:58 a.m. (EDT)February 8, 2024March 22, 2024February 1, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:People with disabilities often face barriers to employment along with higher costs associated with health care and housing;The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) was delayed for over two years as the first attempt to pass the law establishing the benefit, known as Bill C-35, was postponed due to the 2021 election;The CDB will provide much-needed financial support for people with disabilities, many of whom live in poverty;The minister responsible has told Canadians that implementing the CDB is expected to take a minimum of 18 months following Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, achieving Royal Assent on June 22, 2023;Insufficient supports on current disability programs federally and provincially present a significant risk to life and health for people with disabilities across the country living in legislated poverty;The federal government has refused to provide people with disabilities with an interim Disability Emergency Response Benefit;Back payments are provided to eligible recipients for other disability benefits, such as the Disability Tax Credit and the Canada Disability Savings Grant; andThe government has yet to budget the necessary funds for the CDB into the federal expenditures.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to1. Provide back payment to eligible CDB recipients covering the time from when the Canada Disability Benefit Act received Royal Assent to the date on which CDB payments commence; and2. Budget the necessary funds for the CDB into the federal expenditures in Budget 2024 to demonstrate to the government’s commitment to providing the CDB to the disabled community as soon as possible.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer ZuberiThe Government fully recognizes that many Canadians with disabilities are in desperate need of the additional financial support that the Canada Disability Benefit will provide. The intent, therefore, continues to be to move forward with the regulatory development process as quickly as possible. To that end, the 2023 federal budget committed $21.5 million in 2023/2024 to continue work on the future delivery of the benefit, including engagement with the disability community and provinces and territories on the regulatory process. This work is building on previous engagement activities, including roundtables and an on-line public survey, that took place in 2021 and 2022, as well as community-led engagement which continued into 2023. Engagement is also taking place with the provinces and territories, who play a central role in providing supports and services for persons with disabilities, and with Modern Treaties and Self Government Agreement holders as well as National Indigenous Organizations.This engagement is necessary to ensure that the regulations are informed by the lived experience of persons with disabilities, in the spirit of ‘nothing without us’, and it is also an explicit requirement of the Canada Disability Benefit Act, where Parliament specifically required the Minister to “provide persons with disabilities from a range of backgrounds with meaningful and barrier-free opportunities to collaborate in the development and design of the regulations.” In the development of regulations for the benefit, we are balancing the need for meaningful and thorough engagement with the need to get the benefit into the hands of those who need it as quickly as possible.In relation to the petition’s request that back payments be made under the Act to cover the period between the Act’s Royal Assent and when benefit payments commence, the Act does not provide authority for the benefit to be paid for periods prior to the regulations coming into force. Funding for the benefit will be determined through the federal budgetary processes, which Parliamentarians will have an opportunity to review and debate.
Canada disability benefitPersons with disabilities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02126441-02126 (Public safety)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02125441-02125 (Public safety)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02124441-02124 (Public safety)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02123441-02123 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024September 15, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02122441-02122 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024September 15, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02121441-02121 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024September 15, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02120441-02120 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024September 15, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02119441-02119 (Employment and labour)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02118441-02118 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02117441-02117 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02116441-02116 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02115441-02115 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02114441-02114 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02113441-02113 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024January 26, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02112441-02112 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02111441-02111 (Taxation)RobertKitchenSouris—Moose MountainConservativeSKFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02110441-02110 (Business and trade)BrendaShanahanChâteauguay—LacolleLiberalQCFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power, and buildings sectors.
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02109441-02109 (Foreign affairs)BrianMasseWindsor WestNDPONFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned, residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS the Prime Minister should take the necessary measures to address the Israel-Palestine conflict.THEREFORE, we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Demand an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict;
  • Demand that Israel lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip and authorize the creation of a humanitarian corridor and an emergency humanitarian intervention;
  • Demand that all countries meet their commitments under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;
  • Demand that all countries meet their international commitments to promote and defend human rights; and
  • Take any other measures necessary to protect civilians, both Israelis and Palestinians, including families, children, health workers, hostages, journalists, workers, and many others to help foster a climate conducive to building a lasting peace.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected. Canada will continue to call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.Canada is calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Hostages must be released. The need for humanitarian assistance has never been greater. Rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian relief must be provided to civilians. The International Court of Justice has been clear: Israel must ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian assistance and must protect civilians. The Court’s decisions on provisional measures are binding. Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining Canada's support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada is deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $100 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Ultimately, a negotiated political solution is needed to achieve lasting peace and security. Canada remains steadfast in it commitment to a two-state solution, including the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace, security, and dignity. 
Foreign policyHumanitarian assistance and workersInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02108441-02108 (Foreign affairs)BrianMasseWindsor WestNDPONFebruary 8, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned, residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS the Prime Minister should take the necessary measures to address the Israel-Palestine conflict.THEREFORE, we, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Demand an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict;
  • Demand that Israel lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip and authorize the creation of a humanitarian corridor and an emergency humanitarian intervention;
  • Demand that all countries meet their commitments under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;
  • Demand that all countries meet their international commitments to promote and defend human rights; and
  • Take any other measures necessary to protect civilians, both Israelis and Palestinians, including families, children, health workers, hostages, journalists, workers, and many others to help foster a climate conducive to building a lasting peace.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected. Canada will continue to call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.Canada is calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Hostages must be released. The need for humanitarian assistance has never been greater. Rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian relief must be provided to civilians. The International Court of Justice has been clear: Israel must ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian assistance and must protect civilians. The Court’s decisions on provisional measures are binding. Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining Canada's support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada is deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $100 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Ultimately, a negotiated political solution is needed to achieve lasting peace and security. Canada remains steadfast in it commitment to a two-state solution, including the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace, security, and dignity. 
Foreign policyHumanitarian assistance and workersInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02106441-02106 (Democratic process)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, whichrecognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02105441-02105 (Health)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024October 27, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Nurses' incentives should be provided to all nurses to better create healthy relationships and a healthy workplace;
  • The government must do better in recognizing health care credentials from qualified professionals who are internationally trained and educated;
  • The government must do better and implement better strategies and incentives to attract and retain our healthcare workers in Manitoba;
  • New and experienced nurses and healthcare professionals are leaving our province and considering opportunities offered in other provinces that provide lucrative incentives and benefits to their healthcare professionals;
  • Many Manitoba seniors are on capped income and cannot afford their prescribed medications; and
  • Nurses are overworked due to high workloads.
We, the undersigned residents of Manitoba, call upon the House of Commons to work with Provincial Governments and other healthcare stakeholders to:1. Take nurses recruitment and retention seriously to help resolve the healthcare crisis;2. Ensure everyone who is contributing to Manitoba through taxes and our economy is eligible for Manitoba healthcare;3. Review the nurses' workload and incentive program to include all nurses, regardless of position status and type; and4. Reconsider some of the changes that have been made over the last few years and turn the health care facility into a facility that is capable of being, so the residents of Manitoba, particularly the communities of Tyndall Park, Maples, Burrows, Kildonan and even Lakeside have a place to go.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealthcare is a shared responsibility between the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories. While the federal government provides financial support to the provinces and territories for healthcare services, the responsibility for matters related to management of the health care system and health workforces falls within provincial and territorial jurisdiction. As part of their responsibility to administer and deliver healthcare services, provinces and territories establish training curricula and manage licensure, and regulate healthcare professionals through arms-length regulatory bodies, such as professional colleges and associations.At the same time, the federal government acknowledges that it has a key leadership role to play in supporting solutions to the challenges facing health systems across the country, including those related to Canada’s health workforce. We remain committed to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to protect and strengthen the publicly funded health care system.Budget 2023 delivered nearly $200 billion to reduce backlogs, expand access to family health services and ensure provinces and territories can provide the high quality and timely health care Canadians expect and deserve. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories to improve health care services for Canadians. This funding also includes $25 billion over 10 years to advance shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements that will support the needs of people in each province and territory in four areas of shared priority: family health services; health workers and backlogs; mental health and substance use; and a modernized health system. Additionally, provinces and territories are being asked to streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals, and to advance labour mobility.On October 12, 2023 federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Health issued a public statement reaffirming their commitment to supporting Canada’s health workforce so our health workers are able to provide high-quality, accessible and effective health services for people living in Canada. In particular, FPT governments committed to concrete actions focusing on retention, domestic education supply and demand, foreign credential recognition and ethical recruitment, labour mobility, and health workforce data and planning. These commitments included undertaking credential processes overseas in order to improve processing of licensure of international physicians and nurses within 90 days and support for a Nursing Retention Toolkit developed by the federally-appointed Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Leigh Chapman, in consultation with Canada’s nursing community. The toolkit highlights retention initiatives that employers or health authorities can implement to support their nursing workforce.The details on the Ministers commitments can be found here: Federal, provincial and territorial statement on supporting Canada's health workforce.
Health care systemManitobaNurses
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02104441-02104 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02103441-02103 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02102441-02102 (Taxation)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024e-4576e-4576 (Transportation)WarrenSkaalrudAlistairMacGregorCowichan—Malahat—LangfordNDPBCSeptember 13, 2023, at 1:25 p.m. (EDT)January 11, 2024, at 1:25 p.m. (EDT)February 7, 2024March 22, 2024January 12, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Allocating funds makes planning more efficient and allows for superior mitigations to the most problematic areas of the corridor;The Island Corridor Foundation is a non-profit partnership governed by 14 First Nations and 5 Island Regional Districts;The Island Corridor passes through every major city and town and connects the Port of Nanaimo to the Deep-Sea Port in Port Alberni;First Nations and the ACRD in Port Alberni are both demanding a second route to ensure supplies, products, and people can move when Highway 4 is blocked;The Population of Vancouver Island is expected to grow to 1 million by the year 2030; andExpanding the congested highway arteries on Vancouver Island would cost well in excess of $1 billion and would have high opposition risks from First Nations and citizens of Vancouver Island as such proposals have in the past.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Work with dedicated resources and with a nation-to-nation approach to reconcile and resolve long-standing First Nations’ concerns with certain sections of the Island Corridor;2. Create a $1 Billion fund using the various B.C. and Federal Government funding mechanisms for public Transit and guarantee funding to the Island Corridor foundation if approved for implementation;3. Recognize the Island Corridor Foundation as a non-profit partnership that is very much in the public interest; and4. Apply that funding to create a modern Freight and Passenger service on Vancouver Island to retain and develop the strategic asset that was recognized by the B.C. and Federal Ministers of Transportation and Infrastructure on 14 Mar 2023.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe Government of Canada is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, guided by the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Government understands the importance of advancing sustainable transportation solutions that benefit communities, foster economic growth, and fortify overall resilience in the face of evolving challenges.  Launched in August 2021, the Rural Transit Solutions Fund is the first federal fund targeting the development of locally driven, innovative transit solutions in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada. The program is helping to close the funding gap for rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, so that residents have more options to get around more easily meet their daily needs, including supporting connections with other modes of passenger transportation.Canada has also invested over $33 billion through its Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. A program delivered through bilateral agreements with provinces and territories. The program has a dedicated Public Transit stream which supports the construction, expansion, and improvement of public transit infrastructure that improve capacity, safety and access to public transit systems.Canada has committed to establishing a permanent, predictable federal fund to support public transit and active transportation solutions beginning in 2026-27. More details will be made available later this year.As a registered Canadian Charity, the Island Corridor Foundation continues to engage with Canada in advancing its core mandate – preserving and using the rail corridor. The Province of British Columbia also provided $18 million in Spring 2022 to support community and Indigenous engagement on the future of the Corridor. This work is ongoing. Canada continues to engage with the province regularly and at different levels on transportation priorities. 
Rail transportation and railwaysVancouver Island
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02100441-02100 (Justice)DeanAllisonNiagara WestConservativeONFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:
  • Canadians with mental illness should be provided with treatment and support;
  • Mental illness is complex and can include suicidal thoughts as a symptom; and
  • The lives of Canadians with mental illness will be at risk when they are eligible for medical assistance in dying (MAID) on the basis of mental illness alone, especially when treatment and support are not readily available.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to reverse the law extending eligibility for MAID to people with mental illness as their sole medical condition.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviThe Government of Canada believes that Canadians deserve to live in comfort and dignity, with access to care, including end-of-life care, that is appropriate to their needs and that respects their wishes. It recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a very personal choice, and is committed to a measured, thoughtful and compassionate approach to help ensure that Canada’s MAID system meets the needs of people in Canada, protect those who may be vulnerable, and supports autonomy and freedom of choice of individuals. The safety and security of our most vulnerable people remains at the forefront of our actions as the Government takes a careful and considered approach on the implementation of MAID for persons where the sole underlying condition is mental illness.Important progress has been made to prepare for MAID eligibility for persons whose sole medical condition is a mental illness. However, in consultations with the provinces, territories, medical professionals and other stakeholders, the Government of Canada has heard – and agrees – that the health system is not yet ready for this expansion.On February 29, 2024, Bill C-62 received Royal Assent and immediately came into force. The legislation delays by three years eligibility for MAID for persons suffering solely from a mental illness, until March 17, 2027. Additionally, the new law requires that a joint parliamentary committee undertake a comprehensive review relating to the eligibility for MAID of persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness within two years. This measure will further serve to examine progress made by provinces, territories, and partners, in achieving overall health care system readiness.This three-year extension will provide provinces and territories with additional time to ensure their health care systems are ready, as well as provide practitioners with more time to participate in training and become familiar with available supports, guidelines and standards.This delay is also in line with the recommendations of the Special Joint Committee on MAID (AMAD) in their report, MAID and Mental Disorders: The Road Ahead, which was tabled on January 29, 2024. While recognising that considerable progress has been made in preparing for the expansion of eligibility for persons suffering solely mental illness, AMAD recommended that it not be made available in Canada until the health care system can safely and adequately provide MAID for these cases.Supporting the mental health and well-being of Canadians remains a priority for the Government of Canada. Work with provinces and territories, and stakeholders, including through Government of Canada investments, will continue to support individuals and communities across the country who need help, now and in the future.The Government of Canada has made significant investments in this space. For example, Budget 2023 confirmed the Government’s commitment to invest close to $200 billion over ten years, starting in 2023-24, to improve health care for Canadians, including $25 billion to the Provinces and Territories via tailored bilateral agreements which will focus on four key priorities, including improving access to mental health and substance use services and the integration of these services in community family health services. This investment will build on the Budget 2017 investments, which include $2.4 billion from 2023-24 to 2026-27 that has yet to flow to PTs for mental health and addictions services.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target population include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.In addition, Budget 2023 announced $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. 9-8-8 went live and operational on November 30, 2023 and is providing people across Canada with access to suicide prevention support through trained responders by phone calls and text, 24/7/365, in English and French.  The 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline is led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), which has recruited 39 local, provincial, and national crisis and distress lines to the 9-8-8 responder network to offer suicide prevention supports across Canada. Since its launch, 9-8-8 has received approximately 1,000 phone calls and 350 texts each day.Mental health and the well-being of Canadians is a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in mental health services and work with Provinces and Territories and key stakeholders to support the mental health needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02099441-02099 (Environment)JulieDabrusinToronto—DanforthLiberalONFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the Federal Government of CanadaWHEREAS our planet is undergoing a climate crisis caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels.WHEREAS the costs of continued fossil fuel burning are severe, such as extreme heat events causing flooding, drought, and wildfires. WHEREAS the Government of Ontario is increasing fossil fuel energy production.THE UNDERSIGNED call upon the Federal Government to take the following actions:
  • Implement strong Clean Electricity Regulations that prohibit construction of new gas plants & phase-out existing ones by 2030.
  • Implement clear, time-based targets for the electricity sector to reach net-zero emissions by 2035 that includes interim targets.
  • Develop and adequately invest in a suite of federal funding, affordability measures, and other complementary policies to ensure we achieve affordable, secure, emissions-free electricity for everyone living in Canada by 2035.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HON. FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNEAccess to reliable and affordable emissions-free electricity will be the backbone of Canada’s net-zero economy. Decarbonizing electricity production by 2035 will play a significant role in enabling the rest of the economy to meet emissions reduction goals by 2050. The Strategic Innovation Fund’s Net Zero Accelerator initiative is one tool through which the Government of Canada supports Canada’s net-zero goals. With up to $8 billion in funding to support large-scale investments in key industrial sectors across the country, the Net Zero Accelerator ensures that Canada:
  • remains competitive in a net-zero economy
  • reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Significant investments have been made through the Strategic Innovation Fund’s Net Zero Accelerator to ensure the Government of Canada achieves affordable, secure, emissions-free electricity for everyone living in Canada by 2035.These investments include:Almost $95M to support the development of three innovative small modular reactor (SMR) designs. SMRs are being designed for a range of applications, with the potential to replace conventional coal and fossil fuel power generation and help remote sites move off diesel with a non-emitting source of energy. SMRs also have the potential to replace the use of fossil fuels in heavy industrial applications. The three SMR projects include:
  • $27.2 million in support of Westinghouse Electric Canada so its next-generation SMR, the eVinci micro-reactor, can be successfully licensed in Canada. The eVinci™ microreactor is an emissions-free energy source and has the potential to provide a more accessible and transportable source of low-carbon energy.
  • $47.5 million in support of Moltex Energy Inc. to develop a Stable Salt Reactor that will produce emissions-free energy through a proprietary process that recycles existing used nuclear fuel.
  • $20 million investment that will help Terrestrial Energy complete a key pre-licensing milestone through the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to assess the acceptability of the Generation IV technology that the company is developing as part of its $68.9 million Integral Molten Salt Reactor project, which will provide affordable energy for utilities and industry. The Generation IV technology allows the molten salt reactor to generate electric power 50 per cent more efficiently than conventional nuclear power plants that use water cooled and moderated reactor technology.
Over $54 million to support General Fusion’s development of a fusion technology. Fusion is an emissions-free technology.The Strategic Innovation Fund has also supported the development of clean technologies to better manage existing electricity supplies, enhance grid resilience and improve access to rural and remote communities.
  • Over $35 million to research and develop smart grid technology to help better manage the electricity supply in Atlantic Canada through a partnership between Siemens Canada, New Brunswick Power and Nova Scotia Power. Under this project, Siemens will research and develop smart grid technology to help better manage the provinces’ electricity and help improve power delivery to underserved communities, better integrate renewable energy into the power grid and reduce future electricity costs for consumers.
The Government is leveraging Canada’s innovation toolkit, which includes a mix of direct and indirect supports with a proven track record of securing long-term benefits for Canadians. Through the Strategic Innovation Fund, the Government is providing direct, targeted, and patient capital to firms to develop and commercialize innovative clean energy solutions at scale. The program also collaborates with federal partners to ensure that highly innovative projects receive the support they need to advance Canada’s transition towards emissions-free electricity by 2035.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the environment and clean energy.Budget 2023 directed the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) to invest at least $10 billion through its Clean Power priority area, and at least $10 billion through its Green Infrastructure priority area. This was done to position the CIB as the Government of Canada’s primary financing tool for supporting clean electricity generation, transmission, and storage projects, including for major projects. The CIB's consistent approach to collaboration with provinces and private sector partners on key clean power projects provides opportunities for important coordination in this space between municipal and federal priorities across the country, facilitating more targeted and diverse programming. The CIB’s efforts in this priority sector offer opportunities for closing economic gaps in key electricity projects, attracting private capital and catalyzing major and municipal clean power projects in key regions.The CIB is an impact investor focused on accelerating infrastructure investments to create benefits for Canadians. The CIB makes investments in five priority sectors: clean power, green infrastructure, public transit, trade and transportation and broadband. As of December 31, 2023, the CIB has made total investment commitments of $11.6 billion across 56 projects worth $31.7 billion.The CIB is one tool in the toolbox of initiatives to invest in infrastructure, and works closely with Infrastructure Canada, Natural Resources Canada and other government departments. As of December 31, 2023, the CIB’s investment commitments in clean power totaled $2.9 billion across 10 projects, while attracting $2.3 billion in private and institutional capital. Seven clean power projects are in active construction. Recent examples of the CIB’s clean power investments include: the Bekevar Wind Farm in Saskatchewan, a $173 million investment commitment to build the province’s largest wind power project; the Darlington Small Modular Reactor (SMR) in Ontario, a $970 million investment commitment to develop and construct Canada’s first SMR and catalyze future projects in several other provinces; and, the Lulu Island District Energy project in British Columbia, a $175 million investment commitment to expand the current district energy system using zero-carbon sewer heat recovery technology. For more information on CIB projects that are investing in clean power, please visit: Clean Power | Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) (cib-bic.ca)
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTCanada, along with other G7 countries, has committed to transitioning to a net-zero electricity grid as a foundational measure to help achieve a net-zero economy by 2050. A clean, reliable, and affordable electricity grid is key to building a strong, clean economy and a competitive advantage that makes Canada an attractive place for businesses from around the world to invest. The federal government is building on Canada’s advantages to deliver affordable power to Canadians, grow the economy and fight climate change.The federal government has already taken steps in helping to transform the electricity sector with the 2018 publication of the amended regulations to phase out unabated coal-fired generation by 2030, along with complementary regulations to ensure the efficient performance of natural gas-fired electricity generating units.In 2023, the Government of Canada released a vision paper named Powering Canada Forward: Building a Clean, Affordable, and Reliable Electricity System for Every Region of Canada, as the basis for the development of a Clean Electricity Strategy, to be released this year. This vision paper acknowledges the reality that Canadian provincial electricity operators will need to expand their grids substantially over the coming decades to meet increased demand from Canadians. In fact, the Canada Energy Regular forecasts that provinces and territories will need to more than double their current electricity production to meet residential, commercial, and industrial consumption requirements in 2050.  It is crucial that the coming expansion of the grid be clean to ensure that Canada meets its economy-wide net zero targets by 2050 and Canada avoids making costly investments in fossil-fuel generation that run the risk of becoming stranded in the future. The Government of Canada also notes that the deployment of lower-cost renewable electricity is now surging globally and in North America and this has the potential to save Canadians money.The federal approach is also backed by over $40 billion in new funding from measures announced in the 2022 and 2023 Fall Economic Statement and Budget 2023 to support each province and territory’s efforts to achieve a net zero grid.Additionally, the Canada Electricity Advisory Council was launched last year as an independent body of 19 experts to provide the Government of Canada with advice on actions needed to achieve its net-zero emissions goals as they pertain to electricity. The Electricity Council’s advice will be a key contributor to the federal strategy.While provinces and territories are responsible for electricity generation and delivery infrastructure within their borders, the federal government has an important role to play through its ability to convene partners and coordinate efforts while also attracting new investments, developing effective regulations including to reduce emissions and ensure nuclear safety, and advancing targeted approaches—all the while ensuring its contributions are responsive to the unique circumstances and opportunities in every region of the country.Finalizing the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) later this year will support this commitment. As the demand for electricity increases over the coming decades, the CER will ensure that the expanded supply is clean, affordable, and reliable. The CER is being developed now as electricity projects can take years to develop, and predictable regulations help reduce risk by providing substantial lead time to electricity providers.On February 16, 2024, the Government of Canada released an update on the consultations and the design options being considered for the final CER. These options address the feedback received during the previous six months of extensive consultations and aim to enhance the flexibility for provincial operators to continue to deliver reliable and affordable power while maintaining Canada’s ability to achieve its emissions reduction goal. Before finalizing the CER, the Government of Canada will continue to engage on these options under consideration with key interested parties, including provinces and utilities.  
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Department of Finance response to part 3 is as follows:The Department of Finance would like to highlight that as an important pillar of Canada’s clean economy jobs plan, the government is focused on implementing five new major investment tax credits, to support clean electricity, clean hydrogen, clean technology adoption, clean technology manufacturing, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage. In particular, the Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit and Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit aim to help accelerate investments needed to support Canada’s clean electricity sector.In the 2022 Fall Economic Statement, the government announced a 30-percent Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit to help companies adopt clean technologies. The Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit would be available to eligible investments in certain electricity generation equipment, stationary electricity storage systems, low carbon heating equipment, and non-road zero-emission vehicles and related charging and refuelling infrastructure. Budget 2023 announced that investments in electricity or heat generation from geothermal energy would also be eligible for the tax credit. In Budget 2023, the government also proposed to introduce a 15-percent, refundable Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit to accelerate the investments needed to expand the capacity of Canada’s clean electricity grid and ensure it delivers more sustainable, more secure, and more affordable electricity across Canada. The credit would be available to eligible investments in non-emitting electricity generation, abated natural gas-fired electricity generation, stationary electricity storage systems, and equipment for the transmission of electricity between provinces and territories.The 2023 Fall Economic Statement also proposed to expand eligibility for the Clean Technology and Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credits to support the generation of electricity, heat, or both electricity and heat, from waste biomass. 
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is taking ambitious action to combat the climate crisis, including through targeted programs to accelerate the growth of clean energy production, such as the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs), launched in 2021 and recapitalized with an additional $3.5 billion in funding, creating thousands of more jobs while providing clean, affordable, and reliable power to Canadian communities. Eligible projects for this program include established renewables (e.g. wind, solar, small hydro, biomass), emerging technologies, (e.g. geothermal, concentrated solar, energy storage, renewable heating), and grid modernization (e.g. distributed energy resources, electric vehicle integration, microgrid, transmission). As of November 27, 2023, SREPs has approved 71 deployment projects (e.g., wind, solar, storage), enabling the deployment of approximately 2,600 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity and displacing 3.5 megatonnes of CO2e per year. The majority of these projects are in jurisdictions which still generate electricity using fossil fuels, preventing the need for the construction of new gas plants as energy demand rises and coal-fired electricity generation units are decommissioned in line with Canada’s bold commitment to clean air and climate action, through the phase out of thermal coal power. SREPs has also approved 49 capacity building projects, and over half of both deployment and capacity building projects have Indigenous ownership.One example in Ontario is SREPs’ recent $16.7 million investment to support Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to increase the number and diversity of clean energy resources that can participate in delivering electricity in Ontario, including energy storage projects, and distributed energy resources such as small scale solar and wind to Ontario’s grid.Significant investments in renewable energy in Alberta include $32 million to support the Michichi Solar project and $31.7 million for the Kneehill Solar project. These projects are a partnership between Sawridge First Nation (a Cree people that are in the original signatory to Treaty No. 8) and Capstone Infrastructure Corporation. Each of these projects includes a 25 MW solar farm and grid modernization technologies to contribute clean energy to the Alberta electricity grid, while supporting an equitable transition to low-carbon economy, Indigenous ownership and encouraging market adoption of similar technologies. Combined these projects generate enough electricity to power more than 12,000 average Alberta homes. Michichi and Kneehill solar are reducing GHG emissions by approximately 43,000 tonnes of CO2e a year combined; the equivalent of approximately 13,000 gas-powered cars off the road.The Government of Canada is also supporting Ontario to scale up clean power production in the face of rising demand through strategic investments in nuclear power generation. Through up to $50 million in funding, from the Electricity Predevelopment Program, for Bruce Power’s pre-development work on new conventional power in Southern Ontario, and over $970 million in financing from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) for the Darlington Small Modular Reactor, the Government of Canada is investing in Ontario’s job-creating supply chain while displacing the need for new gas generation on the grid and creating baseload power to compliment renewable energy generation.Another key targeted program aimed at reducing fossil fuel use is the Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities (CERRC) program. Launched in 2018, CERRC has an overall funding commitment of $443 million until 2027 to reduce diesel use for heat and power in Indigenous, rural and remote communities. To date, the program has supported more than 140 projects nationally, including capacity building initiatives, large capital renewable energy projects, innovative technology demonstration projects, and bioheat projects. The program is helping create environmental, social and economic benefits to support healthier and more sustainable communities.Through the Energy Innovation Program (EIP) the Government of Canada is advancing clean energy technologies that will help Canada meet its climate change targets, reducing emissions while supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. By supporting innovative research, development and demonstration projects, and related scientific activities we are accelerating electrification and maximizing the benefits of renewable heat and power.The Government of Canada is addressing key electricity infrastructure through the Smart Grid Program; up to $100 million has been invested for utility-led projects to reduce GHG emissions, better utilize existing electricity assets and foster innovation and clean jobs. The Smart Grid Program was renewed in Budget 2023, with a new Call for demonstration projects launched October 31, 2023. The Regulatory Innovation Capacity Building Focus Area of the current Smart Grids Call aims to support electric grid modernization and energy innovation by funding projects that promote regulatory experimentation, the adoption of flexible regulatory procedures, skills and knowledge development, and meaningful participation and engagement in the regulatory ecosystem.In addition to strategic investments, Canada is seizing on its position as a global clean energy investment destination through a variety of Clean Economy Investment Tax Credits (ITCs). The ITCs are incentivizing investment in green manufacturing, renewable energy, carbon management technologies, and much more. The full value of the credits are linked to prevailing wages to ensure the creation of sustainable jobs for Canadian workers as Canada builds a net-zero future.Further to these investments, the Government of Canada is working in partnership with provinces and territories to lift regulatory barriers to the growth of the green industries. Alongside the Governments of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-49 to amend the Atlantic Accord Acts in order to unlock Canada’s enormous potential to generate renewable offshore wind-power by leveraging Canada’s existing offshore energy expertise. Bill C-49 will allow for the creation of thousands of sustainable jobs in Atlantic Canada, resulting in the generation of a significant clean energy surplus, which can power North American industries, and power the creation of a globally-oriented and decarbonized hydrogen sector.To help accelerate investments that promote sustainable, affordable and reliable electricity systems, the Government of Canada also launched the Canada Electricity Advisory Council in May 2023. This independent body of 19 experts will provide the Government of Canada with advice – through the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources – focusing on several key areas for creating a net-zero emitting electricity system by 2035, and through it, a net-zero emitting economy by 2050. This includes studying and advising government on additional steps to enable the transition in an affordable manner for Canadians; how to enable the pace of investment and project development needed; how to support Indigenous communities taking part in- and benefiting from those investments; how to facilitate regional cooperation where beneficial; and how to accelerate innovation to ensure affordability, reliability, and value growth far into the future. The Council provided its interim advice to the Government in December 2023 and will provide its final advice in a report later in 2024, which will be a key contributor to the federal Clean Electricity Strategy.In the years ahead, we will work with our provincial, territorial, and industry partners to bring forward new approaches and avenues ensuring Canada meets its short term and longer-term climate goals. Canada’s first Clean Electricity Strategy expected to be published in 2024, will lay out the integrated package of policies, tools and actions that the Government plans to use to support, facilitate and accelerate the electricity sector’s transition to net-zero while ensuring Canada’s clean energy future reflects and builds upon unique circumstances and opportunities emerging in different parts of the country.
Electricity supplyGreenhouse gases
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02098441-02098 (Justice)JulieDabrusinToronto—DanforthLiberalONFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:
  • Canadians with mental illness should be provided with treatment and support;
  • Mental illness is complex and can include suicidal thoughts as a symptom; and
  • The lives of Canadians with mental illness will be at risk when they are eligible for medical assistance in dying (MAID) on the basis of mental illness alone, especially when treatment and support are not readily available.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to reverse the law extending eligibility for MAID to people with mental illness as their sole medical condition.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviThe Government of Canada believes that Canadians deserve to live in comfort and dignity, with access to care, including end-of-life care, that is appropriate to their needs and that respects their wishes. It recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a very personal choice, and is committed to a measured, thoughtful and compassionate approach to help ensure that Canada’s MAID system meets the needs of people in Canada, protect those who may be vulnerable, and supports autonomy and freedom of choice of individuals. The safety and security of our most vulnerable people remains at the forefront of our actions as the Government takes a careful and considered approach on the implementation of MAID for persons where the sole underlying condition is mental illness.Important progress has been made to prepare for MAID eligibility for persons whose sole medical condition is a mental illness. However, in consultations with the provinces, territories, medical professionals and other stakeholders, the Government of Canada has heard – and agrees – that the health system is not yet ready for this expansion.On February 29, 2024, Bill C-62 received Royal Assent and immediately came into force. The legislation delays by three years eligibility for MAID for persons suffering solely from a mental illness, until March 17, 2027. Additionally, the new law requires that a joint parliamentary committee undertake a comprehensive review relating to the eligibility for MAID of persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness within two years. This measure will further serve to examine progress made by provinces, territories, and partners, in achieving overall health care system readiness.This three-year extension will provide provinces and territories with additional time to ensure their health care systems are ready, as well as provide practitioners with more time to participate in training and become familiar with available supports, guidelines and standards.This delay is also in line with the recommendations of the Special Joint Committee on MAID (AMAD) in their report, MAID and Mental Disorders: The Road Ahead, which was tabled on January 29, 2024. While recognising that considerable progress has been made in preparing for the expansion of eligibility for persons suffering solely mental illness, AMAD recommended that it not be made available in Canada until the health care system can safely and adequately provide MAID for these cases.Supporting the mental health and well-being of Canadians remains a priority for the Government of Canada. Work with provinces and territories, and stakeholders, including through Government of Canada investments, will continue to support individuals and communities across the country who need help, now and in the future.The Government of Canada has made significant investments in this space. For example, Budget 2023 confirmed the Government’s commitment to invest close to $200 billion over ten years, starting in 2023-24, to improve health care for Canadians, including $25 billion to the Provinces and Territories via tailored bilateral agreements which will focus on four key priorities, including improving access to mental health and substance use services and the integration of these services in community family health services. This investment will build on the Budget 2017 investments, which include $2.4 billion from 2023-24 to 2026-27 that has yet to flow to PTs for mental health and addictions services.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target population include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.In addition, Budget 2023 announced $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. 9-8-8 went live and operational on November 30, 2023 and is providing people across Canada with access to suicide prevention support through trained responders by phone calls and text, 24/7/365, in English and French.  The 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline is led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), which has recruited 39 local, provincial, and national crisis and distress lines to the 9-8-8 responder network to offer suicide prevention supports across Canada. Since its launch, 9-8-8 has received approximately 1,000 phone calls and 350 texts each day.Mental health and the well-being of Canadians is a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in mental health services and work with Provinces and Territories and key stakeholders to support the mental health needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02097441-02097 (Taxation)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024February 5, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02096441-02096 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community. Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017. Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices. The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities. In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02095441-02095 (Taxation)KodyBloisKings—HantsLiberalNSFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024December 13, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2024441-02094441-02094 (Employment and labour)WarrenSteinleyRegina—LewvanConservativeSKFebruary 7, 2024March 22, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 22, 2024e-4689e-4689 (Justice)BillKingHon.EdFastAbbotsfordConservativeBCNovember 22, 2023, at 11:45 a.m. (EDT)March 21, 2024, at 11:45 a.m. (EDT)March 22, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Medical assistance in dying will expand to Canadians with mental illness on March 17, 2024, unless Parliament intervenes;Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that supports are in place for the mental health of everyone in Canada;Vulnerable Canadians must be given suicide prevention instead suicide assistance;Medical assistance in dying risks normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness; andCanada should focus on increasing mental health supports and improving access to these supports instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those with mental illness.Medical assistance in dyingMental health44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 22, 2024e-4700e-4700 (Justice)SarahRimbeyHon.MichelleRempel GarnerCalgary Nose HillConservativeABNovember 23, 2023, at 11:20 a.m. (EDT)March 22, 2024, at 11:20 a.m. (EDT)March 22, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Measures currently in place to protect Canadians from the dissemination of non-consensual pornography may fall short and be out of pace with technological advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI);With the rise of programs and applications augmented by AI, images and videos, virtually indistinguishable from reality, can be generated for distribution without consent;Canada’s determination of what constitutes an intimate image may not cover this AI-generated intimate content and may open Canadians to attack without legal protection;Existing criminal laws were enacted to protect vulnerable Canadians, particularly young women, from the distribution of non-consensual digital content;In 2013, Rehtaeh Parsons, a 17-year-old Nova Scotian, tragically died after an attempted suicide when classmates electronically disseminated photographs of her being allegedly gang raped;In 2012, a 15-year-old British Columbia girl, Amanda Todd, committed suicide after experiencing assault, extreme bullying and blackmail related to the non-consensual online distribution of photos of her breasts; andNow, further protections must be implemented to reduce the gap between technological advances and the outpaced ability of Canadian lawmakers to protect vulnerable Canadians from the dissemination of non-consensual digital content.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to protect vulnerable Canadians by adequately penalizing the dissemination of non-consensual AI-generated intimate digital content.Artificial intelligenceInternetPrivacy and data protectionVulnerable persons44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02261441-02261 (Taxation)ShelbyKramp-NeumanHastings—Lennox and AddingtonConservativeONMarch 21, 2024March 14, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024e-4564e-4564 (Taxation)TimReynoldsShelbyKramp-NeumanHastings—Lennox and AddingtonConservativeONSeptember 5, 2023, at 3:08 p.m. (EDT)January 3, 2024, at 3:08 p.m. (EDT)March 21, 2024January 5, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Accurate filing of yearly taxes is required by law;The Government of Canada recognizes that the honour of the Crown guides the conduct of the Crown in all of its dealings with Indigenous peoples;Tax-exempt retirement income can only be listed in the same box as taxable income resulting in undue stress, both financial and mental, being placed on the Indigenous population facing reassessments year over year;When an Indigenous individual contributes to CPP from their tax-exempt income, the CPP credits they earn are not registered as tax-exempt; andDue to gaps in the current filing regime, the Indigenous tax-exempt population is over-represented in reassessment claims, placing great strain on the community and on government resources.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Take steps to allow the listing of tax-exempt retirement income on the T4RIF tax slip in a separate box from taxable income;2. Implement a method to record tax-exempt CPP contributions as they are contributed each year;3. Update the T4A(P) tax slip for CPP retirement benefits with a separate box to account for the income received that is tax-exempt; and4. Ensure any and all tax-exempt returns, especially those belonging to Indigenous Canadians, are handled in an efficient and timely manner.Canada Pension PlanIncome tax exemptionsIncome tax returns44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02259441-02259 (Taxation)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABMarch 21, 2024November 6, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02258441-02258 (Justice)ShannonStubbsLakelandConservativeABMarch 21, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02257441-02257 (Food and drink)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 21, 2024March 15, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food recommends that the Government of Canada increase its support to local and regional food system sustainability such as by encouraging:
    • - The development of small-scale community-based food systems;
    • - The building of local processing capacity, including regional slaughter capacity; and
    • - The development and expansion of initiatives aiming to strengthen food security such as the Local Food Infrastructure Fund;
  • The Government understands that there is a need to strengthen local and regional production, processing and distribution to ensure that our food systems are resilient and innovative and promote food security for Canadians;
  • Processing utilization in Ontario has increased from approximately 70% in 2015 to 100% in 2021. In 2021, Ontario provincial processing numbers were up approximately 20% on 2020 and 5-year averages and the processing volumes did not change in 2022 resulting in an unsustainable utilization rate at provincial abattoirs;
  • Many processing plants are operating at or above capacity for significant portions of the year due to increased beef demand;
  • While the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the focus on processing capacity, the beef sector across eastern Canada has had to contend with capacity challenges for some time due to a variety of factors that have led to periodic supply bottlenecks, significant negative pressure on farm gate prices, and lost market opportunities;
  • Some beef farmers must wait six to nine months and in many cases up to one year in advance to have their cattle processed at provincial facilities;
  • The abattoir, located at Joyceville Institution on Highway 15 in Ontario closed at the end of September 2022;
  • The closure has put even more strain on processing at abattoirs negatively impacting processing wait times even more for beef farmers in Lanark and Frontenac counties; and
  • The closure has had negative economic impacts on neighbouring businesses and restaurants that relied on products from the abattoir.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to explore all options to ensure the abattoir located at Joyceville Institution is re-opened to address the issues noted above.
AbattoirsJoyceville Institution
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02256441-02256 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 21, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02255441-02255 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 21, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the Minister of Finance, Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Queen's University community and residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Minister of Finance, Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024e-4660e-4660 (Social affairs and equality)MeseretHaileyesusAnitaVandenbeldOttawa West—NepeanLiberalONOctober 31, 2023, at 3:07 p.m. (EDT)January 29, 2024, at 3:07 p.m. (EDT)March 21, 2024January 29, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Economic Abuse is a common yet overlooked form of domestic abuse, affecting more than 95% of women experiencing intimate partner violence;Economic Abuse severely undermines an individual’s financial autonomy, agency, and well-being;Economic Abuse disproportionately affects women, racialized, gender-diverse, and other vulnerable groups, but it can happen to any individual and context;Economic Abuse survivors grapple with intergenerational trauma and other long-term consequences that have profound impacts on their quality of life, financial stability, housing security, or career opportunities;Economic Abuse remains widely under-recognized and underreported, urging for national-level efforts and awareness to address the crisis; andAllocation of funding and the collection of disaggregated data are needed to address and respond to Economic Abuse.We, the undersigned, citizens (or residents) of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to proclaim November 26th as National Economic Abuse Awareness Day in Canada.Controlling or coercive conductPersonal finance44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02253441-02253 (Public safety)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABMarch 21, 2024November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024441-02252441-02252 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABMarch 21, 2024February 10, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Hunting and firearm ownership play an integral role in Canadian history and culture;
  • Many new Canadians love to participate in this heritage of hunting;
  • With amendments to Bill C-21, the Liberals are seeking to ban many different hunting rifles and shotguns;
  • Weatherby bolt action rifles are being banned; and
  • With their legislation, the Liberals are betraying hunters.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • 1) Leave our guns alone;
  • 2) Vote against Bill C-21; and
  • 3) Defend and safeguard the property rights of Canadian hunters.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms permitsHunters
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024e-4274e-4274 (Democratic process)BrianKerrJamieSchmaleHaliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockConservativeONJanuary 26, 2023, at 9:49 a.m. (EDT)May 26, 2023, at 9:49 a.m. (EDT)March 21, 2024May 26, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:There are currently no election laws at the federal level of Canadian government that enable legal Canadian voters, by petition, to remove an elected official from their elected position before their term; andThere are currently no election laws at the federal level of Canadian government that enable legal Canadian voters, by petition, to remove or repeal legislation.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to put into law "Recall and Initiative" legislation at the federal level in Canada to give Canadian citizens a mechanism to protect their livelihood from an untrustworthy tyrannical government ruling Canada.LegislationMembers of ParliamentParticipatory democracy44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024e-3827e-3827 (Democratic process)BrianKerrJamieSchmaleHaliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockConservativeONFebruary 3, 2022, at 2:58 p.m. (EDT)June 3, 2022, at 2:58 p.m. (EDT)March 21, 2024June 3, 2022Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:There are currently no election laws at the federal level of Canadian government that enable legal Canadian voters, by petition, to propose or repeal legislation; andThere are currently no election laws at the federal level of Canadian government that enable legal Canadian voters, by petition, to remove an elected official from their elected position before their term.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to put into law "Recall and Initiative" legislation at the federal level of government in Canada.LegislationMembers of ParliamentParticipatory democracyPetitions44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 21, 2024e-4605e-4605 (Democratic process)BrianKerrJamieSchmaleHaliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockConservativeONSeptember 28, 2023, at 10:06 a.m. (EDT)January 26, 2024, at 10:06 a.m. (EDT)March 21, 2024January 26, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:There are currently no election laws at the federal level of Canadian government that enable legal Canadian voters, by petition, to remove an elected official from their elected position before their term; andThere are currently no election laws at the federal level of Canadian government that enable legal Canadian voters, by petition, to remove or repeal legislation.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to put into law "Recall and Initiative" legislation at the federal level of government in Canada to give Canadian citizens a mechanism to protect their livelihood from an untrustworthy, tyrannical government ruling Canada.LegislationMembers of ParliamentParticipatory democracy44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 21, 2024e-4881e-4881 (Foreign affairs)lailaMoubayedFayçalEl-KhouryLaval—Les ÎlesLiberalQCMarch 21, 2024, at 10:20 a.m. (EDT)July 19, 2024, at 10:20 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Syria is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe and the economic sanctions have a lot to do with it, as revealed in a UN report in November 2022 by the special rapporteur, Alena Dohan, concluding that this amounts to crimes against humanity against the Syrian people as a whole;Since 2018, the war in Syria has become less intense, new economic sanctions have been imposed on it, among the most severe in modern history, these starve and impoverish the people, and 90% of Syrians live below the poverty line; These sanctions prevent Syria from trading with the outside world to purchase spare parts for electricity generation, water purification and treatment, and infrastructure repairs;These sanctions are making medicines and medical equipment scarce, and hospitals are struggling to serve citizens in need of basic treatment, whereas before Syria had one of the most advanced health systems in the Middle East, self-sufficient in 90% of the medicines it produced; andSyria’s substantial oil resources are being confiscated by foreign powers, resulting in a permanent fuel shortage that is affecting civilian life as a whole.We, the undersigned, Canadian residents, call upon the House of Commons to immediately end these unilateral sanctions, which constitute collective punishment of the Syrian people, diminishing their last hopes for a better future.Economic sanctionsSyria44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 21, 2024441-02093441-02093 (Democratic process)AdamChambersSimcoe NorthConservativeONFebruary 6, 2024March 21, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, whichrecognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 21, 2024441-02092441-02092 (Health)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBFebruary 6, 2024March 21, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Nurses' incentives should be provided to all nurses to better create healthy relationships and a healthy workplace;
  • The government must do better in recognizing health care credentials from qualified professionals who are internationally trained and educated;
  • The government must do better and implement better strategies and incentives to attract and retain our healthcare workers in Manitoba;
  • New and experienced nurses and healthcare professionals are leaving our province and considering opportunities offered in other provinces that provide lucrative incentives and benefits to their healthcare professionals;
  • Many Manitoba seniors are on capped income and cannot afford their prescribed medications; and
  • Nurses are overworked due to high workloads.
We, the undersigned residents of Manitoba, call upon the House of Commons to work with Provincial Governments and other healthcare stakeholders to:1. Take nurses recruitment and retention seriously to help resolve the healthcare crisis;2. Ensure everyone who is contributing to Manitoba through taxes and our economy is eligible for Manitoba healthcare;3. Review the nurses' workload and incentive program to include all nurses, regardless of position status and type; and4. Reconsider some of the changes that have been made over the last few years and turn the health care facility into a facility that is capable of being, so the residents of Manitoba, particularly the communities of Tyndall Park, Maples, Burrows, Kildonan and even Lakeside have a place to go.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealthcare is a shared responsibility between the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories. While the federal government provides financial support to the provinces and territories for healthcare services, the responsibility for matters related to management of the health care system and health workforces falls within provincial and territorial jurisdiction. As part of their responsibility to administer and deliver healthcare services, provinces and territories establish training curricula and manage licensure, and regulate healthcare professionals through arms-length regulatory bodies, such as professional colleges and associations.At the same time, the federal government acknowledges that it has a key leadership role to play in supporting solutions to the challenges facing health systems across the country, including those related to Canada’s health workforce. We remain committed to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to protect and strengthen the publicly funded health care system.Budget 2023 delivered nearly $200 billion to reduce backlogs, expand access to family health services and ensure provinces and territories can provide the high quality and timely health care Canadians expect and deserve. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories to improve health care services for Canadians. This funding also includes $25 billion over 10 years to advance shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements that will support the needs of people in each province and territory in four areas of shared priority: family health services; health workers and backlogs; mental health and substance use; and a modernized health system. Additionally, provinces and territories are being asked to streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals, and to advance labour mobility.On October 12, 2023 federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Health issued a public statement reaffirming their commitment to supporting Canada’s health workforce so our health workers are able to provide high-quality, accessible and effective health services for people living in Canada. In particular, FPT governments committed to concrete actions focusing on retention, domestic education supply and demand, foreign credential recognition and ethical recruitment, labour mobility, and health workforce data and planning. These commitments included undertaking credential processes overseas in order to improve processing of licensure of international physicians and nurses within 90 days and support for a Nursing Retention Toolkit developed by the federally-appointed Chief Nursing Officer, Dr.Leigh Chapman, in consultation with Canada’s nursing community. The toolkit highlights retention initiatives that employers or health authorities can implement to support their nursing workforce.The details on the Ministers commitments can be found here: Federal, provincial and territorial statement on supporting Canada’s health workforce.
Health care systemManitobaNurses
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 21, 2024441-02091441-02091 (Correctional system)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCFebruary 6, 2024March 21, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • At the direction of the Liberal government, the Correctional Service of Canada is operating the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal correctional institutions, effectively encouraging illicit drugs use in prisons;
  • Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;
  • The presence of needles for illicit drug use in correctional institutions presents a severe safety risk to both inmates and correctional officers;
  • The already hazardous workplace of the correctional officer is made more dangerous by the presence of the PNEP; and
  • The Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy should focus on helping Canadians recover from addiction and receive treatment, not on supporting these addictions.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the Prison Needle Exchange Program's operations, stop permitting the use of illicit drugs in Canadian prions, and focus the efforts on helping inmates recover from their addictions.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Like much of Canadian society, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is experiencing the effect of Canada's opioid crisis. CSC began implementing a Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) to prevent the sharing of needles, facilitate referrals to health care services and programs, and limit the spread of infectious diseases, such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in federal institutions. It is important to note that this is just one measure that is available to incarcerated offenders and complements other existing measures. Of note, there have been no reported fatalities involving participants using our harm reduction services.Before an individual can participate in the PNEP program, CSC completes a Threat Risk Assessment (TRA), to confirm that it is suitable to allow the individual to possess a needle, similar to the one currently being used for EpiPens and needles for insulin use. As of February 1st, 2024, there have been no reported assaults on employees or incarcerated offenders involving needles used in the PNEP program.The safety and security of institutions, staff, offenders, and the public is a top priority. Preventing the introduction of contraband and reducing the use of illicit substances by incarcerated offenders in correctional institutions remains an ongoing key priority as they pose a risk to the safety and security of our institutions and impact offender rehabilitation. CSC works closely with local police agencies and communities to prevent and reduce contraband and unauthorized items, including drugs and substances, from entering institutions. Illicit drugs are considered contraband in federal institutions, and inmates found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs may be subject to administrative consequences, disciplinary charges/sanctions, and/or criminal charges.CSC has a National Drug Strategy, which incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to review and address an incarcerated individual’s substance use. Aligned with Commissioner’s Directive 585 National Drug Strategy, each institution has developed and implemented drug strategies to balance detection, deterrence, and treatment. As part of this, and to support the safety and security of everyone in our institutions, CSC continues to implement measures to address the introduction, trafficking, financing, and/or distribution of contraband within our institutions. The elements of the National Drug Strategy include:Reducing the supply of illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing and preventing the supply of illicit drugs through various efforts to investigate and disrupt the introduction and trafficking of contraband in our institutions. CSC also continues to lead intelligence investigations relating to the introduction and trafficking of contraband and strengthen partnerships with police to pursue criminal investigations into drug traffickers targeting our facilities.Reducing the demand for illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing the demand for illicit drugs by supporting innovative and effective approaches to intervening with, treating and rehabilitating offenders who use illicit drugs. CSC offers a suite of health interventions and correctional programming that addresses multiple criminogenic needs, including substance use disorder. Correctional programs are offered at intensity levels that are commensurate to the offenders’ risk level.Increasing the awareness of the negative consequences of illicit drug use - This component focuses on preventing illicit drug use by offenders in institutions. This is accomplished by providing awareness programs, infectious disease testing and associated treatment, and Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). It also involves delivering quality health services to incarcerated offenders to assist them in achieving a drug-free lifestyle.Strict policies concerning contraband and unauthorized activities are in place, which are enforced through dynamic and static security practices, including extensive search procedures for offenders, staff, and visitors. Incarcerated individuals found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs can face administrative consequences, disciplinary sanctions, and/or criminal charges.In addition to staff vigilance, dynamic security and security intelligence information, CSC relies on a combination of detection equipment, search practices and a variety of approved techniques to prevent the entry of drugs and contraband. This includes interdiction measures such as routine searches of persons (including inmates, visitors and staff), vehicles, cells/rooms, and other areas of the institution, which are in accordance with the Institutional Search Plan as well as non-routine searches, which may be authorized based on staff observations and intelligence information. Other measures include regular monitoring of offender activity; random urinalysis testing; and the non-intrusive searching of all visitors entering institutions using tools such as metal detectors, ion scanners, and detector dogs.
Correctional facilitiesDrug use and abuseNeedle exchange program
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 21, 2024441-02090441-02090 (Democratic process)BrendanHanleyYukonLiberalYTFebruary 6, 2024March 21, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, which recognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 21, 2024e-4568e-4568 (Infrastructure)BarbieGreyson-MayorGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 12, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT)January 10, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT)February 6, 2024March 21, 2024January 12, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Recreational and wellness centres provide opportunities for communities to gather, connect and stay healthy through physical activity;Research shows that recreational and wellness centres promote personal health and well-being among users;Recreation facilities play a critical role in the rehabilitation of workers recovering from injuries in the workplace;Rural communities without adequate recreational facilities find it challenging to retain seniors, youth and families in the community which limits the retention of high qualified professionals, volunteerism and is a loss to communities;Benefits for recreation and wellness facilities to individuals and communities have been well-researched and documented;Recreation and active living are essential to personal health, both mental and physical;Recreation reduces self-destructive and anti-social behaviour;Recreation and concomitant facilities build strong families and healthy communities;Recreation reduces healthcare and social services costs;Recreation and concomitant facilities can be significant economic generators, providing both direct and indirect returns on investment, uniquely represent both pro-active and preventative measures, in addition to enhancing the social fabric of communities;Our communities need more facilities (such as the West Coast Multiplex in planning for over 20 years) to offer diverse programs which are accessible by all our populations; andInvesting in Canada Infrastructure previous partnership with federal & BC governments providing funds needs to be replenished with significant, sustained increase in the capital to meet recreation needs of communities.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to renew, sustain, and significantly increase the CCRP funding to meet the needs for expanding, creating or replacing recreation facilities on the West Coast, Port Alberni, and Oceanside.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada is committed to ensuring communities across Canada have access to stable and predictable infrastructure funding.The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of recreational facilities in creating sustainable, livable and healthy communities. The Community, Culture and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program has funded 796 projects across the country to improve community, culture and recreational spaces. This includes 23 projects on Vancouver Island, among them the Amphitrite Point Project in Ucluelet and the recently completed gathering space in the community of Macoah in the Toquaht Territory. Another source of funding for community buildings has been the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Fund (GICB). While more project proposals were received than could be funded under the GICB, this program is currently funding 109 projects across Canada with applications from the most recent intake currently being assessed. Two projects have been announced so far on Vancouver Island, including the Pacific IPCA Innovation Centre retrofit and upgrade in Tofino. The Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF) also provides $2.4 billion per year that helps communities build and revitalize their public infrastructure. Individual projects are selected by municipalities at a local level, and eligible categories of investment are broad, including culture and recreation. From 2015 to 2024, the program will have transferred over $24 billion to communities across Canada. The current CCBF agreements will expire in March 2024 and work is underway to renew them for the next 10 years. Discussions are well under way and funds are expected to be provided to communities under the new agreements in fiscal year 2024/25.Since Budget 2022, the Government has been taking steps to leverage infrastructure funding to spur community housing and wellness outcomes that can help address current supply and affordability issues in a targeted way in communities across the country.Infrastructure Canada will continue to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, Indigenous communities, and local partners on infrastructure programming, including community and recreational infrastructure, to unlock the full potential of our investments, meet regional needs, and advance shared priorities.
Investing in Canada Infrastructure ProgramSport and recreation facilities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 21, 2024441-02088441-02088 (Social affairs and equality)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABFebruary 6, 2024March 21, 2024April 22, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. 
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 21, 2024441-02087441-02087 (Business and trade)LloydLongfieldGuelphLiberalONFebruary 6, 2024March 21, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power, and buildings sectors.
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament229Not certifiedMarch 21, 2024e-4692e-4692 (Transportation)JulieWhiteChrisd'EntremontWest NovaConservativeNSNovember 21, 2023, at 3:51 p.m. (EDT)March 20, 2024, at 3:51 p.m. (EDT)March 21, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="300025" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Transport</Addressee>Whereas:The Atlantic region of Digby Saint John has grappled with the instability of essential ferry services for decades;The Digby Saint John Ferry route plays a crutial role in the economic well being of the region;The Ferry route serves as a primary gateway to the Province of Nova Scotia significantly impacting tourism;The Ferry is an indispensable component of the fishery industry in the region; andDisruptions in ferry service result in economic hardships.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, call upon the Minister of Transport to: 1. Immediately procure an additional RORO vessel asset;2. Develop and present a long term plan to address ferry transportation in the regions of Digby Saint John; and3. Avoid disruptions to ferry service on the Digby Saint John route.DigbyFerriesSaint John44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02086441-02086 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • Women's shelters are sadly seeing increased demand;
  • The high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live; and
  • At a time when this Liberal government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, they are cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to restore funding for women's shelters.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the right to a safe and affordable place to call home.Providing a safe and secure space for persons fleeing domestic violence is a priority for the Government of Canada. The National Housing Strategy (NHS), a 10-year, more than $82 billion plan launched in 2017, is giving more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum and prioritize populations most in need, including women and their children. The Government of Canada aims to put 33% of the strategy’s investments, with a minimum of 25%, toward serving the unique needs of women and their children.NHS programs and initiatives support the creation of shelters, such as the $13.2 billion Affordable Housing Fund, previously known as the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, which aims to create 2,000 new shelter spaces and repair 2,000 shelters for survivors of family violence. The Government of Canada has committed to create 1,388 new shelter spaces or transitional housing units for survivors of gender-based violence, and to repair/renew a further 347 spaces or units.The Government of Canada recognizes that Indigenous women and children face unique challenges and barriers to housing. For those who experience violence, a shelter is often a first step to rebuilding their lives and protecting them from further violence. The NHS includes programming and funding exclusively for shelters in Indigenous communities and in the North.As part of the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada announced funding of $724.1 million to develop a comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy to expand culturally-relevant supports for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people facing gender-based violence. From this funding, $420 million is allocated to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) over five years to support the construction of a minimum of 38 shelters and 50 transitional homes across the country. In addition, we have committed $44.8 million to build a total of 12 new shelters across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping family violence. To date, construction is complete for four shelters, with the remaining eight shelters expected to be completed in 2024. These Indigenous-led shelters will provide vital refuge and culturally appropriate critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of their experiences, access support programming and create a stable environment where they can begin to regain an independent life. They are also a crucial element of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, the Government of Canada’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and an important contribution to the National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.To date, the Indigenous-led Steering committees have selected 47 projects for funding (25 shelters and 22 transitional housing) and provided $195.9 million in capital for the creation of 349 units. A total of 24 projects have advanced to the point of receiving an agreement, and $27 million in funding has been advanced. The committees have conditionally approved an additional 23 projects, which may be provided final approval once complete proposals are received. Budget 2021 included an additional $315.4 million for the Canada Housing Benefit (CHB) to increase support for women and children fleeing violence. The program has since shifted in scope to encompass survivors of gender-based violence consistent with the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence which the Government of Canada and provinces and territories (excluding Quebec) endorsed in November 2022.CMHC is in the process of negotiating agreements with provinces and territories to deliver and cost-match the additional federal funding for survivors of gender-based violence through the CHB. This funding will be available for provinces and territories to deliver until 2028. Each province and territory has flexibility to cost-match this funding through a housing benefit for any vulnerable population, including survivors of gender-based violence. To date, agreements for additional funding for survivors of gender-based violence through the CHB have been signed with 3 provinces and territories.  CMHC launched a Call for Proposals in November 2021, which has remained open on a continual basis until March 1, 2024. CMHC and Indigenous Services Canada work with Indigenous-led committees comprised of representatives from Indigenous organizations, subject matter experts in shelters and housing delivery, as well as people with lived experience. The Government of Canada understands that a need for urgent shelter remains and is committed to working collaboratively to support the work of the Indigenous-led committees and expediting funding for projects that are approved. 
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerGender-based violence is one of the most pervasive, deadly and deeply rooted human rights violation of our time. This is why the Government of Canada is taking action.The pandemic created unprecedented challenges for those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV) and the organizations providing supports and services to them. While preventing and addressing GBV is a shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, the Government of Canada acted swiftly in 2020 to provide an initial $90 million in COVID-19 emergency funding, through Women and Gender Equality Canada, to organizations across Canada serving those experiencing GBV. A year into the pandemic, the government responded to high demand and pressing needs by more than tripling the funding support and extending the timeframe for this emergency measure through Budget 2021. Since April 2020, approximately $300 million in total funding has been committed to organizations, providing emergency funding to over 1,400 organizations including women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other GBV organizations. As a result, more than 2 million individuals experiencing violence had a safe place to go, and access to supports across Canada. These investments served as an emergency response to the crisis above and beyond the ongoing work under the Federal Gender-Based Violence Strategy.Like other COVID-19 emergency measures introduced by the federal government since 2020, this temporary measure has come to an end. However, the Government of Canada remains committed to addressing GBV:
  • Budget 2021 invests $601.3 million over five years in initiatives to advance towards the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This included $200 million (of the $300 million) specifically for COVID-19 emergency funding.
  • Budget 2022 invests a further $539.3 million over five years to support provinces and territories with the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
On November 9, 2022, Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women launched a historic 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence –. This Plan is a concrete step in fulfilling a long-standing commitment of Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments to work together towards a Canada free of gender-based violence. The Plan is supported by an investment of $539.3 million over five years, committed in Budget 2022, to support the provinces and territories in their implementation efforts. This funding is provided to provinces and territories through bilateral agreements.As of December 2023, the Government of Canada announced agreements with all provinces and territories. These agreements, along with the respective provincial/territorial implementation plans are available on Women and Gender Equality’s website. 
SheltersWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02085441-02085 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024November 1, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members’ Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02084441-02084 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerEquality rights are at the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are intended to ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identities and expressions, from coast, to coast to coast.Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. It is important that parents be involved in the lives of their children, and that should be balanced with the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current.The Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Some highlights:• A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including trans people (Budget 2023, chapter 4)• 2022: Government of Canada criminalized conversion therapies, see Statement• 2017: Canadian Human Rights Act amended to protect gender identity and gender expression• 2022: Launch of Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action PlanThe first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan enables the federal government to help advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan achieves these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The plan is supported by an investment of $100 million, which will help create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both present and future generations. In doing so it builds upon work the Government of Canada has done to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country.
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024e-4351e-4351 (Public safety)laviniarojasLaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCMarch 16, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)July 14, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)February 5, 2024March 20, 2024July 17, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Authorization Guidelines for Consumer and Display Fireworks, was revised by U.S. scientists, and found that in “2.3.3 List of Chemicals Normally Precluding Authorization - The following chemicals are normally not allowed in fireworks”, the wording “normally” is wrong. Lead, chromium, arsenic, and carcinogens should never be allowed;The chemical analysis is worrisome: 0.5% of the total weight of a consumer display could be lead or arsenic. That weight includes the casing and everything. That much lead or arsenic in the generated aerosol would be toxic to inhale; Dr. Terry Gordon, a professor in the Department of Medicine and a member of the Division of Environmental Medicine, states that although people are only exposed to these substances for a short time each year, they are much more toxic than the pollutants we breathe every day”;A study by the Canadian Environmental Law Association and the Ontario College of Family Physicians states that the surface has only been scratched in understanding how detrimental toxic environmental it is;The federal government has the constitutional authority to control air pollution, primarily through its powers to protect public health and safety and to regulate transboundary effect;Supplying financial support to provinces to buy fireworks harm the environment; andAnimal organizations already stressed financially receive a big amount of hurt animals. International Protection for Animals reported too many injuries to animals and birds due to fireworks.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support the replacement of fireworks for light displays.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.While fireworks have been part of celebrations across Canada for more than 100 years, some communities are exploring new ways to enhance their firework shows or replace fireworks entirely with a light show. The Government of Canada supports light shows in community events provided all relevant regulations are followed. The Government of Canada will also continue to allow firework displays that are conducted in accordance with the Explosives Act and the Explosives Regulations, 2013, and will continue to work to ensure that fireworks can be safely enjoyed while minimizing their impact on the environment and human health, including:
  • Evaluating all fireworks before they are placed on the Canadian market using the Authorization Guidelines for Consumer and Display Fireworks, which detail the strict acceptance criteria for fireworks.
  • Assessing all chemical compositions in fireworks to ensure there are no prohibited chemicals such as lead, chromium, arsenic, and other carcinogens.
  • Regularly testing fireworks at the Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory to ensure they meet the strict criteria in the Guidelines. During these tests, the sound levels for the fireworks are routinely measured to confirm they are under advised noise thresholds.
  • Inspecting all display firework shows to confirm they are conducted in full compliance with the Explosives Regulations, 2013 to ensure the safety of the public and firework operators.
The Government of Canada is committed to the well-being of our communities and will continue to work to ensure the responsible and safe use of fireworks without excluding light shows and other means of celebration.
FireworksSafety
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024e-4596e-4596 (Animals)laviniarojasLaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCSeptember 28, 2023, at 10:16 a.m. (EDT)January 26, 2024, at 10:16 a.m. (EDT)February 5, 2024March 20, 2024January 26, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:This year the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC have seen over 30 intakes related to glue traps. Mostly, has been birds and bats.. Small mammals, including pets, can also get stuck on glue traps, leading to their suffering and potential death;It is deeply troubling that these devices are openly displayed, potentially exposing children to their existence and the practices they represent;Eighteen Indian states and territories, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, two states and one territory in Australia, and many states in the USA have prohibited the usage of rodents glue board traps;There have been studies and research conducted on the impact of mice glue boards on mice. Here are some findings that highlight the negative effects of glue traps on mice: Glue traps cause immense physical and psychological suffering to mice. When caught on the adhesive surface, mice experience extreme distress and struggle to free themselves. They injure themselves while attempting to escape, resulting in broken bones, dislocated joints, torn skin, or even self- mutilation. Mice caught in glue traps suffer for several days before they eventually die. During this time, they endure stress, pain, and dehydration, an agonizing process; andGlue traps violate principles of humane treatment and animal welfare. All Animal Organizations have condemned the use of glue traps due to the cruelty involved.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to implement an immediate ban on rodent glue board traps across Canada due to their inherent animal cruelty and environmental impact.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviRodent glue traps are not currently regulated under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA).In 2018, Health Canada published a proposal to amend the Pest Control Products Regulation (PCPR) so that some of these types of devices would no longer be exempt from the application of the PCPA.  Although the public consultation period for this proposal closed on February 28, 2019, the proposed regulatory amendments have not yet been formalised. As the proposal moves forward, there will be additional upcoming opportunities to provide comments on this matter. It is important to note that provinces and territories (PTs), federal and municipal governments have shared responsibilities in regulating pesticides. While Health Canada authorizes pesticides, it does not decide whether those products will be used. PTs responsibilities for pesticides generally include, regulating the sale, use, transportation, storage and disposal of pesticides. Furthermore, PTs conduct compliance monitoring that complements federal compliance programs, and issue licences and/or permits to pesticide applicators, operators and vendors. PTs are also responsible for and have measures in place to address both wildlife management and animal welfare. PTs have their own laws to protect animals and  in most, the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), a Non-Government Organization (NGO), enforces animal protection legislation.
Cruelty to animalsPest and weed control
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02081441-02081 (Taxation)LoriIdloutNunavutNDPNUFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024December 13, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02080441-02080 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the St. Thomas More Catholic School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02079441-02079 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan, published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
     
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02078441-02078 (Business and trade)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024January 26, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Back on September 22, at a time of War the President of Ukraine came to Canada to sign the modernized Canada Ukraine Free Trade Agreement;Bill C-57 will put into law the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power, and buildings sectors.
C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and UkraineCanada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02077441-02077 (Business and trade)YvanBakerEtobicoke CentreLiberalONFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024February 1, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power, and buildings sectors.
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02076441-02076 (Business and trade)BenCarrWinnipeg South CentreLiberalMBFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power, and buildings sectors.
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02075441-02075 (Taxation)RichardCanningsSouth Okanagan—West KootenayNDPBCFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024e-4518e-4518 (Social affairs and equality)NatashaTotinoLeslynLewisHaldimand—NorfolkConservativeONAugust 16, 2023, at 3:20 p.m. (EDT)December 14, 2023, at 3:20 p.m. (EDT)February 5, 2024March 20, 2024December 15, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Women's spaces, including changing rooms, shelters & female prisons play a crucial role in ensuring a safe environment for women;Recent legislation and policy changes have jeopardized the security of these areas;It is imperative that we take measures to preserve these spaces;Numerous survivors of sexual assault or harassment rely on shelters and support groups as safe havens;Women's spaces are designated to offer privacy and protection for biological females;Granting access based solely on self-identification will present potential hazards to vulnerable women who depend on these spaces for their welfare;Women's spaces (changing rooms, shelters, prisons) ensure women's safety. Changing rooms provide privacy for personal matters like menstrual product changes; andUpholding these boundaries is vital in maintaining dignity, respect, and bodily autonomy.We, the undersigned, honest men and women living in Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to 1) Prioritize the safeguarding of women's spaces by instituting guidelines that place security considerations at the forefront;2) Formulate policies: Create clear and concise laws and policies that acknowledge the significance of sex-segregated spaces, while offering guidance on accommodating transgender individuals in a manner that upholds the rights and safety of everyone involved;3) Engage with significant stakeholders: Collaborate with women's rights organizations, LGBT advocacy groups, and survivor support networks to ensure that policy modifications are shaped by diverse viewpoints; and4) By endorsing this petition, we collectively urge lawmakers to defend women's spaces through carefully devised laws and policies that respect privacy. United, we can cultivate a society where everyone feels secure and respected. Let us join forces to maintain the strived for and historically awarded spaces for future generations of women and girls.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerCanada is proud of the work we have done to achieve gender equality, on our work to end gender-based violence and our commitment to create an inclusive and prosperous society where women and gender diverse people can thrive. We are a country that is built on the values of diversity, inclusion and respect for human rights. Equality rights are enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, from coast to coast to coast.  However, as we celebrate the progress we have made when it comes to gender equality, there remains much work ahead of us to truly achieve a society that is equal for all.Many people in Canada continue to experience violence every day because of their sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or perceived gender. The Government of Canada is committed to applying Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) in decision-making to ensure that policies and programs are responsive to and inclusive of diverse needs and consider impacts on diverse groups of people. The Government of Canada has also developed and published action plans that address gender-based violence (National action plan to end gender-based violence - Women and Gender Equality Canada), and the advancement of rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people (Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan 2022 - Women and Gender Equality Canada) to create a more inclusive and equitable country.Provinces and territories control the key levers to reach people experiencing gender-based violence and hate, and to promote prevention and awareness of gender-based violence, such as developing their own policy frameworks and funding; and delivering education, health care, and social services, along with the administration of justice.  This includes funding for transitional homes and shelters, and other critical spaces for women and gender diverse people to seek refuge from when they are escaping violence. While there are limits to the jurisdiction the Federal Government has in terms of control over private spaces or spaces that are provincial jurisdiction, the Federal Government has implemented national plans working with the provinces to address the specific challenges vulnerable demographics face. In August 2022, the Government of Canada launched the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan to advance rights and equality for 2SLBTQI+ people in Canada. The Plan seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression. The Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan was developed based on the experiences, evidence and voices of 2SLGBTQI+ communities and interested parties through an extensive engagement process.The National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence was launched in November 2022 by Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women. [1] It was informed by over 1,000 recommendations from Indigenous partners, frontline organizations, experts, victims and survivors. The Plan recognizes that all jurisdictions have different roles to play but share responsibility in changing the attitudes and behaviours that sustain gender-based violence. The Plan emphasizes primary prevention approaches that address the root causes of gender-based violence to stop violence before it occurs. The Plan recognizes that prevention work must happen in a range of contexts including private, public and community spaces, workplaces, educational settings and online.  Prevention efforts must be gender-informed/sensitive and inclusive, intersectional, trauma and violence-informed, and culturally appropriate to?best meet the needs of diverse populations, including women and gender diverse individuals.  The National Action Plan to End GBV recognizes that gender-based violence services, including shelters, provide critical, lifesaving supports and safe spaces; and deliver social, health, and community services that protect and empower victims and survivors including, women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people experiencing violence. Organizations and individuals working in communities have in-depth knowledge about the needs of clients, the systemic barriers clients face, and the solutions needed. The safety and well-being of victims and survivors are at the centre of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence recognizing that they are the experts in their own personal experiences, with diverse backgrounds and needs.Women and Gender Equality Canada worked with provincial and territorial governments to establish bilateral funding agreements that support each jurisdictions’ work to end gender-based violence. As of December 2023, bilateral funding agreements have been announced with all provinces and territories.  Through investments like the National Action Plan to End Gender Based Violence and the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, the Government of Canada has demonstrated our commitment to end violence against these communities, but we know more work is ahead of us. You can follow the implementation and progress of these two action plans on WAGE’s website Bilateral agreements to end gender-based violence - Women and Gender Equality Canada . [1] Gender-based violence is a priority for the Government of Québec, which has invested significant funds to end violence against women. However, although it supports the overall objectives of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the Government of Québec cannot adhere to it because it intends to retain its full responsibility in this area on its territory. Through an agreement that respects its autonomy, the Government of Québec receives federal funding to support the programs, initiatives, and services to end gender-based violence that it puts in place based on the needs of its territory.
FacilitiesWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02073441-02073 (Taxation)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024February 9, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The current income tax system for seniors gives couples numerous ways to lower taxes, while singles get none;
  • Senior couples can split their pension income, thereby allowing them to pay less tax and qualify for the Age Amount Tax Credit and the Old Age Security (OAS) with limited or no clawbacks;
  • Senior singles have no such benefits, pay higher taxes, often forfeit the Age Amount Tax Credit, and endure OAS clawbacks;
  • When one partner dies within a couple, their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) and Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) can be rolled into the RRSP, RRIF and TFSA of the remaining partner;
  • A single person's RRSP and RRIF is cashed upon death and declared as income, which results in higher taxes, often 50%;
  • The cost of living for a single person is two-thirds of the cost of living for a couple;
  • Single person households are growing faster than any other type of household in Canada, according to Statistics Canada; and
  • Of the six million seniors in Canada, over one-third are single seniors, many of them women, and this demographic will continue to grow.
We, the undersigned, single seniors and other citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:Offer tax benefits to senior singles equal to those now in place for senior couples, which would include: (a) Offering single seniors a reduction of 30% on their income to be taxed (for example, if a single senior has a taxable income of $100,000, reduce the taxable amount by 30% to $70,000); and(b) Allowing, upon death, single seniors with un RRSP, RRIF or TFSA to transfer it to the RRSP, RRIF or TFSA of a beneficiary of their choice.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada understands that, after a lifetime of hard work, Canadians have earned a secure and dignified retirement. In this regard, single seniors may benefit from a number of targeted tax relief measures, such as the Age Credit and Pension Income Credit. Seniors, and those who support them, may also benefit from tax credits such as the Disability Tax Credit, the Medical Expense Tax Credit, the Home Accessibility Tax Credit and the Canada Caregiver Credit.Single seniors may also benefit from general tax relief that the government has introduced. For example, the government has increased the amount of money Canadians can earn before paying federal income tax to $15,000 by 2023 for all but the wealthiest Canadians. Now that this increase has been fully implemented, about 4.6 million seniors are benefitting, including close to 400,000 whose federal income tax has been reduced to zero.This measure builds on the success of key initiatives like the middle-class tax cut, which is benefitting over nine million Canadians. Single individuals who benefit from that measure are seeing an average tax reduction of $330 every year.The tax relief currently available to seniors and pensioners allows a single senior to have at least $26,495 in taxable income (assuming at least $2,000 in income eligible for the Pension Income Credit) before paying federal income tax in 2024.Upon their death, single seniors may transfer a RRSP or RRIF to a financially dependent child or grandchild who ordinarily resided with them because of a mental or physical infirmity. Single seniors may also transfer the value of their TFSA to a beneficiary tax-free.Beyond the tax system, single seniors may also be eligible for targeted support. For example, the government has more than doubled the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) top-up benefit for low-income single seniors. As well, single seniors aged 75 and older are benefiting from the ten percent increase to the Old Age Security (OAS) Pension that began in July 2022. Notably, the government reversed the previous government’s decision to move the eligibility age for OAS and GIS from 65 to 67, which will put thousands of dollars back in the pockets of Canadians as they become seniors.Currently, single seniors can receive up to up to $1,065.47 per month in GIS benefits, up to $713.34 per month in OAS benefits between the ages of 65 and 74, and up to $784.67, if age 75 and older. For the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), for 2024, the maximum monthly amount of the retirement pension that could be received when starting to receive the pension at age 65 is $1,364.60. Whether, and how much of each benefit/pension a single senior could receive, will depend on their specific circumstances, including qualifying residence and their income for OAS and GIS, and their contribution history for CPP.The Government of Canada will continue to support the needs of single seniors.
Senior citizensTaxationUnattached individuals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024e-4517e-4517 (Justice)JulieRiouxPamDamoffOakville North—BurlingtonLiberalONAugust 11, 2023, at 8:56 a.m. (EDT)November 9, 2023, at 8:56 a.m. (EDT)February 5, 2024March 20, 2024November 10, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:There is urgency regarding Canada’s epidemic of violence against women and children in the context of family child custody cases; andThere is abuse of the term “parental alienation” and similar pseudo-concepts.We, the undersigned, Canadian women and their supporters who have experienced domestic violence and the injustices of our family court system, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Acknowledge the injustice and human rights violations currently facilitated by Canada’s family court system, recognizing that the court itself is complicit in continued abuse of women and children;2. Enact legislative changes addressing the use of parental alienation and associated pseudo-concepts, so that our justice system can begin protecting women and children without waiting for a slow change in case law precedent;3. Enact legislative changes to prohibit reunification therapy and its associated concepts; and4. Further commit to addressing the other recommendations in the UN Special Rapporteur’s report.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada is committed to making the family justice system as fair as possible for all, including for victims of family violence. Promoting the best interests of the child and addressing family violence are two of the key objectives of amendments to the Divorce Act in former Bill C-78, An Act to amend the Divorce Act, the Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act and the Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Actand to make consequential amendments to another Act, most of which came into force on March 1, 2021.The amended Divorce Act contains a broad evidence-based definition of family violence which recognizes its many forms and the significant harm it can cause to both victims and witnesses. The definition also includes a child’s direct or indirect exposure to family violence and clarifies that behaviour does not have to be a criminal offence to be considered family violence under the Divorce Act.The amended Divorce Act requires the court to consider the impact of any family violence on the best interests of the child when determining parenting arrangements. This includes the impact on the ability and willingness of any person who engaged in the family violence to care for the child, and the appropriateness of making an order requiring parents to cooperate on issues affecting the child. The amended Act sets out a list of specific factors to help judges determine the impact of the family violence, such as the nature and seriousness of the violence and the harm or risk of harm caused by it. When considering the best interests of the child factors, the court is required to give primary consideration to the child’s physical, emotional, and psychological safety, security, and well-being.Cases where children resist or refuse contact with a parent are often challenging and complex. There are many reasons why a child may reject a parent and resist or refuse to spend time with them. This rejection can be a consequence of experiences such as parental conflict before or after parents separate, family violence, or personality factors. However, when a child’s rejection of a parent seems to be without justification, and it appears that the other parent has encouraged the child to turn against the rejected parent, the child may be referred to as “alienated.”The best interest of the child remains the sole legal test for decisions concerning parenting arrangements. In determining the best interests of the child in a case where there is an allegation that a child is resisting contact with a parent, the court will look at the circumstances of the case to determine whether the child is in fact resisting contact, and if so, why this is occurring. In cases where family violence is also alleged, the court will also consider the specific criteria related to family violence in determining the child’s best interests under the Divorce Act.Education and training on family violence for those working in family law are extremely important. 
Child custodyDomestic violenceFamily lawViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02071441-02071 (Media and telecommunications)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024January 19, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • Current penalties for violations of telemarketing rules and data usage as per Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation are weak and largely ineffective;
  • The federal government has failed to protect the 68,061 Canadians that fell victim to fraud in 2021;
  • The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported $383 million lost to fraud in the last year; and
  • A significant number of Canadians are harassed by spam phone calls and text messages every day.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately implement a comprehensive Anti-Spam Strategy and stop the harassment of unsolicited and fraudulent phone calls and text messages to Canadian consumers.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable François-Philippe ChampagneReceiving spam phone calls and text messages, including scam calls and messages, is a serious concern for many Canadians. That is why the Government of Canada has introduced a variety of measures to help Canadians in that regard.Telemarketing and unwanted callsThe Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), as Canada’s national telecommunications regulator, enforces rules under the Telecommunications Act that help Canadians reduce the number of unsolicited communications that they receive. The National Do Not Call List (DNCL) Rules allow Canadians to add their telephone numbers to a list of numbers that telemarketers are not allowed to call. The DNCL has been in operation for 15 years and includes 14.7 million telephone numbers. Furthermore, the CRTC enforces other rules that address, among others, the time of day when telemarketing is permitted, as well as the need for telemarketers to identify themselves. Additional rules apply when telemarketers deliver a pre-recorded message, sometimes referred to as ‘robocalls’. The CRTC takes violations of these rules very seriously and can issue penalties if a telemarketer breaks them. During the 2022–2023 fiscal year, the CRTC issued over $600,000 in financial penalties against telemarketers.To combat scammers, the CRTC also works with telecommunications service providers (TSPs) to block and trace such calls. For example, the CRTC requires TSPs to block calls when caller identification (ID) either exceeds 15 digits or when it isn’t in a Canadian format, e.g., 000-000-0000. Additionally, in December 2021, the CRTC approved a request from Bell Canada to permanently implement a call blocking solution that uses artificial intelligence to prevent scam calls originating from outside of Canada from reaching Canadians. From July 2020 to November 2023, it prevented over 2.8 billion calls from doing so. Similarly, the CRTC is working with TSPs to develop a way to trace scam calls back to their point of origin.The CRTC also works with industry to alert Canadians if an incoming call may be part of a scam. This is important given the rise of caller ID spoofing, where the caller ID is falsified. On November 30, 2021, TSPs implemented a new approach, referred to as STIR/SHAKEN, to combat such calls. This approach works by notifying Canadians whether an incoming call originates from a real number. While it is not currently possible to authenticate all incoming calls, it is expected that, over time, this approach will become more effective as TSPs upgrade their networks and more Canadians use telephones that are compatible with this approach.There are also other steps that Canadians can take to reduce the number of telemarketing and spam calls that they receive, such as to file a complaint directly with the DNCL Operator at http://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/en/Consumer/File-a-complaint or by calling 1-866-580-3625. The best way for Canadians to assist the CRTC in identifying violations is to file complaints. Such complaints help the CRTC to gather intelligence, identify high-impact cases to investigate, and take enforcement action against violators. Canadians are also encouraged to speak with TSPs about any call management or call blocking options they offer that could be helpful. CASLCanadians deserve an effective law that protects them from spam and other electronic threats that lead to harassment, identity theft and fraud. Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) plays an important role in building trust in the digital environment, which is essential for continued economic growth: CASL helps protect Canadians from spam and other electronic threats, while ensuring that businesses can continue to compete in the global marketplace. A 2015 Cloudmark study found that within a year of CASL being introduced, there was a 37% reduction in spam originating from Canada and 29% less spam email in Canadians’ inboxes.CASL prohibits, among other things, sending unsolicited commercial electronic messages (email and text messages spam, for example, but not voice spam calls which fall under the DNCL), altering transmission data, and the installation of computer programs (such as malware) without user’s consent. It does this to protect Canadians from spam and other electronic threats, while ensuring that businesses can continue to compete in the global marketplace.CASL is enforced by three federal agencies. The CRTC, an independent  administrative tribunal that operates at arm’s length from the federal government, is responsible for interpreting and enforcing CASL provisions related to spam and other electronic threats that can lead to harassment, identity theft, and fraud. The CRTC can issue administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) for violations of sections that prohibit the sending of unsolicited commercial electronic messages, the alteration of transmission data and the installation of software without consent. The Competition Bureau can seek AMPs or criminal sanctions under the Competition Act for acts of false or misleading representations and deceptive marketing practices in the electronic marketplace. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada also has powers under an amended Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) related to the collection of personal information through illicit access to other people’s computer systems and the harvesting of electronic addresses. AMPs that could be imposed under CASL can be substantial. The maximum amount of an AMP to be imposed by the CRTC, per violation, for an individual is $1 million. For a business, it is $10 million.The CRTC has taken action against several violators of the anti-spam provisions, often in collaboration with domestic and international law enforcement.  Recently, The CRTC’s Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer announced penalties totalling $300,000 to four Canadians for their involvement in the Dark Web marketplace CanadianHQ. To date, the CRTC’s CASL  enforcement efforts have resulted in over $3.2 million issued in AMPs.Canadians can also contribute to fighting spam by reporting spam messages to the Spam Reporting Centre. Each submission provides valuable information and is an essential part of the intelligence the Spam Reporting Centre gathers on spam and other electronic threats. The information provided may be used to investigate serious cases and take necessary action concerning contraventions to CASL, which can include imposition of AMPs. Submissions to the Spam Reporting Center can be made online at: https://www.fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/frm-eng/MMCN-9EZV6S.Scam calls and messagesIf Canadians receive a call that appears to be part of a scam, they are encouraged to report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC). The CAFC is jointly operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Ontario Provincial Police and the Competition Bureau, and works as the central agency in Canada to collect information and criminal intelligence on scams. More information on how Canadians can identify and report scams can be found on the CAFC website at http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
Allegations of fraud and fraudSpamTelephone systems and telephony
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02070441-02070 (Civil and human rights)LloydLongfieldGuelphLiberalONFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens of Guelph Ontario and members of Dublin Street United Church, draw the attention of the House of Commons to our concern about the growing rhetoric against trans and non-binary people.Whereas we feel it is based on ignorance. As Dublin church members, we found the learning involved in becoming certified as an Affirming Congregation extremely helpful in understanding our 2SLGBTQIA+ neighbours and their issues;Whereas recent Conservative Party resolutions exemplify our concern. One would forbid all genderaffirming health care for trans people under 18. Another would force trans women to use men's facilities. Both resolutions are gravely misinformed;Whereas current medical guidelines already ensure counselling and therapy for children who feel uncomfortable with their sex assigned at birth. Any permanent intervention is usually considered only after 18 years. This gender-affirming care is essential for young patients' mental health. It greatly reduces the risk of suicide. It also means most will not want medical intervention and those few who do have no regrets. So forbidding gender-affirming care under 18 threatens the life and well-being of trans youth and may even increase post-18 intervention requests from increasingly desperate people deprived of prior therapy; andWhereas trans women are not predators, they are far more likely to be attacked or demeaned in men's prisons, shelters, locker rooms and washrooms than to cause any problem in women's facilities.Therefore, the petitioners call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Issue a strong government statement supporting gender identity, gender expression and protection of trans people including children;
  • Enshrine into the Charter of Rights and Freedoms the important rights for trans and non-binary children, youth and adults already cited in Bill C-16; and
  • Implement other awareness-raising measures to help counter this dangerous anti-trans rhetoric.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur government strongly condemns transphobia in all its forms and remains consistent in its support for transgender and non-binary Canadians. We have passed legislation to protect Canadians from discrimination and hate crimes based on gender identity and gender expression and to affirm their equal status in Canadian society. We have also criminalized conversion therapy, ensuring that 2SLGBTQ+ people of all ages are never forced to be anything other than who they truly are.Section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees equality to all individuals without discrimination based on several grounds. Although the grounds of “gender identity” and “gender expression” are not explicitly listed in the text of s. 15(1) of the Charter, it is important to note that the enumerated grounds are not exhaustive. Courts have found laws and policies which misgender or otherwise do not recognize the gender identity of transgender and non-binary individuals could constitute discrimination, contrary to s. 15 of the Charter.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerResponse by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth.Canada is a country built on the values of diversity, inclusion and respect for human rights. Equality rights are enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, from coast to coast to coast. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting and protecting the rights of the most vulnerable communities, including the 2SLGBTQI+ community, and especially of queer youth.Despite these enshrined rights, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. In this current climate, there is a disturbing rise in hate and violence against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, which contributes to an increased climate of fear for 2SLGBTQI+ people. 2SLGBTQI+ communities are telling me that they are afraid. According to Statistics Canada, police reported hate crimes targeting sexual orientation rose by 70% between 2020 and 2021. Further, 56% of transgender men and 54% of transgender women and gender diverse people who responded to the 2021 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan Survey said they experienced violence and discrimination. Finally, in February 2024, the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights tabled report to the House that called on leaders at all levels of government in Canada to speak out strongly in favour of Canadian values of equality and inclusion for the 2SLGBTQI+ community in the face of rising hate.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current, including transgender and gender diverse youth.This Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ people, including transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Highlights include:- A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ people, including trans people (See Budget 2023, chapter 4)- A one-time emergency investment of $1.5M to Fierte Canada Pride to help pride organizations address increased security and insurance costs during the 2023 Pride season, see Statement- The National Action Plan to end Gender-Based Violence, which serves as a framework for a Canada free of gender-based violence, including violence against 2SLGBTQI+ people, and is supported by an investment of $539.3M over five years.- The criminalization of so-called ‘conversion therapies in 2022, see Statement- Amending the Canadian Human Rights Act in 2017 to protect gender identity and gender expressionIn addition, through Canada’s first 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, the Government of Canada will build on our work to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country. Launched in 2022, and supported by an investment of $100 million, the Action Plan enables the federal government to advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan will achieve these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The Action Plan commits the Government of Canada to engage everyone in Canada in fostering a 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive present and future and commits up to $5.6 million to enhance inclusion and break down stigma and discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including transgender and gender diverse people, through an awareness campaign. In May 2023, the Government completed public opinion research to inform the development of the awareness campaign, see  report and in August 2023, the Government awarded a competitively-sourced contract to a marketing firm to develop, manage and implement this campaign.The Government of Canada is watching closely as the situation surrounding policies touching transgender and non-binary people across Canada develops. In the present context, the Government of Canada is supporting 2SLGBTQI+ organizations across the country so that they can join and participate in these important discussions. It is not just up to the 2SLGBTQI+ community to speak up and defend their rights, collectively as Canadians we all have a duty to defend minority rights. The Government of Canada and the department of Women and Gender Equality is deeply concerned about the coordinated and organized efforts to target and spread hatred towards hate the 2SLGBTQI+ community. It is now more important than ever to show our solidarity with the 2SLGBTQI+ community because every time a Canadian feels free to affirm who they are, or who they love, our country is stronger for it.
Canadian Charter of Rights and FreedomsCivil and human rightsGender identity and gender expressionSexual and gender minorities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 20, 2024441-02069441-02069 (Taxation)CarolHughesAlgoma—Manitoulin—KapuskasingNDPONFebruary 5, 2024March 20, 2024November 21, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 20, 2024e-4877e-4877 (Justice)JihanAmminikandiyilElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMarch 20, 2024, at 3:24 p.m. (EDT)July 18, 2024, at 3:24 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="300004" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Canadian Heritage</Addressee>Whereas:Canada is home to a large number of people from South India and Sri Lanka, especially with the Tamil Diaspora rumoured to be the largest outside of South Asia;Canada’s two largest movie chains, Cineplex and Landmark, do not play South Indian movies in their cinemas due to recurring vandalism incidents while playing them;In the absence of these two top chains, South Indian movie lovers are made to watch these movies in sub-standard theatres at higher ticket prices;All theatres that play South Indian movies charge a higher amount for ticket prices than their usual ticket prices. An average ticket price for a South Indian movie is $16, and sometimes as high as $25, whereas the average ticket price in Canada is $12; andWithout Cineplex, many South Indian movie lovers are unable to watch the movies, because of a lack of theatres in those cities.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Direct law enforcement to get to the bottom of the vandalism incidents that seem to affect only Cineplex and Landmark;2. Direct the competition bureau to investigate the cartel like behaviour with respect to South Indian movies, and determine if there has been price fixing and bring the involved actors to justice; and3. Direct Cineplex and Landmark to start playing South Indian movies, and provide any recourse with respect to law enforcement measures.Anti-competitive practicesIndiaMoviesVandalism44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 20, 2024e-4743e-4743 (Justice)KayleeLindbergBobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCDecember 20, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT)March 19, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT)March 20, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The crime rate in Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety and community wellbeing;Since 2015, violent crime in Canada has increased by 39%, gang-related homicides have increased by 108%, repeat offenders are obtaining bail easily, decriminalization of drugs has caused increased concern for public safety, and increasing crime and violence is putting Canadians at risk;Many residents in the cities of Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Prince George and surrounding communities feel unsafe in their own neighbourhoods due to the increase in drive-by shootings and drug-related crime; andRural communities should not have to accept the violent, financial, societal, and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to:1. Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada;2. End the decriminalization of hard drugs;3. Stop the tax-funded handout of hard drugs; and4. Invest money into treatment and recovery and bring our loved ones home drug-free.Crime and criminalityDecriminalizationDrug use and abusePublic health44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024441-02248441-02248 (Democratic process)LenWebberCalgary ConfederationConservativeABMarch 19, 2024February 20, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024441-02247441-02247 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMarch 19, 2024June 7, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Free and fair trials, judicial independence, and the rule of law are all cornerstones to Canada's democracy;
  • Since June 2019, protests for democracy, freedom, universal suffrage, and regional autonomy have been occurring in Hong Kong;
  • On many occasions, peaceful protestors of Hong Kong are charged and convicted of penal offences through a judiciary that is neither impartial, fair, or free;
  • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c.27), Section 36 renders foreign nationals who have committed or been convicted of a foreign offence outside Canada inadmissible on grounds of criminality and serious criminality; and
  • Hong Kong people who have been arbitrarily charged and convicted with pro-democracy movement related penal offences for political purposes are at risk of being deemed inadmissible to enter Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Recognize the politicization of the judiciary in Hong Kong and its impact on the legitimacy and validity of criminal convictions; 2. Affirm its commitment to render all National Security Law charges and convictions irrelevant and invalid in relation to Section 36(1)(c); 3. Create a mechanism by which Hong Kong people with pro-democracy movement related convictions may provide an explanation for such convictions, on the basis of which Government officials can grant exemptions to Hong Kong people who are deemed inadmissible under A36(1)(b), (2)(b), and (2)(c) upon examination of the circumstances and determination that the applicant's criminal record is political in nature; and 4. Work with the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other democracies to waive criminal inadmissibility of Hong Kong people convicted for political purposes, who otherwise do not have a criminal record.
Civil and human rightsCriminal recordsForeign policyHong KongImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024441-02246441-02246 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBMarch 19, 2024May 15, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024441-02245441-02245 (Taxation)KellyBlockCarlton Trail—Eagle CreekConservativeSKMarch 19, 2024December 13, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024e-4567e-4567 (Culture and heritage)ERICKAAGUILERAJulieDzerowiczDavenportLiberalONSeptember 11, 2023, at 2:16 p.m. (EDT)October 11, 2023, at 2:16 p.m. (EDT)March 19, 2024October 11, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Canada is home to more than 1.2+ million people whose first language is Spanish. As Spanish speaking immigrants who have settled in this country, our language is an important part of our cultural and ethnic diversity, identity, and traditions;An annual celebration, of Spanish Language Day promotes multilingualism and recognizes the history, culture, traditions, and contribution of the Spanish-speaking communities in Canada;This language day was established by the UN in 2010 to promote the Spanish language while celebrating cultural diversity. Celebrating and proclaiming the Spanish Language Day will increase awareness of the importance of languages and the respect for the history, cultures, and achievements of all the Spanish-speaking communities. Coincidentally, Spanish Language Day and English Language Day are recognized and celebrated on April 23 around the world;Celebrating and proclaiming the Spanish Language Day aligns with Canada’s strategies to celebrate multiculturalism, inclusion, and diversity. According to Statistics Canada, Spanish is the third most spoken language after the official languages;The cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, and Toronto have proclaimed Spanish language day. In addition, a greeting from the Premier of Ontario was provided; andPromoting multilingualism allows people to conect and understand each other, collaborate and continue to foster identity and community.We, the undersigned, Members of the Spanish Speaking Communities in Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to Proclaim April 23rd as Spanish Language Day at the Federal level to continue promoting the development and contribution of the entire Hispanic community in Canada.SpanishSpanish Language Day44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024e-4631e-4631 (Foreign affairs)NadiyaFrewMichaelKramRegina—WascanaConservativeSKOctober 17, 2023, at 3:49 p.m. (EDT)February 14, 2024, at 3:49 p.m. (EDT)March 19, 2024February 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The federal government of Canada has recognized the Russian federation as a foreign state supporting terrorism; andThe federal government of Canada has issued sanctions against the Russian federation and various Russian federation officials, yet it continues to extend state immunity to the Russian federation, thereby preventing Canadian nationals and residents from seeking remedies against the Russian federation in Canadian courts.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to issue an order adding the Russian federation to the list of foreign states that support terrorism, pursuant to S.6.(1) and (2) of the State Immunity Act R.S.C., 1985, c.S-18.RussiaSupporters of terrorismUkraineWar44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024441-02242441-02242 (Employment and labour)GeorgeChahalCalgary SkyviewLiberalABMarch 19, 2024February 27, 2024Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Safety is the primary concern for every transport driver across Canada;These professional drivers navigate Canada's road network 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, serving as the backbone of our economy; andOwner/operators in Canada's Transportation industry find themselves at the mercy of unscrupulous operations across the country. Transport contracts are traded by operations that offer no value to consumers before ultimately being assigned to owner/operators.Therefore: We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to study, amend, and create legislation that will create safer driving, working, and long-term economic conditions for transport drivers; We call upon the Government of Canada to work with all provinces and territories to facilitate the establishment of a Transport Driver Bill of Rights, which would include:
  • The establishment of transparent contracts for industry members including all transaction details;
  • Owner/operators right to access load freight rates from brokerage or contractors;
  • Establishing minimum rates per kilometer of travel with annual review processes;
  • Mandate layover, downtime, and load cancellation fees to be paid to owner/operators by the shipper or broker according to the expenses;
  • Mandate access to washrooms at any business where goods are delivered or washrooms are available to staff or patrons;
  • Determine the fines or penalties that shippers will incur for failing to firmly secure their cargo in the motor vehicle;
  • Determine the fines or penalties that shippers will incur if cargo is overweight on the axle;
  • Determine the cap on brokerage fee; and
We call upon the Government of Canada to work with provinces and territories to twin the Trans-Canada Highway and mandate rest stations (with washrooms) across the country for the safety and wellbeing of drivers.
Federal-provincial-territorial relationsTrucking and truckersWorking hours, terms and conditions
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024441-02241441-02241 (Culture and heritage)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMarch 19, 2024March 17, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS
  • In April 2022, the Government of Canada announced it would be contributing $454,112 and the Province of British Columbia would be providing $9,545,888 towards a new regional aquatic centre in the District of Kent;
  • In the months since this announcement, inflation and supply chain challenges have increased the cost of construction by approximately 30 per cent and the District is in need of additional funding;
  • The Government of Canada has been open to funding flexibility when it comes to projects in rural communities and in support of reconciliation;
  • Indigenous families living on-reserve in the areas surrounding Kent District utilize many services in the community and would be well served by this aquatic centre; and
  • The District of Kent received written support for the project from surrounding communities, including the Seabird Island, Cheam, Stó:lo, Sts'ailes, Sq'éwlets, Skawahlook, Popkum and Peters First Nations, the Village of Harrison Hot Springs and the Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Areas 'C' and 'D'.
THEREFOREWe, the undersigned residents of the District of Kent, Harrison Hot Springs, the Seabird Island, Cheam, Stó:lo, Sts'ailes, Sq'éwlets, Skawahlook, Popkum and Peters First Nations and the Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Areas 'C' and 'D', call upon the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities to provide additional funding to support the construction of the Lets'emot Regional Aquatic Centre.
AgassizSport and recreation facilities
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024441-02240441-02240 (Correctional system)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMarch 19, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • At the direction of the Liberal government, the Correctional Service of Canada is operating the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal correctional institutions, effectively encouraging illicit drugs use in prisons;
  • Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;
  • The presence of needles for illicit drug use in correctional institutions presents a severe safety risk to both inmates and correctional officers;
  • The already hazardous workplace of the correctional officer is made more dangerous by the presence of the PNEP; and
  • The Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy should focus on helping Canadians recover from addiction and receive treatment, not on supporting these addictions.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the Prison Needle Exchange Program's operations, stop permitting the use of illicit drugs in Canadian prions, and focus the efforts on helping inmates recover from their addictions.
Correctional facilitiesDrug use and abuseNeedle exchange program
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024441-02239441-02239 (Transportation)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMarch 19, 2024February 23, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS:
  • Public transportation is a serious impediment for thousands of residents living along the 516 km Lower Mainland/Fraser Canyon/Northern British Columbia corridor;
  • With the cessation of passenger rail service serving communities between North Vancouver to Prince George in 2002, not only is direct access to medical care, social opportunities in major centers and family visits not possible, but tourism has declined by 82%. By reinstating the passenger rail service, this magnificent attractive landscape would be open to thousands of visitors each year; and
  • The rail lines have been maintained and would not only help grow local economies and jobs but contribute to major climate change initiatives by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle traffic.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Tourism, along with the Minister of Transport to re-establish passenger rail service to Lillooet, B.C.
British ColumbiaLillooetRail transportation and railways
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 19, 2024e-4726e-4726 (Justice)ChrisJonesBrendanHanleyYukonLiberalYTDecember 15, 2023, at 10:56 a.m. (EDT)February 13, 2024, at 10:56 a.m. (EDT)March 19, 2024February 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Since the introduction of medical assistance in dying (MAID) in Canada in 2016 and its subsequent enhancement in 2021, Canadians have taken advantage of this lawful, medically overseen procedure to end their own suffering in a peaceful and dignified manner;Many people across this country (over 80%) reasonably believe that they should be able to specify in a written, voluntary, and witnessed statement their desire to consent in advance to the provision of MAID when they have a capacity-diminishing illness, disease, or disorder, and the triggering conditions which they have previously described as intolerable suffering to them, are observable and verified by a clinician;The law as currently written does not allow for this option, meaning that people seek MAID earlier than desired, because their disease progression eventually robs them of the ability to provide consent, and, in so doing, they potentially miss out on quality years of life; andAccording to the Canadian Bar Association, an Advance Request respects the fundamental Charter principle of security of the person and the sanctity of personal autonomy.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Justice to bring forward an amendment to the Criminal Code to set out a specific framework for an advance request for MAID by individuals who have received a diagnosis of a capacity diminishing, grievous, and irremediable medical condition and who would wish an assisted death when they reach an advanced state of decline, their suffering becomes intolerable, and diminished capacity prevents them from giving contemporaneous consent.Medical assistance in dying44th Parliament229Not certifiedMarch 19, 2024e-4704e-4704 (Citizenship and immigration)JamesonGalaHon.SorayaMartinez FerradaHochelagaLiberalQCDecember 19, 2023, at 10:51 a.m. (EDT)March 18, 2024, at 10:51 a.m. (EDT)March 19, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas:The Family-Based Humanitarian Program for Colombians, Haitians and Venezuelans does not allow Canadian citizens or permanent residents living in the province of Quebec to sponsor their family;Over 90% of Canadian citizens of Haitian, Colombian and Venezuelan origin live in the province of Quebec;The Family-Based Humanitarian Program for Colombians, Haitians and Venezuelans is marked by systemic discrimination against their families, as compared with the programs available to Syrians, Afghans and Ukrainians, who are eligible in every province;The labour of Haitian, Colombian and Venezuelan immigrants contributes significantly to the health care system, education and other sectors;According to the UN, heavily armed gangs have taken control of Haiti, and cases of kidnapping, ransom and sexual violence have increased at least 105%, while homicides have increased by 35%;Canada is known for its compassion for all peoples who are victims of humanitarian crises; andThe Family-Based Humanitarian Program for Colombians, Haitians and Venezuelans completely misses the mark by excluding Canadian citizens and permanent residents from the province of Quebec.We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to: 1. Intervene with the Government of Quebec to have this prohibition removed so that Canadian citizens and permanent residents in the province of Quebec can participate in the Family-Based Humanitarian Program for Colombians, Haitians and Venezuelans; and2. Reiterate his intention to stand shoulder to shoulder with Haitian, Colombian and Venezuelan immigrants.ColombiaFamily-based humanitarian program for Colombians, Haitians and VenezuelansHaitiImmigration and immigrantsProvince of QuebecVenezuela44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 19, 2024e-4758e-4758 (Citizenship and immigration)MariaKartashevaAnitaVandenbeldOttawa West—NepeanLiberalONJanuary 17, 2024, at 4:29 p.m. (EDT)March 17, 2024, at 4:29 p.m. (EDT)March 19, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The current process for evaluating immigration and citizenship applications unfairly places the burden on those facing political persecution to prove that foreign laws they're accused of violating aren't crimes in Canada, and this places undue stress to those who have suffered under autocratic regimes;We propose an official list that automatically disqualifies political laws as valid reasons for denying refuge, humanitarian or other visas, or Canadian citizenship;Autocratic regimes craft laws, for the purpose of political persecution, that look just to those unfamiliar with their political context, for example, in the Russian Federation, Articles 207.3, 280.3, and 284.2 were added to the Criminal Code after the Ukraine invasion to suppress truth about the war and persecute dissenters;Implementing this list would streamline Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reviews, expediting applications for those persecuted under these laws, and preventing delays for those wrongly perceived as criminals; andPolitical context for understanding these laws as political prosecution, not crimes, can be provided by the Canadian Ministry of Global Affairs, they already use this information to sanction regimes for human rights violations.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to establish a pre-approved list of laws used for political persecution that don’t have an equivalent in Canada, for the purpose of fast-tracking the evaluation of immigration and citizenship applications during the Prohibitions sections of said applications.Application processCriminal chargesImmigration and immigrantsLegislation44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 18, 2024e-4773e-4773 (Foreign affairs)AnnaMiedemaMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJanuary 22, 2024, at 10:43 a.m. (EDT)February 21, 2024, at 10:43 a.m. (EDT)March 18, 2024February 21, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:We are Mennonites, Anabaptists, and other peace seeking Christians, whose shared values compel us to follow Jesus Christ’s model of active peacemaking;We were shocked and horrified by Hamas’ brutal attacks against Israeli civilians on October 7; andWe are heartbroken and horrified by Israel’s continuing attacks on Palestinian civilians that have resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, including thousands of children.We, the undersigned, Mennonites, Anabaptists, and Christians, citizens or residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately help broker a substantial, permanent ceasefire;2. Help negotiate the release of all hostages;3. Halt arms sales to Israel and work with partners to end illegal arms transfers to Hamas; and4. Advocate for diplomacy and a political solution that ends the occupation of Palestine, and that builds toward dignity for all Israelis and Palestinians.Foreign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 18, 2024441-02236441-02236 (Fisheries)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMarch 18, 2024October 12, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:A public survey done in 2011 found that 70% of British Columbians agree with the statement that, "wild Pacific salmon are as important to British Columbians as the French language is to Quebeckers"; The Fraser River sockeye run unexpectedly collapsed in 2009, with only 1 million of the expected 10 million salmon returning to spawn; This collapse prompted the Government of Canada to launch a comprehensive Federal Commission of Inquiry, headed by the Honourable Bruce Cohen and released in 2012, to investigate the cause of this catastrophic decline; Among the 75 recommendations stemming from Justice Cohen's inquiry were:
  • The Government of Canada should remove from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans mandate the promotion of salmon farming as an industry and farmed salmon as a product,
  • The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should explicitly consider proximity to migrating Fraser River sockeye when siting salmon farms, should consider relocating existing salmon farms that are too close to existing salmon runs, and should consider prohibiting net-pen salmon farming altogether, especially in the Discovery Islands,
  • Department of Fisheries and Oceans should encourage British Columbia to require users of pesticides in forestry and agriculture to record, and report annually to the province, the areas where pesticides were applied and the amounts used, and
  • To improve future sustainability of the Fraser River sockeye, the Government of Canada should champion, within Canada and internationally, reasonable steps to address the causes of warming waters and climate change; and
Years later, the recommendations made by Justice Cohen in the Inquiry have yet to be implemented. THEREFORE, YOUR PETITIONERS call upon the House of Commons to act on the precautionary principle and immediately implement all of the 75 recommendations made by Justice Cohen to save our salmon.
Cohen CommissionFisheries policyFisheries stocksFraser RiverPacific fisheriesSockeye salmon
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 18, 2024e-4454e-4454 (Citizenship and immigration)Kanwar Sumit SinghSierahHon.RubySahotaBrampton NorthLiberalONOctober 18, 2023, at 2:53 p.m. (EDT)February 15, 2024, at 2:53 p.m. (EDT)March 18, 2024February 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278908" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship</Addressee>Whereas:Since 2017, international students who completed a two year program from an eligible designated learning institution (DLI) have already received a four and a half year post-graduation work permit (PGWP) (three year originally and eighteen months extension under Public Policy for PGWP extension);Since 2019, international students who have completed a one year program from an eligible DLI have already received a two and a half year PGWP (one year originally and eighteen months under public policy for PGWP extension);The Government of Canada has ample data to support a permanent change to PGWP length just like it has done in other programs like Labour Market Impact Assessment(LMIA) based work permit and Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) (T13) work permits;Graduates with no prior work experience find it hard to get skilled jobs upon completion of their studies. Longer tenure will assist in gaining helpful skills;Increased length of PGWP will address key issues like job offers being sold by businesses, LMIA scams and running dummy payrolls by so-called employees;Current PGWP length creates stress and anxiety amongst work permit holders who are not able to get skilled jobs and hence subject to exploitation; andThree public policies have been introduced in year 2021, 2022 and 2023 to provide this relief to PGWP holders.We, the undersigned, Post Graduate Work Permit Holders, International Students and RCIC, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to increase the length of the Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) to five years for anyone completing at least two years of study in Canada and two years for anyone completing a one-year study in Canada.Foreign studentsPost-Graduation Work Permit ProgramWork permits44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 18, 2024441-02234441-02234 (Health)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMarch 18, 2024March 14, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS:
  • Health Canada is significantly changing natural health product (NHPs) regulations;
  • Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs along with new labelling laws, which means, consumer prices will rise and consumer choice will decline;
  • Many Canadians rely on NHPs, which include basic everyday products such as toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics and fibre; and
  • Canada's current standards on natural health products already keep people safe.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to stop changing natural health product (NHPs) regulations.
Natural health products
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 18, 2024e-4391e-4391 (Parliament and politics)JohnBourassaBradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCApril 12, 2023, at 3:48 p.m. (EDT)July 11, 2023, at 3:48 p.m. (EDT)March 18, 2024July 12, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:With current polling showing only one in five Canadians support the monarchy;Canadians no longer support the monarchy and are wishing to abolish the monarchy;Canadians are ready to elect our own head of state and recommend the new office be termed "Chancellor of Canada";Canadians would save on paying for a residence in every province and territory as they have a Lieutenant Governor that tax payers pay for;All treaties with our Indigenous would be automatically transferred to this new office;Canadians seek to have the office act as a proper check and balance and not just a rubber stamp; andCanadians ask that our provinces and territories, work in a cooperative open and fair process to prevent provinces from hijacking the amending process for constitution.We, the undersigned, Citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to start the process to abolish the monarchy in its entirety in Canada and create a new office which recommend being called "Chancellor of Canada." We call upon the house and the provinces to install in the new office power to check and control the balance of power and not let it become just a rubber stamp. We ask that terms for office be limited to five year terms, with no more than two terms in total and the chancellor will be of Canadian citizenship only, and or must renounce former citizenship prior to swearing in to office.Constitutional monarchyElected officials44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 18, 2024441-02232441-02232 (Food and drink)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 18, 2024March 15, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • The Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food recommends that the Government of Canada increase its support to local and regional food system sustainability such as by encouraging:
    • - The development of small-scale community-based food systems;
    • - The building of local processing capacity, including regional slaughter capacity; and
    • - The development and expansion of initiatives aiming to strengthen food security such as the Local Food Infrastructure Fund;
  • The Government understands that there is a need to strengthen local and regional production, processing and distribution to ensure that our food systems are resilient and innovative and promote food security for Canadians;
  • Processing utilization in Ontario has increased from approximately 70% in 2015 to 100% in 2021. In 2021, Ontario provincial processing numbers were up approximately 20% on 2020 and 5-year averages and the processing volumes did not change in 2022 resulting in an unsustainable utilization rate at provincial abattoirs;
  • Many processing plants are operating at or above capacity for significant portions of the year due to increased beef demand;
  • While the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the focus on processing capacity, the beef sector across eastern Canada has had to contend with capacity challenges for some time due to a variety of factors that have led to periodic supply bottlenecks, significant negative pressure on farm gate prices, and lost market opportunities;
  • Some beef farmers must wait six to nine months and in many cases up to one year in advance to have their cattle processed at provincial facilities;
  • The abattoir, located at Joyceville Institution on Highway 15 in Ontario closed at the end of September 2022;
  • The closure has put even more strain on processing at abattoirs negatively impacting processing wait times even more for beef farmers in Lanark and Frontenac counties; and
  • The closure has had negative economic impacts on neighbouring businesses and restaurants that relied on products from the abattoir.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to explore all options to ensure the abattoir located at Joyceville Institution is re-opened to address the issues noted above.
AbattoirsJoyceville Institution
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 18, 2024441-02231441-02231 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 18, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Glenburnie Public School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsMarch 18, 2024441-02230441-02230 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONMarch 18, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02068441-02068 (Taxation)BonitaZarrilloPort Moody—CoquitlamNDPBCFebruary 2, 2024March 18, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02067441-02067 (Citizenship and immigration)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCFebruary 2, 2024March 18, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipWhereas:
  • The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine is a grave violation of international law and has displaced millions of Ukrainians;
  • Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) measures were in place to help Ukrainians and their family members come to Canada as quickly as possible;
  • The CUAET application stream is now closed as of July 15, 2023;
  • The recent pathway to permanent residence for Ukrainian families announced on October 23, 2023, excludes many Ukrainians who came to Canada under the CUAET who do not have family residing in Canada; and
  • Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy, and has a strong tradition of welcoming refugees;
Therefore:
  • We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada to make available a specialized permanent residency pathway for Ukrainians currently in Canada under CUAET provisions that does not require them to have a Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.As Russia continues its illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, Canada remains steadfast in its support for those who have been forced to flee. This includes helping people find a temporary safe haven in Canada and providing them with the support they need.In order to respond to this unprecedented invasion, the Government of Canada launched the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) on March 17, 2022. These measures provide Ukrainians and their immediate family members the opportunity to stay in Canada as temporary residents for up to three years. Overall, Canada received close to 1.2 million[1]overseas applications, of which over 958,000[2]applications have been approved as of January 27, 2024, and over 221,000[3]CUAET holders have arrived in Canada from abroad.CUAET holders arriving in Canada by March 31, 2024, continue to be eligible for one-time transitional financial assistance of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child (17 years and under), temporary accommodations for up to 14 nights, and access to free study permits, open work permits and multiple entry visas valid up to 10 year (or passport validity) with an extended stay of up to three years. The study permits and open work permits allow CUAET holders to enroll in an education program in Canada or work anywhere in Canada for almost any employer.    While overseas application intake for CUAET closed on July 15, 2023, Ukrainians and their family members can still apply through regular IRCC channels for a regular temporary resident visa (TRV) to come to Canada. Once inside Canada, until March 31, 2024, these clients are still eligible to apply for study permits, open work permits, and an extended stay of up to three years, for a fee and will receive priority application processing.All Ukrainian temporary residents and their family members also continue to be eligible for federally-funded settlement services until March 31, 2025. These temporary measures have been successful in allowing Ukrainians to find safety in Canadaand fully participate in Canadian communities while they are here.The Government of Canada continues to work closely with provincial, territorial and municipal partners, as well as settlement service providers and the Ukrainian-Canadian community, to welcome Ukrainians and  Canada continues to adapt its response to help those fleeing violence.On October 23, 2023, IRCC launched a new family reunification pathway to permanent residence for Ukrainian nationals who want to stay in Canada permanently.  To qualify, Ukrainian nationals must be in Canada with valid temporary resident status and have a Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member in Canada. Since the start of the public policy and February 6, 2024, IRCC has received just over 1,150 applications from principal applicants, with over 850 accompanying dependents, for a total of just over 2,000 persons.In addition to the family reunification pathway, Ukrainians who wish to immigrate to Canada permanently can apply for permanent residence through various existing immigration programs and streams. The extended visit, work and study status offered by CUAET – as well as access to settlement services – will help those seeking to transition through these programs. This could be by improving language skills, gaining work experience in Canada or having their foreign credentials recognized. Between January 1, 2022 and January 27, 2024, 8,278 Ukrainian national’s applications for permanent residence through these programs have been approved (in persons).The Government of Canada is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to assess whether further immigration measures may be required. Any new developments would be communicated publicly.[1]Mesures d’immigration pour l’Ukraine :Statistiques clés as of January 27, 2024[2]Mesures d’immigration pour l’Ukraine :Statistiques clés as of January 27, 2024[3]Mesures d’immigration pour l’Ukraine :Statistiques clés as of January 27, 2024
Permanent resident statusUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02066441-02066 (Taxation)RachelBlaneyNorth Island—Powell RiverNDPBCFebruary 2, 2024March 18, 2024December 13, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02065441-02065 (Health)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONFebruary 2, 2024March 18, 2024January 19, 2024Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content.The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02064441-02064 (Justice)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONFebruary 2, 2024March 18, 2024January 19, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:
  • Canadians with mental illness should be provided with treatment and support;
  • Mental illness is complex and can include suicidal thoughts as a symptom; and
  • The lives of Canadians with mental illness will be at risk when they are eligible for medical assistance in dying (MAID) on the basis of mental illness alone, especially when treatment and support are not readily available.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to reverse the law extending eligibility for MAID to people with mental illness as their sole medical condition.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviThe Government of Canada believes that Canadians deserve to live in comfort and dignity, with access to care, including end-of-life care, that is appropriate to their needs and that respects their wishes. It recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a very personal choice, and is committed to a measured, thoughtful and compassionate approach to help ensure that Canada’s MAID system meets the needs of people in Canada, protect those who may be vulnerable, and supports autonomy and freedom of choice of individuals. The safety and security of our most vulnerable people remains at the forefront of our actions as the Government takes a careful and considered approach on the implementation of MAID for persons where the sole underlying condition is mental illness.Important progress has been made to prepare for MAID eligibility for persons whose sole medical condition is a mental illness. However, in consultations with the provinces, territories, medical professionals and other stakeholders, the Government of Canada has heard – and agrees – that the health system is not yet ready for this expansion.On February 29, 2024, Bill C-62 received Royal Assent and immediately came into force. The legislation delays by three years eligibility for MAID for persons suffering solely from a mental illness, until March 17, 2027. Additionally, the new law requires that a joint parliamentary committee undertake a comprehensive review relating to the eligibility for MAID of persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness within two years. This measure will further serve to examine progress made by provinces, territories, and partners, in achieving overall health care system readiness.This three-year extension will provide provinces and territories with additional time to ensure their health care systems are ready, as well as provide practitioners with more time to participate in training and become familiar with available supports, guidelines and standards.This delay is also in line with the recommendations of the Special Joint Committee on MAID (AMAD) in their report, MAID and Mental Disorders: The Road Ahead, which was tabled on January 29, 2024. While recognising that considerable progress has been made in preparing for the expansion of eligibility for persons suffering solely mental illness, AMAD recommended that it not be made available in Canada until the health care system can safely and adequately provide MAID for these cases.Supporting the mental health and well-being of Canadians remains a priority for the Government of Canada. Work with provinces and territories, and stakeholders, including through Government of Canada investments, will continue to support individuals and communities across the country who need help, now and in the future.The Government of Canada has made significant investments in this space. For example, Budget 2023 confirmed the Government’s commitment to invest close to $200 billion over ten years, starting in 2023-24, to improve health care for Canadians, including $25 billion to the Provinces and Territories via tailored bilateral agreements which will focus on four key priorities, including improving access to mental health and substance use services and the integration of these services in community family health services. This investment will build on the Budget 2017 investments, which include $2.4 billion from 2023-24 to 2026-27 that has yet to flow to PTs for mental health and addictions services.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target population include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.In addition, Budget 2023 announced $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline. 9-8-8 went live and operational on November 30, 2023 and is providing people across Canada with access to suicide prevention support through trained responders by phone calls and text, 24/7/365, in English and French.  The 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline is led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), which has recruited 39 local, provincial, and national crisis and distress lines to the 9-8-8 responder network to offer suicide prevention supports across Canada. Since its launch, 9-8-8 has received approximately 1,000 phone calls and 350 texts each day.Mental health and the well-being of Canadians is a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in mental health services and work with Provinces and Territories and key stakeholders to support the mental health needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02063441-02063 (Business and trade)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBFebruary 2, 2024March 18, 2024January 26, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Back on September 22, at a time of War the President of Ukraine came to Canada to sign the modernized Canada Ukraine Free Trade Agreement;Bill C-57 will put into law the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power and buildings sectors.
C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and UkraineCanada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02062441-02062 (Taxation)LaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCFebruary 2, 2024March 18, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02061441-02061 (Food and drink)MartinShieldsBow RiverConservativeABFebruary 2, 2024March 18, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • Provincial farmers' market nutrition coupon programs are successful with multiple impacts including strengthening food security, sustaining local farmers and foodlands, providing nutritionally vulnerable households access to healthy locally grown foods, promoting community inclusion and reducing social isolation, and positively impacting the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of fresh fruits, vegetables and proteins they eat;
  • In 2022 18.5% of all Canadians experienced food insecurity, up from nearly 16% in 2021;
  • The Government of Canada introduced its Food Policy for Canada in 2019, the Emergency Food Security Fund in 2020, and the Local Food Infrastructure Fund in 2020, yet Canada's food insecurity rates continue to rise;
  • Since 2012, the British Columbia Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program has increased access to healthy, nutritious food at farmers' markets while directly supporting BC farmers and supporting food security across the province;
  • Other provinces including Nova Scotia (since 2019) and Manitoba (since 2020) and their provincial farmers' market organisations have also implemented highly successful programs;
  • 100% of coupon dollars redeemed in farmers' market nutrition coupon programs directly benefit Canadian farmers and producers;
  • Demand for food security measures is soaring in Canada; and
  • A federal nutrition coupon program fund would assist in meeting this demand, encourage provinces without a provincial nutrition coupon program to create one, and support those provinces who have a provincial nutrition coupon program to expand to meet demand.
Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, petition to call upon the Government of Canada to create a national nutrition coupon program fund that will strengthen and grow all existing and proposed provincial and territorial farmers' markets nutrition coupon programs across Canada.
Response by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, PC, MPOn June 17, 2019, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) launched the first Food Policy for Canada, a whole-of-government approach supporting the vision that “All people in Canada are able to access a sufficient amount of safe, nutritious and culturally diverse food. Canada’s food system is resilient and innovative, sustains our environment, and supports our economy.”The Food Policy for Canada is an ambitious initiative, the product of consultation and collaboration with Canadians across the country. The Government of Canada heard from more than 45,000 Canadians, including agricultural producers and processors, experts in environment, health and food security, Indigenous groups, non-government organizations, and community advocates.Recognizing the importance of helping communities access healthy food, AAFC is delivering the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, a Food Policy initiative with $70 million in funding to strengthen local food systems and to facilitate access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations.To date, the Local Food Infrastructure Fund has committed $64.8 million to support over 1,100 vital food security projects across Canada, such as: community gardens and kitchens; refrigerated trucks and storage units for donated food; greenhouses in remote and Northern communities; and more.The Government of Canada also delivered the $330 million Emergency Food Security Fund by providing funding to national and regional organizations, which in turn supported food banks and local food organizations across Canada. This emergency fund helped improve access to food for people experiencing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.In British Columbia, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program (FMNCP) is supported by the Province of British Columbia, the Provincial Health Services Authority, and community donors. The Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund (HCCF) program, which was previously known as the Multi-sectoral Partnerships Program to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease, supported a similar initiative with an investment of $1.5M from 2019 to 2025 to expand Community Food Centres Canada’s Market Greens initiative to 30 locations across Canada. The Market Greens initiative supports increased access to low-cost fresh produce markets and offers fruit and vegetable vouchers/coupons that can be used at participating local affordable markets.The HCCF program supports projects that increase access to healthy foods through supportive food environments, which are important determinants of healthy eating behaviours. Projects such as FMNCP that address social and physical environments affecting the accessibility and types of healthy foods available to communities are eligible for funding through HCCF.Through the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership, the Government of Canada contributes to cost-shared programming for provinces and territories to advance regional priorities, which can include nutrition coupon programs at farmers markets. For example, in 2023, a grant of $1.1M through the Province of Manitoba under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership supported Direct Farm Manitoba in delivering an expanded Manitoba Community Food Currency Program to empower Manitobans facing food insecurity to purchase locally produced fruit, vegetables, meat and processed foods at farmers’ markets.Thank you for the sharing your proposal to improve Canadians’ access to healthy, local foods through farmers markets and FMNCPs. The Government of Canada remains committed to considering all opportunities to improve food security for Canadians and a vibrant, productive agriculture sector in Canada.
Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon ProgramFarmers marketsFood and drinkFood supply
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4647e-4647 (Foreign affairs)MichaelBybelezerAnthonyHousefatherMount RoyalLiberalQCOctober 24, 2023, at 2:36 p.m. (EDT)November 23, 2023, at 2:36 p.m. (EDT)February 1, 2024March 18, 2024November 23, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas:Canada recognizes Hamas as a radical Islamist-nationalist terrorist organization;Hamas uses the Gaza Strip as a base for terrorist operations aimed against both civilian and military targets in Israel;On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched an unprovoked terrorist campaign within Israeli borders, murdering over 1,300 Israeli civilians and military personnel, injuring thousands more, and abducting upwards of 200 Israeli hostages, including infants, children, men, women, and the elderly into Gaza.We, the undersigned, concerned citizens of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all Israeli hostages being held captive by Hamas; and to use all resources available to Canada, including diplomatic, economic, and military to apply pressure on Hamas to release the Israeli hostages; and to reaffirm Canada's commitment to supporting the State of Israel in its defense against terrorism.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7. The appalling loss of life and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence, are tragic. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for their immediate and unconditional release.Canada supports Israel’s right to exist and to defend itself in accordance with international law. Canada has also been clear that, in defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Canada has also been clear that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, and safe and unimpeded humanitarian access must be sustained. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.Hamas is a terrorist organization, listed under Canadian law. Nothing can justify its horrific attacks.Canada imposed new sanctions on 11 individuals that hold senior positions within Hamas or its affiliates, and were integral to the planning, funding and execution of the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel.Canada is calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada reiterates that any ceasefire cannot be one-sided, Hamas must immediately release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. As the already untenable humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, it is essential that humanitarian relief reach those in need.Since October 7, Canadian leaders and officials at all levels have been actively engaged on the conflict. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of International Development are in regular contact with their counterparts, as well as Canada’s allies and partners in the region. Both Canada’s Foreign Minister and Minister of Development have travelled extensively to the region to discuss these important issues.Canada is steadfast in our commitment, and will continue to work with its partners, towards lasting peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live with peace, security, and dignity.Canada mourns the loss of innocent life in this conflict. Canada expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by this violence.
Foreign policyGazaHostagesInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsrael
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02059441-02059 (Democratic process)MarilynGladuSarnia—LambtonConservativeONFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024January 30, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, whichrecognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02058441-02058 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024February 8, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • Irresponsible practices by industry and multi-national corporations have led to the destruction and denigration of much of Canada's waterways and watersheds;
  • Current laws do not sufficiently protect Canada's waterways and watersheds from such irresponsible practices; and
  • Protecting waterways and watersheds also protects Canada's forests, fisheries, land, and air.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Update Canada's water laws to ensure that no industry or corporation takes precedence over the health of Canada's waterways and watersheds, and by extension the health of the country's people, species, and land; and
  • Ensure Canada's water laws are updated under the guidance of professionals and specialists in the field of water conservation.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTA clean and safe freshwater supply is essential to the well-being of Canadians, the health and sustainability of the environment, and the economy. Hence, the Government of Canada has committed to:
  • establishing a federal Canada Water Agency to work with the provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders to find the best ways to keep Canada’s water safe, clean, and well-managed;
  • implementing a strengthened Freshwater Action Plan, including a historic investment to provide funding to support monitoring, assessment, and restoration work in the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Lake of the Woods, St. Lawrence River, Fraser River, Saint John River, Mackenzie River, and Lake Simcoe;
  • investing in the Experimental Lakes Area in northern Ontario to support international freshwater science and research; and
  • following the establishment of a Canada Water Agency, advancing the modernization of the Canada Water Act to reflect Canada’s freshwater reality including climate change and Indigenous rights.
To advance these commitments, Budget 2023 allocated:
  • $650 million over ten years, starting in 2023-24, to support monitoring, assessment, and restoration work in the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Lake of the Woods, St. Lawrence River, Fraser River, Saint John River, Mackenzie River, and Lake Simcoe.
  • Opportunities are currently open for eligible applicants to apply for funding under five Freshwater Ecosystem Initiatives, including Great Lakes, Lake of the Woods, and Lake Winnipeg Basin (this call for applications closes on February 15, 2024) and Lake Simcoe and the Wolastoq/Saint John River (this call for applications closes on March 22, 2024).
  • The EcoAction Community Funding Program, which supports freshwater projects across Canada, is also now accepting applications until March 22, 2024.
  • Budget 2023 also allocated:
    • $22.6 million over three years, starting in 2023-24, to support better coordination of efforts to protect freshwater across Canada.
    • $85.1 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $0.4 million in remaining amortization and $21 million ongoing thereafter to support the creation of the Canada Water Agency, which will be headquartered in Winnipeg.
Budget 2022 provided:
  • $25.0 million over five years, starting in 2022-2023, for the Experimental Lakes Area in northern Ontario to support international freshwater science and research.
On June 12, 2023, the government created the Canada Water Agency as a branch within Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Agency is the federal focal point for fresh water working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, provinces, territories, and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration on fresh water.On November 30, 2023, the government introduced legislation that will fully establish the Canada Water Agency as a standalone entity. To learn more about the Canada Water Agency, please consult the Agency website at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/water-overview/canada-water-agency.html.Another way that the Government of Canada protects and conserves Canada’s water resources is by administering laws that control pollution such as the Fisheries Act.Environment and Climate Change Canada is the lead department responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Fisheries Act pollution prevention provisions (except for their application to aquaculture and the control and eradication of aquatic invasive species and aquatic pests, which are under the responsibility of the Department of Fisheries and Ocean). Subsection 36(3) prohibits the deposit of any deleterious substances in water frequented by fish or to any place where it may enter water frequented by fish, unless authorized by federal regulations. Deleterious substances include any substance that, if added to water, would degrade, alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of water so that it is rendered deleterious to fish or fish habitat or to the use of fish by humans. Any regulations developed under section 36 set strict requirements on deposits to water. These regulations can impose conditions such as limits on the maximum quantities of deleterious substances released into water, and can include environmental effects monitoring and other reporting requirements for facilities. Modern Fisheries Act regulations include the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations, the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations, and the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations.Environment and Climate Change Canada is developing proposed regulations to address deposits to water from coal mining and is investigating risk management approaches for tailings ponds from oil sands operations.To learn more about these proposed regulations, as well as upcoming improvements to existing regulations, please consult the Fisheries Act Forward Regulatory Plan 2023-2025 available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/transparency/acts-regulations/forward-regulatory-plan/2023-2025/fisheries-act.html.Environment and Climate Change Canada enforces the subsection 36(3) prohibition, as well as regulations under the Fisheries Act according to the Compliance and Enforcement Policy for Habitat Protection and Pollution Prevention Provisions of the Fisheries Act: www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-enforcement/publications/compliance-enforcement-policy-fisheries-act.html 
Environmental protectionInland watersWatersheds
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02057441-02057 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Nexus- Bayridge Secondary School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•           the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•           New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•           the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•           the Employment Insurance program; and•           the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02056441-02056 (Business and trade)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024January 26, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Back on September 22, at a time of War the President of Ukraine came to Canada to sign the modernized Canada Ukraine Free Trade Agreement;Bill C-57 will put into law the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power, and buildings sectors.
C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and UkraineCanada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02055441-02055 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan, published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
       
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02054441-02054 (Civil and human rights)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to the Prime Minister and the Minister of JusticeWHEREAS:
  • The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, section 2(b) protects "freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication";
  • The Canadian Bill of Rights, section 1, protects a) the right of the individual to life, liberty, security of the person and enjoyment of property, and the right not to be deprived thereof except by due process of law; b) the right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law; c) freedom of religion; d) freedom of speech; e) freedom of assembly and association; and f) freedom of the press; and
  • There have been instances of aggression, hostility, and repercussion in social, educational, and work environments in response to individuals expressing support for Palestinians and calling for action in response to the crisis in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice to protect Canadians' right to advocate, without fear of reprisal, for Palestinians to live in peace and security.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was enacted in 1982 as part of Canada’s Constitution. In addition to democratic rights, mobility rights, legal rights and language rights, the Charter guarantees equality rights as well as fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, assembly and association. Freedom of peaceful assembly, protected under section 2(c) of the Charter, includes the right to participate in peaceful demonstrations, protests, parades, meetings, picketing and other assemblies. The Charter applies to all government action, meaning to the provincial legislatures and Parliament, and to everything done under their authority. Section 1 of the Charter allows for reasonable limits on these rights, but only if they are demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society.
Freedom of speechPalestineProtests
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02053441-02053 (Business and trade)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024January 26, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Back on September 22, at a time of War the President of Ukraine came to Canada to sign the modernized Canada Ukraine Free Trade Agreement;Bill C-57 will put into law the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power, and buildings sectors. 
C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and UkraineCanada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4744e-4744 (Culture and heritage)WaseemIqbalMarilynGladuSarnia—LambtonConservativeONDecember 20, 2023, at 12:37 p.m. (EDT)January 19, 2024, at 12:37 p.m. (EDT)February 1, 2024March 18, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Preserving our Christian heritage, rooted in the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, is vital;We seek to celebrate December as Christian Heritage Month annually, promoting love, equality, and peace; andOur Christian foundations, recognized globally, shape our identity as a mosaic of cultures.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to celebrate December as Christian Heritage Month annually, promoting love, equality, and peace, and our Christian foundations, recognized globally, that shape our identity as a mosaic of cultures.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government of Canada would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their interest in declaring the month of December as Christian Heritage Month. The promotion and protection of human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, is an important part of Canada’s engagement in the world. Canada’s multi-cultural and multi-faith experience is reflective of our efforts to champion inclusive governance, pluralism, and respect for diversity in all spheres of society.Please note that it is not necessary for the federal government to officially declare a special day, week, month, or year in order for it to be observed by the Canadian population. In fact, we currently observe a number of special times of recognition that have been declared by entities and organizations other than the federal government. For example, Canadians celebrate Zero Discrimination Day on March 1st and Pride Month in June.The Government does officially recognize, however, certain months and days such as Black History Month in February and National Indigenous History Month in June. For more information on the recognition of special days, weeks, and months, we invite you to consult the following web page: https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/201506E? The web page describes the processes by which a day, week or month may be recognized in Canada. It also describes the difference between observances that are legal holidays, where employees are paid for time off, and those that receive symbolic recognition, with particular attention to designations at the federal level.
Christian Heritage MonthChristianity and Christians
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02051441-02051 (Social affairs and equality)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024September 15, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas a Guaranteed Liveable Income (GLI) would:
  • Guarantee a liveable monthly income to every Canadian with a social insurance number;
  • Establish an income floor below which no Canadian could fall, and reflect regional differences in cost of living;
  • Replace the current patchwork of federal and provincial income assistance programs with a single, universal, cash benefit;
  • Be progressively taxed back based on income level;
  • Be administered through the existing tax system and require no means testing, thereby dramatically reducing federal and provincial administration costs;
  • Reduce poverty, thereby reducing the demand on social services, law enforcement and health care, resulting in additional cost savings for government and taxpayers; and
  • Provide a financial safety net for all Canadians, especially through major economic shifts, pandemics, natural disasters, or industry automation.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:Implement Guaranteed Livable Income for all Canadians.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada is taking crucial steps to help make life more affordable for more Canadians, while investing to grow the economy and create jobs. It is important to acknowledge that income security is a shared responsibility across different levels of government. As such, the federal Government recognizes the importance of working with provinces and territories to find solutions to common challenges.This petition calls for the implementation of a Guaranteed Livable Income, which can be viewed as equivalent to a basic income. The Government of Canada already has ongoing programs with features of a partial basic income, such as the Canada Child Benefit for families with children, as well as the Old Age Security (OAS) pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors. In addition, existing programs such as the Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) and Employment Insurance (EI) help low-income individuals that have labour market attachment or those with insurable employment. These and other initiatives have contributed to progress on lifting Canadians out of poverty. These programs exist alongside provincial and territorial programs, including those that deliver social assistance.In addition, recent budgets introduced several measures that will help to reduce poverty and inequality. For example, Budget 2023 made significant investments to build a healthier Canada and deliver affordable dental care, including $13 billion over five years, and $4.4 billion ongoing, to implement the Canada Dental Care Plan. The Government is also working with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to build a Canada-wide, community-based early learning child care system. The federal government is providing provinces and territories with significant funding to support substantial reductions to families for the cost of regulated child care spaces.The Government of Canada also undertakes research and analysis on potential basic income programs and other approaches that could positively impact Canada’s economy and society, as part of its efforts to tackle poverty and to ensure that all Canadians have a real and fair opportunity to succeed.
Guaranteed annual income
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02050441-02050 (Justice)MichaelCooperSt. Albert—EdmontonConservativeABFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024December 12, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02049441-02049 (Correctional system)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • At the direction of the Liberal government, the Correctional Service of Canada is operating the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal correctional institutions, effectively encouraging illicit drugs use in prisons;
  • Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;
  • The presence of needles for illicit drug use in correctional institutions presents a severe safety risk to both inmates and correctional officers;
  • The already hazardous workplace of the correctional officer is made more dangerous by the presence of the PNEP; and
  • The Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy should focus on helping Canadians recover from addiction and receive treatment, not on supporting these addictions.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the Prison Needle Exchange Program's operations, stop permitting the use of illicit drugs in Canadian prions, and focus the efforts on helping inmates recover from their addictions.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Like much of Canadian society, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is experiencing the effect of Canada's opioid crisis. CSC began implementing a Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) to prevent the sharing of needles, facilitate referrals to health care services and programs, and limit the spread of infectious diseases, such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in federal institutions. It is important to note that this is just one measure that is available to incarcerated offenders and complements other existing measures. Of note, there have been no reported fatalities involving participants using our harm reduction services.Before an individual can participate in the PNEP program, CSC completes a Threat Risk Assessment (TRA), to confirm that it is suitable to allow the individual to possess a needle, similar to the one currently being used for EpiPens and needles for insulin use. As of February 1st, 2024, there have been no reported assaults on employees or incarcerated offenders involving needles used in the PNEP program. The safety and security of institutions, staff, offenders, and the public is a top priority. Preventing the introduction of contraband and reducing the use of illicit substances by incarcerated offenders in correctional institutions remains an ongoing key priority as they pose a risk to the safety and security of our institutions and impact offender rehabilitation. CSC works closely with local police agencies and communities to prevent and reduce contraband and unauthorized items, including drugs and substances, from entering institutions. Illicit drugs are considered contraband in federal institutions, and inmates found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs may be subject to administrative consequences, disciplinary charges/sanctions, and/or criminal charges.CSC has a National Drug Strategy, which incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to review and address an incarcerated individual’s substance use. Aligned with Commissioner’s Directive 585 National Drug Strategy, each institution has developed and implemented drug strategies to balance detection, deterrence, and treatment. As part of this, and to support the safety and security of everyone in our institutions, CSC continues to implement measures to address the introduction, trafficking, financing, and/or distribution of contraband within our institutions. The elements of the National Drug Strategy include:Reducing the supply of illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing and preventing the supply of illicit drugs through various efforts to investigate and disrupt the introduction and trafficking of contraband in our institutions. CSC also continues to lead intelligence investigations relating to the introduction and trafficking of contraband and strengthen partnerships with police to pursue criminal investigations into drug traffickers targeting our facilities.Reducing the demand for illicit drugs - CSC focuses on reducing the demand for illicit drugs by supporting innovative and effective approaches to intervening with, treating and rehabilitating offenders who use illicit drugs. CSC offers a suite of health interventions and correctional programming that addresses multiple criminogenic needs, including substance use disorder. Correctional programs are offered at intensity levels that are commensurate to the offenders’ risk level.Increasing the awareness of the negative consequences of illicit drug use - This component focuses on preventing illicit drug use by offenders in institutions. This is accomplished by providing awareness programs, infectious disease testing and associated treatment, and Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). It also involves delivering quality health services to incarcerated offenders to assist them in achieving a drug-free lifestyle.Strict policies concerning contraband and unauthorized activities are in place, which are enforced through dynamic and static security practices, including extensive search procedures for offenders, staff, and visitors. Incarcerated individuals found to be in possession of or dealing in, illicit drugs can face administrative consequences, disciplinary sanctions, and/or criminal charges.In addition to staff vigilance, dynamic security and security intelligence information, CSC relies on a combination of detection equipment, search practices and a variety of approved techniques to prevent the entry of drugs and contraband. This includes interdiction measures such as routine searches of persons (including inmates, visitors and staff), vehicles, cells/rooms, and other areas of the institution, which are in accordance with the Institutional Search Plan as well as non-routine searches, which may be authorized based on staff observations and intelligence information. Other measures include regular monitoring of offender activity; random urinalysis testing; and the non-intrusive searching of all visitors entering institutions using tools such as metal detectors, ion scanners, and detector dogs.
Correctional facilitiesDrug use and abuseNeedle exchange program
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02048441-02048 (Health)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCFebruary 1, 2024March 18, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations. Canadians rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;
  • Without immediate action, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;
  • Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws that will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down;
  • Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs. It makes products more expensive, in which the burden of these costs will be passed down to the consumer; and
  • This overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are adulterated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make the natural health product market safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation with stakeholders and taking their feedback into account, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, the Government passed legislation allowing Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Now, Health Canada is proposing fees for industry to allow the Department to create an even safer marketplace for consumers and begin to recoup a portion of the costs of services it provides to industry. Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time, the Department is considering how best to adjust the proposed approach to address the concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is not about limiting the production of NHPs or consumers’ access to them. Rather, these efforts are about making sure the products Canadians use every day are safe, and of high quality.
Natural health productsPackaging and labelling
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02047441-02047 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBJanuary 31, 2024March 18, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community. Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017. Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices. The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities. In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action. 
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4552e-4552 (Foreign affairs)Galal-eldienAliChandraAryaNepeanLiberalONAugust 25, 2023, at 10:06 a.m. (EDT)December 23, 2023, at 10:06 a.m. (EDT)January 31, 2024March 18, 2024January 9, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:According to today’s UN statistics, more than 5,000 Sudanese people have been killed by the on-going war in Sudan and another 5,300 others have been injured;Over three million people are internally displaced and 880,000 more individuals became refugees in neighbouring countries, while thousands are trapped in borders;316 women experienced rape and other forms of sexual assault;20.3 million or 42% of Sudan’s population are on the verge of catastrophic famine;80% of the hospitals in the country are out of service;Complete halt of education in schools and universities; andCanadians of Sudanese origin are raising funds to help victims of the war inside and outside Sudan.We, the undersigned, Citizens and residents of Canada from Sudanese origin, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:1. Endorse and encourage the Canadian Government to actively participate through the Five Eyes forum to stop the war in Sudan and ensure the civilian participation in any peace talks; 2. Work with allies to apply meaningful pressure and potentially effective sanctions on the two fighting parties;3. Increase diplomatic efforts to enable the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a criminal investigation on the human rights violations that took place after April 15, 2023;4. Increase Canada’s humanitarian assistance on the ground through UN agencies and trusted local NGOs, especially the ones lead by the youth.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe peace and security of the Sudanese people is under threat. Canada remains deeply concerned by the ongoing conflict in Sudan and the impacts on civilians, including the alarming scale of violence observed in Darfur since the outbreak of the conflict. Canada continues to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the sexual and gender-based violence against marginalized groups, ethnic minorities, and women human rights defenders.We urge all parties to end the violence and engage in mediation efforts supported by regional partners that promote dialogue and peace. To address the deteriorating situation, the Government of Canada, along with Canada’s regional and international partners have repeatedly and publicly urged both parties to end hostilities, to respect international humanitarian and human rights law, and to engage in mediation efforts.  Canada firmly believes that the inclusion of civilian and civil society voices in any mediation efforts is the only way to ensure a durable peace. This includes the meaningful participation of women human rights defenders, activists, and peacebuilders. The Minister of Foreign Affairs regularly raises the importance of civil society and civilian participation, in particular, when in discussions with her counterparts in the region and with Canada’s other international partners.Canada is also providing support to civil society organizations, human rights defenders, and peacebuilders in Sudan to increase their capacity to engage in mediation efforts and to help mitigate the impacts of the conflict at a local level.Standing up for human rights around the world is a core part of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada’s robust sanctions regime serves as a key tool to respond to violations of internationally recognized human rights. Canada has imposed sanctions related to Sudan under the United Nations Act to give effect to United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.Canada has established a rigorous process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption, or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions, while also considering the broader political and international contexts when determining whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox constitute the most effective and appropriate response. Canada works closely with a number of international partners, such as the European Union, United Kingdom, and United States, and in forums such as the United Nations and G7, to coordinate efforts for maximum effectiveness.Canada is committed to pursuing accountability and fighting impunity as part of its response to the crisis in Sudan. At the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council in October 2023, Canada co-sponsored a resolution that established a Fact-Finding Mission to investigate and establish the facts, circumstances, and root causes of all alleged human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan.Canada also strongly supports the International Criminal Court’s role in pursuing accountability and bringing justice to victims. The Court’s Office of the Prosecutor opened an investigation into the situation in Sudan in June 2005, which was referred to the Court by the UN Security Council. The Prosecutor confirmed that its investigation encompasses allegations of Rome Statute crimes emanating from the current conflict. Canada respects the Court and the Prosecutor’s independence. Canada will continue to support international efforts to ensure perpetrators are held to account.Canada recognizes the significant humanitarian impacts of the conflict on the people of Sudan and those in neighbouring countries already facing poverty, violence, food insecurity, and the impacts of climate change. Canada will continue to provide international assistance to Sudan, including humanitarian assistance to meet the life saving needs of crisis-affected populations.In 2023, Canada allocated over $170 million in humanitarian assistance funding to United Nations, Red Cross, and non-governmental organizations partners in Sudan and in neighbouring countries impacted by the crisis, including the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Of this amount, more than $41 million is has gone to providing humanitarian assistance inside Sudan.In addition to supporting pre-existing humanitarian efforts, this largely flexible funding has allowed our partners to address new needs arising from the conflict, such as emergency food, health and medical services, protection (including prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence), shelter and water, sanitation and hygiene. This funding is in line with the needs identified in the Humanitarian Response Plans of these countries, and other emergency humanitarian appeals that have been issued in the wake of the current crisis in Sudan. All of Canada’s humanitarian assistance funding is reported to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and is publicly available via OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service.Together with these partners, Canada continues to advocate for a rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, in accordance with international humanitarian law. To this end, Canada has coordinated with likeminded donors on an advocacy letter urging Sudanese authorities to lift bureaucratic and administrative impediments that hamper full access to humanitarian aid in November 2023.Canada also continues to provide development assistance with a focus on advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights, preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence, improving access to education, and strengthening the resilience of the poorest and most marginalized, particularly women. In June 2023, Canada announced an additional $6 million in development assistance funding to support critical, complementary programming in areas such as education in emergencies and sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response.The Government of Canada remains actively engaged on the crisis in Sudan. Canada will continue to stand firmly in solidarity with the people of Sudan and is committed to supporting a return to a peaceful and civilian-led transition to democracy.Protecting and advancing human rights and democracy remain at the core of Canada’s foreign policy.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyHumanitarian assistance and workersSudan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02045441-02045 (Social affairs and equality)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJanuary 31, 2024March 18, 2024September 12, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Housing unaffordability and homelessness are twin national crises;
  • Financialization of housing inflates Canadian real estate prices;
  • Inflation is exacerbated by the use of Canada's housing market to launder money and evade taxes;
  • Corporations, numbered companies, and real estate investment trusts (REITS) are rapidly buying up affordable housing units and flipping them to market rate units;
  • Some government policies designed to increase housing affordability transfer tax dollars to the private sector but do not protect existing affordable housing, or create new permanent affordable housing; and
  • While some parts of Canada have rent and vacancy controls, there are no national standards to protect tenants.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • 1. Re-define affordable housing using an updated formula that better reflects the economic realities faced by millions of Canadians;
  • 2. Create regulations to control excess profiteering by corporate investors and REITs;
  • 3. Close tax evasion and money laundering loopholes and increase regulation of foreign investment in residential real estate;
  • 4. Require restrictive covenants on affordable housing units built with taxpayer subsidies to ensure that those units remain affordable;
  • 5. Create national standards to establish rent and vacancy controls;
  • 6. Create an empty home tax for residential property owners who leave units vacant;
  • 7. Encourage municipalities to create affordable housing zoning to decrease land speculation and lower barriers to development permits for affordable housing; and
  • 8. Prioritize funding for non-profit and cooperative housing.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about the importance of affordable housing.The response from the Department of Finance to part 2), 3), 6) and 8) is as follows:Part 2) The government is committed to ensuring that investor activity is helping, not hurting, housing affordability in Canada. To this end, the government indicated in Budget 2023 that policy changes applicable to all large corporate landlords could be considered to ensure best outcomes on affordability and fair treatment of tenants.Part 3) The Government of Canada continues to make significant investments in new initiatives to strengthen Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) Regime, including specific actions to counter money laundering in real estate from either domestic or foreign sources.For example, regulatory amendments that came into force June 2021 have strengthened AML/ATF obligations for all reporting sectors, including the real estate sector. In particular, real estate agents, brokers and developers are now required to take reasonable measures during certain transactions or activities to collect beneficial ownership information, determine if a client is a politically exposed person, and to take enhanced measures if the client is high-risk. The latter includes specific obligations such as establishing the client’s source of funds and source of wealth, and obtaining senior management review of a transaction of $100,000 or more.Further, as of October 11, 2024, mortgage administrators, brokers and lenders will become subject to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA). These persons and entities will be required to fulfil similar obligations to financial entities, including developing a compliance program, risk assessing their business, clients, and products, keeping records, verifying client identity, and reporting to the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada.Furthermore, to counter the misuse of anonymous Canadian shell companies for illegal activities, including money laundering, corruption, and tax evasion, a free and public beneficial ownership registry for federal corporations was launched on January 22, 2024. The Government of Canada will continue to collaborate with provincial and territorial governments to advance a pan-Canadian approach to beneficial ownership transparency. In addition, on December 15, 2022, Parliament passed legislation (C-32) to enhance the tax reporting obligations imposed on certain trusts. These measures are intended to improve the collection of beneficial ownership information and encourage tax transparency to help provide authorities with sufficient information in order to determine taxpayers’ tax liabilities and to effectively counter aggressive tax avoidance as well as tax evasion, money laundering and other criminal activities. The new rules will apply to the tax years of trusts that end after December 30, 2023.Finally, the government has taken action to curb foreign investment and speculation in Canadian housing, as committed in Budget 2022. On January 1, 2023, the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act came into force. The Act prohibits people who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents from purchasing residential property in Canada for a period of two years, including preventing non-Canadians from using corporate structures to avoid the prohibition. The Act also establishes penalties for non-Canadians purchasing residential property (and those knowingly assisting them).Part 6) The government announced its intention to introduce such a tax in Budget 2021.The Underused Housing Tax Act, which received royal assent as part of Bill C-8 on June 9, 2022, implements an annual tax of 1% on the value of vacant or underused residential property directly or indirectly owned by non-resident non-Canadians.Part 8) Bill C-56 implemented an enhanced (100%) Good and Services Tax (GST) rebate for new purpose-built rental housing. With the extension of that rebate, announced in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, to co-operative housing corporations that provide long-term rental accommodation, as included for Parliament’s consideration in Bill C-59, this measure will benefit all landlords that build or purchase new purpose-built rental housing, including non-profits and cooperatives.Additionally, the 2023 Fall Economic Statement announced a series of measures targeting non-profits and cooperatives, including:
  • an additional $1 billion over three years, starting in 2025-26, for the Affordable Housing Fund, which will support non-profit, co-op, and public housing providers to build more than 7,000 new homes by 2028. This brings total program funding to over $14 billion, with the goal of supporting 60,000 new housing units and renewing / repairing another 240,000.
  • an additional investment of $309.3 million in new funding for the Co-operative Housing Development Program.
  • an additional $15 billion in low-interest loans for purpose-built rentals, which is available to non-profit developers through the Apartment Construction Loan Program. This brings total program funding to over $40 billion, with the goal of supporting over 100,000 homes.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about access to a safe, affordable place to call home.  The Government of Canada believes that all people living in Canada should have access to safe and affordable housing. Launched in 2017, the National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, more than $82 billion plan to give more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS is Canada’s largest and most ambitious federal housing program in history and consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum, prioritizing populations most in need.The NHS sets ambitious targets to ensure that unprecedented investments and new programming deliver results. By 2028, it will help create over 160,000 new housing units, repair and renew an additional 300,000, reduce or eliminate housing need for 540,000 households and protect 385,000 households from losing an affordable place to live. The Government of Canada is making substantial progress toward NHS 2027/28 targets.The NHS is anchored in the National Housing Strategy Act (NHS Act), which requires the Government of Canada to develop and maintain a national housing strategy with a long-term vision for housing that focuses on improving housing outcomes for those in greatest need. The NHS Act also requires the NHS to take into account the key principles of a human rights-based approach to housing, including the principles of non-discrimination, inclusion, participation, and accountability.  The NHS prioritizes the needs of the most vulnerable, including women and children fleeing situations of domestic violence; racialized persons; seniors; Indigenous peoples; persons with disabilities; those dealing with mental health and addiction issues; veterans; and young adults. It promotes diverse communities, supports the creation of housing that is sustainable, accessible, mixed-income, and mixed-use, and located close to transit, work, and public services.  Affordability requirements of federal housing programs depend on who the program aims to support, and the housing affordability outcomes the program aims to achieve (e.g., programs to create deeply affordable housing for vulnerable Canadians have different requirements from programs aiming to increase rental housing supply). Similarly, the minimum duration of affordability varies by program. Proponents approved for funding must adhere to minimum requirements and are required to report to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) during the construction of their projects and throughout the affordability period to ensure they are respecting the terms of their agreements.  Supporting and growing community housing in Canada is a priority under the NHS. The $8.6 billion Canada Community Housing Initiative is helping to protect and build community-based housing for 330,000 households across the country and another 50,000 units created through an expansion of community housing. The Government of Canada is also providing $618.2 million over 10 years under the Federal Community Housing Initiative, which protects tenants and stabilizes the operations of more than 55,000 units in federally administered community housing projects, as well as 13,700 low-income households. Moreover, non-profits and co-ops are eligible to apply for funding under NHS supply initiatives. In Budget 2022, the Government of Canada committed to creating a new Co-operative Housing Development Program aimed at expanding co-op housing in Canada. In the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada made an investment of $309.3 million in new funding for this program bringing the total investment to $1.5 billion. The program is expected to be launched this year.  Strong partnerships with municipalities, provinces, and territories are essential to increasing housing supply and implementing longer-term solutions for housing affordability. Local governments play an important role in creating the conditions to remove systemic barriers to housing supply in their jurisdiction. The $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is designed to drive transformational change within the sphere of control of the local government regarding land use planning and development approvals with the overall objective to accelerate housing supply. HAF has led to the largest upzoning movement in Canadian history, with 179 finalized agreements that have advanced ambitious housing reforms in big cities, small towns, rural communities, and indigenous communities in every region of the country. Over the next three years, HAF will fast-track approvals for 107,000 additional homes and unlock over 750,000 homes over the next decade.Real Estate Income Trusts are among various players in the rental market. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation actively monitors market conditions and works with federal partners to ensure appropriate macro-prudential policies are in place. The Government of Canada also takes seriously the negative impacts that private ownership of residential properties can have on rents and housing prices.  In addition to the government’s initiatives on housing, the Government of Canada is investing nearly $4 billion over nine years to address homelessness through Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. Reaching Home funding is provided directly to urban communities, Indigenous communities, distinctions-based Indigenous partners, rural and remote communities, and territories to help them address local homelessness needs. Communities can use Reaching Home funding to support projects and services that address local homelessness needs, including to address chronic homelessness. Since its launch in 2019, Reaching Home has resulted in over 71,395 people being placed in more stable housing and 124,655 people receiving homelessness prevention services through the funding of over 6,800 community projects across Canada. Between April 1, 2019, and September 7, 2023, Reaching Home funding supported more than 6,700 projects to assist people experiencing and at risk of homelessness. Through these projects, 122,472 people received homelessness prevention support such as rental assistance and landlord/family mediation, and 69,846 people have been placed in more stable housing. Reaching Home provides crucial funding to support services in activity areas such as: Basic Needs Services, Emergency Housing Funding, and Prevention and Shelter Diversion. This funding can also support access to health and social services and improve overall wellbeing of those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness through the delivery of harm reduction activities and navigating access to clinical, health and treatment services (including mental health and addictions supports) through case management. Additionally, in 2023, Infrastructure Canada, is working closely with Veterans Affairs Canada and CMHC to implement the Veteran Homelessness Program (VHP). It is estimated that there are more than 2,600 veterans experiencing homelessness in Canada. With $79.1 million over five years, from 2023-24 to 2027-28, the VHP will provide targeted rent supplements and wrap-around supports to Veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. With an investment of $6.2 million, the program also supports research and capacity building projects for Veteran- and homeless-serving organizations.Partnerships are critical to address the housing crisis and the rise in homelessness. Given the scale of the challenges, all orders of government, Indigenous peoples, the private and not-for-profit sectors need to increase their efforts, including by better working together in a co-ordinated way. The situation requires a multi-pronged approach whereby all actors will need to take on new actions to support the most vulnerable while work is also underway to bridge the broader housing supply and affordability gap.In terms of regulating foreign investment in residential real estate, on January 1, 2023, the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act came into force preventing non-Canadians from buying residential property in Canada for 2 years (certain exceptions apply). On February 4, 2024, the Government of Canada announced a two-year extension of this ban to January 1, 2027.The Government of Canada is working to ensure that everyone living in Canada has a safe and affordable place to call home by expanding Canada’s housing supply and continuing to advance our investments in affordable housing. 
Housing
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02044441-02044 (Taxation)PeterJulianNew Westminster—BurnabyNDPBCJanuary 31, 2024March 18, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4595e-4595 (Justice)KyleSquarekZiadAboultaifEdmonton ManningConservativeABOctober 11, 2023, at 9:09 a.m. (EDT)January 9, 2024, at 9:09 a.m. (EDT)January 31, 2024March 18, 2024January 9, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Parental alienation is the process through which a child becomes estranged from one parent as the result of the psychological manipulation of another parent;Statistics show that up to 25% of parents nationwide, engage in this behavior. based on current research, over 22 million adults have been targets of parental alienation and 3.9 million children have been alienated from one of their parents;Though these forms of behavior against the alienated parent can lead to mental health disorders such as, depression, anxiety and PTSD, the trauma it causes the child is much worse. the devastating effects on children include, but are not limited to, low self esteem, self hatred, anger, guilt, disconnection, lack of trust, depression, anxiety and PTSD; andThere is absolutely no reason to keep your child from the other parent, unless that parent is a danger to the well being of the child. a person's ability to maintain a stable relationship with you, does not mean they are not capable of being a parent. a child is a human being, not a possession!We, the undersigned, parents, fathers, mothers, call upon the Prime Minister to get laws enacted, that would make parental alienation a form of child abuse, that is punishable in a criminal court of law. And by supporting this petition, you are ensuring that alienated parent's voices are heard and most importantly, that children are being removed from abusive parental care.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyProtecting children is and always has been a top priority for our government, children are our great nation’s future and protecting them is a responsibility our government takes very seriously, and we will continue to uphold that responsibility with unwavering dedication. When a parent believes a parenting arrangement order no longer meets the best interests of the child, they can seek a variation of that order, including variation of parenting time through the family justice system. Family courts can make several types of orders to address the situation without the need for families to involve the criminal law system.Changes to the Divorce Act, which came into force on March 1, 2021, emphasize the importance of focusing on children’s best interests. The amendments include a list of best interests of the child criteria to help guide courts when deciding parenting arrangements. Courts must prioritize the safety, security and well-being of the child above all other considerations. A new best interests of the child criteria reflects the importance of a child’s relationship with each spouse. They include the child’s needs, given the child’s age and stage of development, the nature and strength of the child’s relationship with each spouse, and the presence of family violence and its impact on the ability and willingness of a person to care for and meet the needs of a child. In determining the best interests of the child, courts must consider each spouse’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other spouse. When making an order related to parenting time, courts must ensure that the child has as much time with each spouse that is in the child’s best interests.Family courts are also best placed to address situations where children resist or refuse parenting time with a parent after parental separation or divorce. A child’s resistance or refusal to have contact with a parent should be examined within the context of family court orders and consideration of the best interest of the child, and not via the criminal courts.
Child abuseJoint child custodyParents
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4593e-4593 (Environment)P. BrianSkerrettLloydLongfieldGuelphLiberalONSeptember 20, 2023, at 2:54 p.m. (EDT)January 18, 2024, at 2:54 p.m. (EDT)January 31, 2024March 18, 2024January 19, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Guelph City Council has approved the boundaries for a Heritage Conservation District on parts of the former Ontario Reformatory grounds;This 108-hectare property is part of an ecosystem that protects biodiversity, supports watershed resilience to climate change and connects people to nature through education and stewardship;The site includes an abundance of Natural Heritage features in harmony with Cultural Heritage elements that have connected people to nature for a century;Recognizing the history of Indigenous incarceration on this site provides a path to reconciliation and healing by exemplifying the harm done to Indigenous communities by the Canadian justice system;This site would be a hub providing valuable connectivity to nearby and distant wetlands and river systems;The site has been identified as surplus by the Province of Ontario;The site is adjacent to the Eramosa River, a major tributary of the Grand River designated as one of the Canadian Heritage River Systems by Parks Canada in 1994;The site is adjacent to an identified First Nations archeological site dating back to 8,500 BCE;We recognize after the world-wide Covid pandemic the irreplaceable value of parks, nature, and open space.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to direct Parks Canada to work with the appropriate landowners, stakeholders, governments and First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples to create a National Urban Park on the site of Guelph’s proposed Ontario Reformatory Heritage Conservation District.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTExpanding Canadians’ access to nature is a priority for the Government of Canada, as communicated in the Speech from the Throne and in Budget 2021 and reaffirmed in the Minister’s mandate letter of December 2021. The 2021 federal budget committed to the creation of up to six national urban parks and Parks Canada has begun work at several candidate sites to consider their potential as national urban parks. Collaborative work is underway in Greater Victoria, British Columbia; the Edmonton region, Alberta; the Saskatoon region, Saskatchewan; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Windsor, Ontario; and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Parks Canada is also exploring options for a national urban park in the Greater Montreal Region, QC.  At this time, the National Urban Parks Program is focused on advancing these active candidate sites and not on considering new candidate sites.Parks Canada’s National Urban Parks Program has three core objectives: the conservation of nature, connecting people with nature, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Each national urban park will contribute to these objectives in ways that reflect the unique local context. New national urban parks will help protect biodiversity, support climate resilience, connect people to nature, improve mental health and wellness, promote cultural heritage, and increase social inclusion. They will also provide opportunities to support reconciliation with Indigenous populations in urban centres.The Minister’s December 2021 mandate letter expanded the program with a commitment of up to 15 national urban parks by 2030. Key considerations for identifying additional candidate sites include a site’s alignment with the core elements of the national urban parks program; (the site’s potential for protecting nature, connecting Canadians with nature, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples). Promising candidate sites will have strong connections with all three elements. The creation of any national urban park is a deeply collaborative process, and Parks Canada will also consider the support or involvement by municipal governments, Indigenous leaders and organizations, provincial governments, and other partners.Parks Canada has noted the interest in the proposed Ontario Reformatory Heritage Conservation District in Guelph as a site for a national urban park.    
GuelphNational, provincial and territorial parks and reserves
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02041441-02041 (Health)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCJanuary 31, 2024March 18, 2024February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • The overdose crisis in Canada is a public health emergency, as has already been declared by British Columbia's Provincial Health Officer and several municipalities across Canada;
  • More than 13,900 individuals have died of opioid-related deaths and there have been 17,050 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations in Canada since 2016;
  • There is disproportionate representation of Indigenous people affected by the overdose crisis; and
  • The Canadian Public Health Association, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations, have recommended drug decriminalization.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Declare a public health emergency due to overdose deaths in Canada;
  • Reframe the overdose crisis in Canada as a health issue rather than a criminal issue;
  • Take a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to the overdose crisis, by addressing issues of addiction, poverty, housing, health care, racial discrimination, and economic inequality and instability;
  • Listen to and act on recommendations made by social workers, front-line workers, nurses, doctors, drug users, and individuals directly involved in the drug-using community; and
  • Decriminalize drugs in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe overdose crisis is one of the most serious and unprecedented public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. While there are a number of complex factors that contribute to the high rates of overdose that we are seeing today, a major driver is the increasingly toxic and unpredictable illegal drug supply, where fentanyl remains widespread and we have observed the rise or emergence of other substances, including stronger opioids, stimulants, and sedatives. In 2022, approximately four out of every five opioid-related overdose death involved fentanyl. The cost of substance use-related harms is not limited to the loss of lives alone and, more broadly, impacts health, social well-being, and public safety.The Government of Canada takes this crisis very seriously and is committed to working together with all levels of government, Indigenous Peoples and communities, partners from law enforcement, criminal justice, health and social systems, and people with lived and living experience and other key stakeholders, to take urgent action and leverage every available tool to save lives and work towards an end to this national public health crisis.Provinces and territories have a range of tools and authorities to address the ongoing overdose crisis in their respective jurisdictions. This includes the power to declare a public health emergency which allows a provincial or territorial government to access and exercise extraordinary measures in response to a significant increase in opioid-related deaths as was the case for British Columbia in April 2016 and Alberta in May 2017. More recently, in January 2022, Yukon declared a substance use health emergency. In addition to provincial and territorial emergency declarations, some municipalities and Indigenous communities have also declared emergencies in response to rising substance use-related harms and deaths.Invoking the federal Emergencies Act is intended to serve as a tool of last resort to ensure the safety and security of Canadians in cases of temporary, critical national emergencies that cannot be addressed with existing federal, provincial or territorial laws. As such, the Emergencies Act is not an appropriate mechanism to address the ongoing overdose crisis, which requires a longer-term, sustained, and multi-jurisdictional effort to address the complex, interrelated health, social and economic factors driving substance use-related deaths and harms.The Government of Canada has publicly recognized the overdose crisis is a public health crisis. The federal government is committed to continued action using the broad range of tools at its disposal and to take steps to end overdose deaths and substance-use related harms. The Government’s approach to addressing the overdose crisis and substance use-related harms is comprehensive, equitable, collaborative, and compassionate, guided by our renewed federal drug strategy – the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS). The renewed CDSS outlines the Government of Canada’s updated plan to address the overdose crisis, and other substance use-related harms in Canada.Through the renewed CDSS, the Government is taking a holistic approach to addressing substance use and related harms, centered on promoting public health and protecting public safety. This whole-of-government initiative includes timely access to a full range of strategies to help people access the prevention, harm reduction, treatment, or recovery services and supports they need, when and where they need them.The renewed CDSS uses an integrated approach that brings together prevention and education, substance use services and supports, evidence, and substance controls. New investments include supporting a wide range of activities, such as: community-based supports; streamlining authorizations for supervised consumption sites (SCS) and drug checking services; vital data collection on substance-related harms and lab-based analysis of the illegal drug supply; an overdose monitoring platform for law enforcement and other first responders; and further action with our partners to disrupt illegal drug production and trafficking and stem the global flow of these devastating substances. By using a wide-range of tools, we have the best opportunity to end this crisis, protect communities and save lives.Since 2017, the federal government has made commitments of more than $1 billion and has taken significant action to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis and substance use-related harms. This includes a Budget 2023 commitment of $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $5.7 million ongoing, to support the renewed CDSS, which will continue to guide the government’s work to save lives and protect the health and safety of Canadians by:
  • ensuring that harm reduction services are available to Canadians who need them;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation and further risk of harms;
  • continuing to work with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options;
  • continuing to address illegal production and trafficking, with a focus on organized drug crime; and,
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis.
These investments have made a difference in reducing overdose deaths and harms. For example, since 2017 through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), Health Canada has provided over $565 million to support nearly 390 community-based projects focused on innovative treatment, harm reduction, prevention and stigma reduction activities. More than $26 million of this funding was dedicated to expanding Naloxone awareness, training and distribution across Canada. As of May 2023, these projects contributed to more than 1.5M Canadians being trained on how to respond to an overdose, and more than 69,000 nasal naloxone kits being distributed across the country.We also invested $22.8 million in public education through national and targeted advertising, partnerships and experiential marketing on the risks of opioids, overdose awareness, harm reduction and stigma awareness and reduction. In addition, the Government of Canada is supporting policies and approaches to build the evidence around innovative care practices, including services that prescribe pharmaceutical-grade medications as an alternative to the highly toxic illegal drug supply for people at high risk of overdose – a practice often referred to as safer supply or prescribed alternatives. As of February 2024, Health Canada has supported 31 prescribed alternatives pilot projects across Canada through SUAP, representing total funding commitments of over $102 million. This includes supporting a range of service delivery projects in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, as well as research/knowledge transfer and exchange projects to help share knowledge amongst stakeholders.These investments have also improved access to treatment. For example, provinces and territories have used federal investments provided through Budget 2018 for the Emergency Treatment Fund to expand existing treatment approaches, such as services to support youth with substance use disorder, withdrawal management services appropriate for people who use methamphetamine, Rapid Access Addictions Medicine clinics, access to opioid dependence treatments, and culturally-appropriate care for Indigenous communities. Funds have also been used to implement innovative approaches to treatment, including ‘wrap-around’ care and the development of telehealth infrastructure to connect clients in remote and rural settings.In addition to these investments, the Government of Canada has supported the expansion of supervised consumption services across Canada and also issued exemptions that allow provinces and territories to establish new temporary Urgent Public Health Need Sites (UPHNS)  within existing shelters or other temporary sites, as needed. There are currently 47 SCS offering services in Canada. From October 2017 to September 2023, they have received over 4.4 million visits, responded to over 52,000 overdoses, and made over 411,000 referrals to health and social services. Nobody has died of an overdose in these 47 sites.Federal funds are enabling new drug checking technologies to be used at SCS and other associated services to provide people who use drugs and health workers with information on the contents of toxic street drugs, including whether they contain deadly fentanyl, benzodiazepines or other toxic substances. This gives people who use drugs the opportunity to make informed decisions that may reduce their risk of overdose. As of February 2024, of the 39  federally authorized SCS, 30 are authorized to conduct drug checking in Canada. In addition, there are 10 federally authorized stand-alone drug checking services. In addition, the Government of Canada held a Drug Checking Technology Challenge (October 2018 to July 2021), that provided a total of $1,724,500 million to nine participants to catalyze innovation in drug checking technologies. Through the renewed CDSS, we will streamline authorizations for SCS, UPHNS and drug checking services with clear public health and public safety requirements for organizations seeking to provide these evidence-based life saving services to Canadians.We have also made a number of regulatory changes at the federal level to help improve access to medications used in drug treatment programs, including:
  • issuing a class exemption (an exemption authorized to a group of people, such as pharmacists, to conduct specific activities with controlled substances) to make it easier for patients to access the medications they need;
  • approving injectable hydromorphone as a treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder;
  • approving injectable diacetylmorphine as a new treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder, as well as facilitating the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and diacetylmorphine; and,
  • authorizing nurses who provide health care services at a community health facility to conduct certain activities with controlled substances.
We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to respond to this crisis and to keep communities safe. The government works closely with domestic and international partners to address the toxic illegal drug supply that is driving overdose harms and deaths. We continue to equip border agents with the tools necessary to intercept controlled substances. For example, we have made it harder to access chemicals used to make fentanyl by scheduling them under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) and have also amended legislation to allow border officers to open mail of any weight, in order to stop drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from entering Canada illegally through the mail system. The government also works with private sector partners to address money laundering of the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking in an effort to dismantle the organized crime groups involved in the supply of these toxic illegal drugs.The Government of Canada continues to lead efforts to facilitate opportunities for collaboration between jurisdictions, health providers, researchers, people with lived and living experience, community-based organizations, and other partners and stakeholders, to reduce the harms associated with substance use and support efforts to provide a full range of culturally appropriate, evidence-based, and trauma-informed health and social services and supports to meet the diverse needs of people who use drugs.The Government of Canada is also working closely with provinces and territories to change the way the healthcare system delivers mental health and substance use services to Canadians. On February 7, 2023, the Government of Canada announced it will increase health funding to provinces and territories by nearly $200 billion over 10 years, in order to improve Canada’s health care system. This investment includes $25 billion for shared health priorities, including increasing access to mental health and substance use services and supports. These commitments are in addition to existing bilateral agreements with provinces and territories for health priorities, including mental health and substance use, that were put in place in 2017. These investments will set the foundation for long-term, integrated and sustained health care system change that builds on existing, targeted actions to address mental health and substance use challenges.We have also established federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governance tables, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses, the FPT Committee on Substance Use (formerly Problematic Substance Use & Harms), and the FPT Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use, to facilitate ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners. In addition, discussions are held with provinces and territories at the Deputy Minister and Ministerial level through meetings of the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health and the Federal, Provincial, Territorial Health Minister’s Meetings.To inform the federal approach, the government also regularly consults with stakeholders and has convened several expert advisory groups, including people directly impacted by substance use. Health Canada established the People with Lived and Living Experience Council, the Expert Advisory Group on Safer Supply and the Expert Task Force on Substance Use as part of this engagement strategy. We recognize that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and trauma, can place individuals at an increased risk of substance use harms and that the approaches to reduce these harms require sustained efforts and supports from diverse systems. We continue to work closely across federal departments so that federal actions on mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, poverty, and reconciliation are coordinated and synergistic. We are also committed to engaging collaboratively with provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and other stakeholders to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.With respect to prescribed alternatives, a number of researchers in academic institutions across Canada are studying this emerging approach, contributing to the evidence base that can inform decision-making at local, provincial and federal levels. Prescribed alternatives builds on the evidence from medication-assisted approaches to the treatment of substance use disorder, with prescribed alternatives services having a number of unique goals and approaches that need to be assessed and evaluated on their own merits.The evidence base around prescribed alternatives is still developing, but is growing. Existing studies and evaluations of prescribed alternatives programs are showing some promising early outcomes, including:
  • reduced overdose-related mortality, emergency department visits and hospitalizations; and,
  • client reports of reductions in overdoses and illegal drug use, reduced engagement in criminalized activities, access to health and social services, improved trust in primary care providers among clients who face barriers to care, and other quality of life improvements.
Health Canada is supporting several studies of prescribed alternatives. This includes a preliminary assessment of prescribed alternatives pilot projects in Ontario, British Columbia and New Brunswick. The federal government, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), is also supporting a study being conducted by a research team from the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse. This four-year evaluation research project focuses on program implementation and the short-term health outcomes of 11 of the government funded prescribed alternatives pilot projects. The final results of this study are expected in 2025. Additionally, CIHR has awarded $2 million to the University of Victoria to support a four-year study evaluating the prescribed alternatives initiatives in British Columbia, in partnership with Indigenous leaders, Elders and system partners. We will continue to monitor outcomes of prescribed alternatives, so that the government’s response to the overdose crisis is evidence-based and focused on saving lives.The government is committed to working to divert people who use drugs away from the criminal justice system and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health services and social supports, when needed. For example, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed into law in May 2017, providing some legal protection from personal drug possession charges as well as from breach of some conditions related to personal possession, for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. Furthermore, Bill C-5, which received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022, made legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and to the CDSA. Among other measures, the amendments require police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures – including diverting individuals to treatment programs – instead of laying a criminal charge or prosecuting individuals for personal drug possession. These amendments also repealed mandatory minimum penalties for certain offences in the CDSA to reflect the Government’s public-health focused approach to substance use. These measures are consistent with the August 2020 Guidelines issued by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, directing prosecutors to consider alternatives to prosecution for the personal possession of drugs, except in the most serious cases where public safety concerns arise.In addition, in May 2022, at the request of the province of British Columbia, a time-limited exemption was granted under the CDSA so that adults 18 years of age and older in the province are not subject to criminal charges for the personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. Instead, individuals can be provided with information regarding local health and social services. Upon request, they can also receive assistance to connect with those services. This exemption, which is in effect from January 31, 2023, to January 31, 2026, is part of a much broader strategy British Columbia and this Government are taking to help people who use drugs access supports and services, rather than face criminal charges. This time-limited exemption is being supported by rigorous monitoring and a third-party evaluation to gather evidence and data on its impacts and outcomes and inform implementation.Canada recognizes that stigma can prevent people who use substances from accessing the health and social services that they need and contributes to negative health outcomes. To help reduce stigma in police interactions with people who use drugs and to avoid causing more harm, Public Safety Canada launched an online training module specifically designed for law enforcement members in September 2020. The training raises awareness of the harms associated with substance use stigma and provides law enforcement members with practical tools to support their interactions with people who use drugs.The items above are some examples of concrete actions taken by the federal government to address the overdose crisis. Please visit the following website for a comprehensive list of all the actions taken to date.The Government of Canada will continue working with our partners and stakeholders to implement the renewed CDSS and will continue to support provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to improve access to a full range of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services, in addition to leading efforts to reduce stigma and advancing work on the development of standards for mental health and substance use health services. The Government of Canada believes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02040441-02040 (Taxation)AlistairMacGregorCowichan—Malahat—LangfordNDPBCJanuary 31, 2024March 18, 2024December 13, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02039441-02039 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKJanuary 31, 2024March 18, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program. 
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02038441-02038 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKJanuary 31, 2024March 18, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program. 
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02037441-02037 (Business and trade)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONJanuary 31, 2024March 18, 2024January 19, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $13.3 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance.  Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law and violations of human rights in Ukraine, as well as countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the six United Nations General Assembly resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Another form of Canadian support to Ukraine is through the modernized Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA), a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that, once implemented, will strengthen the foundation on which Canadian and Ukrainian businesses can work together in the economic reconstruction of Ukraine. Building on the original 2017 CUFTA which was a comprehensive goods-focussed agreement, Canada and Ukraine launched negotiations to modernize the agreement to include various new chapters on trade in services, investment, and other areas. The final modernized CUFTA was signed by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Ottawa on September 22, 2023. The Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, Bill-C57, was later introduced in Parliament where opposition to the Bill has been raised regarding the inclusion of carbon pricing in the CUFTA Environment chapter.The Environment chapter recognizes that trade has an important role in addressing the threat to climate and includes several provisions to facilitate cooperation between Canada and Ukraine on matters of mutual interests regarding trade and the environment, including on carbon pricing. These provisions, which are cooperation-based in nature and not binding on either party, are included to facilitate cooperation between our two countries and would only apply if Canada and Ukraine agree to cooperate after considering factors such as national priorities, circumstances, and availability of resources. However, it should be noted that the Agreement does not include any provisions requiring the implementation of a carbon tax. Additionally, carbon pricing has been in place since 2019 in Canada while Ukraine introduced a carbon tax in 2011, which covers all types of fuels, to address CO2 emissions from industry, power, and buildings sectors. 
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4701e-4701 (Democratic process)MelissaOutwaterMichelleFerreriPeterborough—KawarthaConservativeONNovember 24, 2023, at 3:09 p.m. (EDT)December 24, 2023, at 3:09 p.m. (EDT)January 31, 2024March 18, 2024January 8, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:We the citizens of Canada have lost confidence in Justin Trudeau and the Liberal/NDP coalition;We call on the house for a vote of no confidence;We ask for an election 45 days after the vote if won;The current government elected is not acting in the best interest of all citizens; The policies of this government aren't aligning with the crisis Canada is facing: housing costs, infringement of civil liberties, highest inflation in history, unbalanced immigration policies, taxation to the point of poverty, weakening of our economy by importing natural resources that Canada already has and under-utilizes; andBased on the past eight years of this Prime Minister, Canadians do not have confidence in this Prime Minister, after five ethics investigations and Canada's reputation being tarnished on a global scale under his leadership. To the extent that Canada is being discluded from participating in statements regarding important geopolitical events.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to call for a vote of no confidence and a federal election 45 days following the vote.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLAs Canadians, we are blessed to live in a free and democratic country.In 2021, we collectively exercised the democratic rights guaranteed to us by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Canada Elections Act. In the 44th General Election since Confederation, a total of 17,209,811 Canadian citizens exercised their right to vote, and to freely choose from among 2,010 fellow citizens who put themselves forward as candidates. We should all take pride in the fact that Canadians continue to be so deeply engaged in our democratic process and its institutions.Under our system of Parliamentary and responsible government, we continue to govern with the confidence of the House of Commons. We are accountable to Parliament and to Canadians, whether through Parliament proceedings, the scrutiny of the free press, and the many formal and informal ways in which Government and elected Members of Parliament engage with concerned citizens, organizations, and civil society every day.We continue to work to make Canada a place where we can all thrive. Our agenda as a Government includes measures to make life more affordable for Canadians, whether through investing in child care and dental care, or by improving important benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit, Canada Pension Plan, OAS, and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. We are helping Canadians create new middle class jobs by tackling supply chain challenges, doubling the Tradespeople’s Tool Deduction, and promoting international trade to bring Canadian goods and services to the global marketplace. And we are protecting our environment for future generations by greening our electrical grid, electrifying our transport sector, and investing in the critical mineral sector that makes Canada a world leader.The Government is proud of this record. We continue to work hard to retain the confidence of Parliament for the remainder of this term, and Canadian citizens will once again exercise their democratic rights in the 45th General Election.
Confidence in government
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02035441-02035 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024November 30, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to enact just transition legislation that:
  • 1. Reduces emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels by 2030, and makes significant contributions to emissions reductions in countries in the Global South;
  • 2. Winds down the fossil fuel industry and related infrastructure, ends fossil fuel subsidies, and transitions to a decarbonized economy;
  • 3. Creates new public economic institutions and expands public ownership of services and utilities across the economy to implement the transition;
  • 4. Creates good green jobs and drives inclusive workforce development, led by and including affected workers and communities, and ensures decent, low-carbon work for all workers;
  • 5. Protects and strengthens human rights and worker rights, respects Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and knowledge by including them in creating and implementing this legislation, ensures migrant justice, and emphasizes support for historically marginalized communities;
  • 6. Expands the social safety net through new income supports, decarbonized public housing, and operational funding for affordable and accessible public transit countrywide; and
  • 7. Pays for the transition by increasing taxes on the wealthiest and corporations and financing through a public national bank.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reduction targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seize the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonization technology in the conventional energy sector. Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our global partners need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in investment tax credits.At COP26, Canada and other countries committed to phasing out international fossil fuel subsidies. Following this, the Government of Canada released direction for federal departments and agencies. Through ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada is ensuring federal investments abroad are aligned with domestic and international climate commitments, while refocusing investment towards low-carbon innovation, including in Canada’s growing clean industries.Domestically, the Government of Canada has committed to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. The Government of Canada took swift action, and in July 2023, Canada became one of the first countries in the world to meet this commitment well ahead of the 2025 deadline. The guidance document and assessment framework is being used by government departments to ensure all future programs and spending decisions are aligned with this commitment. Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan commits to reducing emissions from the oil and gas sector. As announced at COP28, the Government of Canada released a draft Regulatory Framework for an Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap in December 2023 to cap the oil and gas sector’s 2030 emissions at 35 to 38 percent below 2019 levels. This measure is a cap on pollution and will incentivize innovation as the sector invests in maximum technically achievable decarbonization in order to achieve significant emission reductions by 2030 and get on a credible pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050. Canada’s highly skilled and educated workforce, and comparative advantages in energy, critical minerals, and clean technology are helping Canadian industries and workers to seize the enormous economic opportunities in a net-zero future.  The Government of Canada is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth. This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, outlines the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, clean energy, low-carbon building products, carbon management technologies and small modular reactors, Canada is building a prosperous net-zero future that works for Canadians in every region. This includes significant opportunities in existing energy industries that are taking action to respond to global demand by lowering their emissions and enhancing their long-term competitiveness.Skills training is a critical factor in ensuring that Canadian workers can seize the economic opportunities ahead, which is why the federal government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including as it relates to sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers seize new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding to establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and fund additional sustainable jobs training, among other things.As committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023. The legislation proposes establishing a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill would also require the Government to:
  • establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; 
  • create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and 
  • release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. 
These legislated mechanisms would guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a low-carbon economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country. The Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables) are an important initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables are helping to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, in collaboration with Indigenous partners, and with the input of experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for implementing joint strategies to leverage energy and resource opportunities to realize each region of Canada’s comparative advantage in a net-zero future.To date, the federal government has jointly launched Regional Tables across the country, including with British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTSince 2015, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. We understand that accelerated efforts are crucial to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rapidly by 2030, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.In 2021, Canada adopted an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels, and passed legislation to enshrine its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. On March 29, 2022, Canada tabled the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy (2030 ERP) in Parliament. The 2030 ERP is the Government’s most recent, major step to take action to meet Canada’s climate objectives, and create good, sustainable jobs in Canada.Achieving Canada's climate goals requires all sectors of the economy to pursue decarbonization in ways that make cleaner initiatives more affordable and create new, sustainable job opportunities for workers. In addition, the 2030 ERP reflects input received from thousands of Canadians, businesses and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories and the Net Zero Advisory Body.Investments in Indigenous-led climate action are critical to enabling Indigenous peoples to advance their self-determined priorities. Since the release of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy in December 2020, the federal government has committed more than $2 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities, including initiatives to facilitate the transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience and adaptation, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects, among others. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF), as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients. In the 2030 ERP and Budget 2022, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to co-develop and implement a model of climate partnership that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous science and knowledge systems in national climate policy. The 2030 ERP builds on significant progress Canada has already made to address climate change, including the actions outlined in the PCF and Canada’s strengthened climate plan. With the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada is taking action by:
  • working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples and others to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Following consultations, the cap will be designed to lower emissions at a pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, reduce oil and gas methane by at least 75% below 2012 levels by 2030, support clean technologies to further decarbonize the sector, and work to create sustainable jobs;
  • developing a national net-zero by 2050 buildings strategy, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy;
  • investing in nature and natural climate solutions through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions;
  • working with provinces, territories, industry, and other stakeholders on the design of a clean electricity standard to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035;
  • helping industries decarbonize by adopting clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage strategy; and
  • ensuring that workers and communities are able to benefit from the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents, including by making significant investments in skills training and continuing consultations on the development of sustainable jobs and skills legislation.
The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities across the country work together to reach these targets, Canada will identify and respond to new opportunities.The Government of Canada has delivered on its G20 commitment to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, including through the application, in 2023, of an Assessment Framework to existing tax measures and 129 non-tax measures. Addressing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies supports Canada’s efforts to take action on climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy.Canada also contributes to emissions reduction in developing countries through its climate finance. Initiatives under Canada’s previous $2.65 billion climate finance commitment led to significant emissions reduced or avoided. In addition, our current $5.3 billion commitment (2021-2026) features Clean Energy Transition and Coal Phase-Out as a focus area.Under this focus area, Canada supports efforts to reduce GHG emissions in developing countries by investing in initiatives that phase out coal-powered emissions, foster equitable access to clean energy solutions, promote energy efficient technologies, and support the clean energy sector enabling environment in key coal-dependent regions. In line with this, Canada has recently dedicated $43 million to energy transition programming, including a $5 million contribution to the South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership, and an $8 million contribution to the International Energy Agency’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme. With G7 partners, Canada is also providing support to new Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) with countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam, including through its $1 billion commitment to the Climate Investment Funds Accelerating Coal Transitions Program among other sources of support. JETPs are a new model of international energy, climate, and economic assistance for emerging and developing countries to accelerate their transitions to cleaner, more climate resilient economies, while also including the perspectives and needs of workers and communities.This priority complements Canada’s leadership through the Powering Past Coal Alliance. This initiative, which Canada co-leads with the United Kingdom, works to increase global ambition on coal phase-out and supports developing countries by sharing expertise and best practices. Canada’s public climate finance also helps mobilize private capital, which is a key component of climate action, including for clean energy transition.     
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada is taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change, while strengthening our economy by fostering the creation of sustainable jobs. This shift towards a low-carbon economy presents significant opportunities across existing and emerging sectors and will require the transformation of Canadian industries and the Canadian labour market. Ensuring Canada has a plan to advance a low-carbon economy and a workforce that can thrive in the low-carbon economy is fundamental to achieving our climate targets.On February 17, 2023, the Government of Canada released its interim Sustainable Jobs Plan 2023-2025, which included 10 concrete actions being taken to support the creation of sustainable jobs and help workers in every part of Canada. This interim plan is informed by over two years of consultations and conversations with provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, workers and unions, industry, environmental and civil society organizations and interested Canadians. This interim plan defines the federal government’s commitment to make progress on implementing the 10 key action areas, including establishing legislation that ensures ongoing engagement and accountability.As part of this Plan, on June 15, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, which aims to facilitate and promote the creation of sustainable jobs and support workers and communities in Canada as the world advances toward a net-zero future. It will lay out a framework for federal governance, accountability, and engagement that will help ensure a coherent and coordinated federal approach for implementing measures that support sustainable job creation. The bill is expected to continue through the legislative process in 2024.The Government of Canada has also been working to move forward on a path to a net-zero emissions economy for several years. For example, the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP), which was announced in Budget 2021, is a contribution program that helps key sectors of the economy, including sectors contributing to the low-carbon economy, implement solutions to address their current and emerging workforce needs. The SWSP funds projects that can leverage a wide-range of activities, from developing labour market information, to developing training curriculum and tools, and implementing initiatives that support employers and workers, including members of equity-deserving groups.Budget 2022 announced the creation of a new Union-Led Advisory Table. It brings together labour leaders to provide advice on Government and Ministerial priorities on ways to help workers navigate the changing labour market. The Advisory table was launched on December 5, 2023 and will share its findings once its work is completed later in 2024.The 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding for the creation of a Sustainable Jobs Training Fund, also an action area under the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan. The Fund will support a series of training projects to help 15,000 workers across the country upgrade or gain new skills for jobs in the low-carbon economy. Addressing pressing skills needs and training gaps in areas of high demand will help ensure that Canada’s workforce is prepared to support 2050 climate targets, and that employers have the labour they need to meet demand and seize growth opportunities in the new low-carbon economy.In addition, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding for a new Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) sustainable jobs stream under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy. This stream will aim to fund projects that support unions in leading the development of green skills training for workers in the trades. It is expected that 20,000 apprentices and journeypersons would benefit from this investment.Finally, the Government also offers a broad suite of programming to support jobseekers and workers of all ages and from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, as well as employers, unions and training providers. Many of these programs, created in consultation with stakeholders, are already helping to advance sustainable jobs. They include:
  • The Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP), a program that helps key sectors of the economy implement solutions to address their current and emerging workforce needs, recent investments of $145.9 million in nine projects that will help build talent for the green economy. Overall, the nine projects are expected to support over 24,000 Canadians and benefit approximately 2,100 employers across Canada.
  • The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, which provides funding to help pre-apprentices, apprentices, employers, unions, and other organizations and tradespeople participate in apprenticeships and succeed in skilled trades careers. This includes recent investments to develop green skills training for workers in the trades under the sustainable jobs initiative.
  • The Skills and Partnership Fund, a project-based fund that supports partnerships between Indigenous organizations and industry employers to provide skills training for Indigenous peoples in priority sectors, which include industries that support more efficient use and alternative sources of energy and resources. Through this Fund, Indigenous people are being trained for current and emerging job opportunities in the green economy.
  • The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS), a horizontal initiative led by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and delivered in collaboration with 11 other federal departments, agencies and Crown Corporations. The YESS provides funding to organizations to deliver a range of activities that help youth overcome barriers to employment and develop a broad range of skills and knowledge to participate in the current and future labour market. Some YESS programs such as Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Science Horizons Youth Internship Program, Natural Resources Canada’s Science and Technology Internship Program - Green Jobs, and Parks Canada’s Young Canada Works Program focus on connecting young Canadians with careers in the sustainable jobs sector.
  • The Foreign Credential Recognition Program, to support the labour market integration of skilled newcomers by funding projects that will make credential recognition processes faster and more efficient, and providing loans (up to $30,000), support services, and employment supports to help skilled newcomers acquire Canadian work experience, including within the low-carbon sector.
Canada has a strong social safety net of which the Employment Insurance (EI) program is an important part. Millions of Canadians rely on it each year when they lose their jobs or need to step away from work for illness, childbirth, or taking care of a loved one. The Government continues to build an EI program that is responsive to all labour market conditions, and is accessible, adequate and financially sustainable.Canada also has a comprehensive pension system, the Old Age Security Program and the Canada Pension Plan for all Canadian workers, no matter what type of work they choose. The Old Age Security Program is quasi-universal, with benefits being paid to seniors 65 and over based on years of residence in Canada after age 18. Furthermore, recent studies and modelling suggest that one of the most significant challenges facing the low-carbon economy will not be a shortage of jobs, but instead an abundance of jobs with a shortage of skilled workers required to fill them. Assisting workers to acquire new skills to support continued employment in the low-carbon economy will be key to filling future needs.
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02034441-02034 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024February 2, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02033441-02033 (Health)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Liberals are threatening access to Natural Health Products through new rules that will mean higher costs and fewer products available on store shelves;
  • New so-called 'cost recovery' provisions would impose massive costs on all consumers of Natural Health Products and undermine access for Canadians who rely on these products; and
  • Provisions in the latest Liberal omnibus budget have given the government substantial new arbitrary powers around the regulation of Natural Health Products.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to reverse the changes made in the latest Liberal budget regarding Natural Health Products.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are adulterated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make the natural health product market safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation with stakeholders and taking their feedback into account, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, the Government passed legislation allowing Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Now, Health Canada is proposing fees for industry to allow the Department to create an even safer marketplace for consumers and begin to recoup a portion of the costs of services it provides to industry. Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time, the Department is considering how best to adjust the proposed approach to address the concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is not about limiting the production of NHPs or consumers’ access to them. Rather, these efforts are about making sure the products Canadians use every day are safe, and of high quality.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02032441-02032 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerEquality rights are at the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are intended to ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identities and expressions, from coast, to coast to coast.Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. It is important that parents be involved in the lives of their children, and that should be balanced with the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current.The Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Some highlights:• A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including trans people (Budget 2023, chapter 4)• 2022: Government of Canada criminalized conversion therapies, see Statement• 2017: Canadian Human Rights Act amended to protect gender identity and gender expression• 2022: Launch of Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action PlanThe first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan enables the federal government to help advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan achieves these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The plan is supported by an investment of $100 million, which will help create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both present and future generations. In doing so it builds upon work the Government of Canada has done to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country.
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02031441-02031 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity. On January 23, 2024, in the context of the Universal Periodic Review of China at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Canada made specific reference to Falun Gong practitioners when it called on China to end all forms of enforced disappearance.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the United States, UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02030441-02030 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024April 3, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Ms. Chow, Hang Tung, a vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance, has been committed to advocacy work on human rights issues in China and Hong Kong for many years and has diligently fought for democracy and encouraged Hongkongers to participate in the pro-democracy social movement;Ms. Chow was arrested on June 4th, 2021, charged with incitement to subversion under the National Security Law on Sept. 9th, 2021, and sentenced to jail for 22 months on Jan. 4th, 2022, as part of an effort to crush dissent in Hong Kong; andMs. Chow was awarded the Outstanding Democracy Award by the Chinese Democracy Education Foundation (CDEF) on Dec 4th, 2021, formally recognizing her admirable commitment to human rights and the pro-democracy movement.Therefore we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to urge the Hong Kong Government to drop all charges against, and immediately release from custody, Ms. Chow, Hang Tung.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada remains deeply concerned about the 291 people arrested for suspected breaches of the National Security Law (NSL) imposed by Beijing in 2020, including Ms. Chow Hang-tung (Vice-Chairwoman of The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China).Canada strongly supports the rights of political opposition, civil society, and human rights defenders everywhere to operate in an environment free from intimidation and harassment by state authorities. Canada is well aware that the NSL has significantly eroded rights and freedoms, silenced political opposition, and undermined the independence of public institutions as promised under the Sino-British Joint Declaration (1984). The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has also expressed serious concerns over the NSL. The 2022 UN Human Rights Committee’s fourth periodic human rights report on Hong Kong stated that the law violates Hong Kong’s commitments made under the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights and called for repealing the law. Furthermore, four UN Special Rapporteurs (Special Rapporteurs on the independence of judges and lawyers;  on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; and, on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression) jointly published a statement in October 2023 to express their concerns about the use of mass trials in NSL cases and how it may negatively affect the safeguards in place that ensure due process and the right to a fair trial.Since the imposition of the NSL, Canada has taken concrete actions such as suspending its extradition agreement with Hong Kong, imposing export control measures, updating travel advice, and issuing a travel advisory for Hong Kong, and launching new immigration measures for Hong Kong residents. Canada is also aware that the human rights situation continues to deteriorate despite our advocacy and broader efforts. With this overall situation in mind, during China’s Universal Period Review (UPR) of its human rights record in January 2024 at the UN Human Rights Council, Canada called on China to repeal the NSL and discontinue all cases against individuals in Hong Kong charged for exercising their human rights and freedoms, which includes that of Ms. Chow Hang-tung.Moving forward, Canada will continue to express its concern over the continued erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy and rights through individual and joint efforts with like-minded countries, and monitoring all trials related to NSL charges.
ChinaHong KongPolitical prisoners
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02029441-02029 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024November 1, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members’ Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02028441-02028 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • Women's shelters are sadly seeing increased demand;
  • The high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live; and
  • At a time when this Liberal government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, they are cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to restore funding for women's shelters.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerGender-based violence is one of the most pervasive, deadly and deeply rooted human rights violation of our time. This is why the Government of Canada is taking action.The pandemic created unprecedented challenges for those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV) and the organizations providing supports and services to them. While preventing and addressing GBV is a shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, the Government of Canada acted swiftly in 2020 to provide an initial $90 million in COVID-19 emergency funding, through Women and Gender Equality Canada, to organizations across Canada serving those experiencing GBV. A year into the pandemic, the government responded to high demand and pressing needs by more than tripling the funding support and extending the timeframe for this emergency measure through Budget 2021. Since April 2020, approximately $300 million in total funding has been committed to organizations, providing emergency funding to over 1,400 organizations including women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other GBV organizations. As a result, more than 2 million individuals experiencing violence had a safe place to go, and access to supports across Canada. These investments served as an emergency response to the crisis above and beyond the ongoing work under the Federal Gender-Based Violence Strategy.Like other COVID-19 emergency measures introduced by the federal government since 2020, this temporary measure has come to an end. However, the Government of Canada remains committed to addressing GBV: 
  • Budget 2021 invests $601.3 million over five years in initiatives to advance towards the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This included $200 million (of the $300 million) specifically for COVID-19 emergency funding.
  • Budget 2022 invests a further $539.3 million over five years to support provinces and territories with the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
 On November 9, 2022, Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women launched a historic 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence –. This Plan is a concrete step in fulfilling a long-standing commitment of Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments to work together towards a Canada free of gender-based violence. The Plan is supported by an investment of $539.3 million over five years, committed in Budget 2022, to support the provinces and territories in their implementation efforts. This funding is provided to provinces and territories through bilateral agreements.As of December 2023, the Government of Canada announced agreements with all provinces and territories. These agreements, along with the respective provincial/territorial implementation plans are available on Women and Gender Equality’s website. 
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the right to a safe and affordable place to call home.Providing a safe and secure space for persons fleeing domestic violence is a priority for the Government of Canada. The National Housing Strategy (NHS), a 10-year, more than $82 billion plan launched in 2017, is giving more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum and prioritize populations most in need, including women and their children. The Government of Canada aims to put 33% of the strategy’s investments, with a minimum of 25%, toward serving the unique needs of women and their children.NHS programs and initiatives support the creation of shelters, such as the $13.2 billion Affordable Housing Fund, previously known as the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, which aims to create 2,000 new shelter spaces and repair 2,000 shelters for survivors of family violence. The Government of Canada has committed to create 1,388 new shelter spaces or transitional housing units available for survivors of gender-based violence, and to repair/renew a further 347 shelter spaces or transitional housing units.The Government of Canada recognizes that Indigenous women and children face unique challenges and barriers to housing. For those who experience violence, a shelter is often a first step to rebuilding their lives and protecting them from further violence. The NHS includes programming and funding exclusively for shelters in Indigenous communities and in the North.As part of the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada announced funding of $724.1 million to develop a comprehensive Violence Prevention Strategy to expand culturally relevant supports for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people facing gender-based violence. From this funding, $420 million is allocated to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) over five years to support the construction of a minimum of 38 shelters and 50 transitional homes across the country. In addition, we have committed $44.8 million to build a total of 12 new shelters across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping family violence. To date, construction is complete for four shelters, with the remaining eight shelters expected to be completed in 2024.These Indigenous-led shelters will provide vital refuge and culturally appropriate critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of their experiences, access support programming and create a stable environment where they can begin to regain an independent life. They are also a crucial element of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, the Government of Canada’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and an important contribution to the National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.To date, the Indigenous led Steering committees have selected 47 projects for funding (25 shelters and 22 transitional housing) and provided $195.9 million in capital for the creation of 349 units. A total of 24 projects have advanced to the point of receiving an agreement, and $27 million in funding has been advanced. The committees have conditionally approved an additional 23 projects, which may be provided final approval once complete proposals are received. Budget 2021 included an additional $315.4 million for the Canada Housing Benefit (CHB) to increase support for women and children fleeing violence. The program has since shifted in scope to encompass survivors of gender-based violence consistent with the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence which the Government of Canada and provinces and territories (excluding Quebec) endorsed in November 2022.CMHC is in the process of negotiating agreements with provinces and territories to deliver and cost-match the additional federal funding for survivors of gender-based violence through the CHB. This funding will be available for provinces and territories to deliver until 2028. Each province and territory has flexibility to cost-match this funding through a housing benefit for any vulnerable population, including survivors of gender-based violence. To date, agreements for additional funding for survivors of gender-based violence through the CHB have been signed with 3 provinces and territories.  CMHC launched a Call for Proposals in November 2021 and the submission window will remain open on a continual basis until March 1, 2024. CMHC and Indigenous Services Canada work with Indigenous-led committees comprised of representatives from Indigenous organizations, subject matter experts in shelters and housing delivery, as well as people with lived experience. The Government of Canada understands that a need for urgent shelter remains and is committed to working collaboratively to support the work of the Indigenous-led committees and expediting funding for projects that are approved.
SheltersWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02027441-02027 (Democratic process)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024January 26, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe the undersigned Canadian citizens would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS:The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, while politicians cannot agree on the best way forward; and This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to:Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; More specifically, we would like to see a representative and non-partisan citizens' assembly that has the resources, the expert support and sufficient time required to come to a citizens' consensus on recommendatio to be delivered to the government; and We call on MPs of all parties to vote in support of Motion M-86 Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, which will be debated in the House of Parliament in the fall of 2023.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, which recognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformM-86National Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02026441-02026 (Justice)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighborhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners.A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21, which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control. The new law includes a new forward-looking technical definition of a prohibited firearm that contains the characteristics of an assault-style firearm.Firearms that match the characteristics and requirements of this new technical definition will be prohibited. That is, a firearm that is not a handgun and that fires centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner, was originally designed with a detachable magazine with a capacity of six cartridges or more, and that is designed and manufactured on or after the day the definition comes into force. As this new definition is forward looking, it applies to firearms that are designed and manufactured on or after December 15, 2023. This ensures that new firearms that exceed safe civilian use are not introduced into our communities. This definition does not apply to firearms that were on the market prior the passage of C-21. No firearms legally owned by Canadians today will be affected.To stop the growth of handgun ownership, which grew from 500,000 in 2010 to more than 1 million in 2020, Bill C-21 codified the handgun freeze in statute. While current handgun owners can continue to use their handguns, Bill C-21 prevents most individuals from transferring or acquiring new handguns, with narrow exemptions, including for sport shooting. Individuals who are training, competing or coaching in a handgun discipline on the programme of the Olympic or Paralympic Committees and who are recognized as such by the national or provincial-territorial sport shooting governing body can continue to acquire or import handguns. Public Safety Canada will conduct consultations regarding the process for these athletes to acquire handguns for their sport and to support the development of regulations related to this exemption.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.The Government has also invested over $1.3B since 2016 to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase firearms tracing capacity and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02025441-02025 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024May 15, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Winnipeg and India and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, including residents of Manitoba. The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.  The means by which the Government of Canada supports international air services is by ensuring that Canada's air transport agreements include the rights that airlines require to operate. The Government expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022 and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India.  The Government of Canada remains interested in further expansion of the agreement, and Canadian Ministers and officials have raised Canada’s interest in access to additional points in India during meetings with their Indian counterparts.  The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of International Trade, and the previous Minister of Transport have all met with their respective Indian counterparts and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interest in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).  Canada’s High Commissioner to India also wrote to the Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory.  With respect to services operated via Europe, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02024441-02024 (Media and telecommunications)DaveEppChatham-Kent—LeamingtonConservativeONJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustryWHEREAS: Canadians continue to pay the second highest cellular rates anywhere in the world, and yet continue to have some of the worst connective coverage; Canadians should be able to at least have reliable service along major roads such as the 400-series highways, given our remoteness, severe weather conditions, and great distances of travel from our homes;Complaints to the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS) are up 12% nationally since August 1, 2022, and the CCTS has confirmed 36 breaches of the Wireless Code of Conduct by Canadian telecom providers in that same period;Canadian cellular communication tower infrastructure continues to have a severe, life-threatening lack of capacity, particularly in our underserviced and oversubscribed populated rural areas to keep us connected; andThese lapses in service, in some cases, prevent Canadians from reaching the most basic of emergency services resulting in preventable human tragedies during fires, floods, and automobile accidents.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the government of Canada to: Ensure that no residential area in Ontario is without reliable and dependable cellular service and access to emergency services such as 9-1-1 by directing the Canadian Radio & Telecommunication Commission (CRTC) to immediately review the integrity of Canada's cellular infrastructure and provide a Quality of Service report to the House by the end of February 2024;Direct the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology to undertake a study comprised of telecom service providers, consumers, public advocates, industry experts, and allowing written submission from the public to be entered into evidence and issue a report to the House of Commons by the end of March 2024; andInstruct the Minister of Heritage and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada to table with the House their departments' policies, regulations, and directives demonstrating how they are meeting and plan to meet this public service crisis of telecommunications capacity and quality.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HON. FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNEThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views on the importance of reliable mobile cellular connectivity.The Government of Canada knows that now more than ever, Canadians rely on telecommunications services for work, school, finances, health care, and staying connected. In particular, the Government recognizes that providing access to emergency services is a critical function of mobile cellular services. The Government is working to improve the reliability of telecommunications and better protect Canadians.Following the Rogers outage in July 2022, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry brought together major telecommunications companies to improve Canada’s network reliability, and as a result, a memorandum of understanding between these companies is now in place with provisions on emergency roaming, mutual assistance, and improving public awareness around telecommunications outages.In September 2022, the Government announced the Telecommunications Reliability Agenda, which includes a set of actions to improve the reliability and resilience of Canada’s telecommunications networks. As part of this work, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry charged the industry members of the Canadian Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (CSTAC) with developing a set of recommendations to improve the reliability of Canada’s telecommunications networks. Similarly, the Minister requested that the industry members of the Canadian Forum for Digital Infrastructure Resilience (CFDIR) develop a set of recommendations to improve the reliability and resilience of digital infrastructure. Both CSTAC and CFDIR have submitted their recommendations and the Government is reviewing their reports. Additionally, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is holding a series of consultations to develop a regulatory framework to improve telecommunications network reliability and resiliency, beginning with its consultations on reporting telecommunications outages. The CRTC is also considering consultations on network resiliency principles, emergency services (9-1-1), public alerting, and other consumer protection measures.Amendments to the Telecommunications Act have also been put forward as part of Bill C-26: An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts. It includes provisions that would enable the Government to take further action to promote the security and reliability of telecommunications networks.A number of initiatives are also underway to improve universal access to telecommunications services in more challenging to connect rural and remote areas. In June 2019, the Government of Canada released High-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, a historic commitment to make affordable, high-speed Internet infrastructure available to all Canadians and to improve mobile wireless access from coast to coast to coast. The Strategy outlines Canada's action plan to leverage new and existing investments and technologies, as well as to collaborate with provinces, territories and other partners.The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a key initiative under the Strategy and provides a total of $3.225 billion to support connectivity in underserved rural and remote communities. This includes up to $50 million for mobile Internet projects that primarily benefit Indigenous peoples, including projects along highways and roads where mobile connectivity is lacking. With this program, the Government has now made a total of $7.6 billion available to connect Canadians since 2015.These investments build on existing programs that continue to roll out. The CRTC has a $675 million Broadband Fund in place, sourced through an industry levy, to support connectivity projects, including for mobile wireless networks in underserved communities and along major transportation roads. The Fund’s most recent third call for applications focused on transport projects, mobile wireless projects along major transportation roads, and projects requiring operational funding to increase satellite transport capacity in all eligible geographic areas across Canada.The Government is also taking steps to improve mobile wireless connectivity by making more radiofrequency spectrum available, which is needed to provide services to Canadians. In November 2023, the Government concluded its auction of the 3800 MHz band, where it set a 100 MHz cap on how much combined 3500 MHz and 3800 MHz spectrum a provider could acquire, effectively reserving spectrum for smaller competitors. In total, 4,099 licences were awarded to 20 Canadian bidders, including 870 licences to small and regional providers across the country. When combined with the results of the 3500 MHz auction, small and regional providers have doubled their spectrum holdings, further strengthening their ability to offer competitive services.In addition, on February 13, 2023, the Government issued a binding policy direction to the CRTC on a renewed approach to telecommunications policy. The policy direction requires Canada’s telecommunications regulator to regulate in a manner consistent with the Government’s priorities in telecommunications. The policy direction includes a range of measures to improve competition, affordability, consumer rights, and innovation, and will help the Government speed up deployment and reach its universal access goals.Regarding wireless connectivity specifically, the policy direction instructs the CRTC to continue administering a funding mechanism for connectivity projects with consideration for greater priority on mobile wireless connectivity; to improve its approach to collecting and reporting data on mobile wireless coverage; and to periodically review the effectiveness of its mobile wireless services regulatory framework to help ensure Canadians have access to affordable mobile wireless services and improved wireless competition.With respect to mobile wireless prices, data from Statistics Canada shows that with increased competition in the market in the past year, wireless prices have declined across the board by 26%. The government will continue to insist on improved competition and better prices for consumers.The Government of Canada supports a competitive marketplace where consumers are treated fairly and shares the concerns that many Canadians have expressed regarding the practices of certain telecommunications companies. That is why the Government of Canada helped to establish the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS) in 2007. The CCTS is an independent organization that provides consumers with recourse when they are unable to resolve disagreements directly with their Telecommunications Service Provider (TSP).Although the CCTS had a 14% increase in the complaints it received last year, the CCTS has consistently resolved a high majority of the complaints it receives to the satisfaction of telecommunications customers. In their 2022-23 Annual Report, the CCTS reported that it had resolved 89% of the complaints it concluded that year to the satisfaction of both the consumer and the service provider, which is one percent higher than last year. The CCTS is well positioned to investigate any breaches of the Wireless Code and to ensure any issues are resolved appropriately. The CCTS is a valuable resource for Canadians seeking to resolve their telecommunications complaints, and is part of the Government’s overall approach to improving outcomes for consumers.More information on the Government's efforts to improve mobile connectivity and resiliency can be found in the Telecommunications Reliability Agenda, Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, and the 2023 Policy Direction. The Government will continue to take action to promote access to reliable and dependable telecommunications services in all regions of the country.
OntarioTelecommunications and telecommunications industry
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02023441-02023 (Transportation)Hon.DavidLamettiLaSalle—Émard—VerdunLiberalQCJanuary 30, 2024March 18, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE HONOURABLE SEAN FRASER, MINISTER OF HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES, AND MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE CANADA WHEREAS:1. The New Bridge for the St. Lawrence Corridor Project includes a contractual obligation for the Signature on the St. Lawrence (SSL) group to respect certain noise levels, particularly in areas along the A15 highway’s northern approach; 2. Noise surveys conducted independently by the borough of Verdun, Infrastructure Canada and SSL confirm that noise levels exceed thresholds and have done so since 2020; 3. Infrastructure Canada has publicly acknowledged that fact since at least April 2021 and has promised to address the situation; 4. On October 13, 2021, a virtual meeting held jointly by SSL and Infrastructure Canada for affected residents reiterated the intent to address the situation; and5. Two years later, no corrective measures have been taken and neither SSL nor Infrastructure Canada has responded to multiple follow-up requests from citizens. We, the undersigned, residents of the areas affected by noise levels exceeding permissible limits, call on the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities to:
  • Ensure that appropriate technical solutions are implemented as soon as possible;
  • Establish a communication channel between Infrastructure Canada and citizens so they can share information quickly and efficiently; and
  • Continue to carry out noise level testing at regular intervals in the affected area for the next 30 years, and apply any necessary corrective measures.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleSince the outset of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project, the Government of Canada has prioritized ensuring that residents living in the areas surrounding the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor are able to peacefully enjoy their properties. Noise management and reductions have been important for both Infrastructure Canada (INFC) and its private partner, Signature on the Saint Lawrence Group (SSL), in both the construction phase and in the operations phase.As a result, from 2012 to 2014, before the beginning of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project, an environmental evaluation was performed in order to establish a baseline for the Project Agreement. This assessment was able to:•    Determine the noise impacts of the project;•    Identify noise sensitive areas;•    Create a series of baseline pre-project noise levels to measure against.The Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project is being delivered as a public-private partnership between the Government of Canada, represented by INFC, and the private partner, SSL. The two parties are bound by the New Bridge for the St. Lawrence Project Agreement, signed on June 16, 2015 for the design, construction, financing, operating, maintenance, and rehabilitation of the corridor (Project Agreement). INFC is the project authority responsible for the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project. The department is responsible for ensuring compliance of the Project Agreement, notably in the areas of environmental protection and the related performance criteria therein, in collaboration with Public Services and Procurement Canada, who is the contracting authority for the project. INFC oversees and measures the quality of work carried out by SSL, particularly in terms of environmental studies, and identifies any deficiencies that require correction.SSL is responsible for the design, construction, financing, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor project. SSL is also responsible for controlling and measuring the quality of work required in the Project Agreement and to make any corrections to deficiencies as needed. Any corrections performed must adhere to the standard set out in the Project Agreement. SSL is contractually obligated to take noise level measurements at 1, 5, and 10 years following the opening of the bridge to ensure that noise levels are in line with the requirements of the Project Agreement. Road vehicle counts are also performed to ensure the sound prediction model is accurate. The Project Agreement stipulates a minimum intervention threshold for sound to evaluate the effectiveness of sound barriers and, once triggered, requires that corrective measures be put in place once an acoustic issue is detected. SSL is responsible for modifying or replacing any and all noise abatement barriers deemed insufficient for the required noise levels.The work done by SSL and INFC is carried out using professional equipment such as sound meters in accordance with the parameters set out in the Ministère des Transports du Québec’s Methodological Guide related to noise pollution studies for existing road infrastructure. This is done over a 24 hour period to obtain data that is truly representative of the noise in a given area.Noise levels must be measured based on the following conditions:•    Over a 24 hour period within previously identified sensitive areas;•    1.5m from the ground and 3.5m from buildings;•    In favourable weather conditions (no precipitation, wind speeds below 20km/h); and•    In conditions where all other sources of noise are filtered out.Improvements to Noise Abatement Barriers:In fall 2023, SSL developed an action plan to improve the noise levels for residents living close to highway A15, which respects the noise criteria defined in the Project Agreement. The work, which was done between November 17 and December 22, 2023, included removing existing noise abatement barriers and replacing them with new, thicker, and more acoustically absorbent barriers. Furthermore, the height of the barriers was increased, as per SSL’s acoustic modelling, while maintaining the placement and configuration of the panels and respecting urban integration directives which call for both opaque and transparent panels. In 2024, a follow-up noise measurement campaign will be undertaken to determine the effectiveness of the new noise abatement barriers. The results will be analyzed and shared with elected officials and the general public.INFC and SSL both have the public’s wellbeing at heart and place a high importance on communication with different stakeholders and citizens.As such, neighbourhood committees and other forums were held on a regular basis during the construction period whereby the progress of the work was discussed, but also where updates on the project were provided regularly, including information related to noise barriers. In addition to the neighbourhood committees, INFC and SSL have worked and continue to work hand in hand with various partners located around the Samuel De Champlain Bridge Corridor, most notably the City of Montréal, to coordinate different projects and respond to challenges that arise. When necessary, meetings or communications can take place with elected officials or the general public. Finally, INFC and SSL are always available to respond to questions, requests for information, and concerns through several different methods, including our respective Websites (Samuel de Champlain Bridge - Infrastructure Canada) and SSL’s call centre (514-360-8181).  
Champlain BridgeNoise and noise pollutionTransport corridors
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4697e-4697 (Health)AndrewKonecnyAnitaVandenbeldOttawa West—NepeanLiberalONNovember 22, 2023, at 11:45 a.m. (EDT)January 21, 2024, at 11:45 a.m. (EDT)January 29, 2024March 18, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas:November is National Diabetes Awareness Month;4 million Canadians have been diagnosed with Diabetes (Type 1 & 2), 1.7 million have undiagnosed Type 2 Diabetes & or 6 million are prediabetic;The British Columbia government, in March 2023, raised the issue of an Ozempic shortage (15% going from BC to the USA);In 2022, in Canada, 3.5+ million Ozempic prescriptions ($1.2 billion) were dispensed by retail drugstores (data provided to the National Post from IQVIA CompuSript);CBC Ottawa reported that Barry Power with the Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) stated that an internal survey conducted by CPhA found that between 25% to 50% of Canadian prescriptions for Ozempic are for weight loss;Health Canada confirms the shortage of Ozempic will continue until March 2024 with the Belgian government stating until June 2024;Other governments are regulating ‘off-label’ use of critical medications to Diabetics (if not available would cause death or bodily harm). For weight loss is an ‘off-label’ use of Ozempic in Canada; andUrgent action is required to prevent unnecessary death or bodily harm.We, the undersigned, residents and citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to implement laws/regulations to limit the prescription of specific Diabetes medications, including Novo Nordisk A/S’s Ozempic (semaglutide), Rybelsus, and Victoza; Eli Lilly & Co.’s Trulicity and Mounjaro (terzepatide); AstraZeneca Plc’s Bydureon and all other similar medications, to Canadian resident patients diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes or specific types of obesity, as determined by Health Canada in collaboration with the Provinces and Territories of Canada.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Yasir NaqviHealth Canada recognizes the importance of Ozempic (semaglutide) and other Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) and Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. There have been concerns about the availability of Ozempic (semaglutide) and other GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Ensuring there is adequate supply of these products is a top priority for the Government of Canada. Supply issues have impacted the Canadian supply of GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists because of high global demand. While manufacturers are continuing to receive supplies in Canada, and improvements are being seen, certain products are still experiencing some constraints and may not always be available at pharmacies.Efforts are being made to increase manufacturing capacity but it will take time to build up supply levels to meet the demand. Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. (NNCI) has advised Health Canada that the shortage of Ozempic 1mg pen was resolved on January 18, 2024. The shortage of their lower-dose product (0.25mg/0.5mg) was also resolved on February 17, 2024. NNCI is not currently experiencing any supply issues for Rybelsus and Victoza. Eli Lilly Canada Inc. (Eli Lilly) has advised Health Canada that shortages of Trulicity (dulaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are expected throughout early 2024 due to increased demand and competitor shortages. AstraZeneca Canada Inc.’s Bydureon (exenatide) has not been marketed in Canada since 2022.Health Canada is working with manufacturers and stakeholders to monitor supply, mitigate the impacts of the supply disruptions on patients, look at how these products can be made more available and ensure that patients living with diabetes can access the medication they need. Health Canada has issued a supply notice on Ozempic where Canadians can find the latest information on the supply and use of the product.  The GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists currently authorized and marketed in Canada are indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Prescribing these products for weight loss would be considered off-label use as it is not an indication approved by Health Canada. Off-label use refers to the use of a marketed health product outside of indications included in approved drug labeling. While Health Canada oversees the regulation of drugs, it has no jurisdiction over how health care professionals prescribe drugs once they are approved. Health Canada understands the concerns related to the off -label use, however, the decision to prescribe a drug for off-label use is part of the “practice of medicine”, which is regulated by the provinces and territories. The decision involves the health care professional diagnosing a patient's symptoms and deciding which treatment would be most appropriate. The practice of medicine allows a healthcare professional to use their professional judgement/knowledge to determine whether a drug can be useful to a patient if used off-label. Practice of medicine is under the purview of the provincial and territorial Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, which oversee medical practice and well-established clinical guidelines.On December 6, 2023, Health Canada published recommendations from clinical experts for prescribers while Ozempic and other GLP-1/GIP agonists are in shortage. These expert groups recommended that prescribers:
  • do not start new patients on these drugs that are in shortage, unless there are no suitable alternatives and there’s a clinical reason to do so;
  • consider prescribing an alternative drug for patients taking a GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist that is in shortage, as a continuous supply can’t be guaranteed; and  
  • conserve the existing supply for patients who are stabilized and have no other treatment options.
Health Canada will continue to work with manufacturers and stakeholders to ensure the supply of Ozempic and other GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists are made available for patients living with type 2 diabetes. Health Canada encourages patients who have concerns about access to these drugs to speak to a health care professional about their options.
DiabetesObesityPharmaceuticals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4676e-4676 (Natural resources and energy)OleHendricksonSophieChatelPontiacLiberalQCDecember 11, 2023, at 2:07 p.m. (EDT)January 10, 2024, at 2:07 p.m. (EDT)January 29, 2024March 18, 2024January 12, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), a former Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) subsidiary, has initiated Canada’s first-ever major projects for permanent disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear reactors;These projects involve the Government of Canada’s "legacy" waste: in-situ disposal of two shut-down AECL reactors, and a precedent-setting Near Surface Disposal Facility at AECL’s Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario;Project approvals could violate Article 29(2) of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: “no storage or disposal of hazardous materials shall take place in the lands or territories of indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent.”;At Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) hearings, radioactive waste management experts have questioned the conformity of these projects with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standards;The IAEA has an “ARTEMIS” review service that provides independent advice on radioactive waste management and could inform decisions on these projects;A CNSC official informed international regulators in May 2018 of plans for an ARTEMIS review, but none has taken place; andSection 19 (1) of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act gives the Governor in Council the power to issue directives of general application on broad policy matters to the CNSC’s Commission.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to issue a directive to the CNSC that it shall make no decision on licensing of a radioactive waste disposal facility unless Canada’s UNDRIP obligations are met, and request an IAEA ARTEMIS review of CNL’s major projects for permanent disposal of the government’s legacy radioactive waste.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is committed to the safe, effective, and environmentally sound management of radioactive waste. Advancing reconciliation and protecting the health and safety of Canadians and the environment is the government’s top priority when it comes to nuclear energy and radioactive waste.  In addition, the Government of Canada recognizes the unique status and rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and is committed to upholding these rights and implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the UN Declaration) in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples, with regard to radioactive waste management and decommissioning.The development, production, and use of nuclear energy and materials are regulated by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Canada’s independent nuclear regulator, which comprises the Commission and CNSC staff. All nuclear projects, including the Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) proposed by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and other proposed legacy radioactive waste projects, require the Commission’s authorization, under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA), and they may also require an environmental assessment or an impact assessment. Pursuant to its mandate and responsibilities set out in the NSCA, the Commission is as an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that makes science and evidence-based decisions and solicits information from interested Canadians and Indigenous Peoples through public engagement and hearings. Federal departments, such as Environment and Climate Change Canada, Health Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Natural Resources Canada, as well as other levels of government, participate in and contribute to environmental assessments, where applicable, for proposed major nuclear projects based on their expertise and knowledge. Along with public participation and input, including from Indigenous Peoples, this ensures an open, balanced process that strengthens the quality and credibility of a project’s review. The Commission approves projects under the NSCA if it concludes that they will be safe for the public and the environment, both now and into the future, that Canadians have been engaged, and that Indigenous Peoples have been sufficiently and appropriately consulted. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources has no role in the Commission’s independent licensing decisions under the NSCA and did not participate in the environmental assessment decision of the NSDF project under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA, 2012).The Commission ensures that all decisions it carries out under federal legislation uphold the honour of the Crown and that consultations with Indigenous Peoples and groups are undertaken whenever the Commission’s decisions or conduct may have a potential impact on Aboriginal or treaty rights protected under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. As Canada’s nuclear regulator, the CNSC is committed to long-term relationship building and to enabling meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples and groups in Commission proceedings and CNSC regulatory processes.On June 21, 2021, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UN Declaration Act) received Royal Assent and came into force. This Act requires the Government of Canada, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples to: take all measures necessary to ensure that the laws (including regulations) of Canada are consistent with the Declaration (section 5); prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the Declaration’s objectives (section 6); and, table an annual report on progress to align the laws of Canada with the UN Declaration Act and on the action plan (section 7). The Action Plan was released in June 2023 and provides a roadmap of actions Canada needs to take in partnership with Indigenous peoples to implement the principles and rights set out in the UN Declaration and to further advance reconciliation in a tangible way.   Canada’s nuclear regulatory framework, including for radioactive waste management and decommissioning, is aligned with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards that are internationally well-regarded, as confirmed by peer reviews of international nuclear experts. In 2019, an IAEA Integrated Regulatory Review Services (IRRS) Mission to Canada was requested by the Government of Canada. The purpose of the 2019 IRRS Mission was to perform a peer review of Canada’s regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety against IAEA Safety Standards, with a focus on radioactive waste management and decommissioning. The scope was more comprehensive than an IAEA Integrated Review Service for Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management, Decommissioning and Remediation (ARTEMIS) review. The Mission concluded that Canada has a comprehensive and robust regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety covering current facilities and activities. It also recommended that the Government should enhance the existing policy and establish the associated strategy to give effect to the principles stated in Canada’s former Radioactive Waste Policy Framework (1996). A follow-up IRRS Mission will occur in June 2024, to review Canada’s progress on meeting the recommendations of the 2019 Mission. In 2022, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD) found that Canada does a good job of managing low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste.In 2023, the Government of Canada released a modernized Policy for Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning and accepted the Integrated Strategy for Radioactive Waste developed by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and associated partners. Both reflect international best practices and enhance Canada’s framework so that radioactive waste management and disposal are carried out in a safe, environmentally sound, comprehensive, and integrated manner, now and for generations to come.Canada’s commitment to nuclear safety is further reinforced through participation and leadership in the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (the Joint Convention). The Joint Convention is the first legally binding international treaty governing all aspects of spent fuel and radioactive waste management. Under the Joint Convention, delegates, including from Canada, participate in review meetings every three years to review the work of their peers to fulfill their obligations under the Convention.  The Government is confident that the CNSC will continue to follow international standards and best practices in its licensing decisions and as needed, conduct international peer reviews as part of its commitment to continuous improvement in the management of radioactive waste and decommissioning.
Nuclear wasteWaste management
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02020441-02020 (Environment)SophieChatelPontiacLiberalQCJanuary 29, 2024March 18, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:1. Gatineau Park is one of the most visited parks in Canada;2. Gatineau Park is home to close to 90 endangered plant and 50 endangered animal species;3. The boundaries of Gatineau Park, which belongs to all Canadians, are not inscribed in an Act of Parliament;4. Sections of Gatineau Park can be removed, developed, or disposed of without parliamentary authorization;5. Gatineau Park managers lack the basic authority required for protecting the park's natural resources.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to amend the National Capital Act to grant Gatineau Park the legal protection required to ensure its preservation for future generations.
Response by the Minister of Public Services and ProcurementSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Charles SousaGatineau Park is the National Capital Region’s largest and most popular natural space. The Park’s varied ecosystems are rich in biodiversity, providing a habitat for over 5,000 species, including rare species found nowhere else in the region, and over 150 species at risk.The National Capital Commission’s (NCC’s) Gatineau Park Master Plan, adopted by the Board of Directors in January 2021, is a foundational planning document that outlines a comprehensive vision for managing Gatineau Park on a longterm horizon and guiding its planning, use, and management. The Master Plan was the product of a three-year, phased process that included extensive online and in-person consultations, as well as multiple engagements with a public advisory committee, representatives of the Algonquin Nation, local municipalities, elected officials, and stakeholders throughout the National Capital Region. It is structured around four key objectives: (1) conserving nature, (2) providing recreational and cultural experiences in nature, (3) promoting equitable and sustainable access, and (4) fostering engagement and collaboration.Gatineau Park encompasses an area of 36,100 hectares. As part of its conservation mandate the NCC has a policy of acquiring private property in the Park whenever possible, with a view to further consolidating the Park under NCC ownership. In 2008, 600 hectares were under private ownership. Since then, the NCC has acquired over 266 hectares, with only approximately 334 hectares of private property remaining in the Park. The NCC continues to actively pursue acquisition of private properties.Land owned by the NCC within Gatineau Park is federal public land and therefore subject to federal legislation, including that relating to conservation and environmental protection. Compliance with these laws is paramount in the NCC’s decisions regarding the Park’s use and management.The results of this emphasis on conservation in Gatineau Park have been positive. The 2016-17 Status Report on Gatineau Park Ecosystems found that the overall condition of the Park is “good”, and that this condition remains stable.The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of Gatineau Park to the National Capital Region and Canadians. The Government will continue to support the NCC’s efforts to protect a critical jewel of the region
Gatineau ParkNature conservation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4347e-4347 (Government services and administration)JohnMcDonnellSophieChatelPontiacLiberalQCMarch 21, 2023, at 3:10 p.m. (EDT)July 19, 2023, at 3:10 p.m. (EDT)January 29, 2024March 18, 2024July 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Gatineau Park is one of the most visited parks in Canada;Gatineau Park is home to close to 90 endangered plant and 50 endangered animal species;The boundaries of Gatineau Park, which belongs to all Canadians, are not inscribed in an Act of Parliament;Sections of the park may be removed, developed, or disposed of without Parliamentary authorization; andGatineau Park managers lack the basic authority required for protecting the park's natural resources.We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to amend the National Capital Act to grant Gatineau Park the legal protection required to ensure its preservation for future generations.
Response by the Minister of Public Services and ProcurementSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Charles SousaGatineau Park is the National Capital Region’s largest and most popular natural space. The Park’s varied ecosystems are rich in biodiversity, providing a habitat for over 5,000 species, including rare species found nowhere else in the region, and over 150 species at risk.The National Capital Commission’s (NCC’s) Gatineau Park Master Plan, adopted by the Board of Directors in January 2021, is a foundational planning document that outlines a comprehensive vision for managing Gatineau Park on a longterm horizon and guiding its planning, use, and management. The Master Plan was the product of a three-year, phased process that included extensive online and in-person consultations, as well as multiple engagements with a public advisory committee, representatives of the Algonquin Nation, local municipalities, elected officials, and stakeholders throughout the National Capital Region. It is structured around four key objectives: (1) conserving nature, (2) providing recreational and cultural experiences in nature, (3) promoting equitable and sustainable access, and (4) fostering engagement and collaboration.Gatineau Park encompasses an area of 36,100 hectares. As part of its conservation mandate the NCC has a policy of acquiring private property in the Park whenever possible, with a view to further consolidating the Park under NCC ownership. In 2008, 600 hectares were under private ownership. Since then, the NCC has acquired over 266 hectares, with only approximately 334 hectares of private property remaining in the Park. The NCC continues to actively pursue acquisition of private properties.Land owned by the NCC within Gatineau Park is federal public land and therefore subject to federal legislation, including that relating to conservation and environmental protection. Compliance with these laws is paramount in the NCC’s decisions regarding the Park’s use and management.The results of this emphasis on conservation in Gatineau Park have been positive. The 2016-17 Status Report on Gatineau Park Ecosystems found that the overall condition of the Park is “good”, and that this condition remains stable.The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of Gatineau Park to the National Capital Region and Canadians. The Government will continue to support the NCC’s efforts to protect a critical jewel of the region. 
Gatineau ParkNational Capital CommissionNational, provincial and territorial parks and reserves
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02017441-02017 (Democratic process)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONJanuary 29, 2024March 18, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system.As part of this continuous improvement, in 2021, the Prime Minister asked the now-Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs to consider the Chief Electoral Officer’s legislative recommendations from the 43rd and 44th general elections to further support transparency, fairness and participation in the federal electoral process. And more recently, in March 2022, the Prime Minister announced an agreement reached by the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party in Parliament, Delivering for Canadians Now, A Supply and Confidence Agreement, which recognizes a shared commitment to maintaining the health of Canada’s democracy and the need to remove barriers to voting and participation by exploring ways to expand the ability for people to vote.In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024441-02016441-02016 (Health)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONJanuary 29, 2024March 18, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is an important issue. The Government recently tabled online harms legislation (Bill C-63), which recognizes the need to better protect children online.Bill C-63 proposes to create the Online Harms Act, whichaims to promote online safety by reducing exposure to harmful content on social media services, with a special emphasis on protecting children.The Online Harms Act imposes three statutory duties that establish minimum standards that services must meet to ensure the safety of Canadians online:
  1. Duty to Act Responsibly
  2. Duty to Protect Children
  3. Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible
The Duty to Act Responsibly establishes a standard of conduct that social media services must follow to ensure the safety of users on their platforms and to create more transparency and accountability about how they deal with harmful content. The Duty to Protect Children requires social media services to provide protections for children online including the integration of age-appropriate design features on their platforms and to be more transparent by reporting on the specific measures that they are taking to protect children. Design features could include things like defaults for parental controls, default settings related to warning labels for children, or safe search settings for a service’s internal search function. They could also include design features to limit children’s exposure to harmful content, including explicit adult content, cyberbullying content and content that incites self-harm.The Duty to Make Certain Content Inaccessible requires social media services to expeditiously remove two categories of content from their services: 
  1. Content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, and 
  2. Intimate content communicated without consent. 
The Act also creates a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the Act; a Digital Safety Ombudsperson of Canada to advocate for and support victims and a Digital Safety Office of Canada which supports both administratively. Part of the Digital Safety Commission’s mandate would be to enforce the removal of content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor and intimate content communicated without consent; and to promote societal resilience to harms online and set new standards for online safety by providing guidance to services on how to mitigate risk, perform research, work with stakeholders, and develop educational resources for the public, including children and parents. Overall, the Digital Safety Commission would be able to enact guidelines and regulations under the three duties, which would allow the legislation to be adaptable and to grow over time as the landscape of harmful content affecting children changes.The Government has also looked at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.The Online Harms legislation was developed following extensive consultations by the Government of Canada since 2021, including public consultations, an Expert Advisory Group on Online Safety, a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Expression focused on online safety, and 22 online and virtual roundtables across Canada, as well as consultations held in 2020 by the Minister of Justice, when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. During these engagements there was strong consensus for protecting children and youth from online harm. Summaries of consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlOverall, the Government believes Bill C-63 would create stronger online protections for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content. It would hold online platforms, including livestreaming and user-uploaded adult content services, accountable for reducing users’ exposure to harmful content on their platforms and help prevent its spread.Despite its important policy objective, we do not believe that Bill S-210 is the best way to achieve the goal of protecting children online. It is a partial, piecemeal solution that ignores many of the most harmful forms of content that affect children online, including cyberbullying, incitement to self-harm, and child-sexual-abuse material. Furthermore, the bill has a broad scope and would regulate more websites than just adult websites and more content than pornographic content, it imposes unrealistic timelines for implementation and compliance, it raises a range of potential privacy risks, and it relies on website blocking which is a contentious enforcement mechanism with freedom of expression risks. 
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 18, 2024e-4594e-4594 (Taxation)KeriMartensGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 11, 2023, at 9:18 a.m. (EDT)December 10, 2023, at 9:18 a.m. (EDT)January 29, 2024March 18, 2024December 12, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada’s total firefighting essential first responders;In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; andIt would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe community service shown by volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, especially following the extraordinary fire season over the past summer, is exemplary. The Government of Canada recognizes this service through the Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit.In addition to this credit, the government has committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 15, 2024e-4871e-4871 (Citizenship and immigration)TaniaRampillonClaudeDeBellefeuilleSalaberry—SuroîtBloc QuébécoisQCMarch 15, 2024, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)June 13, 2024, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT) Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Petition number 421-01353 on sponsorship applications for family reunification was presented to the House of Commons on May 16, 2017, and government response 8545-421-23-13 stated that it is seeking a “fair and transparent” process;We believe that case selection is NOT fair and transparent;Thousands of families are still waiting for reunification after many years; andThe annual quota for accepted sponsorship applications creates intense competition between applicants and excludes many families who want to be reunited in Canada. We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Give those who lost the lottery during one year, priority in subsequent years;2. Keep applicants updated on their case after a lottery; and3. Review the process so that family reunification stays “a core immigration priority for the Government of Canada,” as stated in its response of May 16, 2017.Application processFamily reunificationImmigrant sponsorshipImmigration policy44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 15, 2024e-4788e-4788 (Foreign affairs)FirasNasser EddineHeatherMcPhersonEdmonton StrathconaNDPABFebruary 13, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. (EDT)March 14, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. (EDT)March 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The International Court of Justice's (ICJ) recent interim ruling underscores the urgent need for sustained humanitarian aid in Palestine, notably in Gaza, amid actions that could amount to genocide;Canada's withholding of funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) undermines its commitment to upholding human rights and supporting humanitarian efforts in conflict-affected regions; andWithholding funding for the UNRWA amid acute civilian and children's needs in Palestine contradicts Canada's values of compassion, justice, and human rights, potentially worsening the suffering of vulnerable Palestinian refugees.We, the undersigned, citizens or residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to sustain its critical funding for the UNRWA amidst the worsening humanitarian crisis in Palestine, particularly Gaza. Israel's ongoing destruction of essential infrastructure deepens the plight of Palestinian refugees, hindering humanitarian efforts. The recent ICJ ruling, urging Israel to cease potentially genocidal actions, underscores the urgent need for sustained aid. Canada's decision to withhold UNRWA funding post-ICJ ruling is deeply troubling, contradicting its commitment to human rights.As taxpayers, we demand our funds support humanitarian efforts, especially in Palestine. Withholding aid during this crisis undermines Canadian values of compassion and justice.We implore the Canadian government to restore and increase funding for the UNRWA, demonstrating its dedication to humanitarian principles and supporting stability, peace, and justice in the region.GazaHumanitarian assistance and workersPalestineUnited Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 15, 2024e-4766e-4766 (Foreign affairs)JuliaWacowichHeatherMcPhersonEdmonton StrathconaNDPABFebruary 14, 2024, at 10:46 a.m. (EDT)March 15, 2024, at 10:46 a.m. (EDT)March 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Government of Canada is a signatory to the United Nations 1948 Genocide Convention, which unequivocally condemns acts of genocide and obliges its signatories to actively oppose acts of genocide;The actions taken by Israel's political and military leaders in Gaza, including military operations against civilians and the systematic deprivation of human rights, align with the criteria outlined in the Convention to identify genocide; andOver 50 countries, recognising the severity and nature of the ongoing situation, have already backed South Africa in presenting a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Support South Africa's case against Israel in the ICJ, taking a strong position against potential violations of the Genocide Convention;2. Formally support South Africa's efforts in the ICJ, aligning with over 50 countries that have recognised the need for accountability;3. Advocate for the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza to address the dire situation and alleviate the suffering of innocent civilians.We request the Government of Canada to prioritise justice, human rights, and international law in dealing with this matter.Foreign policyGazaGenocideHumanitarian assistance and workersInternational Court of JusticeIsrael44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 15, 2024e-4673e-4673 (Environment)StephenHazellRichardCanningsSouth Okanagan—West KootenayNDPBCNovember 15, 2023, at 3:56 p.m. (EDT)March 14, 2024, at 3:56 p.m. (EDT)March 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas:Canada and the world face a biodiversity crisis with one million species facing extinction globally;Canadian governments have consistently failed to meet their international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity despite numerous strategies and action plans issued since 1992;Canada demonstrated leadership internationally at the 2022 Convention on Biological Diversity in Montréal and the 2023 IMPAC5 Conference in Vancouver, such as by supporting Indigenous-led conservation and making significant investment commitments in biodiversity conservation;The 2022 Kunming – Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework signed by Canada sets binding international targets to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030;Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change has stated his intention to introduce, by early 2024, legislation into Parliament that enshrines accountability for achieving Canada’s goals and targets under the Global Biodiversity Framework; andSuch legislation should recognize and affirm Indigenous rights and jurisdiction in alignment with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and support Indigenous leadership in nature conservation.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to introduce, and the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to enact, legislation in early 2024 to conserve nature in Canada by implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework.BiodiversityNature conservation44th Parliament229Not certifiedMarch 15, 2024e-4634e-4634 (Economy and finance)SanaWaqarMelissaLantsmanThornhillConservativeONNovember 15, 2023, at 3:54 p.m. (EDT)March 14, 2024, at 3:54 p.m. (EDT)March 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Average selling price of a condominium in the Greater Toronto Area to be $737,868, exemplifying the significant financial challenges prospective homeowners face in key urban markets;CREA records demonstrate the national average house price, remaining within the $680,000 to $700,000 range for four consecutive years, thus underscoring nationwide reach of elevated housing costs;Current regulations set by the Canada Mortage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) necessitate a minimum equity requirement which, being outdated, imposes undue financial strains and barriers upon a majority of prospective buyers;CMHC’s stipulated maximum property value for insured mortgage loans is confined below $1,000,000.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to urgently deliberate and initiate a comprehensive review process aimed at redefining the CMHC’s minimum equity limits and maximum insured loan value limits.Further, we propose:1. The implementation of a nuanced, tiered increment system in these limits to ameliorate the excess financial burdens currently shouldered by first-time home buyers, who are compelled to resort to private lenders or 'B' lenders who impose additional charges for qualification at the average condominium or townhome price as primary properties;2. A reconsideration and revision of the CMHC’s current thresholds, advocating for a differentiation between first-time home buyers and investment property buyers, to foster an equitable, accessible, and sustainable homeownership landscape in Canada.We thereby urge the House of Commons to prioritize and expedite the discussion of this petition in a forthcoming parliamentary session, facilitating prompt, necessary adjustments to the regulatory frameworks governing homeownership, mortgage qualification, and real estate investment in Canada, in alignment with contemporary market conditions and in promotion of the broader public interest.Home ownershipMortgages44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 14, 2024e-4821e-4821 (Civil and human rights)PeterZanetteMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONMarch 14, 2024, at 5:31 p.m. (EDT)June 12, 2024, at 5:31 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:The human rights of volunteers have been protected by legal practice and it is essential that this protection be codified in the Canadian Human Rights Act, this includes volunteers involved in federal election campaigns;Diversity is not always visible, and it should be celebrated, not a target of hate, so protection is needed in the Canadian Human Rights Act for persons who choose to display their identity while working or volunteering;Issues like Black Lives Matter or pro-choice, pro-life etc., are important but this portion focuses on a person's individual identity with respect to the enumerated grounds of the Canadian Human Rights Act;This is a complex issue and the Canadian Human Rights Commission is best suited to develop a working policy on implementation; and One should not be judged by their identity displayed, rather by their actions as a volunteer or employee.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to: 1. Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to protect persons who volunteer in federally regulated organizations; and 2. Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to protect individuals, who's identity is based on the enumerated grounds of the Canadian Human Rights Act, from removal, refusal, reassignment or rejection, while choosing to wear an item reflecting their identity while volunteering or working in Canada.Canadian Human Rights ActCivil and human rightsVolunteering and volunteers44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 13, 2024e-4832e-4832 (Civil and human rights)NoahChafeHon.RandyBoissonnaultEdmonton CentreLiberalABMarch 13, 2024, at 1:59 p.m. (EDT)June 11, 2024, at 1:59 p.m. (EDT)Petition to <Addressee type="5" affiliationId="278241" mp-riding-display="1"> Pierre Poilievre</Addressee>Whereas:Canada is a nation that prides itself on the values of inclusion, tolerance, and diversity of all peoples;Canada is a global leader in the protection of LGBTQ2S+ rights, being one of the first in the world to recognize LGBTQ rights such as same-sex marriage; andCanada’s Constitution, through the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, protects all Canadians from discriminatory actions and policies.We, the undersigned, Canadian Public, call upon Pierre Poilievre to: 1. Rescind and formally apologize for his harmful comments made towards the LGBTQ2S+ community on February 21, 2024, in which he expressed contempt towards the rights of innocent Canadian children and adults alike;2. Commit to respecting the rights of trans Canadians and to acknowledge that transitioned peoples have a right to access the public facilities that belong to their current gender; and3. Clarify whether or not he was making a harmful implication that a threat is posed by trans persons, especially trans women, using female facilities such as washrooms and change rooms.2SLGBTQI+ communitiesCivil and human rightsPoilievre, PierreReferences to members44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 13, 2024e-4802e-4802 (Foreign affairs)LaurelRusswurmMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONFebruary 12, 2024, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT)March 13, 2024, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT)March 13, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:In 1949 the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was established to carry out direct relief and works programs for Palestinian refugees;UNRWA is the primary provider of humanitarian aid: food, social services, healthcare, schools, refugee camps, and microfinance, sustaining the lives of millions of civilians, more than half of them children, in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, blockaded by Israel since 2007;South Africa submitted an Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) to the International Court of Justice (ICJ);After considering both application and oral arguments, the Court concluded genocide was “plausible.”;In its January 26th Order, the ICJ cited UNRWA statements documenting dire conditions in the Gaza Strip, before introducing its fourth Provisional Measure: “The State of Israel shall take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions of life faced by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip;” andHours later, Israel leveled allegations against a dozen UNRWA employees, and Canada “paused” humanitarian funding committed to UNRWA without waiting for an Investigation.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to live up to our obligations under the Genocide Convention, to prevent the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip from “deteriorating further before the Court renders its final judgment,” by:1. Reinstating Canada’s UNRWA funding; and2. Advocating other countries do the same to prevent the collapse of UNRWA when Gaza’s lifeline is needed most.GazaHumanitarian assistance and workersPalestineUnited Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 13, 2024e-4748e-4748 (Environment)BrendonSamuelsArielleKayabagaLondon WestLiberalONJanuary 10, 2024, at 12:34 p.m. (EDT)March 10, 2024, at 12:34 p.m. (EDT)March 13, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The government has pledged to plant 2 billion trees across Canada by 2030;Trees, through their ability to capture and store carbon, play a crucial role in combating climate change;Canada’s capacity to meet tree planting targets and growing demand depends on availability of adequate tree stock;Shortages in stock of native trees for planting are worsening across Canada, resulting in significant increases in the cost of trees;Tree supply chains are impacted by rising operational costs, limited financial support for nursery startups, constraints on seed collection, extreme weather, and emerging pests and diseases;2023 was the worst season for wildfires in Canadian history with over 15 million hectares of boreal forest burned;Regeneration of burned landscapes may require significant additional reforestation efforts;Reforestation can be planned using methods that limit risks of future fires, prioritize biodiversity and promote Indigenous-led forest management practices;Dispersal of seeds by wild birds is a vital natural process that helps vegetation in ecosystems to regenerate over time; andEcosystem services provided by birds are jeopardized by unmitigated threats including harmful pesticides and collisions with building windows.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Explain the strategy to increase capacity for growing tree supply, to reduce costs of trees and to meet targets for planting 2 billion trees;2. Explain the plan to remediate forest ecosystems burned by wildfires that are worsening under climate change; and3. Explain how the government is addressing leading threats to natural tree seed dispersal services by migratory birds, including population impacts caused by neonicotinoid insecticides and fatal collisions with building windows.Forest policyMigratory birdsTree planting44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 13, 2024e-4764e-4764 (Parliament and politics)JohnBourassaHon.EdFastAbbotsfordConservativeBCJanuary 11, 2024, at 3:16 p.m. (EDT)March 11, 2024, at 3:16 p.m. (EDT)March 13, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to acknowledge these concerns and resign from his position.We express our deep concern and dissatisfaction with the leadership of our current Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. We believe that his actions and decisions have not been in the best interest of our great nation and its citizens. Therefore, we respectfully request his immediate resignation for the following reasons:1. Ethics Violations: Prime Minister Trudeau has been involved in multiple ethics violations during his tenure. This raises serious questions about his integrity and suitability for the highest office in the country.2. Economic Mismanagement: Under Prime Minister Trudeau's leadership, Canada's economy has suffered. The national debt has increased significantly, and many Canadians are struggling financially.3. Lack of Transparency: There have been numerous instances where the Trudeau government has not been transparent with Canadians. This lack of transparency undermines the trust between the government and its citizens.4. Failed Promises: Many promises made by Prime Minister Trudeau during his election campaigns have not been fulfilled. This has led to widespread disappointment and disillusionment among Canadians.We believe that Canada deserves a leader who will uphold the highest standards of ethics, manage our economy responsibly, be transparent in all dealings, and fulfill promises made to its citizens. We, therefore, call upon Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to acknowledge these concerns and resign from his position.By signing this petition, we are sending a clear message that we demand better leadership for our country.Prime MinisterReferences to membersResignationTrudeau, Justin44th Parliament229Not certifiedMarch 13, 2024e-4679e-4679 (Health)MARTINDAIGLECarolineDesbiensBeauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—CharlevoixBloc QuébécoisQCDecember 11, 2023, at 2:05 p.m. (EDT)March 10, 2024, at 2:05 p.m. (EDT)March 13, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Firefighters play a critical role in ensuring the safety of Canadians and communities.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled, regarding the recently passed Bill C-224 addressing cancers among firefighters, to ensure that the commemorative program for first responders change the following criterion (deceased after April 1, 2018), because all those who died before April 1, 2018, are being mistreated, cannot make use of this program and are automatically rejected, and they contracted the diseases that killed them from their work, so we ask that the criterion of “deceased after April 1, 2018” be abolished so that everyone can have access to the first responders program, not just a few.8510-441-180 "Bill C-224, An Act to establish a national framework for the prevention and treatment of cancers linked to firefighting"CancerFirefighters44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 8, 2024e-4854e-4854 (Environment)AmalieWilkinsonPatrickWeilerWest Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky CountryLiberalBCMarch 8, 2024, at 2:56 p.m. (EDT)May 7, 2024, at 2:56 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Scientific assessments underline the urgent need to address the intersecting crises of climate change, biodiversity breakdown, pollution, and resource depletion;The most severe, widespread, and long-term forms of environmental damage (ecocide), which contribute to these crises, are not recognized as a crime under existing international laws;Domestic ecocide legislation has been proposed in Brazil, Scotland, Chile, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and other countries, and the European Union recently agreed to include crimes comparable to ecocide in its revised environmental crimes directive;There are growing calls from civil society, faith groups, businesses and investors, including the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN), for the criminalization of ecocide at an international level; andAmending the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to include ecocide as a crime, alongside genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression, could provide a simple, effective deterrent for corporate and government decision-makers from causing intentional or negligent environmental destruction.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to publicly declare its support for an international crime of ecocide.Environmental protectionForeign policyInternational lawRome Statute44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 8, 2024e-4850e-4850 (National defence and military operations)RachelDunleavyHeatherMcPhersonEdmonton StrathconaNDPABMarch 8, 2024, at 2:54 p.m. (EDT)July 6, 2024, at 2:54 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="263831" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Finance</Addressee>Whereas:The Canadian military family is the "strength behind the uniform";Civilian spouses/partners of military members are enlisted through their relationship to support combat operations and are the strength behind the uniformed family;Approximately 85% of civilian spouses/partners of Regular Forces members are female;Relationship difficulties is the most common reason to seek assistance at a Military Family Resource Centre;Intimate partner violence is higher within military populations than among non-military;Separation and divorce are higher among ill and injured military members;On average, military members experience between one to more than 10 relocation postings, every one to four years, during their career;Military relocations are paid for at government expense, which includes the cost of relocating civilian dependents of the military members;An estimated 18,500 military members are relocated in annual postings, impacting 10,000 families, resulting in civilian spouses/partners experiencing social, occupational, and spiritual consequences;At government expense, a military member is entitled to a final move upon retirement/release from service and upon the dissolution of civilian-military marriage/common-law relationships, when the couple is posted outside of Canada, the civilian spouse/partner is returned to Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Canada; andThere is currently no government support to relocated the civilian spouse/partner to their desired residence upon the dissolution of civilian-military marriage/common-law relationships.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to provide the civilian spouse/partner a final relocation within Canada, upon the dissolution of a civilian-military marriage/common-law relationship, at government expense.Canadian ForcesMoving and storage servicesSpouses44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 8, 2024e-4844e-4844 (Health)CarolynnDubéMarcusPowlowskiThunder Bay—Rainy RiverLiberalONMarch 8, 2024, at 2:53 p.m. (EDT)April 7, 2024, at 2:53 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:One in six Canadians experience fertility struggles at some point in their life, highlighting the widespread prevalence and significance of this issue;The substantial financial burden of fertility care, ranging from approximately $10,000 to $20,000 per cycle, persists as a formidable barrier, especially knowing that more than one cycle is often required to have one baby;Beyond the medical perspective of infertility, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and single individuals also seek fertility care to realize their dreams of parenthood;Some provinces offer insufficient or zero coverage for fertility care, resulting in disparities and inequities across Canada;Quebec’s comprehensive support for fertility care serves as a positive model, demonstrating favourable impacts on fertility rates and the economy;Fertility care represents a viable solution to contribute to population growth as Canada is set to become a “super-aged” country, in addition to immigration; andInadequate coverage for fertility care perpetuates socio-economic disparities, hindering equal access to reproductive health services for all Canadians.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to allocate budgetary resources to scope the need for fertility care in Canada and support the development of a comprehensive and equitable National Fertility Strategy and collaborate with the provinces and territories to realize an equitable national vision for fertility that ensures flexibility for each jurisdiction.Federal-provincial-territorial relationsHealth care systemReproductive health44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 8, 2024e-4666e-4666 (Civil and human rights)FaeJohnstoneRandallGarrisonEsquimalt—Saanich—SookeNDPBCNovember 8, 2023, at 8:25 a.m. (EDT)March 7, 2024, at 8:25 a.m. (EDT)March 8, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Despite progress, trans and gender diverse people in Canada continue to be denied full equality, denied the freedom to be themselves, and denied the safety and acceptance every Canadian deserves;In 2017, Canada showed global leadership by extending human rights protections to trans people with the passage of Bill C-16. While a historic move, we have much more work to do to ensure that equality on paper means equality in practice;Trans and gender diverse Canadians are more likely to be homeless, to live in poverty, and to face harassment and hate in their daily lives. Discrimination and stigma, worsened by the recent rise in anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate, contribute to poor social, economic and health outcomes for 2SLGBTQIA+ people;Universal public healthcare is a core Canadian value, and gender-affirming care is healthcare, but there are significant issues with access to and coverage of gender-affirming care across Canada. The Government of Canada has a responsibility to show leadership in this area; andIn June 2023, MP Randall Garrison’s White Paper on the Status of Trans and Gender Diverse People was tabled in the House of Commons. This document offers a comprehensive overview of problems facing trans and gender diverse people in Canada and 29 specific policy solutions to advance full equality.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to implement the recommendations from the White Paper on the Status of Trans and Gender Diverse People.Civil and human rightsSexual and gender minorities44th Parliament220CertifiedMarch 8, 2024e-4643e-4643 (Health)SarahMillsPatrickWeilerWest Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky CountryLiberalBCNovember 8, 2023, at 11:31 a.m. (EDT)March 7, 2024, at 11:31 a.m. (EDT)March 8, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The current limit of 10mg THC serves as a suitable starting point for newcomers, however fails to adequately cater to existing consumers;The legal, regulated cannabis industry is unable to compete against the illicit market; andTHC limits are contributing to an entirely new stream of single-use plastics, contrary to this country’s plan to address pollution and prevent plastic waste.We, the undersigned, citizens of canada, call upon the Government of Canada to increase the maximum THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) allowed in edible cannabis products to 100mg.We believe that increasing the THC limit will address the above concerns, will benefit consumers and will contribute to a more sustainable industry as a whole.Both the Canada Competition Bureau and the Ontario Cannabis Store have called upon Health Canada to increase THC limits. The Competition Bureau has stated that "restricting THC levels may not be necessary to achieve the government's objectives", while the Ontario Cannabis Store has emphasized the need to "revisit the current THC limits". These endorsements from reputable organizations highlight the importance of reconsidering the current restrictions.Therefore, we respectfully request that the Government of Canada urge Health Canada to increase the THC mg allowed in edible cannabis products to 100mg.CannabisFood and drinkTetrahydrocannabinol44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 6, 2024e-4816e-4816 (Culture and heritage)JoshLeslieKevinVuongSpadina—Fort YorkIndependentONMarch 6, 2024, at 9:57 a.m. (EDT)July 4, 2024, at 9:57 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Poutine can be found in restaurants of all sizes and genres from coast-to-coast-to-coast within Canada;No matter what gender, ethnic origin, creed, geographic region, community, culture, linguistic community, political party or ideology Canadians identify with, there are lovers of poutine in their midst;Poutine can serve as a vehicle to bridge differences between us and unite Canadians in conversation over a dish we can generally agree is delicious;Maple syrup is not a dish (but is an ingredient that can be used in gravy, or a topping in some other variations of poutine that have come to exist over the past 7 decades);Poutine was served at the March 10, 2016, state dinner when the U.S. president hosted Canada's Prime Minister for the first time in 19 years;Poutine is a quintessential Canadian comfort food that has even been integrated into large U.S. chain restaurant locations in Canada, and other U.S.-based businesses such as wholesale retailers that also serve hot food; andThere are numerous annual poutine festivals and events that serve to bring Canadians of all backgrounds together with one another.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada who also self-identify as poutine enthusiasts and/or lovers of poutine, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to ensure, through an Act of Parliament, that the dish commonly known as poutine is hereby recognized and declared to be the national dish of Canada while simultaneously honouring its origins in the Province of Quebec.Cultural symbolsFood and drink44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 5, 2024e-4826e-4826 (Health)JoyceArthurLeahGazanWinnipeg CentreNDPMBMarch 5, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. (EDT)June 3, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The 2021 Liberal Party Platform promised to “provide up to $10 million to Health Canada to develop an easily accessible portal that provides accurate, judgement-free, and evidence-based information on sexual and reproductive health and rights, which will include a section that counters misinformation about abortion.”;The Liberal government’s December 16, 2021, mandate letters to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth instructed them to: “…ensure that all Canadians have access to the sexual and reproductive health services they need, no matter where they live, by … developing a sexual and reproductive health rights information portal…”;Hundreds of anti-abortion groups across Canada, including “crisis pregnancy centres,” spread disinformation on abortion and contraception, which misleads the public, creates potential health risks, and reinforces abortion stigma; andA centralized, federally-run website with accurate information about reproductive health services, including abortion, would enhance access for all Canadians needing those services, and reduce the harmful impact of medical misinformation.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to keep its promise to allocate $10 million to Health Canada to immediately develop a web portal with evidence-based information on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including abortion.AbortionDepartment of HealthHealth care fundingInformation disseminationReproductive health44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 5, 2024e-4840e-4840 (Taxation)CorySagerLarryBrockBrantford—BrantConservativeONMarch 5, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. (EDT)April 4, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Millions of Canadian citizens can no longer afford to pay for basic necessities;Food banks in Canada are receiving a record number of visitors, which includes an increasing number of citizens from the working class;The cost of heating homes has increased 20 percent in some cases, due to the Federal Carbon Tax charge included in heating bills;The cost of food production has increased due to the Federal Carbon Tax which directly affects the cost of food for consumers;The high cost of fuel is causing farm owners to sell their property, causing farming production to decrease, putting Canadians at risk of a food crisis; andThe increase in food, fuel and heating costs has hindered Canadian’s ability to have expendable money, creating a decrease in spending in our local economies, weakening the overall Canadian economy.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to cancel the planned increase to the Federal Carbon Tax in April of 2024 and to repeal the current Federal Carbon Tax legislation, effective immediately.Carbon taxClean Fuel RegulationsCost of living44th Parliament229Not certifiedMarch 5, 2024e-4650e-4650 (Justice)JanetThomsonPeterFragiskatosLondon North CentreLiberalONNovember 6, 2023, at 4:21 p.m. (EDT)March 5, 2024, at 4:21 p.m. (EDT)March 5, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="299996" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Justice</Addressee>Whereas:Driving is a privilege, not a right;Impaired driving continues to be the leading criminal cause of death in Canada;No amount of drugs or alcohol is acceptable. This leaves no argument, debate or confusion;Current laws are not serving as deterrents;Canada needs to be a leader in road safety; andChildren need protection from those who drive impaired with them in the vehicleWe, the undersigned, ENOUGH ONTARIO, Canada, Advocating for stricter laws and penalties for impaired driving, call upon the Government of Canada to1. Amend the current laws of blood alcohol content to zero for all drivers;2. Create or rename offences to include Substance Induced Vehicular Manslaughter (SIVM) and Substance Induced Vehicular Injury (SIVI). This zero tolerance policy will not just be for current novice or truck drivers;3. Any individual accused of SIVM or SIVI is remanded into custody until a trial date has been set and that bail should not be allowed until the descendent(s) have been laid to rest;4. Include a minimum sentence of 15 years, without the possibility of parole, for SIVM, and a minimum sentence of 5 years for SIVI;5. Make a first impaired driving offence, where no death or injury has occurred, subject to a five-year driving suspension and the inability to own a vehicle;6. Drivers who are impaired with minor children in the car are to be charged with child endangerment, neglect and abuse; and7. Those who drive with suspended licenses shall be subject to vehicle impoundment and a mandatory $5,000 fine.Impaired drivingMandatory sentencingVehicular homicide44th Parliament207Open for signatureMarch 4, 2024e-4852e-4852 (Natural resources and energy)BrennainLloydAnthonyRotaNipissing—TimiskamingLiberalONMarch 4, 2024, at 1:19 p.m. (EDT)May 3, 2024, at 1:19 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has been engaged since 2010 in a multi-step process to site a deep geological repository to emplace the high-level nuclear (irradiated fuel) waste from all of Canada’s nuclear power reactors;The NWMO project will involve the transportation, processing, burial and abandonment of an estimated seven million bundles of radioactive waste over a 50-year period which would be extended by additional reactor construction or refurbishments;The NWMO has repeatedly stated that it will not proceed without an “informed and willing” community;There are scientific and public concerns about the risks of radioactive exposures along the transportation route and in the region of and downstream from the repository site under both normal operating and accident conditions;The Government of Canada has affirmed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which sets out that no storage or disposal of hazardous materials shall take place in the lands or territories of Indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent (Article 29); andCanadian law recognizes that every individual in Canada has a right to a healthy environment (CEPA 2023).We, the undersigned, citizens, residents and Indigenous peoples of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to require the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to demonstrate that it has the consent of residents and communities, including First Nations and Treaty Organizations, along the transportation route and in the region of and downstream of the candidate repository site(s) before selecting a site.Nuclear wasteNuclear Waste Management OrganizationPublic consultationWaste management44th Parliament223Government response tabledFebruary 29, 2024441-02018441-02018 (Environment)SophieChatelPontiacLiberalQCJanuary 29, 2024February 29, 2024March 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:1. Gatineau Park is one of the most visited parks in Canada;2. Gatineau Park is home to close to 90 endangered plant and 50 endangered animal species;3. The boundaries of Gatineau Park, which belongs to all Canadians, are not inscribed in an Act of Parliament;4. Sections of Gatineau Park can be removed, developed, or disposed of without parliamentary authorization;5. Gatineau Park managers lack the basic authority required for protecting the park's natural resources.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to amend the National Capital Act to grant Gatineau Park the legal protection required to ensure its preservation for future generations.
Response by the Minister of Public Services and ProcurementSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Charles SousaGatineau Park is the National Capital Region’s largest and most popular natural space. The Park’s varied ecosystems are rich in biodiversity, providing a habitat for over 5,000 species, including rare species found nowhere else in the region, and over 150 species at risk.The National Capital Commission’s (NCC’s) Gatineau Park Master Plan, adopted by the Board of Directors in January 2021, is a foundational planning document that outlines a comprehensive vision for managing Gatineau Park on a longterm horizon and guiding its planning, use, and management. The Master Plan was the product of a three-year, phased process that included extensive online and in-person consultations, as well as multiple engagements with a public advisory committee, representatives of the Algonquin Nation, local municipalities, elected officials, and stakeholders throughout the National Capital Region. It is structured around four key objectives: (1) conserving nature, (2) providing recreational and cultural experiences in nature, (3) promoting equitable and sustainable access, and (4) fostering engagement and collaboration.Gatineau Park encompasses an area of 36,100 hectares. As part of its conservation mandate the NCC has a policy of acquiring private property in the Park whenever possible, with a view to further consolidating the Park under NCC ownership. In 2008, 600 hectares were under private ownership. Since then, the NCC has acquired over 266 hectares, with only approximately 334 hectares of private property remaining in the Park. The NCC continues to actively pursue acquisition of private properties.Land owned by the NCC within Gatineau Park is federal public land and therefore subject to federal legislation, including that relating to conservation and environmental protection. Compliance with these laws is paramount in the NCC’s decisions regarding the Park’s use and management.The results of this emphasis on conservation in Gatineau Park have been positive. The 2016-17 Status Report on Gatineau Park Ecosystems found that the overall condition of the Park is “good”, and that this condition remains stable.The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of Gatineau Park to the National Capital Region and Canadians. The Government will continue to support the NCC’s efforts to protect a critical jewel of the region. 
Gatineau ParkNature conservation
44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 29, 2024e-4845e-4845 (Transportation)AlexandreBélisleXavierBarsalou-DuvalPierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—VerchèresBloc QuébécoisQCFebruary 29, 2024, at 10:45 a.m. (EDT)June 28, 2024, at 10:45 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for transferring ownership of non-core harbours and making the necessary repairs;The Municipality of Verchères has expressed interest in acquiring the Verchères harbour following its rehabilitation over the past 25 years;The former Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard stated in a letter dated May 31, 2022, that the Verchères federal harbour was a regional priority for divestiture but that no funding was available to start the project; information that was confirmed by the current Minister’s office on December 13, 2023;Fisheries and Oceans Canada has been negligent in not maintaining the Verchères harbour for decades;Fisheries and Oceans Canada made the decision to close the Verchères harbour for safety reasons in 2020;The Municipality of Verchères has developed a master plan for the harbour area to promote tourism and recreational development and provide access to the river and islands, which is dependent on the harbour’s rehabilitation;SIMEC is concerned that it will be unable to respond to oil spills due to the harbour’s closure; andThis harbour has shaped the identity of Verchères and is rooted in the heritage and history of the wooden rowboat in Canada.We, the undersigned Municipal Council of Verchères, call upon theHouse of Commons to bring this matter to the attention of the government of Canada and the ministers concerned so that the necessary funds to rehabilitate the Verchères harbour are provided.Ports and harboursVerchères44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 29, 2024e-4824e-4824 (Health)SerenaLiuKevinWaughSaskatoon—GrasswoodConservativeSKFebruary 29, 2024, at 10:45 a.m. (EDT)May 29, 2024, at 10:45 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers in Canada and is increasingly diagnosed in non-smokers with no other risk factors;Patients are increasingly diagnosed at the late stages of cancer and thus are limited in treatment plans and are sometime given only weeks-months left to live;Delays to accessing new treatments do not help, particularly as lung cancer research receives limited funding compared to other cancers in Canada; andWe need your support to ensure that all Canadians have access to the best available treatments. Canadians are faced with significant barriers in accessing their prescribed cancer treatments: which province they live in, paying out-of-pocket costs or travel to other countries to receive care when Canada is so behind on approving the newest protocols approved by the FDA.We, the undersigned, residents and citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support patient access and funding of Osimertinib and chemotherapy together as combination therapy on disease progression;2. Support access and funding of Amivantamab plus chemotherapy with and without Lazertinib as a second line treatment option.3. Support the approval and funding of new treatments and clinical trials for EGFR lung cancer through the drug review and reimbursement processes at the federal and provincial levels; and4. Work with other stakeholders, such as provincial cancer agencies, health care providers, patient groups, and drug manufacturers, to improve access and affordability of cancer drugs for all Canadians.Lung cancerPharmaceuticals44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 29, 2024e-4823e-4823 (Health)DanielleWeilLarryBrockBrantford—BrantConservativeONFebruary 29, 2024, at 10:44 a.m. (EDT)March 30, 2024, at 10:44 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting 4,338 Canadian children and young adults. There is no cure. Of the Canadians with CF who died in the past five years, half were under the age of 38.7 years;Trikafta is a life-changing medicine that treats the basic defect of CF, not just symptoms. Trikafta can treat almost 95% of Canadians with CF, but not all can access it. Approximately 4-5% of Canada’s CF population have rare mutations that are known to or may respond to Trikafta, but they can’t access it;Trikafta is funded by all public drug programs for those aged 6 and older with at least one copy of the most common mutation that causes CF. Canadians with rare mutations still have no access; andA broader regulatory approach is needed to support implementation of the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases, and cystic fibrosis is an example of this need. There are hundreds of disease-causing mutations, some with only a handful of patients worldwide. Other countries are using in vitro data to provide access to those with rare and ultra-rare mutations while approximately 200 Canadians with CF are being left behind.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Improve access to rare disease medications by empowering Health Canada to expedite use of patient and laboratory in vitro data to expand access to drugs for rare diseases/mutations where clinical trials are not feasible; and2. Develop a regulatory model that permits bulk approvals of gene mutations that can respond to precision medicines like Trikafta.Drug review processRare and orphan diseases44th Parliament220CertifiedFebruary 29, 2024e-4777e-4777 (Social affairs and equality)Mary-JeanBelangerMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJanuary 30, 2024, at 3:16 p.m. (EDT)February 29, 2024, at 3:16 p.m. (EDT)February 29, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:People with disabilities often face barriers to employment along with higher costs associated with health care and housing;The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) was delayed for over two years as the first attempt to pass the law establishing the benefit, known as Bill C-35, was postponed due to the 2021 election;The CDB will provide much-needed financial support for people with disabilities, many of whom live in poverty;The minister responsible has told Canadians that implementing the CDB is expected to take a minimum of 18 months following Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, achieving Royal Assent on June 22, 2023;Insufficient supports on current disability programs federally and provincially present a significant risk to life and health for people with disabilities across the country living in legislated poverty;The federal government has refused to provide people with disabilities with an interim Disability Emergency Response Benefit; andThe government has yet to bring the CDB into force which is not starting the 12-month regulation time clock, which is delaying delivering the CDB.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to bring the Canada Disability Benefit into force within two weeks from the date this petition is presented to the House.Canada disability benefitPersons with disabilities44th Parliament229Not certifiedFebruary 29, 2024e-4792e-4792 (Business and trade)KritiBhattJamesMaloneyEtobicoke—LakeshoreLiberalONJanuary 30, 2024, at 12:35 p.m. (EDT)February 29, 2024, at 12:35 p.m. (EDT)February 29, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada’s carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement; and2. Continue to show our support with other action.C-57, An Act to implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and UkraineCanada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine44th Parliament223Government response tabledFebruary 28, 2024e-3956e-3956 (Justice)SoniaRobinsonPamDamoffOakville North—BurlingtonLiberalONMarch 30, 2022, at 10:54 a.m. (EDT)July 28, 2022, at 10:54 a.m. (EDT)January 29, 2024February 28, 2024August 8, 2022Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Violence against women is a Canadian public health crisis that demands urgent action;The current Canadian court system is not equipped to protect women; One in four women experience domestic violence in their lifetime;One woman or girl is killed every other day, on average, somewhere in our country;Similarly, children are being killed by abusive parents at increasing rates, after judges ignore red flags and warning signs and put the children directly in danger;Children are not merely exposed to domestic violence, they experience it; In worst case scenarios, children are killed by a violent parent; Each year in Canada, about 30 children are killed by a parent; Mothers are responsible about 40% of the time, often due to postpartum depression or mental illness;In the 60% of cases where fathers are the murderers, anger, jealousy, or post-separation retaliatory revenge are the usual motivations;Judges need education on what constitutes domestic violence or coercive control;A formal education program would ensure another line of defense for victims, as well as preventing violence and abuse before it happens;Keira’s Law is named after Keira Kagan, who was killed by her father when she was four years old in 2020; andVoting in favour of Keira’s Law, contained in Bill C-233, will not only protect victims of violence and children, it will save lives.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to support Member of Parliament Anju Dhillon's Private Member’s Bill C-233, that will raise the level of education on domestic violence and coercive control for federally appointed judges.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyPrivate Member’s Bill C-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Judges Act (violence against an intimate partner), received Royal Assent on April 27, 2023. The Government was proud to support this important bill and pleased to see it receive Royal Assent.
C-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Judges Act (violence against an intimate partner)Conditional releaseDomestic violence
44th Parliament223Government response tabledFebruary 28, 2024441-02014441-02014 (Employment and labour)WarrenSteinleyRegina—LewvanConservativeSKJanuary 29, 2024February 28, 2024November 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02229441-02229 (Democratic process)BrendanHanleyYukonLiberalYTFebruary 27, 2024February 20, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02228441-02228 (Democratic process)SophieChatelPontiacLiberalQCFebruary 27, 2024February 1, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe the undersigned Canadian citizens would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS:The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, while politicians cannot agree on the best way forward; and This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to:Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; More specifically, we would like to see a representative and non-partisan citizens' assembly that has the resources, the expert support and sufficient time required to come to a citizens' consensus on recommendatio to be delivered to the government; and We call on MPs of all parties to vote in support of Motion M-86 Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, which will be debated in the House of Parliament in the fall of 2023.Electoral reformM-86National Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02227441-02227 (Democratic process)SophieChatelPontiacLiberalQCFebruary 27, 2024February 7, 2024Petition to Sophie Chatel, MP, PontiacDear Sophie, we urge you to vote in favour of parliamentary motion M-86 - Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 27, 2024e-4831e-4831 (Fisheries)MathieuMartinJoëlGodinPortneuf—Jacques-CartierConservativeQCFebruary 27, 2024, at 3:31 p.m. (EDT)May 27, 2024, at 3:31 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada </Addressee>Whereas: The successful reintroduction of striped bass into the St. Lawrence has resulted in an abundant and stable population; The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) does not assign a status to the current population; The extension of the COSEWIC assessment creates an inconsistency between its current assessment and the legal status assigned to striped bass; Delays in updating COSEWIC recommendations lead to a loss of confidence in Canada’s species-at-risk designation process; Biodiversity conservation is essential, and responsible fisheries management can coexist with species protection; and Allowing striped bass fishing in the St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay River will help support local communities and sport fishers while ensuring the sustainable management of this resource. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to take immediate action to reassess and update the fishing status of striped bass in the St. Lawrence River and Saguenay River, based on current scientific data. Fisheries policySaguenay RiverSt. Lawrence RiverStriped bass44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 27, 2024e-4819e-4819 (Justice)HAYLEYSCHULTZMichelleFerreriPeterborough—KawarthaConservativeONFebruary 27, 2024, at 3:26 p.m. (EDT)May 27, 2024, at 3:26 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="299996" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Justice</Addressee>We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Justice to: 1. Raise parole eligibility from 7 to 10 years for PETER BOUCTSIS and make it mandatory that all young offenders convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with adult sentence, not be eligible for parole until serving minimum 10 years in federal prison; and2. That all repeat young offenders 17 years of age and older, guilty of indictable firearms offences and/or murder charges be transferred to a provincial/federal institution on their 18th birthday, while awaiting sentence.SentencingViolent crimeYoung people44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02226441-02226 (Democratic process)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONFebruary 27, 2024February 16, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02225441-02225 (Health)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBFebruary 27, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Nurses' incentives should be provided to all nurses to better create healthy relationships and a healthy workplace;
  • The government must do better in recognizing health care credentials from qualified professionals who are internationally trained and educated;
  • The government must do better and implement better strategies and incentives to attract and retain our healthcare workers in Manitoba;
  • New and experienced nurses and healthcare professionals are leaving our province and considering opportunities offered in other provinces that provide lucrative incentives and benefits to their healthcare professionals;
  • Many Manitoba seniors are on capped income and cannot afford their prescribed medications; and
  • Nurses are overworked due to high workloads.
We, the undersigned residents of Manitoba, call upon the House of Commons to work with Provincial Governments and other healthcare stakeholders to:1. Take nurses recruitment and retention seriously to help resolve the healthcare crisis;2. Ensure everyone who is contributing to Manitoba through taxes and our economy is eligible for Manitoba healthcare;3. Review the nurses' workload and incentive program to include all nurses, regardless of position status and type; and4. Reconsider some of the changes that have been made over the last few years and turn the health care facility into a facility that is capable of being, so the residents of Manitoba, particularly the communities of Tyndall Park, Maples, Burrows, Kildonan and even Lakeside have a place to go.
Health care systemManitobaNurses
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024e-4685e-4685 (Indigenous affairs)GuylaineRousseauJenniferO'ConnellPickering—UxbridgeLiberalONNovember 21, 2023, at 2:38 p.m. (EDT)January 20, 2024, at 2:38 p.m. (EDT)February 27, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:More than seven years after the publication of the 94 Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), little progress has been made. So far, only 13 of the 94 Calls have been completed, most of them focusing on symbols rather than structures (Yellowhead Institute, Calls to Action Accountability, 2022 Report);Calls to Action 2, 9, and 19 call for data necessary to measure the completion of most of the Legacy Calls to Action (1-42) (Yellowhead Institute), making it difficult to measure progress and assess the completion of most Legacy Calls;Although Call to Action 30 is asking for the Government to eliminate overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples in prison over the next decade, Statistics Canada reported in 2020-21 a rate of incarceration still at 9 times higher than non-Indigenous people. Call 30 also requires appropriate data collection and reporting in order to monitor and evaluate progress; andThe lack of priority sequence in the completion of the Calls to Action (specifically 2, 9, 19 and 30) by the Canadian Government is stalling progress in structural changes. At this speed, many Residential School survivors will not live to see the positive changes they hoped for (Yellowhead Institute).We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Acknowledge the priority importance in the completion of Calls 2, 9, 19 and 30; and2. Fulfill its commitment to implement the Calls to Actions as highlighted in the TRC Final Report by prioritizing Calls 2, 9, 19 and 30.Indigenous policyReconciliation with indigenous peoplesTruth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02223441-02223 (Correctional system)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABFebruary 27, 2024January 23, 2024Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • At the direction of the Liberal government, the Correctional Service of Canada is operating the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal correctional institutions, effectively encouraging illicit drugs use in prisons;
  • Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;
  • The presence of needles for illicit drug use in correctional institutions presents a severe safety risk to both inmates and correctional officers;
  • The already hazardous workplace of the correctional officer is made more dangerous by the presence of the PNEP; and
  • The Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy should focus on helping Canadians recover from addiction and receive treatment, not on supporting these addictions.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the Prison Needle Exchange Program's operations, stop permitting the use of illicit drugs in Canadian prions, and focus the efforts on helping inmates recover from their addictions.
Correctional facilitiesDrug use and abuseNeedle exchange program
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024e-4516e-4516 (Health)RupinderToorGeorgeChahalCalgary SkyviewLiberalABJuly 27, 2023, at 11:05 a.m. (EDT)August 26, 2023, at 11:05 a.m. (EDT)February 27, 2024September 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:A federal policy for free prescription birth control in Canada is projected to create money, with studies showing up to $9 saved in managing unplanned pregnancies for each $1 invested in universal contraception;Furthermore, fiscal benefits are predicted to be achieved quickly, with cost neutrality at year one and significant net savings within two years of implementation;Reproductive rights are human rights and cannot be left to the whim of changing provincial governments;Reproductive rights are currently being systematically dismantled south of Canada’s border in the United States at an alarming rate;Worldwide, Canada ranks poorly compared to 46 European nations in universal access to contraceptive supplies, counseling and information;British Columbia offers universal coverage of contraception, Quebec provides 80% coverage, while other provinces have programs that are patchy or difficult to access;There exists an equity issue within Canada in accessing contraception;Now is the time for the Government of Canada to introduce a federal policy for the universal coverage of contraception and reaffirm its commitment to reproductive rights for all Canadians;Canada is the only country worldwide with universal healthcare that lacks coverage for prescription drugs;The Government of Canada has committed to the implementation of a national pharmacare program; andA federal policy for the universal coverage of contraception in Canada could be an important, immediate and symbolic first step in the implementation of a national pharmacare program.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to commit to a federal policy for the universal coverage of contraception by World Contraception Day on September 26, 2023.ContraceptionReproductive healthWhole-of-government approach44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02221441-02221 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 27, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02220441-02220 (Civil and human rights)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 27, 2024February 6, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Canada has a tradition of respecting, honoring, and affirming the role of faith traditions in the Canadian Armed Forces;
  • The Canadian Armed Forces Chaplaincy program contributes to the health, morale, and spiritual wellbeing of servicemen and women from all faith and non-faith backgrounds; and
  • The Liberal government undermines the rights and freedoms of all servicemen and women by prohibiting diverse religious expression.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Affirm that the Canadian Armed Forces ought to be free to support servicemen and women through public prayer in keeping with the hard-won and honourable traditions of the Canadian Armed Forces, such as and especially on Remembrance Day.
Canadian Armed ForcesFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02219441-02219 (Food and drink)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCFebruary 27, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:
  • Farmers' Markets are a key tool for Covid-19 recovery as small business incubators, domestic system and food security builders and local economy community builders; Farmers' Market Coupon Programs are a key support for new Market development and support for existing Markets and their provincial Associations;
  • Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Programs help create food security and resiliency by giving vulnerable people access to healthy locally grown foods and dietary education while positively impacting the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of fruits and vegetables they consume;
  • The BC Farmers' Market Association, with 135 member markets and 4000+ vendors, and its long-term partnership with the Province of BC provides almost 16000 vulnerable families, seniors and pregnant women with access to weekly coupons, and sees close to $2 million flow to local farmers annually. Its current program has an average coupon redemption rate of over 91%, and 79% of the participants claim the Program made a long-term change in their eating habits;
  • Demand for coupons far outstretches availability. Every community which has a Coupon Program has a waitlist of eligible individuals; and
  • A national matching program would assist in meeting those demands, encourage provinces without a provincial program to create one, and support those provinces who have a provincial program to expand to meet demand.
Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Motion M-66 and initiate a national program for all provincial Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Programs (FMNCPS) that would match provinces who are already contributing to their FMNCPs, and help provinces that do not have FMNCPs with program development.
Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon ProgramFarmers marketsFood and drinkFood supply
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02218441-02218 (Justice)JeremyPatzerCypress Hills—GrasslandsConservativeSKFebruary 27, 2024September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Medical assistance in dying will expand to Canadians with mental illness on March 17, 2023, unless Parliament intervenes;
  • Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that supports are in place for the mental health of everyone in Canada;
  • Vulnerable Canadians must be given suicide prevention instead of suicide assistance;
  • Medical assistance in dying risks normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness; and
  • Canada should focus on increasing mental health supports and improving access to these supports instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those with mental illness.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02217441-02217 (Foreign affairs)JeremyPatzerCypress Hills—GrasslandsConservativeSKFebruary 27, 2024January 25, 2023Petition to the Government Canada Whereas: Sindhis are a minority group in Pakistan, with 60 million Sindhi language speakers in province of Sindh, as well as other regions of Pakistan and in the diaspora;Sindhi is recognized as an official language by the province of Sindh but not by the Canadian Consulate in Karachi and the High Commission in Islamabad; andThe lack of recognition of a prominent regional language may inhibit communication between the Canadian Consulate and High Commission and the Sindhi peoples.We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to work with Canadian Consulate in Karachi and High Commission in Islamabad to recognize Sindhi as an official language and to provide its services in the Sindhi language.Embassies and consulatesPakistanSindhiSindhis44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02216441-02216 (Citizenship and immigration)AliEhsassiWillowdaleLiberalONFebruary 27, 2024February 23, 2024Petition to the Prime Minister of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • Canada has demonstrated goodwill by allowing over 210,000 war-displaced Ukrainians to seek refuge in Canada under the CanadaUkraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program, an initiative adopted on March 17, 2022 in response to the full-scale and unlawful invasion of Ukraine in February 2022;
  • Multiple surveys of CUAET holders living in Canada indicated that the vast majority (>90%) intend to apply for permanent residence, despite challenges with the capacity of federal and provincial economic class PR streams;
  • The October 23, 2023 permanent residence program for CUAET-holders with Canadian citizen and resident immediate family members is estimated to benefit few (<10%) who have re-settled in Canada after 2022;
  • Lack of a specialized PR program will lead Ukrainians to apply to programs unbefitting them, resulting in significant costs, potential further displacements, and adding to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada's backlog;
  • These Ukrainians have integrated into Canadian society, with many the vast majority (>75%) having found long-term housing and employment, while nearly half are sending children to school in hopes for a better future in Canada; and
  • Uncertainty in their future prospects and delays in implementing a PR pathway will cause anxiety for war-displaced Ukrainians; lack of permanent status in Canada will force them to incur financial costs, undermine their economic success, slow their integration in Canada and, therefore, impedes their ability to fully contribute to the Canadian economy.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister of Canada to provide Ukrainian nationals displaced to Canada in the aftermath of February 1, 2014's onset of the Russo-Ukrainian war, a streamlined pathway to permanent residence, which would address those who are not beneficiaries of the family reunification pathway announced on October 23, 2023.
Passports and visasPermanent resident statusUkraine
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02215441-02215 (Health)BrendaShanahanChâteauguay—LacolleLiberalQCFebruary 27, 2024February 16, 2024PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 27, 2024441-02214441-02214 (Health)BrendaShanahanChâteauguay—LacolleLiberalQCFebruary 27, 2024February 16, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAPetition to address online harms to childrenWHEREAS:There is a growing number of reports of Canadian children being exposed to online sexual extortion and as well as other serious harms via unfiltered access to platforms that either directly or indirectly subject children to sexually explicit material and the risk of being targeted by online child predators; andParliamentarians in both the House of Commons and the Senate have studied this issue including the House of Commons Health Committee which reported in 2017 that the committee heard "that parents need greater support to help protect children from unwanted exposure to sexually explicit material" as well as hearing "that technology companies should work to create better online content filters and tools that empower parents to protect children while they are online".WE, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Immediately table comprehensive legislation addressing the issue of online harms to children that will support parents and guardians in protecting children from online predators and unwanted exposure to sexually explicit material as well as holding technology companies accountable for ensuring any online platform accessible to children is safe for children.
InternetPornographyYoung people
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02212441-02212 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBFebruary 26, 2024April 25, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02211441-02211 (Justice)MichaelCooperSt. Albert—EdmontonConservativeABFebruary 26, 2024February 26, 2024Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:For over eight years, the Liberal government has put the privileges of criminals ahead of the rights of victims;Frequent parole hearings often revictimize and retraumatize the families of victims of murder;The Liberal government has failed to respond to the Bissonnette decision, disregarding the impact that this decision will have on the families of victims of some of Canada's most heinous murderers; andBill S-281, Brian's Bill, is a modest response to Bissonnette that puts victims first by preventing convicted murderers from applying for parole every year after serving their minimum sentence.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge Parliament to swiftly pass Brian's Bill.Conditional releaseS-281. An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Act (parole review)Victims of violence44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02210441-02210 (Social affairs and equality)AndyFillmoreHalifaxLiberalNSFebruary 26, 2024February 26, 2024Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • In November 2020, the final report of the Prince Edward Island Special Committee on Poverty in PEI recommended that the Government of Prince Edward Island begin immediate negotiations with the Government of Canada to develop and implement a Basic Income Guarantee demonstration program for Prince Edward Island;
  • This report has the support of all political parties in Prince Edward Island; and
  • This demonstration Program will benefit all of Canada, as poverty is the primary social determinant of heath and requires bold and creative approaches to understand and address its root causes and consequences in Canada.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to begin immediate negotiations with the Government of Prince Edward Island to develop and implement a Basic Income Guarantee demonstration program in the province of PEI that will be administered, monitored, and evaluated for at least five years.
Guaranteed annual incomePrince Edward Island
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02209441-02209 (Social affairs and equality)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 26, 2024October 12, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Housing unaffordability and homelessness are twin national crises;
  • Financialization of housing inflates Canadian real estate prices;
  • Inflation is exacerbated by the use of Canada's housing market to launder money and evade taxes;
  • Corporations, numbered companies, and real estate investment trusts (REITS) are rapidly buying up affordable housing units and flipping them to market rate units;
  • Some government policies designed to increase housing affordability transfer tax dollars to the private sector but do not protect existing affordable housing, or create new permanent affordable housing; and
  • While some parts of Canada have rent and vacancy controls, there are no national standards to protect tenants.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • 1. Re-define affordable housing using an updated formula that better reflects the economic realities faced by millions of Canadians;
  • 2. Create regulations to control excess profiteering by corporate investors and REITs;
  • 3. Close tax evasion and money laundering loopholes and increase regulation of foreign investment in residential real estate;
  • 4. Require restrictive covenants on affordable housing units built with taxpayer subsidies to ensure that those units remain affordable;
  • 5. Create national standards to establish rent and vacancy controls;
  • 6. Create an empty home tax for residential property owners who leave units vacant;
  • 7. Encourage municipalities to create affordable housing zoning to decrease land speculation and lower barriers to development permits for affordable housing; and
  • 8. Prioritize funding for non-profit and cooperative housing.
Housing
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02208441-02208 (Democratic process)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCFebruary 26, 2024February 14, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned Canadian citizens, would like to draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • The need for electoral reform continues to be a fundamental issue for citizens of all political persuasions, yet politicians cannot agree on the best way forward;
  • This calls for a new approach to developing a citizens' consensus on electoral reform; and
  • Representative non-partisan citizens' assemblies provided with the necessary resources, expert support and sufficient time have demonstrated their ability to competently tackle the issue of electoral reform in the past while coming to a citizens' consensus.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned Canadian citizens, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Give citizens a voice on the subject of electoral reform and a right to make recommendations; and
  • Support Motion M-86 calling for a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02207441-02207 (Taxation)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCFebruary 26, 2024January 19, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02206441-02206 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBFebruary 26, 2024November 29, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02205441-02205 (Health)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 26, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02204441-02204 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKFebruary 26, 2024April 24, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02203441-02203 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 26, 2024February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02202441-02202 (Health)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 26, 2024October 30, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Liberals are threatening access to Natural Health Products through new rules that will mean higher costs and fewer products available on store shelves;
  • New so-called 'cost recovery' provisions would impose massive costs on all consumers of Natural Health Products and undermine access for Canadians who rely on these products; and
  • Provisions in the latest Liberal omnibus budget have given the government substantial new arbitrary powers around the regulation of Natural Health Products.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to reverse the changes made in the latest Liberal budget regarding Natural Health Products.
Natural health products
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02201441-02201 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 26, 2024May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 26, 2024441-02200441-02200 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 26, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 26, 2024e-4799e-4799 (Environment)DanielGreenElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 26, 2024, at 3:13 p.m. (EDT)June 25, 2024, at 3:13 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278910" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Environment and Climate Change</Addressee>Whereas: The Northvolt battery plant is to be built on a highly contaminated site along the Richelieu River;Toxic substances in the soil could seep through during construction and contaminate the Richelieu and St. Lawrence rivers, causing serious harm to the species that live there, including the copper redhorse and beluga whale - two protected species; and It is essential to protect our rivers and ecosystems by conducting a proper environmental assessment of this project.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to: 1. Initiate public environmental assessment hearings to ensure transparency and protect our precious natural resources;2. Not blindly trust a large, private company to protect the public’s interests; and3. Undertake a thorough environmental assessment of the Northvolt project to prevent potential negative impacts on our precious environment.Automotive industryEnvironmental assessment44th Parliament220CertifiedFebruary 21, 2024e-4588e-4588 (Business and trade)KarinaPommainville-OdellAlexandreBoulericeRosemont—La Petite-PatrieNDPQCOctober 24, 2023, at 11:24 a.m. (EDT)February 21, 2024, at 11:24 a.m. (EDT)February 21, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:At business entrances, persons accompanied by certified assistance dogs are greeted by signs that read “No dogs allowed.” Often, nothing indicates that assistance animals are permitted;The result is often frustrating interactions with misinformed staff who try to turn away persons who have a legitimate need for their assistance animal; andAssistance dog users with a less visible disability are often categorically denied entry, especially when the breed or size of their assistance dog is not commonly associated with that role.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to 1. Change the signage at the entrance of federally regulated services and businesses by replacing the phrase “No dogs allowed” with “Assistance dogs welcome, but no pets allowed.”;2. We would also ask that an information brochure be provided to all business owners and to their current and future employees as part of their training. The brochure would explain how to identify legitimate assistance dogs and communicate the basic rights of persons with disabilities, whether they are visible or not; and3. The brochure should also explain that service and assistance dogs come in all sizes and breeds; Mira guide dogs are far from the only legitimate working dogs that should be allowed entry. We are convinced that these measures will clarify this legal right of access, which would reduce the number of people who try to take advantage of the law to bring their pets inside.Service animalsSigns44th Parliament220CertifiedFebruary 20, 2024e-4745e-4745 (Foreign affairs)MichaelBueckertHeatherMcPhersonEdmonton StrathconaNDPABDecember 21, 2023, at 4:26 p.m. (EDT)February 19, 2024, at 4:26 p.m. (EDT)February 20, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Israel’s war with Hamas killed almost 20,000 people in Gaza in the two months between October 7 and December 18, 2023, with about 70% of them women and children;The civilian casualty rate in this war is significantly higher than the average rate in all the conflicts around the world during the 20th century;In the occupied West Bank, 2023 has been the deadliest year on record since the UN began reporting in 2005, with at least 477 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire;The value of Canada’s arms trade with Israel has been accelerating in the last few years, and in 2022 Canada transferred over $20m in arms to Israel, the third-highest level on record, even adjusted for inflation;Canada has a legal responsibility under the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and its harmonized domestic legislation, to ensure its arms exports are not used in the commission of serious violations of international law, or serious violence against women and children; andIn the past, Canada has imposed a two-way arms embargo on Israel as a response to violence against Palestinian civilians; notably, in the late 1980s during the first intifada.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Impose a two-way embargo on arms between Canada and Israel;2. Investigate whether Canadian weapons or weapons components have been used against Palestinian civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories, including during the current war on Gaza;3. Review all military and security cooperation between Canada and Israel; and4. Close loopholes that allow the unregulated and unreported transfer of military goods to Israel through the United States.Foreign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelMilitary weaponsPalestine44th Parliament220CertifiedFebruary 19, 2024e-4694e-4694 (Employment and labour)RobynMoreauNikiAshtonChurchill—Keewatinook AskiNDPMBNovember 21, 2023, at 3:52 p.m. (EDT)February 19, 2024, at 3:52 p.m. (EDT)February 19, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:We request that parental leave benefits be increased for parents of multiples (twins, triplets, quads, etc.), whether in leave duration and/ or financial compensation;Parents of singleton children receive separate maternity/parental leave for each child. Parents of multiples equally contribute to E.I, and therefore should also receive parental benefits per child. For example, a parent of two singleton children is entitled to two 18-month parental leaves, whereas a parent of twins can only receive one 18-month parental leave;The workload is often significantly increased with multiples and therefore the family unit would benefit from the secondary parent taking additional parental leave;Mothers of multiples have a higher risk of health concerns that require additional support; including increases to Cesarean delivery rate, pre-term birth and NICU stays, rate/severity of post partum depression, and lactation challenges;Parents of multiples incur additional costs during the leave period in comparison to a parent of a singleton infant. For example, the cost of additional crib, car seat, clothing, diapers and formula, as well as increased cost due to twin-specific items being sold at a premium (bassinet, strollers), and used items being scarcer; andThe following areas already provide increased leave for parents of multiples, acknowledging that having multiples does differ from having a singleton. Non-exhaustive list: Quebec, Massachusetts, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Luxembourg, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Iran, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Peru, Afghanistan, Ghana.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to increase the parental leave benefits for parents of multiples (twins, triplets, or higher order).Employment insuranceMultiple pregnancyParental leave44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 16, 2024441-02197441-02197 (Taxation)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCFebruary 16, 2024September 20, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The first carbon tax, including sales tax, will add 41 cents to a litre of gas, the second carbon tax, including sales tax, will add 20 cents to a litre of gas;
  • The combination of carbon tax one and carbon tax two will mean that Canadians pay an extra 61 cents for each litre of gas;
  • Making life more expensive for Canadians in a cost-of-living crisis by implementing a second carbon tax demonstrates how out of touch this Liberal prime minister is; and
  • The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that both carbon taxes will have a net cost of up to $4,000, depending on the province in which they live.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to have the House recognize the failure of carbon tax one and call on the government to immediately cancel carbon tax two (the "Clean Fuel Regulations").
Carbon taxClean Fuel Regulations
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 16, 2024441-02195441-02195 (Foreign affairs)TakoVan PoptaLangley—AldergroveConservativeBCFebruary 16, 2024February 14, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Government of Pakistan has failed to afford protection and legitimate rights to the persecuted Christian community, which has deeply affected the Canadian Christian Community of Pakistani origin;Pakistani asylum seekers fleeing to Thailand from Pakistan face continued persecution and risk of displacement as they await their Canadian visa applications to be processed; andCanada must advocate in favour of greater respect for international humanitarian law.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Create a special status for Pakistani asylum seekers who continue to suffer mistreatment in Thailand in order to streamline and quicken the processing of these refugees through the IRCC; and2. Renew with increased urgency the Government of Canada's 2016 recommendation made to Thailand during its second cycle Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Commission, which focused on the need for asylum seekers to have access to legal status.AsylumPakistanRefugeesThailand44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 16, 2024441-02184441-02184 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBFebruary 16, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02183441-02183 (Business and trade)YvesRobillardMarc-Aurèle-FortinLiberalQCFebruary 15, 2024November 30, 2022Petition to the House of Commons of CanadaWhereas:
  • some Canadian companies contribute to human rights abuses and environmental damage around the world;
  • people who protest these abuses and stand up for their rights are often harassed, attacked or killed. Indigenous peoples, women and marginalized groups are particularly at risk; and
  • Canada encourages companies to stop these harms from happening in their global operations and supply chains, but does not require them to.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the House of Commons to adopt legislation on due diligence for human and environmental rights that:
  • would require companies to prevent any negative impact on human and environmental rights throughout their global operations and supply chains;
  • would require companies to exercise due diligence, including a careful assessment of how they might contribute to human and environmental rights abuses abroad and ensuring access to remedies if any harm occurs; and
  • would set out significant consequences for companies that fail to exercise adequate due diligence and report on it; and would establish a statutory right for persons harmed to seek justice in Canadian courts.
Canadian companiesCivil and human rightsSocial responsibility
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02182441-02182 (Business and trade)YvesRobillardMarc-Aurèle-FortinLiberalQCFebruary 15, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the House of Commons of CanadaWhereas:
  • some Canadian companies contribute to human rights abuses and environmental damage around the world;
  • people who protest these abuses and stand up for their rights are often harassed, attacked or killed. Indigenous peoples, women and marginalized groups are particularly at risk; and
  • Canada encourages companies to stop these harms from happening in their global operations and supply chains, but does not require them to.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the House of Commons to adopt legislation on due diligence for human and environmental rights that:
  • would require companies to prevent any negative impact on human and environmental rights throughout their global operations and supply chains;
  • would require companies to exercise due diligence, including a careful assessment of how they might contribute to human and environmental rights abuses abroad and ensuring access to remedies if any harm occurs; and
  • would set out significant consequences for companies that fail to exercise adequate due diligence and report on it; and would establish a statutory right for persons harmed to seek justice in Canadian courts.
Canadian companiesCivil and human rightsSocial responsibility
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02180441-02180 (Justice)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCFebruary 15, 2024May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • The U.S. Department of State's 20th Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report indicates that Canada "meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking";
  • The TIP Report notes that Canadian governments "did not provide comprehensive data” on investigations, prosecutions, convictions, or victims' services;
  • The range, quality, and timely delivery of trafficking-specific services varies across Canada, including persistent funding shortages;
  • Coordination between the federal and provincial governments on anti-trafficking measures is poor; and
  • The TIP Report urges Canadian governments to increase the use of proactive law enforcement techniques, increase training for prosecutors and judges, and increase partnerships with the private sector to prevent human trafficking.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: Strengthen the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act to address Canada's shortcomings as mentioned in the TIP Report so that Canada exceeds the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; and Cooperate and coordinate more closely with the provinces, the private sector, and other stakeholders to combat human trafficking in Canada.
Human traffickingProtection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02178441-02178 (Business and trade)AlexandreBoulericeRosemont—La Petite-PatrieNDPQCFebruary 15, 2024April 27, 2023Petition to the House of Commons of CanadaWhereas:
  • some Canadian companies contribute to human rights abuses and environmental damage around the world;
  • people who protest these abuses and stand up for their rights are often harassed, attacked or killed. Indigenous peoples, women and marginalized groups are particularly at risk; and
  • Canada encourages companies to stop these harms from happening in their global operations and supply chains, but does not require them to.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the House of Commons to adopt legislation on due diligence for human and environmental rights that:
  • would require companies to prevent any negative impact on human and environmental rights throughout their global operations and supply chains;
  • would require companies to exercise due diligence, including a careful assessment of how they might contribute to human and environmental rights abuses abroad and ensuring access to remedies if any harm occurs; and
  • would set out significant consequences for companies that fail to exercise adequate due diligence and report on it; and would establish a statutory right for persons harmed to seek justice in Canadian courts.
Canadian companiesCivil and human rightsSocial responsibility
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024e-4333e-4333 (Foreign affairs)GhadaSasaAlexandreBoulericeRosemont—La Petite-PatrieNDPQCFebruary 28, 2023, at 1:32 p.m. (EDT)April 29, 2023, at 1:32 p.m. (EDT)February 15, 2024May 1, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Israeli occupation forces arrested Ahmad Manasra when he was only 13 years old, on Octber 12, 2015: "Despite being found by the [Israeli] courts not to have participated in the stabbings [against two Israeli settlers], he was convicted of attempted murder in 2016 in proceedings marred by allegations of torture, and despite the fact that he was below the minimum age of criminal responsibility at the time" (Amnesty International, 2022);"Ahmad was hit by a car and sustained serious head injuries while an Israeli crowd jeered at him" (UN, 2022);"Following his arrest, video footage, widely circulated on media, showed young, distressed Ahmad being harshly treated and severely interrogated without the presence of his parents or legal representative" (UN, 2022);Israel held Ahmad in solitary confinement since November 2021, "in violation of the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment" (Amnesty International, 2022);Ahmad has become suicidal and been diagnosed with schizophrenia (Amnesty International, 2022);Both UN (2022) human rights experts and Amnesty International (2022) called for Ahmad Manasra’s immediate release from Israeli jail;Referring to "secret evidence", Israel prolonged Ahmad’s solitary confinement until March 16, 2023; andIsraeli occupation forces raided Ahmad’s family home, stealing cash and gold on February 17, 2023.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to request that Israel immediately free Ahmad Manasra.Civil and human rightsImprisonment and prisonersIsraelManasra, AhmadPalestine44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024e-4661e-4661 (Foreign affairs)AmeraAbunadaAlexandreBoulericeRosemont—La Petite-PatrieNDPQCNovember 9, 2023, at 11:03 a.m. (EDT)December 9, 2023, at 11:03 a.m. (EDT)February 15, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Israel has installed a decades-long siege on the people of Gaza issuing collective punishment on two million people in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention;Israel has employed the use of white phosphorus in densely populated urban areas of Gaza and Lebanon in violation of international law as documented by the United Nations;Israel enforces Apartheid against all Palestinians residing within and along its lines as document by the United Nations;Israel has targeted and killed journalists, medics, hospitals, schools, children, and press in their indiscriminate bombing campaigns on Gaza and violence in the West Bank including the brutal executions of Shireen Abu Akleh and Razzan Al-Najjar and the butchery of over 3,000 children in October 2023;Israel has expanded its illegal settlements across the West Bank in violation of international law;Israel has encouraged and armed illegal settlers to kill over 100 Palestinians, injure 2,000 and displace 1,000 in the West Bank since October 2023; andIsrael holds without charge over 1,000 Palestinians and Palestinian children in violation of article 16 of the Convention Against Torture and international law.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Sanction the state of Israel for its continued ongoing violations of International law in the Westbank and Gaza; 2. Cease all trade relations and install an arms embargo until Israel abides by international law; and3. Condemn the ongoing war crimes against Palestinian people as stated in international law.Economic sanctionsForeign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02174441-02174 (Justice)ToddDohertyCariboo—Prince GeorgeConservativeBCFebruary 15, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02173441-02173 (Justice)Hon.EdFastAbbotsfordConservativeBCFebruary 15, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 15, 2024441-02172441-02172 (Justice)TedFalkProvencherConservativeMBFebruary 15, 2024February 5, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament220CertifiedFebruary 15, 2024e-4639e-4639 (Holidays and observances)DustinHarePeterFragiskatosLondon North CentreLiberalONOctober 18, 2023, at 3:09 p.m. (EDT)February 15, 2024, at 3:09 p.m. (EDT)February 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest continuous battle of the Second World War;4,488 sailors, merchant mariners, aviators and citizens from Canada and Newfoundland paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives;Allied victory in the Second World War would not have been possible without victory at sea;Canada’s Merchant Navy, along with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), played a key role in the Allied efforts of the Battle of the Atlantic; andEvery year, on the first Sunday in May, the Maritime Community gathers to commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Designate by resolution the first Sunday of May as a national day of observance to be Battle of the Atlantic Sunday with the first observed date to be the 7th day of May in the year 2024;2. Seek a proclamation of designation by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada to be declared nationally, in advance of the first observed date, on the 16th day of April 2024: the 79th anniversary date of the last Canadian ship sunk during the Second World War, HMCS Esquimalt.3. Commemorate and recognize the contributions of Canadians and Allied forces during the Battle of the Atlantic; and 4. Raise national public awareness of the Battle of the Atlantic. Lest We Forget.Battle of the AtlanticVeterans44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 14, 2024441-02169441-02169 (Foreign affairs)TedFalkProvencherConservativeMBFebruary 14, 2024June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 14, 2024441-02168441-02168 (Health)TedFalkProvencherConservativeMBFebruary 14, 2024May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS sexually explicit material — including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence — can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method; WHEREAS the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence — including sexual harassment and sexual violence — particularly against women; WHEREAS Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern; WHEREAS online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; WHEREAS anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; WHEREAS online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-203, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 14, 2024e-4628e-4628 (Foreign affairs)NajmiehRadHon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONOctober 11, 2023, at 4:28 p.m. (EDT)December 10, 2023, at 4:28 p.m. (EDT)February 14, 2024December 13, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:On September 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini, a 22-years-old woman, was killed by the morality police of Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). Her death sparked the nationwide “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests calling for democracy and equal rights for all genders, races, ethnicities, opinions, and beliefs;IRI authorities are using the death penalty as a weapon of repression to end the protests and cling to power. Since September 2022, they have killed more than 500 protesters, arrested thousands, tortured detainees, and arbitrarily executed at least seven young protesters following grossly unfair trials. Currently more than 30 individuals are under threat of imminent execution;These executions are designed by the Iranian authorities to send a strong message to the world and the people of Iran that they will stop at nothing to crush and punish dissent. In the absence of a robust international response, the authorities will continue to revel, unabated, in their impunity with lethal consequences for people in Iran; andIn the face of the Iranian authorities’ unrelenting use of the death penalty, the mere act of denouncing these executions is not enough. People in Iran are being arbitrarily deprived of their lives at a horrific rate under the guise of judicial executions.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to apeal to the UN Security Council to refer Ali Khamenei, the supreme Leader of the Islamic republic of Iran as the main person responsible for the crimes, to the International Criminal Court (ICC).Crimes against humanityForeign policyInternational Criminal CourtIranKhamenei, Ali44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 14, 2024441-02164441-02164 (Social affairs and equality)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONFebruary 14, 2024January 23, 2024PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Housing is a human right;
  • Rent control, ending exclusionary zoning, and other measures are necessary but not sufficient on their own to make housing affordable, accessible, and livable for everyone;
  • The Government of Ontario and Government of Canada have each consistently failed to adequately find social housing;
  • Research on the Housing First model had convincingly shown that housing formerly homeless people using this model significantly improves their health and life outcomes, even to the point that such improved life outcomes lead to costoffsets to other areas of government;
  • A Scotiabank report found that if Canada as a whole were to double their social housing proportion of its housing market, this would merely take it to the peer OECD average; and
  • Lack of action by one level of government does not excuse the lack of action by another.
We, the undersigned, call upon the Government of Ontario and Government of Canada to work together to double their current stock of social housing in Ontario.
Federal-provincial-territorial relationsOntarioSocial housing
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 14, 2024441-02163441-02163 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONFebruary 14, 2024February 14, 2024Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 14, 2024441-02162441-02162 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONFebruary 14, 2024February 14, 2024Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 14, 2024441-02159441-02159 (Health)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 14, 2024October 12, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • Statistics Canada cites that approximately 4.8 million Canadians do not have a regular doctor;
  • Despite the number of physicians in Canada growing, the number of Canadians without a regular doctor remains stable;
  • 92 per cent of physicians work in urban centres, while just 8 per cent work in rural areas; and
  • In Victoria and Sidney, B.C., average wait time for a walk-in clinic are 92 and 180 minutes respectively.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Work with all the provinces and territories in Canada to come to a holistic and fair solution to Canada's family doctor shortage.
Family doctorsHealth services accessibility
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 14, 2024441-02158441-02158 (Business and trade)ChurenceRogersBonavista—Burin—TrinityLiberalNLFebruary 14, 2024February 14, 2024Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:Bill C-57 is an important update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement that will assist Ukraine in rebuilding after they defeat the illegal invasion by Vladimir Putin;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called on the Parliament of Canada to swiftly adopt this legislation; andMisinformation regarding Canada's carbon pricing scheme having an effect on this agreement has been widely debunked.THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons and all parliamentarians to re-affirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine by swiftly adopting the updated Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.Canada-Ukraine Free Trade AgreementTrade agreementsUkraine44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 14, 2024e-4804e-4804 (Environment)SandraMartinElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 14, 2024, at 10:50 a.m. (EDT)April 14, 2024, at 10:50 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Department of National Defence (DND) intends to build a land-based testing facility at Hartlen Point, Nova Scotia;300+ bird species have been observed at Hartlen Point;Environment and Climate Change Canada claims to be “an international leader in bird science, monitoring and conservation";The Canada-NS Nature Agreement promised $28.5 million to protect biodiversity, habitat and species at risk in Nova Scotia;Hartlen Point is Nova Scotia’s top bird observation site, in Canada’s top ten and the only site in Canada’s top 49 not protected;Construction of the facility will destroy important protection, feeding and resting grounds for thousands of migratory birds;Site selection took place before public consultation was initiated, utilized outdated and incomplete studies, ignored independent expert bird studies, and did not consider the impact on lobster fisheries; andAccess to information requests have been ignored.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to pause all construction and further development of the land-based testing facility at Hartlen Point until the following are completed:(a) an independent impact assessment, including:(i) consideration of the impacts on wildlife, migratory bird populations and traffic,(ii) full, transparent community consultation and outreach;(b) proper consideration of alternative sites including re-purposing of existing DND facilities;(c) public access to all documents affecting the decision to develop Hartlen Point; and(d) permanent protections for habitat and staging areas at Hartlen Point.Environmental protectionHartlen PointMilitary facilitiesPublic consultation44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 13, 2024e-4803e-4803 (Public safety)FreyaKeddieRandallGarrisonEsquimalt—Saanich—SookeNDPBCFebruary 13, 2024, at 10:59 a.m. (EDT)June 12, 2024, at 10:59 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Unregulated drug toxicity has been the leading cause of death in British Columbia (B.C.) for citizens between the ages of 10 and 59, resulting in over 2,500 deaths in 2023;Fentanyl is present in most of those who have died from illicit drug overdoses;The source chemicals for fentanyl are largely imported into B.C. via the Port of Vancouver;The Port of Vancouver has lacked a dedicated police presence to provide federal law enforcement oversight since 1997, with the Canada Border Services Agency only able to check one percent of shipping containers;The Port of Vancouver moves roughly three million containers through the port annually, with the Roberts Bank expansion adding potential capacity of about two million more; andA police presence at Canada’s ports would hinder the flow of illicit drugs and their precursors into Canada, thereby reducing the associated criminal activity that puts undue strain on local police forces.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Re-establish a dedicated police presence to provide federal law enforcement oversight at the Port of Vancouver in order to reduce the flow of illicit drugs and their precursors into British Columbia via this port;2. Ensure such policing is always adequate to assess and deter criminal activity, including corruption and importation of contraband;3. Establish the same federal police presence at all of Canada’s deep sea ports that offer connection to Canada's highway and railway systems.Police servicesPort of VancouverPorts and harboursSmuggling44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 13, 2024441-02156441-02156 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 13, 2024May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C clearly communicates that the future of humanity is at risk without “rapid and far-reaching” changes to mitigate a 1.5°C temperature rise in the next 11 years and to achieve zero emissions by 2050;
  • Canada is on course to significantly overshoot our 2030 Paris Agreement target (Auditor General's Report 2018) with oil and gas and transportation emissions continuing to rise (Government of Canada);
  • The World Health Organization has clearly stated that “climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century”; and
  • The health impacts from climate change, including lung disease, heat-related illness, spread of infectious diseases, displacement, famine, drought, and mental health impacts, are being felt in Canada and abroad and are expected to accelerate across our planet at an unprecedented rate threatening "human lives and viability of the national health systems they depend on” (Lancet Countdown 2018, Lancet Countdown Briefing for Canadian Policymakers, 2018).
We, the undersigned, Physician Mothers of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Act upon the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment “Call to Action on Climate Change and Health” report (February 5, 2019), which has clearly outlined specific measures towards zero emissions;
  • Prioritize the elimination of emissions and preservation of a healthy environment as part of every portfolio and in every decision made by our federal and provincial parties;
  • Implement a nationwide carbon pricing strategy;
  • Commit to the rapid elimination of fossil fuels and coal from our economy;
  • Commit to rapid incorporation of green energy and net-zero infrastructure across the country; and
  • Eliminate single use plastics.
Canadian Association of Physicians for the EnvironmentCarbon pricingFossil fuelsGreenhouse gasesPlasticsRenewable energy and fuel
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 13, 2024441-02152441-02152 (Justice)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKFebruary 13, 2024February 6, 2024Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • The Government of Canada has announced plans for the mandatory purchase, or confiscation, of legally acquired firearms from law-abiding firearms owners and retailers in Canada;
  • By the Prime Minister's own admission, the confiscation of "assault-style firearms" refers to hunting rifles and shotguns;
  • This program will confiscate firearms from legal firearm owners rather than tackle gun smuggling across the Canada-US border and end a catch-and-release bail system that allows repeat violent offenders back on the streets; and
  • Confiscating the property of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples will not reduce violent crime in Canada.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its plans to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples and instead introduce common-sense firearms policies that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.
Firearms
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 13, 2024441-02151441-02151 (Environment)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONFebruary 13, 2024December 11, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • We are in the middle of both a climate crisis and a cost-of-living crisis, whereby people across the country are struggling to afford housing and food while also dealing with formerly unprecedented climate disasters that will only continue to get worse if urgent action is not taken;
  • While this is happening, fossil fuel companies made record profits last year, with the five largest fossil fuel companies operating in Canada alone making record annual profits of over $38 billion;
  • A significant portion of these profits were made as a result of price-gouging at the pump in 2022, costing Canadians an additional 18 cents per litre more than typical profit margins on fuel, far more than the increase of 2 cents per litre from carbon pricing during that same period; and
  • Similar taxes on excessive profiteering off of consumers have been instituted in Canada for insurance and banking companies, and in the United Kingdom and Europe for fossil fuel companies.
We, the undersigned, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Immediately apply a 15% windfall profit tax onto the excess profits fossil fuel companies operating in Canada in 2020, 2021 and 2022; and
  • Reallocate the revenue raised to support further action on proven solutions that both address the climate crisis and improve affordability for Canadians, such as investments in public transit, retrofitting buildings, and greening the electricity grid, in recognition that carbon pricing cannot be a standalone climate policy.
Climate change and global warmingOil and gasWindfall profits tax
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 12, 2024441-02147441-02147 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 12, 2024October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • Women's shelters are sadly seeing increased demand;
  • The high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live; and
  • At a time when this Liberal government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, they are cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to restore funding for women's shelters.
SheltersWomen
44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 12, 2024441-02141441-02141 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABFebruary 12, 2024October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 12, 2024441-02140441-02140 (Natural resources and energy)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 12, 2024February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS:The advent of climate-change makes reducing energy consumption a necessity;17% of all energy consumed in Canada is used to power homes;Most of this consumption is waste resulting from inefficient appliances, home design, and insulation; andIt is cheaper to build an energy-efficient home than it is to retrofit one that is not.THEREFORE, YOUR PETITIONERS call upon the Government of Canada to work with the provinces and territories to develop a new national building code that reduces overall energy demand to 15% of what current structures use.Building codeEnergy conservation44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 12, 2024e-4749e-4749 (Justice)TanyaCouchKyleSeebackDufferin—CaledonConservativeONFebruary 12, 2024, at 2:02 p.m. (EDT)May 12, 2024, at 2:02 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Section 278 of the Criminal Code currently allows a person who has been charged with sexual assault to apply for access to their victim's private and confidential records for which the victim has a reasonable expectation of privacy;For a victim of sexual assault, the threat that their private clinical notes and/or personal journals will be included in court proceedings and given to the accused is frightening given the magnitude of this potential privacy violation;Functionally, a request for access to ongoing clinical notes cuts off a survivor's access to mental health supports during the court process, when they need it most;It is worth noting that the release of such documents to the defence opens the survivor up to continued harm by the accused, long after the court process has completed; andThe accused should be tried on the evidence of the case, gathered by the police to support the charges that were laid. A victim's personal records, unless part of the original evidence, are not relevant to the crime that was committed against them;We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to unconditionally protect the privacy and safety of victims of sexual assault and eliminate the provision in section 278 that allows the defence to subpoena these personal sources of support. Even the threat of having a victims' personal records or private journals brought into court and given to the offender is undeniably harmful to the victim and undermines the proper administration of justice and access for both the offender and complainant to a fair trial.Court ordersCriminal prosecutionsPrivacy of personal recordsSexual assaultVictims44th Parliament220CertifiedFebruary 12, 2024e-4717e-4717 (Transportation)JamesMcAvoyElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCJanuary 9, 2024, at 3:41 p.m. (EDT)February 8, 2024, at 3:41 p.m. (EDT)February 12, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Via Rail provides a public service to all Canadians;Approximately 70% of Via Rail's revenue comes from Corridor services;The proposed HSR/HFR project would hand Corridor operations over to a private operator; andThis would effectively gut VIA Rail, which would negatively affect many Canadians, particularly rural Canadians.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to remove the section of the HSR/HFR project that hands operations of services in the Corridor to whichever private operator is successful in its bid.PrivatizationRail passenger transportationVIA Rail Canada Inc.44th Parliament229Not certifiedFebruary 12, 2024e-4699e-4699 (National defence and military operations)DianeSauvageauChristineNormandinSaint-JeanBloc QuébécoisQCDecember 11, 2023, at 4:35 p.m. (EDT)February 9, 2024, at 4:35 p.m. (EDT)February 12, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada </Addressee>Whereas: Brookfield Global Relocation Services (BGRS) obtained the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) relocation program management in 2009;The current contract for the CAF relocation program was awarded to BGRS on August 25, 2016; Since the beginning of the current contract (August 25, 2016), 3,285 cost-recovery claims have been submitted by National Defence on behalf of CAF members for amounts which, after having been granted, were reduced or entirely cancelled; The Department of National Defence does not keep any statistics on complaints submitted by its members about BGRS; Many CAF members complain about the services provided by BGRS, frequent policy changes, the inability to talk to an officer in person and the many IT issues associated with the BGRS claim management site.We, the undersigned, loved ones and allies of members of the Canadian Armed Forces, call upon the Minister of National Defence to:1. Keep statistics on complaints made about BGRS;2. Take these complaints into account and ensure that services offered to CAF members by BGRS improve; and3. Ensure that CAF members are not subject to clawbacks for amounts that had previously been approved.Canadian ForcesComplaintsMilitary personnel44th Parliament207Open for signatureFebruary 9, 2024e-4720e-4720 (Transportation)JamesMcAvoyTaylorBachrachSkeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPBCFebruary 9, 2024, at 1:20 p.m. (EDT)April 9, 2024, at 1:20 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Via Rail provides a public service to all Canadians;Via Rail operates on private rail operators' tracks;This usage arrangement can cause significant delays to passenger trains;Freight operators seem unwilling to make the necessary accommodations for passenger trains;Passenger delays can cause significant economic hardship to riders; andThe length of freight trains makes it more difficult for passenger traffic to traverse the freight network.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Enact legislation that prioritizes passenger trains over freight trains, particularly in the corridor between Windsor and Quebec City; and 2. Enact legislation that places a cap on freight train lengths, so that freight trains can be diverted onto sidings as needed and allow passenger trains to pass.Rail transportation and railways44th Parliament222Presented to the House of CommonsFebruary 8, 2024441-02107441-02107 (Information and privacy)BrianMasseWindsor WestNDPONFebruary 8, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:The Report on cyber security and national security concerns has confirmed the need to address cyber systems security (see "Special Report on the National Security and Intelligence Activities of Global Affairs Canada", made public in Feb 2023. More info at: https://e4pinc.ca/legislation/);Cyber security will require international agreements better suited for Federal Government negotiation;International agreements will be better informed by national Cyber System Security licensing body to directly advise the Federal Government;Canada must have trustworthy and competent cyber professionals to protect our national infrastructure and security, including those of public safety;The Immigration Consultants Act establishes a precedent for creating professional licensing at the Federal Government level;Cyber security is part of communications, a federal responsibility;Professional self-governance is unique to Canada with well-established long-standing principles;Canada's ransomware, on attack per population, is the second highest in the world, while Global Cybercrime was 7 trillion $ in 2022, 3.5x the Canadian economy;The Canada Revenue Agency was Ransomware attacked with potential impact on all Canadians; andCanada needs at least 25,000 Cyber professionals amid increasing cyberattacks on Canadians and our critical infrastructure.Therefore, we, the undersigned, concerned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to establish a National Cyber Security licensing body to govern Canadian cyber security professionals in order that the interests of the public are served and protected.e-SecurityOversight mechanism44th Parliament229Not certifiedFebruary 6, 2024e-4592e-4592 (Culture and heritage)JoshLeslieKevinVuongSpadina—Fort YorkIndependentONOctober 6, 2023, at 10:29 a.m. (EDT)February 3, 2024, at 10:29 a.m. (EDT)February 6, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Poutine can be found in restaurants of all sizes and genres from coast-to-coast-to-coast within Canada;No matter what gender, ethnic origin, creed, geographic region, community, culture, linguistic community, political party or ideology Canadians identify with, there are lovers of poutine in their midst;Poutine can serve as a vehicle to bridge differences between us and unite Canadians in conversation over a dish we can generally agree is delicious;Maple syrup is not a dish (but is an ingredient that can be used in gravy, or a topping in some other variations of poutine that have come to exist over the past 7 decades);Poutine was served at the March 10, 2016, state dinner when the U.S. president hosted Canada's Prime Minister for the first time in 19 years;Poutine is a quintessential Canadian comfort food that has even been integrated into large U.S. chain restaurant locations in Canada, or other U.S.-based businesses such as wholesale retailers that also serve hot food; andThere are numerous annual poutine festivals and events that serve to bring Canadians of all backgrounds together with one another.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada who also self-identify as poutine enthusiasts and/or lovers of poutine, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to ensure, through an Act of Parliament, that the dish commonly known as poutine is hereby recognized and declared to be the national dish of Canada while simultaneously honouring its origins in the Province of Québec.Cultural symbolsFood and drink44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 31, 2024e-4785e-4785 (Health)CarolynSmithJulieVignolaBeauport—LimoilouBloc QuébécoisQCJanuary 31, 2024, at 10:59 a.m. (EDT)March 31, 2024, at 10:59 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Extended wait times and inconsistent service delivery standards of our insurance provider Canada Life and Canada Life’s subcontractor MSH have had a significant adverse impact on the physical and mental well being of all Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) members;MSH has been unable to provide members electronic access to their claims history which was stated to be available online on the Canada Life site;Claims are incorrectly calculated and EOB’s are not emailed/mailed out at time of payment;MSH emergency lines are not answered in a timely manner if at all;Sun Life has not transferred used claims history, approvals and referrals and the portion of annual and lifetime maximums for members and their covered dependents;Our medical profession’s recommendations are being questioned and they are spending inordinate amounts of time completing forms;Our drug coverage has been downgraded and members and pharmacies are struggling to fullfill doctors' prescriptions based on Canada Life’s requirements;Members face a lack of access to medical coverage and benefits and wait for extended periods to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred;Members are constantly having to escalate service requests to the Ombudsman and their MPs to receive an adequate reply;Members are finding they need to send in appeals for items that were previously processed without this requirement; andMembers are being denied services that are required to sustain quality of life.We, the undersigned, members of the PSHCP under contract with Canada Life including Canada Life’s subcontractor, MSH International, call upon the House of Commons to commit to resolving these deficiencies and to provide all members with competent services.Canada LifeEmployment benefitsGroup insurancePublic Service and public servants44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 31, 2024e-4782e-4782 (Foreign affairs)KireniaCarbonell DieguezPierrePaul-HusCharlesbourg—Haute-Saint-CharlesConservativeQCJanuary 31, 2024, at 10:42 a.m. (EDT)May 30, 2024, at 10:42 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Canada recommended during the United Nations Human Rights Council to improve transparency and due process upon arrest and pre-trial, as well as during sentencing hearings especially for those detained for defending human rights during the July 11, 2021, and other protests;The Cuban military regime condemns the broader population to extreme poverty and near-starvation, all the while exploiting laborers, particularly in the tourism and healthcare sectors that cater to foreign clientele;The Cuban totalitarian regime also constitutes a security threat to global freedom, given its alliances with dreadful autocracies like Iran, North Korea, China, Belarus, and Russia, not to mention its support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine; andCanada imposes sanctions to transatlantic dictators while it entertains bilateral, political, and trade relations with Cuban dictators.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to: 1. Urge the Canadian government to demand that the Cuban totalitarian regime promptly release all political prisoners and detainees, and that it stop the harassment towards their family, dissidents, opposition, and human rights activits;2. Enact a resolution to censure the unelected Cuban regime for its severe and pervasive human rights abuses, mirroring the steps taken by the European Parliament and the Congress of Costa Rica;3. Recognize Cuban-Canadians, whether citizens or permanent residents, as a voice of dissidence or political opposition to the Cuban regime in Canada with the right to present in Parliament, the Senate, and other forums in legitimate opposition to the diplomatic representation of the Cuban dictatorial regime; and4. Engage in discourse with Cuba’s pro-democracy civil society to ascertain pathways for restoring stability in Cuba and setting the stage for a democratic transition.Civil and human rightsCubaForeign policy44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02012441-02012 (Social affairs and equality)BrendanHanleyYukonLiberalYTDecember 15, 2023January 29, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • In November 2020, the final report of the Prince Edward Island Special Committee on Poverty in PEI recommended that the Government of Prince Edward Island begin immediate negotiations with the Government of Canada for the development and implementation of a Basic Income Guarantee Program for Prince Edward Island;
  • This report has the support of all political parties in Prince Edward Island to implement a demonstration project of a Basic Income Guarantee Program in PEI; and
  • Such a project would benefit all of Canada, as poverty is the primary social determinant of heath and a complex issue that requires bold and creative approaches to understand and address the real causes and consequences of poverty in Canada.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada:
  • To begin immediate negotiations with the Government of Prince Edward Island for the development and implementation of a Basic Income Guarantee demonstration program in the province of PEI for that will be administered, monitored, and evaluated for at least five years.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada is taking crucial steps to help make life more affordable for more Canadians, while investing to grow the economy and create jobs.  Income security is a shared responsibility across all orders of government. The federal Government recognizes the importance of working with provinces and territories to address issues regarding affordability for Canadians.This petition calls for the Government of Canada to negotiate with the Government of Prince Edward Island to develop and implement a Basic Income Guarantee demonstration program for Prince Edward Island. If the province of Prince Edward Island decides to proceed with a basic income pilot, the Government of Canada would be pleased to collaborate and could potentially share federal-level administrative, survey, and tax data that could support program design and evaluation.The Government of Canada has already implemented programs that address some elements of a partial basic income, such as the Canada Child Benefit for families with children, and the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors. These and other initiatives have contributed to progress on lifting Canadians out of poverty. These programs complement provincial and territorial programs, including those that deliver social assistance.In addition, recent budgets introduced several measures that will help to reduce poverty and inequality. For example, Budget 2023 made significant investments to build a healthier Canada and deliver affordable dental care, including $13 billion over five years, and $4.4 billion ongoing, to implement the Canada Dental Care Plan.  The Government is also working with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to build a Canada-wide, community-based early learning child care system. The federal government is providing provinces and territories with significant funding to support substantial reductions to families for the cost of regulated child care spaces.The Government of Canada also undertakes research and analysis on potential basic income programs and other approaches that could positively impact Canada’s economy and society, as part of its efforts to tackle poverty and to ensure that all Canadians have a real and fair opportunity to succeed.
Guaranteed annual incomePrince Edward Island
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4604e-4604 (Awards and honours)CatherineBibeau-LorrainMaximeBlanchette-JoncasRimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les BasquesBloc QuébécoisQCSeptember 28, 2023, at 9:59 a.m. (EDT)November 27, 2023, at 9:59 a.m. (EDT)December 15, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The graduate research student community is Quebec’s and Canada’s research and innovation workforce. They make discoveries on a daily basis that contribute to our society. These discoveries drive our economy, and their creativity and knowledge are needed to ensure that Quebec and Canada remain internationally competitive. Unfortunately, Canada’s graduate and post-graduate communities are poorly paid due to 20 years of stagnant funding from the federal granting councils. This lack of investment is resulting in a rapid loss of talent, with students who are abandoning their research and cannot afford to live in poverty. Quebec’s and Canada’s success depends on its ability to retain and attract the best graduate students and researchers.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Increase the value of tri-council graduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships by 50% and index them to inflation;2. Increase the number of tri-council graduate scholarships by 50%;3. Increase the number of tri-council postdoctoral fellowships by 100%; and4. Increase by at least 10% per year over the next five years the budget for tri-council research grants awarded to faculties in order to increase the remuneration of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HON. FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNEThe Government of Canada recognizes that investment in research and talent is critical to driving discoveries and innovative breakthroughs that generate social, health, and economic benefits for Canadians and to help train the next generation of diverse research leaders. Since 2016, Canada has committed more than $16 billion to support the valuable contributions that scientists and researchers make to the health, well-being, and prosperity of all Canadians.Through Budget 2021, the government announced a total of $1 billion to strengthen research systems and talent pipelines for biomanufacturing and life sciences through the Tri-Council Canada Biomedical Research Fund, the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Clinical Trials Fund. Budget 2021 also provided $360 million to launch the National Quantum Strategy to amplify Canada's significant strength in quantum research, grow our quantum-ready technologies and talent, and solidify Canada's leadership in the field.The Government of Canada acknowledges the critical role that federal scholarships and fellowships play in nurturing and sustaining Canada’s top talent through support for career progression and increased financial security and independence. The government also recognizes that a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential for creating innovative, impactful research. To this end, the granting agencies are continuing their work to increase opportunities for Black student researchers, using the funding received in Budget 2022 for targeted scholarships and fellowships.In Budget 2023, the government proposed $813.6 million in 2023-24 to increase Canada Student Grants by 40 percent, providing up to $4,200 for full-time students to support postsecondary students and make life more affordable. Budget 2023 further proposed to raise the interest-free Canada Student Loan limit from $210 to $300 per week of study and waive the requirement for mature students, aged 22 years or older, to undergo credit screening in order to qualify for federal student grants and loans for the first time, allowing up to 1,000 additional students to benefit from federal aid in the coming year.Budget 2023 also proposed $197.7 million in 2024-25 to the Student Work Placement Program to continue creating quality work-integrated learning opportunities for students through partnerships between employers and postsecondary institutions. This investment will support students in gaining the necessary skills, education, and real-life work experience to transition successfully into the workforce.Looking forward, the Government of Canada remains committed to supporting a strong federal system that fosters new ideas, breakthroughs, and advancements. In order to cement Canada’s leadership position on the world stage, our research support system must meet the needs of today’s research, which is increasingly complex, collaborative, multi- and inter-disciplinary, and international. To these ends, the government recognizes the importance of continued evaluation of and investment in Canada’s science and research ecosystem. The government welcomes the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System’s report and is carefully reviewing the findings and recommendations, and taking them under consideration as it advances its efforts to support the research ecosystem and Canada’s top talent.
BursariesPost-graduate studiesUniversity research
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4549e-4549 (Environment)SageMcIntoshHon.MichelleRempel GarnerCalgary Nose HillConservativeABAugust 15, 2023, at 3:39 p.m. (EDT)December 13, 2023, at 3:39 p.m. (EDT)December 14, 2023January 29, 2024December 14, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:In December 2023, the Government of Canada will outlaw single-use plastics across the country, including Calgary Co-op’s 100% compostable shopping bags;This is despite the fact that the Calgary Co-op states that their bags contain no plastic whatsoever and are engineered to break down at local composting facilities within a 28-day timeframe;Calgary Co-op says their bags are extremely popular with their members and are often re-used as bin liners for household organic waste, constituting a second use;Calgary Co-op has successfully kept over 100 million plastic bags out of landfills with the use of their compostable shopping bags;The City of Calgary supports the use of the Calgary Co-op compostable bags, stating that they do fully break down in their composting facilities;Furthermore, the federal ban as it stands now allows for Calgary Co-op to sell its compostable bags on store shelves but prevents them from selling these same bags a few feet away at the checkout, which makes little sense and does very little to limit their use; andThis unnecessary ban could send signals that stifle the adoption and development of environmentally responsible products.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to recognize that compostable bags do not constitute single-use plastic and are therefore worthy of an exemption to the upcoming ban.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTIn 2020, the Government of Canada released a Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution - a thorough scientific review of the occurrence and potential impacts of plastic pollution on human health and the environment. The Assessment found that plastic pollution is everywhere - in the air, water and land - and macroplastic pollution (greater than 5mm in size) harms wildlife and damages habitats. The Assessment concluded that, in accordance with the precautionary principle, action is needed to reduce plastics that end up in the environment.Single-use plastic checkout bags are one of the most common plastic pollution items, consistently listed as one of the top 12 items found littering shorelines and beaches in Canada and around the world. Plastic bag pollution is one of the most harmful macroplastic litter items to marine biota. It threatens wildlife through entanglement and ingestion and can disrupt habitat.The Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations prohibit the manufacture, import and sale of single-use plastic checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws with some exceptions. From 2023 to 2032, it is estimated that the Regulations will avoid 22,000 tonnes of plastic pollution.On November 16, 2023, the Federal Court retroactively declared the 2021 Order adding “plastic manufactured items” to Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, invalid and unlawful. On December 8, 2023, the Government filed an appeal of the Federal Court’s decision. The Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations are in force and have spurred businesses across Canada to elevate their efforts and successfully transition to sustainable alternatives, including the adoption of reusable items.Compostable plastics require specific conditions in industrial composting facilities to degrade properly. According to the Government’s 2020 Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution, there is no significant evidence that biodegradable, compostable and biobased plastics will fully degrade in the natural environment. Thus, when biodegradable and compostable plastic bags enter the environment, they are a form of plastic pollution, just like conventional plastics. Their increased fragmentation can lead to micro and nanoplastics contaminating the environment and could impact ecosystem health. Public misconception that biodegradable and compostable plastics are environmentally friendly can also lead to increased littering and improper waste management practices of these materials. The Calgary Co-op bags are made from a type of plastic called polylactic acid (PLA), which is a biobased plastic resin made from starch and certified to a standard specific to compostable plastics (ASTM 6400 Standard Specification for Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities). These standards require specific conditions for degradation (i.e., industrial composting or recycling facilities) that are not present in the natural environment. Third-party testing provided to Environment and Climate Change Canada by Calgary Co-op only demonstrates that the bags are not made of polyethylene, which is a conventional, fossil fuel-based resin. The Government’s 2020 Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution clearly indicates that plastics can be made from either petroleum or plant-based starting materials.There are no accredited standards or certifications in North America to ensure the natural degradation of biodegradable or compostable plastics, including bags, in the environment and without causing harm to the environment and wildlife.The approach in these Regulations is consistent with other countries as well as other jurisdictions in Canada that have implemented bans, including Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and dozens of municipalities across Canada.Compostable plastic bags require specific conditions in industrial composting facilities to degrade properly.  During consultations on the proposed Regulations, municipal and provincial governments, as well as recyclers and non-governmental organizations, were mostly supportive of treating single-use items made from non-conventional plastics in the same manner as their conventional plastic counterparts. They stated that difficulty distinguishing compostable from non-compostable plastics leads to the contamination of both the recycling and composting streams. Loose single-use plastic checkout bags are also known to hamper recycling systems by becoming caught up in sorting and processing machinery.A reusable item is designed to be used multiple times, for the same use, without losing its original functionality. Using single-use plastic checkout bags for a second time as a bin liner or lunch bag does not mean that they are reusable. As described in the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement accompanying the Regulations, the Government estimates that any benefit from these kinds of secondary uses is offset by the environmental harm caused by the item when it becomes plastic pollution.To help businesses and organizations transition away from the prohibited items, the Government of Canada has developed a guidance document outlining important considerations when selecting alternative products or systems that prevent plastic pollution and help Canada transition to a circular economy. Reduction strategies and reusable alternatives to single-use plastic items are identified as preferable in terms of overall long-term costs and environmental impacts.Many life cycle assessments conclude that a reusable substitute must be used many times before its environmental impacts equal or become less than that of a single-use plastic. That is why the Regulations mandate minimum performance standards for reusable plastic checkout bags. This is to ensure that reusable alternatives made of plastic can be reused enough times to minimize or negate many of the negative environmental effects identified at the upstream stage of the product lifecycle.Environment and Climate Change Canada recognizes there is ongoing research and innovation on biodegradable and compostable plastics, and when designed in consideration of the full lifecycle, used in suitable applications and with access to the appropriate systems, technology and infrastructure, biodegradable and compostable plastics may offer an environmentally promising future pathway that could support the goal of zero plastic waste.  Environment and Climate Change Canada is working with partners and stakeholders, including provinces and territories, to advance science on non-conventional plastics, which will inform future actions to promote innovation, clean growth and circularity in this sector for applications outside of the items prohibited by these Regulations.  
BagsBanComposting
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02009441-02009 (Justice)BobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCDecember 14, 2023January 29, 2024February 8, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:This ban unfairly targets Canadian firearms owners, whom are already among the most vetted in Canadian society. Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) and Restricted PAL (RPAL) holders are subject to daily screening and are statistically proven to be less likely to commit crimes than non-PAL & non-RPAL holders;The ban on 'military-style assault rifles' fails to take firearms away from criminals;Public safety is still at risk, even with the current laws of C-21 put into place, crime rates have remained the same if not degraded further;The proposed buyback of legal, licensed firearms could cost the Canadian taxpayer over $1,000,000,000 (Billion). These moneys could be better spent on initiatives that have an appreciable positive impact on public safety such as: deter youth from gangs, addiction treatment, mental health, strengthened border security, increase police anti-gang capacities, & veteran support;This executive order strips law-abiding Canadians, approved through the RCMP Canada Firearms Program, of their legally purchased property;The use of this bill is an egregious overreach of executive authorities. It bypasses the democratic process; andFirearms owners understand that safety is the highest responsibility and above all, the most important duty of being a legal firearm owner.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon Canadian Government to:1. Respect law-abiding Canadians who own firearms;2. Immediately scrap Bill C-71 and introduce legislation that actually targets criminals while protecting Canadians and respecting law-abiding firearms owners; and3. Abandon the idea of a blanket firearms ban on law-abiding and highly vetted Canadians.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Too many Canadians have been affected by senseless acts of gun violence. Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities.To address this, our Government is implementing a comprehensive approach to strengthen firearms control and tackle firearm-related violence across Canada, prioritizing public safety, reducing access to dangerous firearms, strengthening our borders, and supporting effective police work and community programming. To date our Government has:
  • Helped communities divert youth away from gang culture through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), having invested approximately $565 million in support of 684 crime prevention interventions and over $40 million annually in funding to community organizations to deliver culturally specific interventions that address the root causes of violence among youth and young people;
  • Invested $122.7 million and have supported 47 gang prevention and diversion projects through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF);
  • Announced $250 million through the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) which provides direct funding to municipalities and Indigenous communities to strengthen local efforts to counter the social conditions that lead to criminal behaviour;
  • Invested $656.1 million over five years for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to modernize our borders, including enhancing our ability to detect contraband and helping protect the integrity of our border infrastructure;
  • Invested $15 million to enhance our capabilities to trace crime guns. This funding will support the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the development of a new national tracing database; and,
  • Allocated over $700 million under the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence.
This holistic approach to prevention, including addressing root causes and strengthening police and borders, allows for a more impactful and enduring approach to reducing violence and gun crime within our communities.As part of this approach, on May 1, 2020, the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited, Restricted or Non-Restricted were amended to reclassify, and prohibit, approximately 1,500 models of firearms and their variants. The prohibition limits access to the most dangerous firearms.An Amnesty Order has been put in place to protect impacted owners from criminal liability, and to provide them with time to come into compliance with the law. Those who remain in possession of these firearms at the end of the amnesty period could be subject to criminal liability for unlawful possession.To support compliance with the law, the Government is committed to implementing a Firearms Buyback Program to ensure that these prohibited firearms are safely removed from our communities and that law abiding Canadians are fairly compensated for their contribution to public safety.The Government is designing a program that is user-friendly, safe, and efficient while also recognizing the interests of hunters, including Indigenous hunters. Canadians and businesses can expect fair compensation for participation in the Firearms Buyback Program, for use as they see fit, including buying other firearms. Impacted owners, especially Indigenous groups, will continue to be engaged to understand and appreciate their unique interests and ensure they are considered in the design and implementation of the Program.As part of its comprehensive approach to address firearms violence, on May 30, 2022, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms), which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and since its introduction, the Government of Canada has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and communities from gun violence.The new legislative measures aim to:
  • Reduce firearm-related family violence, self-harm and prevent firearms misuse;
  • Decrease the risks associated with handguns by preventing most individuals from buying, selling and transferring handguns;
  • Prevent new assault-style firearms from entering the Canadian market;
  • Address the growing threat posed by ghost guns;
  • Provide additional tools for border controls and authorities to combat firearms smuggling, trafficking and related offences;
  • Establish new firearm-related offences and strengthened penalties;
  • Reaffirm respect for Aboriginal and treaty rights of Indigenous peoples; and,
  • Maintain the security of federal entities and solidify the administration of firearms control.
The amendments to the Criminal Code introduced by Bill C-21 include a new technical definition of a prohibited firearm which contains the characteristics of an assault-style firearm. Firearms that meet the technical characteristics and requirements of that definition, if they are designed and manufactured on or after Royal Assent, are prohibited.  On May 1st, 2023, the Government announced measures that complement Bill C-21, this included re-establishing the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee (CFAC) to independently review the classification of existing firearms. There are firearms on the existing market that do not belong in our communities. With a diverse membership, the Committee will make expert recommendations to account for any gaps in the market.
Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02008441-02008 (Foreign affairs)RichardCanningsSouth Okanagan—West KootenayNDPBCDecember 13, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to Member of Parliament, Richard Cannings, South Okanagan—West KootenayWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following: the current situation in Palestine, especially in Gaza, is very dire, where access to basic human needs is lacking or non-existent.Therefore, we urge the Government of Canada to call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestine and a substantive increase in humanitarian aid overseen by the United Nations, Red Cross and Red Crescent.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.Canada remains deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.Canada supported the previous pause in hostilities that allowed for the release of more than 100 hostages and supported an increase in humanitarian access to affected civilians. Canada wants to see this pause resumed and supports urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire.Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining its support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada supports Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Canada opposes the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory, and any use of siege or blockade. Canada emphasizes that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism.The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $60 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Canada remains committed to working with allies and partners toward a just and enduring peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognized borders.
Foreign policyHumanitarian assistance and workersInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02007441-02007 (Media and telecommunications)AlexRuffBruce—Grey—Owen SoundConservativeONDecember 13, 2023January 29, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS: In 2020 the Government of Canada Launched the $3.225 billion dollar Universal Broadband Fund with a view to having 98% of Canadians connected to High Speed Internet by the year 2026, which is less than 3 years from now; and94% of Canadians have reportedly been connected to High Speed Internet. We, the undersigned residents of Georgian Bluffs and surrounding area, call upon the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry to: implement and announce a clear plan with geographic project commitments to fund the installation of fibre on roads called "the last mile" to include dead end roads such as 15 Sideroad in Shallow Lake Ontario.
Response by the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities AgencySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY DARRELL SAMSONThe Government of Canada is on track meet the national connectivity targets of providing high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadian households by 2026 and 100% by 2030. The Governments of Canada and Ontario are working collaboratively under the $1.2 billion Canada-Ontario broadband partnership to get all Ontarian households connected to high-speed Internet. As of December 2023, 92.9% of households in Ontario have access to high-speed Internet, compared to 86.9% in 2017.In the Township of Georgian Bluffs, 61.9% of homes have access to high-speed Internet today, with 100% projected to have access by December 2025 which is the province of Ontario’s target for universal connectivity. As shown on the High-Speed Internet Projects and Availability Map, projects underway in Georgian Bluffs include two Xplore projects, an Eh!Tel Networks project as well as a Bragg Communications project.
Broadband Internet servicesRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02006441-02006 (Citizenship and immigration)KenHardieFleetwood—Port KellsLiberalBCDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024December 12, 2023Petition to Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Government of CanadaWhereas:We thank you, and the government and people of Canada, for the efforts to enable refugees to come to Canada through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program; We, the members of Fleetwood Christian Reformed Church, have been involved in refugee sponsorship for over 40 years and have recently applied to sponsor 16 Afghani refugees currently sheltering in Pakistan; We have heard, and are dismayed, that the anticipated waiting time between application and arrival to Canada is very lengthy; and This delay is not healthy for refugees and actually can put them in extreme danger.Therefore we, the undersigned Members and Friends of Fleetwood CRC congregation, request the following:1. That you immediately increase the resources allocated to the PSR program so that the waiting time after application can be reduced to a maximum of 1 year; and2. That you strengthen relationships with and assistance to the government of Pakistan in order to prevent deportations of genuine refugees while they are awaiting sponsorship completion.Thank you for your consideration in this matter.We look forward to your response.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.The Government of Canada recognizes the dedication and significant efforts of Canadians and permanent residents who support the resettlement of refugees through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) Program. In the 40 years since the program began, Canada has become a model for the world, inspiring 15 countries to develop their own community sponsorship programs. Its success is due to the immense contributions of sponsors who help refugees find protection in Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) takes the safety and security of all refugees seriously.  We continue to process applications as quickly as possible, and are actively introducing measures and exploring new options to reduce wait times for vulnerable clients.The Immigration Levels Plan establishes admission targets in the permanent resident programs, which determines the total number of people that can arrive in Canada each year from each program stream. Levels space for the PSR program has grown significantly since 2015 to accommodate growing demand, from 6,300 in 2015 to 27,505 in 2023.  Looking forward, Canada aims to welcome 27,750 privately sponsored refugees in 2024, 28,250 in 2025 and 28,250 in 2026.The number of resources allocated to support processing each year is based on the admissions target approved by Cabinet in the Immigration Levels Plan. When the number of applications submitted to the Department exceeds the admissions target, those applications are added to the inventory and are processed in subsequent years. In the PSR program, we do not currently limit the number of applications certain groups of sponsors can submit to the program, and over the years more applications have been submitted than the Department can process in a given year, resulting in growing inventories and wait times in the PSR program.To help reduce the inventory and processing times, IRCC has made several key investments to boost operational processing capacity, including technological improvements and adding additional officers. We have also implemented digital tools that allow officers to process requests from different parts of the world more effectively, and the use of automation tools to help sort and process applications while ensuring there is no built-in bias.  We are also developing an intake management system for the PSR program, which will allow us to better calibrate application intake to the annual Levels plan, with the goal of reducing the inventory and introducing shorter and more predictable processing times for PSR clients.The Government of Canada, including the Canadian High Commission in Islamabad, is monitoring the situation closely and is actively and continuously engaging with the Government of Pakistan and other domestic and international partners on the resettlement of Afghans and related issues. The Government of Canada appreciates Pakistan’s support of our efforts to resettle vulnerable Afghans to Canada while we navigate an extremely complex situation. We all play critical roles in moving Afghans to safety - the Government of Pakistan sets its own entry and exit requirements and determines when and if these requirements are changed, and Canada continues to advocate for streamlined procedures and strengthened protections for vulnerable Afghans. Clients facing potential detention who need to demonstrate to the Government of Pakistan that they have an ongoing application may do so using any of the communications that they have received from IRCC related to their application. Also, if an applicant is facing the possibility of being detained or deported, we urge them to notify the High Commission of Canada in Islamabad immediately or have a family member do this on their behalf. IRCC continues to communicate with clients as we are made aware of their change in circumstances, and we are treating each case with a great sense of urgency.Despite challenges facilitating movement out of Afghanistan, thousands of Afghans have transited through Pakistan over the past year. Since 2021, there have been 45 chartered flights from Pakistan to Canada in addition to hundreds of Afghan refugees who traveled on commercial flights from Pakistan (As of December 18, 2023). We are doing everything we can to help, including processing applications and moving Afghans approved for resettlement to Canada, as quickly and safely as possible.
PakistanPrivate Sponsorship of Refugees ProgramRefugee sponsorship
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02005441-02005 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the United States, UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02004441-02004 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024October 25, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerEquality rights are at the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are intended to ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identities and expressions, from coast, to coast to coast.Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. It is important that parents be involved in the lives of their children, and that should be balanced with the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current.The Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Some highlights:
  • A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including trans people (See Budget 2023, chapter 4)
  •  2022: Government of Canada criminalized conversion therapies, see Statement
  • 2017: Canadian Human Rights Act amended to protect gender identity and gender expression
  • 2022: Launch of Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan
The first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan enables the federal government to help advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan achieves these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The plan is supported by an investment of $100 million, which will help create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both present and future generations. In doing so it builds upon work the Government of Canada has done to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country. 
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02003441-02003 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • Women's shelters are sadly seeing increased demand;
  • The high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live; and
  • At a time when this Liberal government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, they are cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to restore funding for women's shelters.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the right to a safe and affordable place to call home.Providing a safe and secure space for persons fleeing domestic violence is a priority for our Government. The National Housing Strategy (NHS), a 10-year, more than $82-billion plan launched in 2017, is giving more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum and prioritize populations most in need, including women and their children. The federal government aims to put 33% of the strategy’s investments, with a minimum of 25%, toward serving the unique needs of women and their children.NHS programs and initiatives support the creation of shelters, such as the $13.2 billion Affordable Housing Fund, previously known as the National Housing Co-Investment Fund, which aims to create 2,000 new shelter spaces and repair 2,000 shelters for survivors of family violence. As of September 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed to create 1,388 new shelter spaces or transitional housing units available for survivors of gender-based violence, and to repair/renew a further 347 shelter spaces or transitional housing units.  The Government recognizes that Indigenous women and children face unique challenges and barriers to housing. For those who experience violence, a shelter is often a first step to rebuilding their lives and protecting them from further violence. The NHS includes programming and funding exclusively for shelters in Indigenous communities and in the North. This includes $420 million through the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative to build a minimum of 38 shelters and 50 new transitional homes for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping gender-based violence. As of September 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed $89 million toward the construction of 11 shelters and 23 transitional homes through this program.In May 2020, our government committed $44.8 million to build a total of 12 new shelters across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping family violence. These Indigenous-led shelters will provide vital refuge and culturally appropriate critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of their experiences, access support programming and create a stable environment where they can begin to regain an independent life. They are also a crucial element of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, the Government of Canada’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and an important contribution to the National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerGender-based violence is one of the most pervasive, deadly and deeply rooted human rights violation of our time.  This is why the Government of Canada is taking action.  The pandemic created unprecedented challenges for those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV) and the organizations providing supports and services to them. While preventing and addressing GBV is a shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, the Government of Canada acted swiftly in 2020 to provide an initial $90 million in COVID-19 emergency funding, through Women and Gender Equality Canada, to organizations across Canada serving those experiencing GBV. A year into the pandemic, the government responded to high demand and pressing needs by more than tripling the funding support and extending the timeframe for this emergency measure through Budget 2021. Since April 2020, approximately $300 million in total funding has been committed to organizations, providing emergency funding to over 1,400 organizations including women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other GBV organizations. As a result, more than 2 million individuals experiencing violence had a safe place to go, and access to supports across Canada.  These investments served as an emergency response to the crisis above and beyond the ongoing work under the Federal Gender-Based Violence Strategy.Like other COVID-19 emergency measures introduced by the federal government since 2020, this temporary measure has come to an end. However, the Government of Canada remains committed to addressing GBV:
  • Budget 2021 invests $601.3 million over five years in initiatives to advance towards the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This included $200 million (of the $300 million) specifically for COVID-19 emergency funding. 
  • Budget 2022 invests a further $539.3 million over five years to support provinces and territories with the implementation of the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
On November 9, 2022,  Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women launched a historic 10-year National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This Plan is a concrete step in fulfilling a long-standing commitment of Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments to work together towards a Canada free of gender-based violence.  The Plan is supported by an investment of $539.3 million over five years, committed in Budget 2022, to support the provinces and territories in their implementation efforts.  This funding is provided to provinces and territories through bilateral agreements.As of December 2023, the Government of Canada announced agreements with all provinces and territories. These agreements, along with the respective provincial/territorial implementation plans are available on Women and Gender Equality Canada’s website.
SheltersWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02002441-02002 (Employment and labour)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 3, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02001441-02001 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Eritrea has been ruled by an authoritarian brutal dictator under a totalitarian system for the last 30 years with no constitution, no election, no parliament, no freedom of press and no freedom of movement and association;
  • Eritreans continue to flee indefinite military conscription, religious persecution, and political repression, causing them to seek asylum across the world;
  • Hundreds of thousands of Eritreans (about 30% of its population) have fled to escape from severe human rights violations amounting to crimes against humanity, as has been documented by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea;
  • Those who have managed to flee the country still face intimidation and extortion from the representatives and agents of the Eritrean regime in the diaspora. Their families in Eritrea are also harassed and forced to pay tens of thousands of local currencies because their children have fled;
  • Eritrean Embassies and other representations in the diaspora have been utilized, predominantly, to surveil and monitor the activities of Eritrean asylum seekers and the regime's critics, refusing consular services, controlling, indoctrinating and extorting;
  • Eritrean Embassies and other representations in the diaspora also regularly organize political community events aimed at raising funds which are siphoned off into the regime's coffers and used to empower itself, maintain its grip on power and continue to repress the Eritrean people inside the country;
  • Many diasporan Human Rights activists have started working to ensure the so-called 'community and cultural events that are organized by the Eritrean Embassies and their proxies are stopped. To this end, they have alerted home countries' pertinent orders of governments, asking them to reject requests for permits for such 'community and cultural events';
  • The Eritrean Regime has responded to such efforts by Eritrean diaspora activists by encouraging violent responses, going as far as to organize and arm its loyalists e.g., the recent violence in Tel Aviv, Israel, and the response from the Eritrean Embassy Israel;
  • The Eritrean dictator's overt alignment with Vladimir Putin and its belligerent stance against Western Democracies and the Horn of Africa countries; and
  • Canadians of Eritrean origin are deeply concerned about the regime's reach and interference in their local communities through its party cadres and agents.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to:
  • Engage Eritrean political and human rights activists and pro-democracy groups;
  • Take a leadership role among the Western allies to challenge the Eritrean Dictator's malicious conspiracy with Vladimir Putin against Western countries and his belligerence in the Horn of Africa;
  • Investigate foreign interference of Eritrea in Canada and take appropriate action (including rejection of entry visas and denial of event permits) against all front organizations, individuals, and events enabling this interference;
  • Enforce Canada's asylum laws against those who explicitly provide material and political support to the very regime they claim to have fled from as they don't qualify as genuine refugees;
  • Cancel the sponsorship application process to the Eritrean Regime loyalists including those who partook in the recent violent clashes in Tel Aviv, Israel, as they could pose a danger to the Canadian public after arrival in Canada;
  • Advocate for the release of all the imprisoned journalists, including the Swedish-Eritrean journalist Dawit Isaak, and the 11 imprisoned Eritrean Parliamentarians (Petros Solomon, Mahmoud Ahmed Sherifo, Haile Woldense, Ogbe Abraha, Hamid Himid, Saleh Idris Kekya, Estifanos Seyoum, Berhane Ghebrezgabiher, Astier Fesehazion, Germano Nati, and Beraki Gebreselassie), and other political prisoners, and all prisoners of conscience; and
  • Strengthen sanctions against human rights abusers in Eritrea.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Marc MillerInsofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:5)The Government of Canada is committed to the safety and security of the Canadian public. When foreign nationals seek entry to Canada, IRCC and CBSA work closely with their security partners to screen applicants, on a case by case basis, to determine whether they are admissible to enter and/or remain in Canada. Security screening is an important part of the overall assessment of whether a person is admissible to Canada. If an individual is determined to be inadmissible, they may be denied a visa and entry to Canada. Inadmissible individuals who are already in Canada may be removed from Canada.Under our immigration law, an individual can be found inadmissible for security reasons, including espionage; subversion (for example, attempts to overthrow a government); terrorism; or membership in an organization for which there are reasonable grounds to believe they are engaged, have engaged or will engage in any of these activities.They are also inadmissible on grounds of violating human or international rights for committing a crime against humanity or war crime outside Canada or being a prescribed senior official in a government that does so.Additionally, under the IRPA, foreign nationals who have committed or who are convicted of a crime outside Canada may be inadmissible to Canada. All past criminal history is considered. Immigration officers examine foreign charges, convictions, and evidence of criminal activity to determine if there is an equivalent offence in Canada for the act committed. If there is an equivalent offence, the individual would be inadmissible for having committed or being convicted for that offence. Insofar as the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is concerned:4)The IRB hears individual claims for refugee status from claimants within Canada. IRB members (decision-makers) must decide whether a claimant has a well-founded fear of persecution or is at risk of torture, or cruel or unusual punishment in their country of origin and is not excluded from refugee protection for having committed a war crime or crime against humanity, among other reasons.In each case, IRB members make their decision applying the law to the evidence presented in the case. In most instances, the process is non-adversarial but at any time, the Minister may choose to intervene by submitting evidence, which the IRB member will consider in arriving at a decision, and participating in the hearing.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea and raises this concern directly with Eritrean officials, in its engagements with activists and representatives of the diaspora community, and in multilateral forums, including the United Nations Human Rights Council. At the Human Rights Council, Canada regularly calls upon Eritrea to improve the human rights situation in the country. At the Council’s 47th session in 2021, Canada actively negotiated the text and co-sponsored the Resolution entitled "Situation of human rights in Eritrea", which established the mandate of a UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea. Canada consistently co-sponsors this Resolution, most recently in 2023, and the extension of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur.In March 2023 during the Council’s General Debate, Canada raised the issue of restrictions on freedoms and arbitrary detention in Eritrea, and continues to monitor the cases of imprisoned journalists, political activists, and members of religious groups. Canadian officials met with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea during his October 2023 visit to Canada to discuss the dire human rights situation and his mandate.Canada has also repeatedly and publicly called for the swift withdrawal of Eritrean forces from northern Ethiopia, including through public joint statements with likeminded countries, as done on November 2, 2023, in the Joint Statement on the One Year Anniversary of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. On September 22, 2022, officials of the Government of Canada spoke at the Human Rights Council and urged all parties to cease violence immediately, respect human rights and implement accountability measures, and called for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean Defence Forces.Canada’s former Ambassador to Sudan, who represented Canada to Eritrea, engaged with Eritrean officials in 2021, calling on them to withdraw Eritrean Defense Forces from northern Ethiopia. On September 20, 2022, a tweet issued from the Global Affairs Canada corporate account deplored the movement of Eritrean Defence Forces in northern Ethiopia and condemned the escalation of hostilities.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools, which include dialogue, capacity building, advocacy, multilateral engagement, and other diplomatic actions. Canada reviews all of its policy options continuously and tailors its responses to the specifics of each unique situation. Canada is judicious in its approach to imposing sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use when appropriate. To that end, Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Canada also considers the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.The Government of Canada will continue to engage on the human rights situation in Eritrea. Promoting and protecting democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada is committed to standing up for human rights and striving for a world where the rights and freedoms of all people are respected.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.There is no greater responsibility for the Government of Canada than to ensure its citizens and communities remain safe. Any report of harassment and intimidation of individuals in Canada is troubling and unacceptable. Where there is credible evidence of foreign interference, including transnational repression, Canada’s security and intelligence agencies use the full extent of their mandates to respond to these threats.This includes foreign influence activities within or relating to Canada that involve a threat to any person. The Government may take measures to reduce threats to the security of Canada in accordance with well-defined legal requirements and Ministerial direction.Complaints are received and assessed by the police of jurisdiction, and may be subject to further investigation. Applicable actions under Canadian legislation are taken as deemed appropriate.The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) provides the Canada Border Services Agency of Canada (CBSA) with the authority to undertake immigration enforcement actions against foreign nationals or permanent residents in Canada (including removal and detention where the necessary grounds exist).Among the security reasons for which foreign nationals or permanent residents may be inadmissible under section 34 (1) of the IRPA are, based on reasonable grounds to believe, that they have engaged in espionage; in subversion by force of any government, or in an act of subversion against a democratic government, institution or process as they are understood in Canada; or have engaged in terrorism. They may also be found inadmissible for being a member of an organization engaged in any of these activities.Any individual allegation of inadmissibility will be based on the evidence that is before the immigration official;  allegations of foreign interference, if supported by facts, can fall within the definition of espionage or subversion.Should investigations by the CBSA or other agencies (Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), local law enforcement, etc.) into a permanent resident or foreign national occur, such information would be used to support appropriate IRPA enforcement actions by CBSA officials. Allegations related to these types of inadmissibility ground must be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) for an admissibility hearing to determine if the person is inadmissible. If the IRB issues a removal order, enforcement action is then taken. With respect to overseas cases, the CBSA Centre for Immigration National Security Screening provides support to immigration officials assessing inadmissibility by providing analysis and support relating to assessments of inadmissibility due to terrorism, espionage, subversion, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and organized criminality. Where a visa applicant has been determined to be inadmissible, their visa may be refused by an immigration official.The IRPA provides no legislative authority relating to the denial of event permits.
Civil and human rightsEritreaForeign influenced activitiesForeign policy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-02000441-02000 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 1, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01999441-01999 (Natural resources and energy)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • Canadians are struggling in an unprecedented cost of living crisis;
  • This legislation aims to kill 170,000 direct Canadian jobs, will displace 450,000 direct and indirect jobs, and cause major disruptions to 2.7 million jobs across all provinces in the energy, manufacturing, construction, transportation, and agriculture sectors;
  • In Canada, the oil and gas sector is the top private sector in clean tech at 75% overall - more than all other sectors, combined, and in the development and commercialization of renewable and alternative energy and other fuels of the future;
  • The energy sector provides 10% of Canada's GDP, and pays over $26 billion in taxes to all levels of government every year, including $48 billion in 2022;
  • Natural Resource businesses, including oil and gas, are the most traded stocks and form the foundation of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and this legislation will put Canadians' financial portfolios in jeopardy potentially risking millions of invested dollars;
  • Canada's energy self-sufficiency and security is increasingly threatened by the government's anti-energy agenda to expedite and recklessly phase out the oil and gas sectors with government-imposed mandates, penalties, policies, bans, and added costs, with no concrete roadmap on how to replace them;
  • Global oil and gas demand continues to increase, and we believe the last barrels of oil and cubic metre of natural gas used in the world should come from Canada;
  • Government-created uncertainty has already driven billions of investment, technology, and hundreds of thousands of jobs out of Canada and has already primarily and disproportionately hurt remote, rural, Indigenous and energy- and resource-based communities, provinces and regions;
  • The legislation will disproportionately impact blue collar and lower-income workers, which includes many Indigenous Canadians and visible minorities, who will face higher job disruptions and have more challenges finding new opportunities;
  • The legislation doesn't account for what and how many jobs will replace the ones their agenda will kill - or how the economic, fiscal, and technological contributions of the energy sector will be replaced in Canada, as well as affordable and accessible energy for all communities and regions, in cities and rural areas alike.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its divisive, targeted, anti-energy, anti-private sector and top down "Just Transition" central planning agenda that is neither just, fair nor equitable, and instead accelerate Canadian energy projects, infrastructure, technology, and exports, and greenlight green projects, by reducing duplicative red tape, costs, and permitting timelines, and support private-sector-led energy transformation instead of a government-forced transition.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reduction targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seize the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonization technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our global partners need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in investment tax credits.Canada’s highly skilled and educated workforce, and comparative advantages in energy, critical minerals, and clean technology are helping Canadian industries and workers to seize the enormous economic opportunities in a net-zero future. The Government of Canada is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, outlines the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, clean energy, low-carbon building products, carbon management technologies, and small modular reactors, Canada is building a prosperous net-zero future that works for Canadians in every region. This includes significant opportunities in existing energy industries that are taking action to respond to global demand by lowering their emissions and enhance their long-term competitiveness.Skills training is a critical factor in ensuring that Canadian workers can seize the economic opportunities ahead, which is why the federal government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including as it relates to sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers seize new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding to establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre, among other things.As committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023. The legislation proposes establishing a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill would also require the Government to:
  • establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures;
  • create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and
  • release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025.
These legislated mechanisms would guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities in building a net-zero economy, advancing economic prosperity across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables) are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables are helping to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, in collaboration with Indigenous partners, and with the input of experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders.  The Regional Tables will form the basis for implementing joint strategies to leverage energy and resource opportunities to realize each region of Canada’s comparative advantage in a net-zero future.To date, the federal government has jointly launched Regional Tables across the country with British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the Northwest Territories and Yukon.The Government of Canada is working in partnership with workers, industries, and communities across Canada to take ambitious climate action while developing low-carbon industries that spur affordability, energy security, and economic prosperity in every sector and region.
C-50, An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economyEnergy transitionGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01998441-01998 (Employment and labour)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • The recognition of international credentials for newcomers to Canada continues to be a challenge;
  • Only 41% of doctors with international credentials work as doctors in Canada;
  • Similarly, only 37% of nurses with international credentials work as a nurse in Canada;
  • Those who decide to pursue medical studies outside of Canada, despite being from Canada, still have difficulties getting their licenses here if they choose to come back;
  • Gatekeepers in provincial licensing bodies have unnecessary hurdles and red tape, leading to healthcare professionals being prevented from doing the work they are trained to do;
  • Canada has 53,005 nurses and doctors who could be filling shortages, but the Liberal government is failing to remove barriers to the much-needed support our provincial health care systems needs;
  • Currently, a "Red Seal" program exists that sets recognized standards across Canada for tradespeople, allowing for a shared partnership that proves a professional has the necessary skills to practice their trade; and
  • Healthcare professionals want to work in Canada, but it is just a matter of creating a system without barriers for these highly skilled professionals.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion to:create a "Blue Seal" that will make the processes, with a 60-day standard, for licensing doctors and nurses to be more streamlined in order to help fill Canada's shortages on health care professionals.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykForeign credential recognition and licensure in regulated occupations (e.g., nurses, physicians) is a provincial and territorial responsibility that is typically further delegated to regulatory authorities through legislation. Each jurisdiction is responsible for establishing education, training and licensing standards in the interest of public health and safety.The Government of Canada recognizes that skilled newcomers, including internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs), are sometimes not able to contribute to their full potential. They can face challenges obtaining employment commensurate with their education, skills and experience, due to barriers such as lack of Canadian work experience, occupation-specific language proficiency, discrimination and bias from employers, and lack of awareness of existing employment supports and other social and professional resources. The foreign credential recognition process itself can also be a barrier for the successful labour market integration of skilled newcomers, as it can be complex, lengthy, and costly and varies by occupation and jurisdiction. In the context of these challenges, many provinces and territories have introduced initiatives and legislation to improve foreign credential recognition processes and support fair registration practices.For example, on May 1, 2023, the Atlantic premiers announced the launch of the Atlantic Physician Register that allows for greater mobility of fully licensed physicians in Atlantic Canada. Previously, physicians had to submit a separate full application to each provincial college, including a registration fee, to obtain a license to practice in that province. This Registry could be expanded to allow other jurisdictions to join.National organizations are also helping to harmonize and coordinate the credential recognition process amongst the provincial and territorial regulatory bodies to make it easier for internationally educated physicians and nurses to have their credentials recognized and become licensed to practice in Canada. For example, the Medical Council of Canada and the National Nursing Assessment Services are national bodies that play a role in facilitating the foreign credential recognition process of internationally educated physicians and nurses respectively.Additionally, on October 12, 2023, Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Health and Ministers responsible for mental health met to discuss shared priorities, including the health workforce, health data, mental health and addiction, and public health. The meeting highlight was that all levels of government are taking action and making significant investments to improve health care services in Canada. Following the meeting, Ministers released a statement reaffirming their commitment to focus attention on foreign credential recognition by reducing the time it takes for IEHPs to join the workforce, and advance labour mobility to support an agile and flexible workforce.For its part, the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program supports the labour market integration of skilled newcomers by funding projects with provinces and territories, regulatory authorities and organizations that simplify and harmonize national credential recognition processes, provide loans and support services to help skilled newcomers navigate foreign credential recognition processes, and help skilled newcomers gain their first Canadian work experience in their profession or field of study.For example, the Foreign Credential Recognition Program supported the Medical Council of Canada to create the Physicians Apply portal (https://physiciansapply.ca/). The portal has streamlined the process for international medical graduates to apply for a license to practice medicine in Canada by offering a platform where international and Canadian medical students and physicians can complete and submit the application for medical registration with medical regulatory authorities, access all Medical Council of Canada examinations, use source verification services, and share their credentials and documents with registered partners. The Physicians Apply portal has so far reached over 83,000 individuals who now have accounts and can access the full range of services. The portal has made it easier for nearly 1.9 million documents to be shared in support of credential recognition and licensure for international and Canadian medical graduates.Budget 2022 provided an additional $115 million over five years, with $30 million ongoing, to expand the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, with an initial focus on supporting the integration of IEHPs into the Canadian labour market. The most recent open call for proposals ran from December 5, 2022, to January 30, 2023. The call invited eligible organizations and provincial and territorial governments to submit proposals for projects that improve Foreign Credential Recognition processes, provide Canadian work experience that is relevant to the IEHPs’ intended healthcare field of work, and/or facilitate labour mobility between jurisdictions in Canada for health care professionals. Approximately $89 million will be invested in 16 new projects which are expected to start in early 2024.
Caregivers and health care professionalsCredentialsImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01997441-01997 (Holidays and observances)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024December 11, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS:
  • The federally funded Canadian Human Rights Commission outrageously declared that Christmas is "discriminatory" and an example of "colonialist religious intolerance";
  • The free exercise of religion has been Canadian law since before Confederation, with the 1851 Freedom of Worship Act which protected "free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference";
  • 92% of Canadians who are non-Christian say "no" to being offended by the greeting "Merry Christmas", according to a 2022 Leger poll; and
  • The same poll asked Canadians of all religions whether Christmas and other "religious" holidays should be struck from the country's official statutory holidays, for which 94% of respondents said "no."
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to denounce the Canadian Human Rights Commission's outrageous and out of touch position that Christmas is "discriminatory" and an example of "colonialist religious intolerance."
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada is a great place to live and call home for many reasons, one aspect of what makes Canada the country that it is, is the value we place on freedom and diversity. Canada is strong as a result of its diversity, and not despite of it.The Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, including but not limited to, in the areas of goods, services, facilities or accommodation customarily available to the general public, commercial premises or residential accommodation, and employment.In addition, section 2(a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) protects everyone’s freedom of conscience and religion. Section 15(1) of the Charter guarantees equality to all individuals without discrimination based on several prohibited grounds, including religion. The Canadian Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) is an independent agency and has a broad mandate to promote and protect human rights under the CHRA, including conducting research in consultation with rights holders, stakeholders and issuing public statements. Acknowledging the historic appointment of the first-ever Muslim Canadian to hold the position of Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, the importance of the CHRA and the work carried out by the Commission to promote and protect the rights of religious minorities is well appreciated. Our Government fully supports and celebrates the right of everyone to practise the holidays and observances of their choosing.  The House of Commons in a motion made on November 30, 2023, recalled “that Christmas is a tradition celebrated in Quebec and Canada” and invited “all Quebecers and Canadians to unite as we approach the Christmas season”. The full text of the motion, which was made by unanimous consent, can be found on the House of Commons’ website (https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/house/sitting-259/hansard).The Commission issued a statement on December 2, 2023 (https://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/en/resources/course-christmas-not-racist-we-never-said-it-was), clarifying the Paper was seeking to convey that “based on current Canadian law, providing a statutory holiday for one religion, and not providing reasonable accommodation for other religions may be considered discrimination.” The Discussion Paper raised that non-Christian holidays are not statutory holidays in Canada, and therefore “[…] non-Christians may need to request special accommodations to observe their holy days and other times of the year where their religion requires them to abstain from work”.The Commission further noted that Christmas was mentioned as “an example of a religious holiday that is also a statutory holiday.” With that in mind, the Paper also explained various legal obligations on employers and service providers, including the duty to accommodate, in the context of religious discrimination.In Canada’s multicultural and multi-faith society, everyone has the freedom to practice their religious beliefs, including observing religious holidays, in accordance with the CHRA and the Charter. Our Government has made strides in addressing systemic discrimination and will continue to break down barriers to continue to ensure Canada is an equitable place to live for all.
Canadian Human Rights CommissionChristmasPublic holidaysReligious discrimination
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01996441-01996 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the North Addington Education Centre community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01995441-01995 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and AgriFood to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01994441-01994 (Environment)RachelBlaneyNorth Island—Powell RiverNDPBCDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024October 30, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Foam from marine infrastructure is an increasing source of pollution on Canada's beaches;
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS), commonly known as StyrofoamTM, in the marine environment can cause significant harm to marine life, seafood resources and ecosystems;
  • EPS is difficult to impossible to clean up from shorelines after it breaks down and has a high likelihood of entering the marine environment from damaged marine infrastructure, whether encased or not; and
  • The Qathet Regional District and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities have unanimously endorsed the prohibition of EPS in marine environments.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon on the Government of Canada to prohibit the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in the marine environment.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada recognizes that plastic pollution affects wildlife and habitats, burdens economies, threatens livelihoods, and impacts the spaces Canadians cherish. This is a critical global challenge that requires prompt action. As such, the Government of Canada is committed to working with all levels of government, industry, civil society, and others to reduce plastic pollution from land and aquatic sources and transition to circular and sustainable systems where plastics stay in the economy and out of the environment.The Government is implementing its comprehensive plan https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/reduce-plastic-waste/canada-action.html#toc1 through a range of complementary actions spanning the plastics lifecycle to reduce plastic waste, enable a circular plastics economy and protect the environment from plastic pollution. This includes:
  • strengthening plastics economy and pollution science and investing in innovations;
  • banning certain categories of single-use plastics, including expanded and extruded polystyrene foam foodservice ware;
  • developing minimum recycled content requirements for plastic items;
  • introducing rules to enhance the labelling of recyclable and compostable plastics and better inform consumers;
  • establishing a recycling target for plastic beverage containers;
  • designing a federal plastics registry that will require producers to report on plastics they place on the Canadian economy to support provincial and territorial extended producer responsibility efforts; and
  • working with countries and other stakeholders to develop a new legally binding global instrument on plastic pollution.
The Government is also working with provinces and territories through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to implement the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Wasteand its associated Action Plan https://ccme.ca/en/current-activities/waste. This includes the recent publication of a roadmap to manage single-use and disposable plastics as well as guidance to facilitate consistent extended producer responsibility programs for plastics. Additional work is underway to create guidance to inform consumer behaviours and target plastic pollution sources.Expanded polystyrene (EPS), due to its buoyancy, functionality and cost, is often used in the marine environment for floating structures (e.g. docks and buoys), boat stands, storage, seafood packaging, or in recreational items such as surfboards. EPS is also used in consumer goods and packaging such as food containers, cups, and lids, and in other sectors (e.g. construction). The Government recognizes that the mismanagement of these materials can result in their breakdown and release into the environment as a form of plastic pollution.Some efforts are currently in place to target the use of EPS in marine infrastructure. In 2021, the Province of Ontario adopted legislation to prohibit unencapsulated expanded or extruded polystyrene in floating docks, floating platforms, and buoys. In addition, some dock manufacturers no longer offer unencapsulated foam.The Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ (DFO) Small Craft Harbours program is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of Canada’s network of fishing harbours, which are used by commercial fish and seafood harvesters. Over the past 20 years, the program has been moving away from using uncoated polystyrene and adopting other, more environmentally friendly floating mechanisms in the construction of its floating docks. All polystyrene currently installed at these harbours is coated with high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a water-resistant material that reduces product breakdown and is more durable in the marine environment.Another source of EPS pollution in the marine environment is from abandoned, lost, or discarded shellfish aquaculture gear in the form of floats and buoys, or as large pieces of floatation for raft structures. While aquaculture is a shared jurisdiction in Canada, the Government of Canada issues aquaculture licences under the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations in British Columbia. In 2021, DFO introduced new shellfish aquaculture conditions of licence, which directly address the issue of marine plastic litter and ghost gear in British Columbia’s coastal waters. The new licence conditions support lost gear identification: https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/41014388.pdf, foam floatation pollution reduction: https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/41014376.pdf , and regular clean-ups of licensedfacilities: https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/41016865.pdf. DFO also secured $1.3 million in funding for the removal of 13,000 cubic metres of degraded polystyrene floatation from British Columbia’s waters, replacing it with highly durable, air-filled, foam-free floatation. This is the equivalent of 52 billion foam microbeads being removed from the ocean. These efforts contribute to the Government of Canada’s commitments under the Ocean Plastics Charter: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/international-commitments/ocean-plastics-charter.html and the implementation of its comprehensive plan to reduce plastic pollution, including leading several large-scale clean-ups of abandoned and degrading shellfish farm facilities on the West Coast of Vancouver Island and in the Pendrell Sound Rockfish Conservation Area.The Government of Canada does not intend to prohibit the use of EPS in the marine environment at this time. The Government will continue to review the performance of existing management measures and will work with partners and stakeholders to identify areas where further action is needed.
BanCoastal areasExpanded polystyrenePollution
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01993441-01993 (Environment)RachelBlaneyNorth Island—Powell RiverNDPBCDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024October 30, 2023Petition to the Prime Minister and the Government of CanadaWHEREAS Canada must address the climate emergency.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada to enact just transition legislation that:
  • Reduces emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels, and makes significant contributions to emissions reductions in countries in the Global South;
  • Winds down the fossil fuel industry and related infrastructure, ends fossil fuel subsidies, and transitions to a decarbonized economy;
  • Creates new public economic institutions and expands public ownership of services and utilities across the economy to implement the transition;
  • Creates good green jobs and drives inclusive workforce development, led by and including affected workers and communities, and ensures decent, low-carbon work for all workers;
  • Protects and strengthens human rights and worker rights, respects Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and knowledge by including them in creating and implementing this legislation, ensures migrant justice, and emphasizes support for historically marginalized communities;
  • Expands the social safety net through new income supports, decarbonized public housing, and operational funding for affordable and accessible public transit countrywide; and
  • Pays for the transition by increasing taxes on the wealthiest and corporations and financing through a public national bank.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTSince 2015, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. We understand that accelerated efforts are crucial to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rapidly by 2030, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.In 2021, Canada adopted an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels, and passed legislation to enshrine its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. On March 29, 2022, Canada tabled the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy (2030 ERP) in Parliament. The 2030 ERP is the Government’s most recent, major step to take action to meet Canada’s climate objectives, and create good, sustainable jobs in Canada.Achieving Canada's climate goals requires all sectors of the economy to pursue decarbonization in ways that make cleaner initiatives more affordable and create new, sustainable job opportunities for workers. In addition, the 2030 ERP reflects input received from thousands of Canadians, businesses and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories and the Net Zero Advisory Body.Investments in Indigenous-led climate action are critical to enabling Indigenous peoples to advance their self-determined priorities. Since the release of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy in December 2020, the federal government has committed more than $2 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities, including initiatives to facilitate the transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience and adaptation, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects, among others. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF), as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients. In the 2030 ERP and Budget 2022, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to co-develop and implement a model of climate partnership that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous science and knowledge systems in national climate policy. The 2030 ERP builds on significant progress Canada has already made to address climate change, including the actions outlined in the PCF and Canada’s strengthened climate plan. With the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada is taking action by:
  • working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples and others to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Following consultations, the cap will be designed to lower emissions at a pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, reduce oil and gas methane by at least 75% below 2012 levels by 2030, support clean technologies to further decarbonize the sector, and work to create sustainable jobs;
  • developing a national net-zero by 2050 buildings strategy, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy;
  • investing in nature and natural climate solutions through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions;
  • working with provinces, territories, industry, and other stakeholders on the design of a clean electricity standard to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035;
  • helping industries decarbonize by adopting clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage strategy; and
  • ensuring that workers and communities are able to benefit from the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents, including by making significant investments in skills training and continuing consultations on the development of sustainable jobs and skills legislation.
The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities across the country work together to reach these targets, Canada will identify and respond to new opportunities.Canada has also committed to phase out or rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. It has already taken actions to phase out or rationalize eight tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector. Addressing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies supports Canada’s efforts to take action on climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy.Canada also contributes to emissions reduction in developing countries through its climate finance. Initiatives under Canada’s previous $2.65 billion climate finance commitment led to significant emissions reduced or avoided. In addition, our current $5.3 billion commitment (2021-2026) features Clean Energy Transition and Coal Phase-Out as a focus area.Under this focus area, Canada supports efforts to reduce GHG emissions in developing countries by investing in initiatives that phase out coal-powered emissions, foster equitable access to clean energy solutions, promote energy efficient technologies, and support the clean energy sector enabling environment in key coal-dependent regions. In line with this, Canada has recently dedicated $43 million to energy transition programming, including a $5 million contribution to the South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership, and an $8 million contribution to the International Energy Agency’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme. With G7 partners, Canada is also providing support to new Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) with countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam, including through its $1 billion commitment to the Climate Investment Funds Accelerating Coal Transitions Program among other sources of support. JETPs are a new model of international energy, climate, and economic assistance for emerging and developing countries to accelerate their transitions to cleaner, more climate resilient economies, while also including the perspectives and needs of workers and communities.This priority complements Canada’s leadership through the Powering Past Coal Alliance. This initiative, which Canada co-leads with the United Kingdom, works to increase global ambition on coal phase-out and supports developing countries by sharing expertise and best practices. Canada’s public climate finance also helps mobilize private capital, which is a key component of climate action, including for clean energy transition.      
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reduction targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seize the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonization technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our global partners need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in investment tax credits.At COP26, Canada and other countries committed to phasing out international fossil fuel subsidies. Following this, the Government of Canada released direction for federal departments and agencies. Through ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada is ensuring federal investments abroad are aligned with domestic and international climate commitments, while refocusing investment towards low-carbon innovation, including in Canada’s growing clean industries.Domestically, the Government of Canada has committed to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. The Government of Canada took swift action, and in July 2023, Canada became one of the first countries in the world to meet this commitment well ahead of the 2025 deadline. The guidance document and assessment framework is being used by government departments to ensure all future programs and spending decisions are aligned with this commitment.Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan commits to reducing emissions from the oil and gas sector. As announced at COP28, the Government of Canada released a draft Regulatory Framework for an Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap in December 2023 to cap the oil and gas sector’s 2030 emissions at 35 to 38 percent below 2019 levels. This measure is a cap on pollution, and will incentivize innovation as the sector invests in maximum technically achievable decarbonization in order to achieve significant emission reductions by 2030 and get on a credible pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050.Canada’s  highly skilled and educated workforce, and comparative advantages in energy, critical minerals, and clean technology are helping Canadian industries and workers to seize the enormous economic opportunities in a net-zero future.  The Government of Canada is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, outlines the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, clean energy, low-carbon building products, carbon management technologies and small modular reactors, Canada is building a prosperous net-zero future that works for Canadians in every region. This includes significant opportunities in existing energy industries that are taking action to respond to global demand by lowering their emissions and enhance their long-term competitiveness.Skills training is a critical factor in ensuring that Canadian workers can seize the economic opportunities ahead, which is why the federal government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including as it relates to sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers seize new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding to establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and fund additional sustainable jobs training, among other things.As committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023. The legislation proposes establishing a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill would also require the Government to:
  • establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures;
  • create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and
  • release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025.
These legislated mechanisms would guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a low-carbon economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables) are an important initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables are helping to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, in collaboration with Indigenous partners, and with the input of experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for implementing joint strategies to leverage energy and resource opportunities to realize each region of Canada’s comparative advantage in a net-zero future.To date, the federal government has jointly launched Regional Tables across the country, including with British Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the Northwest Territories and Yukon.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada is taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change, while strengthening our economy by fostering the creation of sustainable jobs. This shift towards a low-carbon economy presents significant opportunities across existing and emerging sectors and will require the transformation of Canadian industries and the Canadian labour market. Ensuring Canada has a plan to advance a low-carbon economy and a workforce that can thrive in the low-carbon economy is fundamental to achieving our climate targets.On February 17, 2023, the Government of Canada released its interim Sustainable Jobs Plan 2023-2025, which included 10 concrete actions being taken to support the creation of sustainable jobs and help workers in every part of Canada. This interim plan is informed by over two years of consultations and conversations with provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, workers and unions, industry, environmental and civil society organizations and interested Canadians. This interim plan defines the federal government’s commitment to make progress on implementing the 10 key action areas, including establishing legislation that ensures ongoing engagement and accountability.As part of this Plan, on June 15, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, which aims to facilitate and promote the creation of sustainable jobs and support workers and communities in Canada as the world advances toward a net-zero future. It will lay out a framework for federal governance, accountability, and engagement that will help ensure a coherent and coordinated federal approach for implementing measures that support sustainable job creation. The bill completed second reading in October 2023, and is expected to continue through the legislative process throughout 2024.The Government of Canada has also been working to move forward on a path to a net-zero emissions economy for several years. For example, the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP), which was announced in Budget 2021, is a contribution program that helps key sectors of the economy, including sectors contributing to the low-carbon economy, implement solutions to address their current and emerging workforce needs. The SWSP funds projects that can leverage a wide-range of activities, from developing labour market information, to developing training curriculum and tools, and implementing initiatives that support employers and workers, including members of equity-deserving groups.Budget 2022 announced the creation of a new Union-Led Advisory Table. It brings together labour leaders to provide advice on Government and Ministerial priorities on ways to help workers navigate the changing labour market.The 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding for the creation of a Sustainable Jobs Training Fund, also an action area under the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan. The Fund will support a series of training projects to help 15,000 workers across the country upgrade or gain new skills for jobs in the low-carbon economy. Addressing pressing skills needs and training gaps in areas of high demand will help ensure that Canada’s workforce is prepared to support 2050 climate targets, and that employers have the labour they need to meet demand and seize growth opportunities in the new low-carbon economy.In addition, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding for a new Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) sustainable jobs stream under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy. This stream will aim to fund projects that support unions in leading the development of green skills training for workers in the trades. It is expected that 20,000 apprentices and journeypersons would benefit from this investment.Finally, the Government also offers a broad suite of programming to support jobseekers and workers of all ages and from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, as well as employers, unions and training providers. Many of these programs, created in consultation with stakeholders, are already helping to advance sustainable jobs. They include:•         The Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP), a program that helps key sectors of the economy implement solutions to address their current and emerging workforce needs, recent investments of $145.9 million in nine projects that will help build talent for the green economy. Overall, the nine projects are expected to support over 24,000 Canadians and benefit approximately 2,100 employers across Canada.•         The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, which provides funding to help pre-apprentices, apprentices, employers, unions, and other organizations and tradespeople participate in apprenticeships and succeed in skilled trades careers. This includes recent investments to develop green skills training for workers in the trades under the sustainable jobs initiative.•         The Skills and Partnership Fund, a project-based fund that supports partnerships between Indigenous organizations and industry employers to provide skills training for Indigenous peoples in priority sectors, which include industries that support more efficient use and alternative sources of energy and resources. Through this Fund, Indigenous people are being trained for current and emerging job opportunities in the green economy.•         The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS), a horizontal initiative led by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and delivered in collaboration with 11 other federal departments, agencies and Crown Corporations. The YESS provides funding to organizations to deliver a range of activities that help youth overcome barriers to employment and develop a broad range of skills and knowledge to participate in the current and future labour market. Some YESS programs such as Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Science Horizons Youth Internship Program, Natural Resources Canada’s Science and Technology Internship Program - Green Jobs, and Parks Canada’s Young Canada Works Program focus on connecting young Canadians with careers in the sustainable jobs sector.•         The Foreign Credential Recognition Program, to support the labour market integration of skilled newcomers by funding projects that will make credential recognition processes faster and more efficient, and providing loans (up to $30,000), support services, and employment supports to help skilled newcomers acquire Canadian work experience, including within the low-carbon sector.Canada has a strong social safety net of which the Employment Insurance (EI) program is an important part. Millions of Canadians rely on it each year when they lose their jobs or need to step away from work for illness, childbirth, or taking care of a loved one. The Government continues to build an EI program that is responsive to all labour market conditions, and is accessible, adequate and financially sustainable.Canada also has a comprehensive pension system, the Old Age Security Program and the Canada Pension Plan for all Canadian workers, no matter what type of work they choose. The Old Age Security Program is quasi-universal, with benefits being paid to seniors 65 and over based on years of residence in Canada after age 18. Furthermore, recent studies and modelling suggest that one of the most significant challenges facing the low-carbon economy will not be a shortage of jobs, but instead an abundance of jobs with a shortage of skilled workers required to fill them. Assisting workers to acquire new skills to support continued employment in the low-carbon economy will be key to filling future needs.
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01992441-01992 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01991441-01991 (Civil and human rights)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 1, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01990441-01990 (Civil and human rights)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024November 22, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Canada has a tradition of respecting, honoring, and affirming the role of faith traditions in the Canadian Armed Forces;
  • The Canadian Armed Forces Chaplaincy program contributes to the health, morale, and spiritual wellbeing of servicemen and women from all faith and non-faith backgrounds; and
  • The Liberal government undermines the rights and freedoms of all servicemen and women by prohibiting diverse religious expression.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Affirm that the Canadian Armed Forces ought to be free to support servicemen and women through public prayer in keeping with the hard-won and honourable traditions of the Canadian Armed Forces, such as and especially on Remembrance Day.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France LalondeThe Defence Team deeply values the work of military chaplains to support Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, and we will continue to build a diverse, inclusive military that attracts and retains talented people, as well as a chaplaincy that reflects the diversity of spiritual and faith beliefs of Canada and supports both the free expression of religious belief and the right of military members not to express a religious belief.The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service holds deep respect for the diverse religious and spiritual belief systems and practices of serving and retired CAF members, their families and Canadians. As such, CAF chaplains prioritize cultivating inclusive environments where all can feel welcome at ceremonies and events in which chaplains participate or offer leadership. This is why prayer and other faith-specific language that may be offered by CAF chaplains is very much subject to the context, participants and intended nature of the gathering or ceremony in which they are participating, including whether the ceremony or event is secular or non-secular in nature, open to the public at large, or private.With respect to Remembrance Day, specifically, most important to the Chaplain General is maintaining the focus on honouring the sacrifice of all who have gone before us in service to Canada, and to offer thanksgiving for their service and sacrifice. It is paramount that chaplains continue to offer words of remembrance, encouragement, and hope to CAF members and their families.
Canadian Armed ForcesFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01989441-01989 (Justice)BobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024December 11, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighborhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners.A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21, which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control. The new law includes a new forward-looking technical definition of a prohibited firearm that contains the characteristics of an assault-style firearm.Firearms that match the characteristics and requirements of this new technical definition will be prohibited. That is, a firearm that is not a handgun and that fires centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner, was originally designed with a detachable magazine with a capacity of six cartridges or more, and that is designed and manufactured on or after the day the definition comes into force. As this new definition is forward looking, it applies to firearms that are designed and manufactured on or after December 15, 2023. This ensures that new firearms that exceed safe civilian use are not introduced into our communities. .This definition does not apply to firearms that were on the market prior the passage of C-21. No firearms legally owned by Canadians today will be affected.To stop the growth of handgun ownership, which grew from 500,000 in 2010 to more than 1 million in 2020, Bill C-21 codified the handgun freeze in statute. While current handgun owners can continue to use their handguns, Bill C-21 prevents most individuals from transferring or acquiring new handguns, with narrow exemptions, including for sport shooting. Individuals who are training, competing or coaching in a handgun discipline on the programme of the Olympic or Paralympic Committees and who are recognized as such by the national or provincial-territorial sport shooting governing body can continue to acquire or import handguns. Public Safety Canada will conduct consultations regarding the process for these athletes to acquire handguns for their sport and to support the development of regulations related to this exemption.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.The Government has also invested over $1.3B since 2016 to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase firearms tracing capacity and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01988441-01988 (Taxation)BobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCDecember 12, 2023January 29, 2024September 23, 2022PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned, residents of Mackenzie, British Columbia, call upon the House of Commons to reconsider the Northern Living Allowance classification for Mackenzie, and change from its current prescribed intermediate zone (50% deductions) to the full prescribed northern zone (100% deductions).
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada recognizes the challenges facing those who live in northern or remote regions. The intent of the Northern Residents Deduction is to assist Canada’s northern and isolated regions in drawing skilled labour to their communities by providing recognition for the additional costs faced by residents of these areas.The current zonal system of tax benefits for northern residents was established following an extensive review of the former community-based system by the Task Force on Tax Benefits for Northern and Isolated Areas.  The Task Force held extensive consultations across the country and concluded that determining eligibility for the tax deductions for residents of northern and isolated areas on a community-by-community basis was arbitrary and divisive – residents of neighbouring communities were being treated differently for tax purposes, even though they often shared common workplaces, services, and cultural and recreational facilities.In October 1989, the Task Force recommended replacing the community-by-community approach with a zonal approach, where only communities within a “Northern Zone” would qualify for tax benefits. The boundaries of the Northern Zone were delineated with a view to ensuring that communities in the zone had similar characteristics. The Task Force used objective criteria to compare communities on the basis of isolation, nordicity, community characteristics, and environmental factors. The Task Force also attempted to minimize border delineation problems by having as much separation as possible between qualifying and non-qualifying communities. 
  • For example, the Task Force considered the distance of a community from the nearest urban centre with a population of at least 10,000. Communities at least 500 kilometers from such an urban centre, or with no road access, were scored as the most remote.
The Task Force recommended a Northern Zone and, following further consultations, an Intermediate Zone was added to bridge the gap between the Northern Zone and the less isolated areas of the country. The approach used by the Task Force to design the Northern Zone was also applied in developing the Intermediate Zone: the same ranking system was used, and efforts were made to minimize border problems. The new system of Northern Benefits took effect starting in 1991.It was recognized that regardless of where the borders of the Northern Zone and the Intermediate Zone are set, there would inevitably be communities across the country that would be disappointed with their exclusion from either zone. It was determined that the final border design incorporated fair trade-offs in difficult circumstances that were deemed workable in a broad-based, national tax system. It is important that the Government of Canada receive the views of Canadians on the tax system. This helps to focus our efforts on improvements to ensure that the tax system is fair and effective.
MackenzieNorthern residents deduction
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4443e-4443 (Foreign affairs)MuhammadArshadYasirNaqviOttawa CentreLiberalONMay 17, 2023, at 2:34 p.m. (EDT)June 16, 2023, at 2:34 p.m. (EDT)December 7, 2023January 29, 2024June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Pakistan's democracy & stability is under serious threat, as is the life of its most popular leader, former PM Imran Khan. Recently, in direct violation of Article 21 of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the current fascist government of Pakistan has illegally and unconstitutionally ordered the postponement of Provincial elections in Punjab, Pakistan's largest province, from April to October 2023. A move that is orchestrated by the military establishment & PDM in Pakistan. This delay in elections also violates Pakistan's Constitution and orders by the Supreme Court of Pakistan; andThis delay is part of a hazardous plan to assassinate Imran Khan who was illegally arrested from a high court on May 9, 2023. Pakistan is burning, with over 50 innocent civilians shot dead by Pakistani Army. This Civil war in the world's 5th most populous & nuclear-armed state, it will likely engulf South Asia, and the Middle East, with a huge impact on security in Europe and North America.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to: 1. Condemn Pakistan Government (fascist regime) for its human rights violations and for killing its civilians; 2. Request immediate release of PM Imran Khan; 3. Request clean and accountable election in Pakistan (Pakistan currently is a law less state without a constitution in place); and 4. Take strong actions so that Canada does not become a safe haven for the criminals (corrupt politicians and armed forces personal) escaping Pakistan.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada believes that human rights are the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. This is central to Canada’s Foreign Policy, but Canadians also consider it a key part of Canada’s identity as a country. The Government will continue to ensure that Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic values. In keeping with this approach, Canada supports free, fair, and inclusive electoral processes around the world and condemns any use of violence for political goals.The Government of Canada is aware of the latest political and economic developments in Pakistan and continues to closely monitor the situation including legal proceedings, to receive regular updates, and to engage with the caretaker Government of Pakistan on concerns raised by civil society organizations and human rights defenders, including in the lead up to general elections announced for February 8, 2024.Canada considers diplomacy, advocacy, and programming activities to be among the most effective ways of promoting democracy, human rights, and respect for the rule of law globally in Pakistan. In fact, the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for engagement in Pakistan. Canada continues to advance an inclusive approach to democracy, one that allows people of all groups to participate in decision-making processes and institutions that impact their lives.Canadian officials engage with parties and individuals across the political spectrum in Pakistan. As part of Canada’s regular interactions with government officials and opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Canadian officials request that all legal and democratic principles be upheld in a fair manner. Canadian officials continue to engage with the National Commission for Human Rights and relevant caretaker Ministers regarding former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other individuals incarcerated following May 9, 2023, including prison conditions, protection concerns, and ensuring due process and the use of military courts.Global Affairs Canada officials regularly raise these topics with senior Pakistani government officials, opposition parties, and local and religious leaders, and the Government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights and free and fair elections, on an ongoing basis, and engaging in productive conversations with the Government of Pakistan on these topics. Global Affairs Canada is also funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan with an investment of $21 million over five years, which supports women’s political participation and leadership, works to improve the accountability of democratic processes, and to increase the capacity of government institutions. Canada also supports civil society in Pakistan through its Canada Fund for Local Initiatives to fund locally implemented projects focused on advancing inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4306e-4306 (Public safety)AbbyDeshmanYasirNaqviOttawa CentreLiberalONFebruary 28, 2023, at 1:21 p.m. (EDT)April 29, 2023, at 1:21 p.m. (EDT)December 7, 2023January 29, 2024May 1, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278921" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Public Safety</Addressee>Whereas:Over one in nine Canadians have a record of criminal conviction;Black people and members of other racialized communities, Indigenous persons, those who have experienced homelessness, mental health challenges, addictions and the consequences of drug criminalization, along with others who are marginalized, are disproportionately policed and criminalized, and, therefore, disproportionately impacted by criminal records;Social science evidence shows that an old criminal record does not provide a reliable indicator of a person’s future likelihood to commit crimes;Criminal records pose significant barriers for individuals trying to find stable employment and housing, travel, or access a range of services;Community safety is increased when we eliminate unnecessary barriers to stable employment, housing, and meaningful community involvement;Having a job is a key protective factor that significantly decreases the likelihood of re-engagement with the criminal justice system;The Criminal Records Act allows some people to obtain a record suspension, but establishes an application-based system that is unnecessary, cumbersome, slow, complicated to navigate, and inaccessible to the most marginalized groups of people; andRevisiting how Canada deals with old criminal records would dramatically increase individuals’ chances of accessing employment, transforming people’s lives, increasing community safety, and curbing systemic discrimination.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Public Safety to reform the Criminal Records Act and put in place a comprehensive, automatic record suspension system to automatically lift the burden of a criminal record for those who have successfully completed their sentence and lived in the community for several years with no new criminal convictions.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Government of Canada recognizes the stigma associated with having a criminal record, and the barriers it creates to successful reintegration into the community. Those who have served their sentence, and choose to live a crime-free life continue to face limited access to important milestones, such as safe housing, meaningful employment, and educational and volunteering opportunities. These barriers are often disproportionately felt by those from marginalized and racialized communities, in particular Indigenous Peoples and Black Canadians, who are overrepresented in all stages of the criminal justice system.One of the commitments announced in the 2021 Prime Minister’s Mandate Letter to the Minister of Public Safety was to advance reforms to the Record Suspension Program to address systemic barriers, promote re-integration and ensure the system is fair and proportionate. In the Fall 2022, Public Safety began to enter into new agreements to provide $18 million dollars over four years to 18 different community organizations that support people seeking a record suspension. These community organizations help applicants navigate the record suspension process, ensuring they have the right information and resources. The fee reduction, introduced on January 1, 2022 reducing the record suspension application fee from $657.77 to $50, and investments in community organizations are directly related to the funding that was announced for reforms to the current Record Suspension Program in Budget 2021, A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience.Also in 2022, Public Safety established a working group with partners at the federal, provincial and territorial level to discuss a potential automated sequestering of criminal records (ASCR) system in Canada. A report detailing the preliminary gaps and considerations associated with such a system was finalized and approved in November 2022, highlighting the complexity of implementing such a system, including the extent of financial resources and time that would be required. Consultation sessions also took place between April 2022 and June 2022 with several key stakeholders, such as groups from law enforcement, advocates for marginalized and racialized communities, and spokespersons for victims’ rights. A ‘What We Heard’ report was finalized in June 2022. The information gathered throughout both initiatives will play a valuable role in Public Safety’s continued efforts to advance reforms to the Record Suspension Program.Although the initiatives highlighted above have had a positive impact, Public Safety recognizes there is much work left to be done to reduce the barriers those with a criminal record continue to face on a daily basis. The Government remains committed to pursuing the best way forward to continue advancing reforms to the Record Suspension Program, and looks forward to working closely with partners at all levels to help ensure the program is fair, accessible, and supports reintegration.To help address these issues, the Minister of Public Safety tabled the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism in Parliament on June 22, 2022. It identifies crucial factors that impact why people reoffend and how to support safe and successful reintegration into the community. The Framework, developed in consultation with a diverse array of stakeholders, outlined five priority themes key to the successful reintegration of individuals and to community safety including: housing, education, employment, health, and positive support networks. Additionally, the Framework highlighted the need to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples, Black Canadians, and other marginalized groups in Canada's criminal justice system.To support the Framework, a federal Implementation Plan was shared on the Public Safety website on November 15, 2023. The Plan looks to federal programs and processes, primarily within the Public Safety portfolio, to identify actions that will support individuals that are reintegrating in the community, including accessing housing, supporting individuals in finding employment and in building positive connections in the community.
Criminal record suspensionCriminal Records Act
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01985441-01985 (Health)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Nurses' incentives should be provided to all nurses to better create healthy relationships and a healthy workplace;
  • The government must do better in recognizing health care credentials from qualified professionals who are internationally trained and educated;
  • The government must do better and implement better strategies and incentives to attract and retain our healthcare workers in Manitoba;
  • New and experienced nurses and healthcare professionals are leaving our province and considering opportunities offered in other provinces that provide lucrative incentives and benefits to their healthcare professionals;
  • Many Manitoba seniors are on capped income and cannot afford their prescribed medications; and
  • Nurses are overworked due to high workloads.
We, the undersigned residents of Manitoba, call upon the House of Commons to work with Provincial Governments and other healthcare stakeholders to:1. Take nurses recruitment and retention seriously to help resolve the healthcare crisis;2. Ensure everyone who is contributing to Manitoba through taxes and our economy is eligible for Manitoba healthcare;3. Review the nurses' workload and incentive program to include all nurses, regardless of position status and type; and4. Reconsider some of the changes that have been made over the last few years and turn the health care facility into a facility that is capable of being, so the residents of Manitoba, particularly the communities of Tyndall Park, Maples, Burrows, Kildonan and even Lakeside have a place to go.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandHealthcare is a shared responsibility between the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories. While the federal government provides financial support to the provinces and territories for healthcare services, the responsibility for matters related to management of the health care system and health workforces falls within provincial and territorial jurisdiction. As part of their responsibility to administer and deliver healthcare services, provinces and territories establish training curricula and manage licensure, and regulate healthcare professionals through arms-length regulatory bodies, such as professional colleges and associations.At the same time, the federal government acknowledges that it has a key leadership role to play in supporting solutions to the challenges facing health systems across the country, including those related to Canada’s health workforce. We remain committed to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to protect and strengthen the publicly funded health care system.Budget 2023 delivered nearly $200 billion to reduce backlogs, expand access to family health services and ensure provinces and territories can provide the high quality and timely health care Canadians expect and deserve. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories to improve health care services for Canadians. This funding also includes $25 billion over 10 years to advance shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements that will support the needs of people in each province and territory in four areas of shared priority: family health services; health workers and backlogs; mental health and substance use; and a modernized health system. Additionally, provinces and territories are being asked to streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals, and to advance labour mobility.On October 12, 2023 federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Health issued a public statement reaffirming their commitment to supporting Canada’s health workforce so our health workers are able to provide high-quality, accessible and effective health services for people living in Canada. In particular, FPT governments committed to concrete actions focusing on retention, domestic education supply and demand, foreign credential recognition and ethical recruitment, labour mobility, and health workforce data and planning. These commitments included undertaking credential processes overseas in order to improve processing of licensure of international physicians and nurses within 90 days and support for a Nursing Retention Toolkit developed by the federally-appointed Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Leigh Chapman, in consultation with Canada’s nursing community. The toolkit highlights retention initiatives that employers or health authorities can implement to support their nursing workforce.The details on the Ministers commitments can be found here: Federal, provincial and territorial statement on supporting Canada’s health workforce.
Health care systemManitobaNurses
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01984441-01984 (Employment and labour)EricMelilloKenoraConservativeONDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024November 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01983441-01983 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024November 30, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Enterprise Public School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01982441-01982 (Food and drink)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:
  • Farmers' Markets are a key tool for Covid-19 recovery as small business incubators, domestic system and food security builders and local economy community builders; Farmers' Market Coupon Programs are a key support for new Market development and support for existing Markets and their provincial Associations;
  • Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Programs help create food security and resiliency by giving vulnerable people access to healthy locally grown foods and dietary education while positively impacting the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of fruits and vegetables they consume;
  • The BC Farmers' Market Association, with 135 member markets and 4000+ vendors, and its long-term partnership with the Province of BC provides almost 16000 vulnerable families, seniors and pregnant women with access to weekly coupons, and sees close to $2 million flow to local farmers annually. Its current program has an average coupon redemption rate of over 91%, and 79% of the participants claim the Program made a long-term change in their eating habits;
  • Demand for coupons far outstretches availability. Every community which has a Coupon Program has a waitlist of eligible individuals; and
  • A national matching program would assist in meeting those demands, encourage provinces without a provincial program to create one, and support those provinces who have a provincial program to expand to meet demand.
Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Motion M-66 and initiate a national program for all provincial Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Programs (FMNCPS) that would match provinces who are already contributing to their FMNCPs, and help provinces that do not have FMNCPs with program development.
Response by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, PC, MPOn June 17, 2019, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) launched the first Food Policy for Canada, a whole-of-government approach supporting the vision that “All people in Canada are able to access a sufficient amount of safe, nutritious and culturally diverse food. Canada’s food system is resilient and innovative, sustains our environment, and supports our economy.”The Food Policy for Canada is an ambitious initiative, the product of consultation and collaboration with Canadians across the country. The Government of Canada heard from more than 45,000 Canadians, including agricultural producers and processors, experts in environment, health and food security, Indigenous groups, non-government organizations, and community advocates.Recognizing the importance of helping communities access healthy food, AAFC is delivering the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, a Food Policy initiative with $70 million in funding to strengthen local food systems and to facilitate access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations.To date, the Local Food Infrastructure Fund has committed $55.4 million to support close to 900 vital food security projects across Canada, such as: community gardens and kitchens; refrigerated trucks and storage units for donated food; greenhouses in remote and Northern communities; and more.The Government of Canada also delivered the $330 million Emergency Food Security Fund by providing funding to national and regional organizations, which in turn supported food banks and local food organizations across Canada. This emergency fund helped improve access to food for people experiencing food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.In British Columbia, the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program (FMNCP) is supported by the Province of British Columbia, the Provincial Health Services Authority, and community donors. The Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund (HCCF) program, which was previously known as the Multi-sectoral Partnerships Program to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease, supported a similar initiative with an investment of $1.5M from 2019 to 2025 to expand Community Food Centres Canada’s Market Greens initiative to 30 locations across Canada. The Market Greens initiative supports increased access to low-cost fresh produce markets and offers fruit and vegetable vouchers/coupons that can be used at participating local affordable markets.The HCCF program supports projects that increase access to healthy foods through supportive food environments, which are important determinants of healthy eating behaviours. Projects such as FMNCP that address social and physical environments affecting the accessibility and types of healthy foods available to communities are eligible for funding through HCCF.Thank you for the sharing your proposal to improve Canadians’ access to healthy, local foods through farmers markets and FMNCPs. The Government of Canada remains committed to considering all opportunities to improve food security for Canadians and a vibrant, productive agriculture sector in Canada.
Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon ProgramFarmers marketsFood and drinkFood supply
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01981441-01981 (Employment and labour)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023, and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01980441-01980 (Natural resources and energy)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • Canadians are struggling in an unprecedented cost of living crisis;
  • This legislation aims to kill 170,000 direct Canadian jobs, will displace 450,000 direct and indirect jobs, and cause major disruptions to 2.7 million jobs across all provinces in the energy, manufacturing, construction, transportation, and agriculture sectors;
  • In Canada, the oil and gas sector is the top private sector in clean tech at 75% overall - more than all other sectors, combined, and in the development and commercialization of renewable and alternative energy and other fuels of the future;
  • The energy sector provides 10% of Canada's GDP, and pays over $26 billion in taxes to all levels of government every year, including $48 billion in 2022;
  • Natural Resource businesses, including oil and gas, are the most traded stocks and form the foundation of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and this legislation will put Canadians' financial portfolios in jeopardy potentially risking millions of invested dollars;
  • Canada's energy self-sufficiency and security is increasingly threatened by the government's anti-energy agenda to expedite and recklessly phase out the oil and gas sectors with government-imposed mandates, penalties, policies, bans, and added costs, with no concrete roadmap on how to replace them;
  • Global oil and gas demand continues to increase, and we believe the last barrels of oil and cubic metre of natural gas used in the world should come from Canada;
  • Government-created uncertainty has already driven billions of investment, technology, and hundreds of thousands of jobs out of Canada and has already primarily and disproportionately hurt remote, rural, Indigenous and energy- and resource-based communities, provinces and regions;
  • The legislation will disproportionately impact blue collar and lower-income workers, which includes many Indigenous Canadians and visible minorities, who will face higher job disruptions and have more challenges finding new opportunities;
  • The legislation doesn't account for what and how many jobs will replace the ones their agenda will kill - or how the economic, fiscal, and technological contributions of the energy sector will be replaced in Canada, as well as affordable and accessible energy for all communities and regions, in cities and rural areas alike.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its divisive, targeted, anti-energy, anti-private sector and top down "Just Transition" central planning agenda that is neither just, fair nor equitable, and instead accelerate Canadian energy projects, infrastructure, technology, and exports, and greenlight green projects, by reducing duplicative red tape, costs, and permitting timelines, and support private-sector-led energy transformation instead of a government-forced transition.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reduction targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seize the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonization technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our global partners need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in investment tax credits.Canada’s highly skilled and educated workforce, and comparative advantages in energy, critical minerals, and clean technology are helping Canadian industries and workers to seize the enormous economic opportunities in a net-zero future. The Government of Canada is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, outlines the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, clean energy, low-carbon building products, carbon management technologies, and small modular reactors, Canada is building a prosperous net-zero future that works for Canadians in every region. This includes significant opportunities in existing energy industries that are taking action to respond to global demand by lowering their emissions and enhance their long-term competitiveness.Skills training is a critical factor in ensuring that Canadian workers can seize the economic opportunities ahead, which is why the federal government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including as it relates to sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers seize new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding to establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre, among other things.As committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023. The legislation proposes establishing a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill would also require the Government to:
  • establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures;
  • create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and
  • release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025.
These legislated mechanisms would guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities in building a net-zero economy, advancing economic prosperity across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables) are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables are helping to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, in collaboration with Indigenous partners, and with the input of experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders.  The Regional Tables will form the basis for implementing joint strategies to leverage energy and resource opportunities to realize each region of Canada’s comparative advantage in a net-zero future.To date, the federal government has jointly launched Regional Tables across the country with British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the Northwest Territories and Yukon.The Government of Canada is working in partnership with workers, industries, and communities across Canada to take ambitious climate action while developing low-carbon industries that spur affordability, energy security, and economic prosperity in every sector and region.
C-50, An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economyEnergy transitionGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01979441-01979 (Foreign affairs)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • Various media outlets reported that the Communist Party of China (CCP) took efforts to interfere in Canada's federal elections;
  • Classified reports from the CSIS claim that a former CCP consular official in Canada celebrated and took credit for the defeat of two parliamentarians;
  • The Prime Minister's National Security Adviser, Jody Thomas, informed MPs that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was routinely briefed about election interference attempts by Beijing;
  • The Trudeau Foundation board of directors and CEO have resigned after a $200,000 donation from a businessman linked to the CCP was made to the organization;
  • The parliamentary committee investigating foreign interference voted to establish a public inquiry into foreign interference;
  • The Liberal government continues to block the creation of a public inquiry and denying its immediate necessity;
  • The Special Rapporteur appointed by the Prime Minister is in a hopeless conflict of interest having served as a member of the Trudeau Foundation, and is a personal friend of the Prime Minister;
  • The CCP engages in relationships with Canada as a strategic adversary such as hostage diplomacy with the unjust jailing of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig;
  • The CCP has used this adversarial stance to conduct economic warfare on Canadian exports like agricultural products of grain and oil seeds that puts Canadian producers at risk; and
  • Canadians deserve democratic institutions they can trust that serve Canadians, and without interference from foreign agents.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:conduct a full open, independent, public inquiry into Beijing's election interference to give Canadians the transparency they need in order to restore the trust in Canada's civic and parliamentary institutions.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to protecting and continuously strengthening Canada’s democracy, including its institutions and processes, in the face of evolving threats. This is why, in the summer of 2023, the Prime Minister asked the Minister responsible for democratic institutions to work to determine a way forward to shine light into the matter of foreign interference in Canada’s elections, and to determine who may be best suited to lead this public work.Following extensive consultations with all recognized parties in the House of Commons, the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs on September 7, 2023, announced that a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada’s federal electoral processes and democratic institutions would be established under the Inquiries Act. All parties agreed to the Terms of Reference and the appointment of the Commissioner.The Honourable Marie-Josée Hogue, puisne judge of the Quebec Court of Appeal, was appointed as the Commissioner to lead the public inquiry. Her mandate began on September 18, 2023. Appointed under the Inquiries Act, the Commissioner operates independently from the government and has a full range of powers, including the power to compel witnesses and testimony on matters within federal jurisdiction, and broad access to classified and unclassified documents.The Commissioner is mandated to examine and assess interference by China, Russia and other foreign states or nonstate actors, including any potential impacts, to confirm the integrity of, and any impacts on, the 43rd and 44th federal general elections at the national and electoral district levels.The Commissioner is also mandated to assess the capacity of federal entities to detect, deter and counter foreign interference targeting Canada’s democratic processes, and to make any recommendations she deems appropriate to better protect Canada’s democratic processes from foreign interference, including in relation to the creation and dissemination of intelligence, relevant supports and protections for members of diasporas, and the mechanisms that were in place to protect the integrity of 43rd and 44th elections.The Commissioner is directed to submit her first report no later than May 3, 2024, and her second report no later than December 31, 2024. As outlined in the Terms of Reference (https://www.canada.ca/en/democratic-institutions/general/terms-reference.html), to foster transparency and a better understanding of the findings, leaders of all parties recognized in the House of Commons with appropriate clearance will be invited to review classified versions of the Commissioner’s reports. The Government of Canada looks forward to receiving the Commissioner’s reports and any recommendations contained therein.The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) each have ongoing, parallel, reviews to assess the state of foreign interference in Canada’s federal electoral processes and the flow of information from national security agencies to decision makers during the 43rd and 44th general elections. The Government of Canada looks forward to receiving NSICOP’s and NSIRA’s findings and reports.The Government of Canada also continues to reinforce its efforts to counter any form of foreign interference in our electoral processes and to strengthen trust in Canada’s democratic institutions.  On March 6, 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada announced measures to further these objectives. This included the establishment of a National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator at Public Safety Canada to coordinate efforts to combat foreign interference; the development of a plan to address outstanding recommendations from NSICOP and from the independent assessments of the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol by Mr. Morris Rosenberg and Mr. James Judd; and, the investment of $5.5 million that created the Canadian Digital Media Research Network, that will further strengthen Canadians’ information resilience by researching how quality of information, including disinformation narratives, impacts Canadians’ attitudes and behaviours and by supporting strategies for Canadians’ digital literacy.Following the Prime Minister’s announcements, the Government released its report, Countering an evolving threat: Update on recommendations to counter foreign interference in Canada’s democratic institutions, which outlines the recommendations made in the reports to protect Canadian democratic institutions and processes; summarizes the actions that have been taken or are in progress to address the recommendations; and proposes further steps for consideration to bolster Canada’s response to foreign interference threats.These efforts demonstrate the Government’s continued efforts to protect our democratic institutions, including our electoral processes, from any possible threats, and to ensure Canada’s democracy remains one of the strongest in the world. Thank you for taking the time to submit this important petition and for being an active and engaged participant in our democracy.
ChinaForeign influenced activitiesInquiries and public inquiries
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01978441-01978 (Justice)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • As the number of police-reported hate crimes targeting a specific religion continue to rise (increasing 67% from 2020 to 2021), there is a clear need to direct our full attention to this issue;
  • Just in 2021, hate crimes targeting the Jewish population rose 47%, the Muslim population 71%, and the Catholic population 260%;
  • Instances of hate motivated mischief towards properties used by religious and faith-based groups has continued to rise; however, the number of individuals charged for these crimes has remained unchanged;
  • Furthermore, our approach to hate crimes is informed by the above data curated by Statistics Canada; however, the data fails to accurately reflect the state of hate crimes in Canada;
  • A substantial portion of incidents go unreported, referred to by the Government of Canada as the "Dark Figure" of crime, which means that the issue of hate motivated crime is far larger than what the data represents; and
  • Despite this far-reaching problem, when proportionally compared to the increase in hate crimes, the number of individuals charged continues to shrink.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to fully investigate hate crimes and ensure crimes targeting religious groups and their places of worship result in appropriate criminal charges.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is on alert for and categorically condemns violence aimed at any community.The RCMP encourages that all hate crimes be reported to the  police of local jurisdiction. Such allegations would be subject to investigation by the police, including the RCMP where it is the police of jurisdiction. Subsequently, applicable actions under Canadian legislation will be taken to hold accountable all those responsible for such crimes.The RCMP has a national operational policy to assist investigators responding to hate-motivated crimes and strives to build trusting relationships with communities by collaborating on crime prevention initiatives that enhance community resilience and promote bias-free policing. The RCMP has also provided guidance and reference materials for frontline members relating to the recent increase in demonstrations and hate crimes.Along with the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, the RCMP co-chairs the national Hate Crimes Task Force, which was established in 2022 in recognition of the growing rate of hate crimes and incidents in Canada. Comprised of representatives from small, medium, large and First Nations police services from across the country, as well as Statistics Canada and the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, the Task Force includes some of the country’s leading experts in the areas of investigation, community outreach and training. The group seeks to enhance the police response to hate crimes in Canada through the development of practical tools and solutions, including within the current context. Over the past two months, the Task Force has been sharing information and best practices, and collaborating on the development of aids to support the frontline response
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government has always firmly believed that there is no place in Canada for hate propaganda and hate crime, which includes those that target persons because of their religion. Our Government has been working to ensure Canada continues to be one of the most accepting countries in the world. All Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities.Our Government is taking concrete steps to fight hate crime and hate speech, in all its forms. Some examples of these efforts include appointing Ms. Deborah Lyons as Canada’s new Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism. She will continue leading efforts to combat antisemitism and preserve Holocaust remembrance in Canada and abroad. Moreover, our Government appointed Canada’s first Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia, Ms. Amira Elghawaby, to serve as a champion, advisor, and expert to the federal government in its efforts to counter Islamophobia, systemic racism, racial discrimination, and religious intolerance.Our Government has a responsibility to protect all Canadians from hate crimes, in particular by keeping community spaces safe, and that is a responsibility taken very seriously. One important tool is the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP), which helps community institutions fund the improvements they need to be safe. The Government of Canada is dedicating $5 million annually to the SIP to help protect communities from hate-motivated crime. On November 6, 2023, our Government announced an additional investment of $5 million to help Canadian communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes protect and strengthen the security of their community centres, places of worship and other institutions. A new temporary measure in the Security Infrastructure Program will cover new sites, such as office spaces and daycares, that are clearly linked to communities at-risk of hate-motivated crime, as well as costs associated with time-limited security guards.On November 17, 2023, the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with their provincial and territorial counterparts to discuss recent global events and their impacts in Canada. They shared best practices to ensure the safety of legal protests, as well as potential additional measures to address hate crimes. Our Government will continue to work collaboratively with its provincial and territorial partners to combat hate crime and keep Canadians safe.Canada has a strong legislative and policy framework in place to combat racial and religious discrimination, hate crime, and hate speech. The framework includes protections in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and non-discrimination legislation in every province and territory.The Criminal Code contains four hate propaganda offences, namely (1) advocating or promoting genocide against an identifiable group; (2) inciting hatred against an identifiable group by communicating, in a public place, statements that are likely to lead to a breach of the peace; (3) communicating statements, other than in private conversation, to willfully promote hatred against an identifiable group; and (4) willfully promoting antisemitism by denying, downplaying or condoning the Holocaust. “Identifiable group” is defined as any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or mental or physical disability.In addition, there are provisions in the Criminal Code to address hate crimes. These are crimes that are committed when motivated by hatred based on various grounds, such as race or religion. Paragraph 718.2(a)(i) of the Criminal Code requires judges to consider, as an aggravating circumstance in sentencing, any evidence that a crime was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on grounds including race, colour, religion, national or ethnic origin, language, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation or any other similar ground. It is also a specific crime in subsection 430(4.1) of the Criminal Code to vandalize or damage certain property, such as property primarily used for religious worship, or property such as educational institutions or residences for seniors that are primarily used by an “identifiable group”, as defined in the hate propaganda offences. Responsibility for investigating and prosecuting hate crimes in Canada falls primarily to the provinces.Finally, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada is continuing the work of his predecessor together with his colleagues, the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Public Safety, to develop and introduce legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content. This legislation will protect Canadians and hold social media platforms and other online services accountable for the content they host.In addition, this legislation will strengthen the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code to be more effective in combatting online hate, and will reintroduce measures to strengthen hate speech provisions, including through the re-enactment of former section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act. Recognizing the pressing need for this legislation, Our Government is working diligently to introduce this bill as soon as possible.Canadians expect their Government to take action against hate speech and hate crimes. Our Government is committed to strengthening our legislative framework to combat hate and serious forms of harmful online content in the near future.
Freedom of conscience and religionHate crimesReligious buildings
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01977441-01977 (Employment and labour)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABDecember 7, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • The recognition of international credentials for newcomers to Canada continues to be a challenge;
  • Only 41% of doctors with international credentials work as doctors in Canada;
  • Similarly, only 37% of nurses with international credentials work as a nurse in Canada;
  • Those who decide to pursue medical studies outside of Canada, despite being from Canada, still have difficulties getting their licenses here if they choose to come back;
  • Gatekeepers in provincial licensing bodies have unnecessary hurdles and red tape, leading to healthcare professionals being prevented from doing the work they are trained to do;
  • Canada has 53,005 nurses and doctors who could be filling shortages, but the Liberal government is failing to remove barriers to the much-needed support our provincial health care systems needs;
  • Currently, a "Red Seal" program exists that sets recognized standards across Canada for tradespeople, allowing for a shared partnership that proves a professional has the necessary skills to practice their trade; and
  • Healthcare professionals want to work in Canada, but it is just a matter of creating a system without barriers for these highly skilled professionals.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion to:create a "Blue Seal" that will make the processes, with a 60-day standard, for licensing doctors and nurses to be more streamlined in order to help fill Canada's shortages on health care professionals.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykForeign credential recognition and licensure in regulated occupations (e.g., nurses, physicians) is a provincial and territorial responsibility that is typically further delegated to regulatory authorities through legislation. Each jurisdiction is responsible for establishing education, training and licensing standards in the interest of public health and safety.The Government of Canada recognizes that skilled newcomers, including internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs), are sometimes not able to contribute to their full potential. They can face challenges obtaining employment commensurate with their education, skills and experience, due to barriers such as lack of Canadian work experience, occupation-specific language proficiency, discrimination and bias from employers, and lack of awareness of existing employment supports and other social and professional resources. The foreign credential recognition process itself can also be a barrier for the successful labour market integration of skilled newcomers, as it can be complex, lengthy, and costly and varies by occupation and jurisdiction. In the context of these challenges, many provinces and territories have introduced initiatives and legislation to improve foreign credential recognition processes and support fair registration practices.For example, on May 1, 2023, the Atlantic premiers announced the launch of the Atlantic Physician Register that allows for greater mobility of fully licensed physicians in Atlantic Canada. Previously, physicians had to submit a separate full application to each provincial college, including a registration fee, to obtain a license to practice in that province. This Registry could be expanded to allow other jurisdictions to join.National organizations are also helping to harmonize and coordinate the credential recognition process amongst the provincial and territorial regulatory bodies to make it easier for internationally educated physicians and nurses to have their credentials recognized and become licensed to practice in Canada. For example, the Medical Council of Canada and the National Nursing Assessment Services are national bodies that play a role in facilitating the foreign credential recognition process of internationally educated physicians and nurses respectively.Additionally, on October 12, 2023, Federal, Provincial and Territorial (FPT) Ministers of Health and Ministers responsible for mental health met to discuss shared priorities, including the health workforce, health data, mental health and addiction, and public health. The meeting highlight was that all levels of government are taking action and making significant investments to improve health care services in Canada. Following the meeting, Ministers released a statement reaffirming their commitment to focus attention on foreign credential recognition by reducing the time it takes for IEHPs to join the workforce, and advance labour mobility to support an agile and flexible workforce.For its part, the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program supports the labour market integration of skilled newcomers by funding projects with provinces and territories, regulatory authorities and organizations that simplify and harmonize national credential recognition processes, provide loans and support services to help skilled newcomers navigate foreign credential recognition processes, and help skilled newcomers gain their first Canadian work experience in their profession or field of study.For example, the Foreign Credential Recognition Program supported the Medical Council of Canada to create the Physicians Apply portal (https://physiciansapply.ca/). The portal has streamlined the process for international medical graduates to apply for a license to practice medicine in Canada by offering a platform where international and Canadian medical students and physicians can complete and submit the application for medical registration with medical regulatory authorities, access all Medical Council of Canada examinations, use source verification services, and share their credentials and documents with registered partners. The Physicians Apply portal has so far reached over 83,000 individuals who now have accounts and can access the full range of services. The portal has made it easier for nearly 1.9 million documents to be shared in support of credential recognition and licensure for international and Canadian medical graduates.Budget 2022 provided an additional $115 million over five years, with $30 million ongoing, to expand the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, with an initial focus on supporting the integration of IEHPs into the Canadian labour market. The most recent open call for proposals ran from December 5, 2022, to January 30, 2023. The call invited eligible organizations and provincial and territorial governments to submit proposals for projects that improve Foreign Credential Recognition processes, provide Canadian work experience that is relevant to the IEHPs’ intended healthcare field of work, and/or facilitate labour mobility between jurisdictions in Canada for health care professionals. Approximately $89 million will be invested in 16 new projects which are expected to start in early 2024.
Caregivers and health care professionalsCredentialsImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4560e-4560 (Citizenship and immigration)LoriOschefskiYvanBakerEtobicoke CentreLiberalONAugust 25, 2023, at 10:13 a.m. (EDT)November 23, 2023, at 10:13 a.m. (EDT)December 6, 2023January 29, 2024November 23, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas:Home Children / Child Migrants and their descendants have been victimized by an immigration policy that unfairly and systematically uprooted families and sought to sever essential family ties; Home Children / Child Migrants were, as a result of the system, thrust into difficult and inappropriate personal living circumstances exacerbated by a belief that they were unwanted by parents and, as a result, denied access to siblings and/or other relatives;Home Children were exposed to significant dangers, jeopardized their well-being, and placed their lives at risk;Home Children / Child Migrants and their descendants have, since their arrival in Canada, sought to protect, preserve and advance Canadian society through public, military and civic service despite the abuses, maltreatment, stigmatization and ostracism that many Home Children suffered in Canada;Official apologies have already been extended to Home Children / Child Migrants by the governments of Britain and Australia; andHome Children / Child Migrants and their descendants are deserving of a similar apology from the Government of Canada for its role in the said program.We, the undersigned, Citizens and descendants in Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to sincerely apologize to Home Children / Child Migrants who suffered in shame and isolation, to those who died died while being ashamed of their history and deprived of their family, to elderly survivors burdened by their past, and to descendants grappling with the intergenerational impacts of a system that mistreated and separated their families.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer ZuberiThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the treatment of Home Children/Child Migrants in Canada’s past.The Government of Canada believes in the importance of learning from the past, including the more difficult moments in our history.Between 1869 and the late 1940s, approximately 100,000 British children, most under the age of 14, were transported to Canada by British religious and philanthropic organisations to work as indentured farm labourers and domestic servants. Although the children were often described as orphans, it is thought that the majority came from British orphanages, workhouses and other institutions because their families were indigent. It is generally agreed that their living and working conditions were poorly supervised in Canada, leaving the children vulnerable to abuse and prejudice.It is only right that Canadians remember Home Children/Child Migrants and the contributions they and their descendants made to the development of our country:
  • 2010 was designated as the Year of the British Home Child in Canada to increase awareness about the hardships many of the children experienced, as well as their strength and endurance. The Year was marked by the issuance of a commemorative poster by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and of a commemorative stamp by Canada Post in September 2010.
  • In February 2017, the House of Commons unanimously adopted an apology to the British Home Children/Child Migrants and their Descendants.
  • As adopted by the House of Commons in February 2018, the Government of Canada supports the designation of September 28 as British Home Child Day in order to raise awareness and ensure the recognition of the many contributions British Home Children have made to Canada.
The Government of Canada has also supported a number of outreach, commemorative and educational initiatives to recognize the experience of Home Children including:
  • The designation of Home Children’s immigration experience as a national historical event. Further to this, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board established a commemorative plaque at the site of a receiving home in Stratford, Ontario, to acknowledge the experience of all Home Children.
  • Educational information can be found on Parks Canada’s website, as well as the National Historic Sites at Grosse Isle, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax, and the Partridge Island quarantine station in Saint John, New Brunswick.
  • Library and Archives Canada has worked in cooperation with Home Children stakeholder groups to make key archival information available to former Home Children, and their descendants.
  • The Canadian Museum of History and Telefilm Canada have also worked to document the history of the child migrant movement in Canada.
British Home ChildrenChildrenImmigration and immigrantsOfficial apology
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01975441-01975 (Foreign affairs)Hon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONDecember 6, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Demand an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict;
  • Ask that Israel lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip and authorize the creation of a humanitarian corridor and an emergency humanitarian intervention;
  • Ask that Israel meet its commitments under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;
  • Meet its international commitment to promote and defend human rights; and
  • Take any other measure necessary to protect civilians, both Israelis and Palestinians, and help foster a climate conducive to building a lasting peace.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.Canada remains deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.Canada supported the previous pause in hostilities that allowed for the release of more than 100 hostages and supported an increase in humanitarian access to affected civilians. Canada wants to see this pause resumed and supports urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire.Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining its support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada supports Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Canada opposes the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory, and any use of siege or blockade. Canada emphasizes that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism.The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $60 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Canada remains committed to working with allies and partners toward a just and enduring peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognized borders.
Foreign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01974441-01974 (Foreign affairs)Hon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONDecember 6, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Demand an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict;
  • Ask that Israel lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip and authorize the creation of a humanitarian corridor and an emergency humanitarian intervention;
  • Ask that Israel meet its commitments under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;
  • Meet its international commitment to promote and defend human rights; and
  • Take any other measure necessary to protect civilians, both Israelis and Palestinians, and help foster a climate conducive to building a lasting peace.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.Canada remains deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.Canada supported the previous pause in hostilities that allowed for the release of more than 100 hostages and supported an increase in humanitarian access to affected civilians. Canada wants to see this pause resumed and supports urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire.Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining its support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada supports Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Canada opposes the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory, and any use of siege or blockade. Canada emphasizes that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism.The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $60 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Canada remains committed to working with allies and partners toward a just and enduring peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognized borders.
Foreign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4543e-4543 (Civil and human rights)SalvatoreAmentaMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONAugust 2, 2023, at 3:12 p.m. (EDT)November 30, 2023, at 3:12 p.m. (EDT)December 6, 2023January 29, 2024December 1, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Over 22% of Canadians have a disability;Housing policy discriminates against people with disabilities;No building code in Canada mandates that housing be accessible;Thousands are forced out of their dwellings at the most vulnerable time in their lives because their homes are not accessible for them;This results in “hallway medicine” in hospitals, and long waiting lists for nursing homes;Millions of health care dollars could be saved by enabling people to remain in their own accessible homes;Approval and financing of inaccessible housing contravenes the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Canadian Human Rights Act, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability; andUniversal design is defined by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) as the design of an environment that can be accessed, understood and used by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:1. Amend the National Building Code (NBC) to make Universal Design mandatory in all new multi-unit housing developments under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada, consistent with current legislation and conventions;2. Ensure the Canadian Table for Harmonized Construction Codes Policy, Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes and the CMHC collaborate on defining and illustrating in the NBC what is visitable, adaptable, accessible, barrier-free, and universal design; and3. Require public funds or concessions for housing conferred on municipalities, developers, or other organizations to be exclusively used for universally designed housing.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleWith 22% of Canadians aged 15 and over living with one or more disabilities that limit their daily life, it is vital that we support the development of housing that accommodates the needs of people with disabilities. To support the housing needs of individuals with disabilities, the Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) includes programs that encourage and support the use of Universal Design in housing development. In the report, Universal Design: A guide for designers, builders and developers of multi-unit residential buildings, CMHC undertook consultations with industry experts and people with lived experience. The goal of Universal Design is to ensure that spaces do not discriminate and they benefit people regardless of their abilities, needs and cultural preferences. Universal Design is frequently implemented by project owners, particularly those completing new construction, to provide accessible housing. As part of the criteria established to access funding support from the NHS and other Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) programs, all projects must achieve minimum accessibility standards and follow jurisdictional requirements, Universal Design criteria, or other technical requirements. Below are highlights of accessibility criteria from key CMHC housing programs. Additional details can be found at CMHC Housing Solutions.Apartment Construction Loan Program: At least 10% of project units must meet local codes or the 2015 National Building Code. Additionally, access to the project and all common areas must be barrier-free as regulated by the local codes or the 2015 National Building Code. Affordable Housing Fund: For the New Construction stream, 20% of units within the project must meet or exceed accessibility standards and its common areas must be barrier-free OR have full Universal Design applied. For the Repair and Renewal stream, 20% of units within the project must meet or exceed the accessibility standards and its common areas must be barrier-free. Mortgage Loan Insurance Select (Outside of the NHS but CMHC-delivered): Access to reduced premiums and longer amortization periods are based on a points system where borrowers earn points depending on their affordability, energy efficiency, and accessibility commitments. For borrowers making an accessibility commitment, there are options for achieving different levels of accessibility, with more ambitious commitments resulting in additional points.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HON. FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNEThe Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC), which is made up of representatives from provincial, territorial, and federal governments, is responsible for the development of Canada’s National Model Codes, including the National Building Code (NBC). The CBHCC works under the direction of the Canadian Table for Harmonized Construction Codes Policy which establishes the strategic priority areas that become the focus of code development activities. Accessibility is a priority for the 2030 code development cycle.The CBHCC and its committees develop Canada’s National Model Codes for building design and construction. The 2025 National Model Codes will include several changes to improve the accessibility of buildings and dwellings. Work is underway for changes targeting the 2025 National Model Codes for improving building access, including for persons with vision loss, and enhancing safety through improved accessibility, by aligning the National Building Code (NBC) Part 9 (applicable to housing and small buildings) with the NBC Part 3 (applicable to large buildings) in areas that include design and geometry requirements for tactile attention indicator surfaces, lighting requirements in public spaces, protruding building elements, and ramp design.Work is also underway on expanding accessibility requirements to dwelling units, to allow Canadians to easily and affordably adapt their homes to accommodate their changing health needs and to live at home for as long as possible (“adaptability”), as well as visit others in their homes (“visitability”). The CBHCC is working on expanding the application of the National Model Codes’ accessibility objective to include dwelling units and the development of technical requirements for adaptability in dwelling units and visitability in dwelling units in multi-unit residential buildings (MURB). Some of the adaptability measures being developed are wider entrances to accommodate assistive mobility devices, reinforced walls in washrooms for the installation of grab bars, and specific mounting locations for light switches and commonly used electrical outlets that can be reached by a person in a seated position. The CBHCC is also working to improve the visitability of dwelling units in multi-unit residential buildings to include wider paths of travel in the entrance floor living area and washrooms with enough space to maneuver a wheelchair or other assistive mobility device. The proposed additions to the 2025 National Model Codes on adaptable features would apply to most new dwelling units (detached houses, semi-detached houses, houses with a secondary suite, duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, row houses and boarding houses, and units designated by provinces and territories to be adaptable in MURBs), while visitability features would apply to a subset of MURB units that also have adaptable features, as decided upon by authorities having jurisdiction for regulation and related enforcement of construction based on their local needs.Further development of technical provisions for accessibility has been identified as a priority by the Canadian Table for Harmonized Construction Codes Policy for the 2030 National Model Codes. The CBHCC is currently in the process of developing its detailed work plan for the 2030 Codes.
Access for disabled peopleBuilding codeHousing
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01972441-01972 (Health)MarilynGladuSarnia—LambtonConservativeONDecember 6, 2023January 29, 2024November 28, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS sexually explicit material — including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence — can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method; WHEREAS the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence — including sexual harassment and sexual violence — particularly against women; WHEREAS Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern; WHEREAS online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; WHEREAS anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; WHEREAS online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-203, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding protecting young persons online – a very important issue. The Government is committed to making the Internet a safer and more inclusive place for Canadians. As you know, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has been mandated to work with the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to develop and introduce legislation as soon as possible to combat serious forms of harmful online content, including child sexual exploitation content and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.The Government is committed to getting this right. The Government of Canada has held extensive consultations on the design of a legislative and regulatory framework for harmful content online. This includes a consultation in the summer of 2021; the advice from an Expert Advisory Group on online safety; direct perspectives from Canadians who participated in a Citizen’s Assembly; and engagement in roundtables with the Minister of Canadian Heritage in every province, as well as on a series of thematic issues in online safety.All of this engagement and consultation has been undertaken in an open and transparent manner, so that all interested parties can follow along, and can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.htmlThe Government intends to introduce legislation reflecting its consultations and engagement soon.
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01971441-01971 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONDecember 6, 2023January 29, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Lord Strathcona Public School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01970441-01970 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONDecember 6, 2023January 29, 2024November 22, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan, published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
   
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01969441-01969 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONDecember 5, 2023January 29, 2024November 30, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Frontenac Secondary School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01968441-01968 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONDecember 5, 2023January 29, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/oil-gas-emissions-cap/options-discussion-paper.html to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions, and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. On December 7, 2023, the Government of Canada released a proposed regulatory framework for an oil and gas sector greenhouse gas emissions cap. Comments on the Framework will inform draft regulations, targeted for publication in 2024.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising by $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuel Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
             
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4648e-4648 (Government services and administration)BenoitDutrizacJulieVignolaBeauport—LimoilouBloc QuébécoisQCOctober 24, 2023, at 3:18 p.m. (EDT)November 23, 2023, at 3:18 p.m. (EDT)December 5, 2023January 29, 2024November 24, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Quebeckers and Canadians expect to see their tax dollars used and managed in a conscientious and socially responsible way, something that cannot be said of the current spending on the role of Governor General. We, the undersigned, demand a fundamental rationalization of the tasks and budgets associated with the role of Governor General.We, the undersigned, citizens of Quebec and Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Pay a taxable salary of $50,000;2. Sell Rideau Hall and distribute the proceeds of the sale and the maintenance expenses saved to food banksorTurn Rideau Hall into the official residence of the Prime Minister and the Governor General, and distribute the expenses saved on maintaining two official residences and their associated staff to Canadian food banks;3. Prohibit all travel outside Canada in favour of virtual meetings;4. Allocate at most $12,000 per year to wardrobe needs;5. Maintain the wardrobe internally;6. Eliminate the chauffeur and limousine service;7. Use the chef only for protocol-related meals;8. Limit tasks to assent to bills, protocol-related meals with dignitaries visiting Canada, commemorative or civic award ceremonies and the Speech from the Throne.
Response by the Minister of Public Services and ProcurementSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Charles SousaThe National Capital Commission (NCC) is an independent Crown Corporation and is responsible for year-round maintenance and operations for the six official residences in Canada’s National Capital Region.The NCC and the Government of Canada recognize the importance of the official residences and their heritage and cultural value.Rideau Hall has played a prominent historical and constitutional role in Canada since Confederation. Rideau Hall has been the official residence of every Governor General of Canada, and their official workplace since 1940. The residence’s apolitical identity is a symbol of Canada’s system of government.Rideau Hall is a National Historic Site of Canada and a Federal Heritage Building Review Office (FHBRO) “Classified” federal heritage complex, including the main residence, landscape grounds, and outbuildings.The Government of Canada continues to work closely with the NCC to develop a plan for the future of the Prime Minister’s Official Residence. The NCC is committed to full transparency and reports annually on capital expenditures incurred at the official residences. 24 Sussex remains the only official residence in critical condition. In order to protect the health and safety of residence staff, as well as to ensure the integrity of this FHBRO “Classified” Heritage Asset, the National Capital Commission closed 24 Sussex Drive. Residence employees have been relocated, and the abatement of designated substances, as well as the removal of obsolete systems, is currently underway.The current project will carry out the urgent and necessary work at 24 Sussex that must be undertaken.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe office of governor general is the oldest continuous institution in Canada. In accordance with the Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, the Governor General exercises the powers and responsibilities accorded to the The King by Canada’s constitution. These responsibilities include the appointment of the Government and giving Royal assent to legislation. The Governor General is also Commander-in-Chief of Canada and, in that capacity, plays an important role for those who serve our country in the Canadian Armed Forces.The Governor General also exercises important ceremonial responsibilities. These include recognizing the achievements of outstanding Canadians, primarily through the Canadian honours system; receiving foreign dignitaries visiting Canada in an official capacity; representing Canada abroad at the request of the Government; and leading national commemorations and celebrations.In carrying out these functions, great care is taken to ensure the greatest value for Canadian taxpayers. This principle is also applied to the maintenance and operation of Rideau Hall, which, in addition to being the historic official residence of the Governor General, is a workplace, a place to receive foreign dignitaries, and a space for Canadians to gather, learn about our shared history, and celebrate our common identity.
Governor General
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4649e-4649 (Foreign affairs)MaëvaGaudraultAlexandreBoulericeRosemont—La Petite-PatrieNDPQCOctober 24, 2023, at 3:20 p.m. (EDT)November 23, 2023, at 3:20 p.m. (EDT)December 1, 2023January 29, 2024November 24, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas:Canada demand an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict;Canada ask that Israel lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip and authorize the creation of a humanitarian corridor and an emergency humanitarian intervention;Canada ask that Israel meet its commitments under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;Canada meet its international commitment to promote and defend human rights;Canada take any other measure necessary to protect civilians, both Israelis and Palestinians, and help foster a climate conducive to building a lasting peace.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to require the Prime Minister to take the necessary measures to address the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.Canada remains deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.Canada supported the previous pause in hostilities that allowed for the release of more than 100 hostages and supported an increase in humanitarian access to affected civilians. Canada wants to see this pause resumed and supports urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire.Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining its support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada supports Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Canada opposes the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory, and any use of siege or blockade. Canada emphasizes that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism.The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $60 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Canada remains committed to working with allies and partners toward a just and enduring peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognized borders.
Foreign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01965441-01965 (Taxation)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCNovember 28, 2023January 29, 2024November 22, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders;
  • In addition, approximately 8,000 essential search and rescue volunteers respond to thousands of incidents every year;
  • The tax code of Canada currently allows volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers to claim a $3,000 tax credit if 200 hours of volunteer services were completed in a calendar year;
  • This works out to a mere $450 per year, which we allow these essential volunteers to keep of their own income from their regular jobs, $2.25 an hour;
  • If they volunteer more than 200 hours, which many do, this tax credit becomes even less;
  • These essential volunteers not only put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required;
  • Increasing this tax credit would allow these essential volunteers to keep more of their hard-earned money, likely to be spent in the communities in which they live; and
  • It would also help retain these volunteers in a time when volunteerism is decreasing.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to subsections 118.06(2) and 118.07(2) of the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of the tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada recognizes the contributions of all volunteers and the important roles they play in their communities.Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by volunteers in the course of their duties may generally be reimbursed on a non-taxable basis. Additionally, emergency services volunteers are eligible for an income exemption of up to $1,000 if they received an honorarium from a government, municipality, or other public authority. The Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Tax Credit provide tax recognition for eligible volunteers who do not receive an honorarium or who do not claim the income exemption. The Government of Canada is committed to improving the resources available to emergency service volunteers. For this reason, Budget 2022 provided additional funding for firefighters and for wildfire detection and mitigation, including:
  • $269 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Natural Resources Canada as exceptional, time-limited support to help provinces and territories procure firefighting equipment such as vehicles and aircrafts;
  • $39.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, to Indigenous Services Canada to support the purchase of firefighting equipment by First Nations communities;
  • $37.9 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, with $0.6 million ongoing, to Natural Resources Canada to train 1,000 additional firefighters and incorporate Indigenous traditional knowledge in fire management; and
  • $169.9 million over 11 years, starting in 2022-23, with $6.9 million in remaining amortization, to the Canadian Space Agency, Natural Resources Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate a new wildfire monitoring satellite system.
These actions will help ensure greater volunteer safety in the line of duty and will help ensure a higher degree of emergency preparedness in their communities.In addition to the above, the Government of Canada has provided more than $166.9 million to the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, The Salvation Army, and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada through the Humanitarian Workforce program. This funding has allowed these organizations to develop capacity to mobilize more quickly in response to emergency events and contributes to enhancing disaster response capacity and coordination.
C-310, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer tax credit)Emergency servicesTax credits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01964441-01964 (Environment)RachelBlaneyNorth Island—Powell RiverNDPBCNovember 28, 2023January 29, 2024March 20, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Foam from marine infrastructure is an increasing source of pollution on Canada's beaches;
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS), commonly known as StyrofoamTM, in the marine environment can cause significant harm to marine life, seafood resources and ecosystems;
  • EPS is difficult to impossible to clean up from shorelines after it breaks down and has a high likelihood of entering the marine environment from damaged marine infrastructure, whether encased or not; and
  • The Qathet Regional District and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities have unanimously endorsed the prohibition of EPS in marine environments.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon on the Government of Canada to prohibit the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in the marine environment.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada recognizes that plastic pollution affects wildlife and habitats, burdens economies, threatens livelihoods, and impacts the spaces Canadians cherish. This is a critical global challenge that requires prompt action. As such, the Government of Canada is committed to working with all levels of government, industry, civil society, and others to reduce plastic pollution from land and aquatic sources and transition to circular and sustainable systems where plastics stay in the economy and out of the environment.The Government is implementing its comprehensive plan https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/reduce-plastic-waste/canada-action.html#toc1 through a range of complementary actions spanning the plastics lifecycle to reduce plastic waste, enable a circular plastics economy and protect the environment from plastic pollution. This includes:
  • strengthening plastics economy and pollution science and investing in innovations;
  • banning certain categories of single-use plastics, including expanded and extruded polystyrene foam foodservice ware;
  • developing minimum recycled content requirements for plastic items;
  • introducing rules to enhance the labelling of recyclable and compostable plastics and better inform consumers;
  • establishing a recycling target for plastic beverage containers;
  • designing a federal plastics registry that will require producers to report on plastics they place on the Canadian economy to support provincial and territorial extended producer responsibility efforts; and
  • working with countries and other stakeholders to develop a new legally binding global instrument on plastic pollution.
The Government is also working with provinces and territories through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to implement the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Wasteand its associated Action Plan https://ccme.ca/en/current-activities/waste. This includes the recent publication of a roadmap to manage single-use and disposable plastics as well as guidance to facilitate consistent extended producer responsibility programs for plastics. Additional work is underway to create guidance to inform consumer behaviours and target plastic pollution sources.Expanded polystyrene (EPS), due to its buoyancy, functionality and cost, is often used in the marine environment for floating structures (e.g. docks and buoys), boat stands, storage, seafood packaging, or in recreational items such as surfboards. EPS is also used in consumer goods and packaging such as food containers, cups, and lids, and in other sectors (e.g. construction). The Government recognizes that the mismanagement of these materials can result in their breakdown and release into the environment as a form of plastic pollution.Some efforts are currently in place to target the use of EPS in marine infrastructure. In 2021, the Province of Ontario adopted legislation to prohibit unencapsulated expanded or extruded polystyrene in floating docks, floating platforms and buoys. In addition, some dock manufacturers no longer offer unencapsulated foam.The Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ (DFO) Small Craft Harbours program is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of Canada’s network of fishing harbours, which are used by commercial fish and seafood harvesters. Over the past 20 years, the program has been moving away from using uncoated polystyrene and adopting other, more environmentally friendly floating mechanisms in the construction of its floating docks. All polystyrene currently installed at these harbours is coated with high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a water-resistant material that reduces product breakdown and is more durable in the marine environment.Another source of EPS pollution in the marine environment is from abandoned, lost, or discarded shellfish aquaculture gear in the form of floats and buoys, or as large pieces of floatation for raft structures. While aquaculture is a shared jurisdiction in Canada, the Government of Canada issues aquaculture licences under the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations in British Columbia. In 2021, DFO introduced new shellfish aquaculture conditions of licence, which directly address the issue of marine plastic litter and ghost gear in British Columbia’s coastal waters. The new licence conditions support lost gear identification https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/41014388.pdf, foam floatation pollution reduction https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/41014376.pdf , and regular clean-ups of licensedfacilities https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library-bibliotheque/41016865.pdf. DFO also secured $1.3 million in funding for the removal of 13,000 cubic metres of degraded polystyrene floatation from British Columbia’s waters, replacing it with highly durable, air-filled, foam-free floatation. This is the equivalent of 52 billion foam microbeads being removed from the ocean. These efforts contribute to the Government of Canada’s commitments under the Ocean Plastics Charter: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/international-commitments/ocean-plastics-charter.html and the implementation of its comprehensive plan to reduce plastic pollution, including leading several large-scale clean-ups of abandoned and degrading shellfish farm facilities on the West Coast of Vancouver Island and in the Pendrell Sound Rockfish Conservation Area.The Government of Canada does not intend to prohibit the use of EPS in the marine environment at this time. The Government will continue to review the performance of existing management measures and will work with partners and stakeholders to identify areas where further action is needed.   
BanCoastal areasExpanded polystyrenePollution
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01963441-01963 (Fisheries)RachelBlaneyNorth Island—Powell RiverNDPBCNovember 28, 2023January 29, 2024October 30, 2023Petition to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardWhereas:
  • Migrating juvenile wild salmon stocks are under threat from pathogens, pollutants, and sea lice originating from open net-cage fish farms;
  • Wild salmon support First Nations' cultural traditions and complex ecosystems, including contributing to coastal forests, which produce the oxygen we breathe; and
  • Pacific salmon runs on the British Columbia coast are in a state of emergency.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to:
  • Acknowledge the expression of support for the closure of the Discovery Island fish farms, and urge the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, to continue saving Pacific Wild Salmon by not issuing any more licenses to open-pen fish farms.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Diane LebouthillierThe Government of Canada is committed to working closely with First Nations, industry, and other partners to protect and restore oceans and waterways, and to ensure the long-term sustainability of wild Pacific salmon for their significance to the environment, economy, and culture of Indigenous communities and British Columbians. The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI), launched in 2021, is the Government’s long-term strategy to stem serious declines in Pacific salmon populations through a series of science-based approaches and represents a historic $686M investment over five years into Pacific salmon programming and activities. The PSSI is now in full implementation, and there are several significant projects underway. These include: international high seas science and monitoring to better understand the ocean phase of the salmon life cycle; deployment of Canada’s first high seas fisheries enforcement mission to protect against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; enhanced salmon ecosystem monitoring and targeted harvest enforcement efforts; and initiation of new collaborative integrated planning and salmon rebuilding processes for salmon in both British Columbia and the Yukon.Our Government is committed to work with the Province of British Columbia and Indigenous communities on a responsible plan to transition from open-net pen salmon farming in coastal British Columbia waters. The transition plan will rely on input received from First Nations, industry, local governments, stakeholders, and British Columbians. As such, the consultation period has been extended to allow sufficient time for all interested parties to be meaningfully engaged. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is the regulatory lead in British Columbia and remains committed to ensuring that aquaculture is conducted in a sustainable and responsible manner, with the highest standards of environmental protection and animal health. A rigorous regulatory framework is in place that requires fish farmers to comply with strict rules and conditions, such as monitoring and reporting of fish health, sea lice levels, and environmental impacts.The proposed vision of the open-net pen transition plan is to advance innovation and growth of sustainable aquaculture in British Columbia while also taking into account social, cultural and economic objectives. Once a transition plan is finalized, we will further engage with First Nations and stakeholders on the next phases of plan implementation. Together, we can work towards a shared vision of a sustainable and prosperous future for the wild Pacific salmon and the aquaculture sector in British Columbia.
AquacultureBritish ColumbiaFisheries licencesWild salmon
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01962441-01962 (Justice)BobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCNovember 27, 2023January 29, 2024November 21, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Trudeau government has attempted to ban and seize the hunting rifles and shotguns of millions of Canadians;
  • The targeting of farmers and hunters does not fight crime; and
  • The Trudeau government has failed those who participate in the Canadian traditions of sport-shooting.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to stop any and all current and future bans on hunting and sport-shooting firearms.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighborhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners.A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. This is why the Government introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21, which received Royal Assent on December 15, 2023 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control. The new law includes a new forward-looking technical definition of a prohibited firearm that contains the characteristics of an assault-style firearm.Firearms that match the characteristics and requirements of this new technical definition will be prohibited. That is, a firearm that is not a handgun and that fires centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner, was originally designed with a detachable magazine with a capacity of six cartridges or more, and that is designed and manufactured on or after the day the definition comes into force. As thisnew definition is forward looking, it applies to firearms that are designed and manufactured on or after December 15, 2023. This ensures that new firearms that exceed safe civilian use are not introduced into our communities. .This definition does not apply to firearms that were on the market prior the passage of C-21. No firearms legally owned by Canadians today will be affected.To stop the growth of handgun ownership, which grew from 500,000 in 2010 to more than 1 million in 2020, Bill C-21 codified the handgun freeze in statute. While current handgun owners can continue to use their handguns, Bill C-21 prevents most individuals from transferring or acquiring new handguns, with narrow exemptions, including for sport shooting. Individuals who are training, competing or coaching in a handgun discipline on the programme of the Olympic or Paralympic Committees and who are recognized as such by the national or provincial-territorial sport shooting governing body can continue to acquire or import handguns. Public Safety Canada will conduct consultations regarding the process for these athletes to acquire handguns for their sport and to support the development of regulations related to this exemption.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence.The Government has also invested over $1.3B since 2016 to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase firearms tracing capacity and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. 
FirearmsHunters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01960441-01960 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKNovember 27, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Codeto ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI.  Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4652e-4652 (Foreign affairs)NirHagigiSalmaZahidScarborough CentreLiberalONOctober 25, 2023, at 11:59 a.m. (EDT)November 24, 2023, at 11:59 a.m. (EDT)November 27, 2023January 29, 2024November 24, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The ongoing escalation between Israel and Palestine has led to a significant loss of life, including the tragic deaths of innocent children and widespread suffering among civilians;As of October 23rd, the ongoing conflict has led to a staggering loss of life, with over 5,000 Palestinians (62% of the fatalities being women and children) and 1,400 Israelis tragically losing their lives. Additionally, more than one million civilians have been displaced, and the number of injuries has reached a devastating count, with over 12,500 Palestinians and 3,400 Israelis being severely wounded;Article 3 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ratified by both Canada and Israel, unequivocally affirms that every individual possesses the inherent rights to life, liberty, and personal security;Canada has a proud tradition of promoting human rights and diplomacy on the global stage, and we believe that the Canadian government's active involvement can play a pivotal role in advocating for a ceasefire and diplomatic efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to this enduring conflict;The conflict has regrettably seen an alarming rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia accompanying the outbreaks of violence.We, the undersigned, student from various universities, organizations, and backgrounds, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Take a leading role in advocating for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict.2. Support and actively engage in diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a peaceful and just resolution to this enduring conflict.3. Advocate for the immediate termination of the Israeli siege of the Gaza Strip.4. Encourage the entrance of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Crossing.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.Canada remains deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.Canada supported the previous pause in hostilities that allowed for the release of more than 100 hostages and supported an increase in humanitarian access to affected civilians. Canada wants to see this pause resumed and supports urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire.Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining its support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada supports Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Canada opposes the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory, and any use of siege or blockade. Canada emphasizes that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism.The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $60 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Canada remains committed to working with allies and partners toward a just and enduring peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognized borders.
Foreign policyGazaHumanitarian assistance and workersInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsrael
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01957441-01957 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 24, 2023January 29, 2024November 9, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Loyola Community Learning Centre- Open Book Campus community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4603e-4603 (Foreign affairs)EfremBerheAnitaVandenbeldOttawa West—NepeanLiberalONSeptember 28, 2023, at 9:53 a.m. (EDT)October 28, 2023, at 9:53 a.m. (EDT)November 24, 2023January 29, 2024October 30, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Eritrean government, led by Isaias Afewerki, has perpetuated authoritarian rule for over three decades, neglecting the basic rights of Eritreans and ruling without any election or legitimate rule of law, resulting in a mass exodus of Eritreans;In 2016, the UN Special Rapporteur stated that human rights violation committed in Eritrea by the regime may amount to crimes against humanity and the situation has only worsened since;Numerous human rights organizations have documented severe violations in Eritrea, including torture, disappearances, and mass arrests of dissenters;Canada had to expel head of the Consulate of Eritrea in Toronto in 2013 for coercing Eritrean-Canadians to pay an extortion tax;The Eritrean regime has been accused of using festivals, often through its long-arms organizations based in the diaspora, to spread its propaganda and raise funds to finance its conflicts; andDeeply concerned by the recent violences during events allegedly organized by regime-affiliated groups, including those in Toronto, Edmonton, Tel Aviv, Seattle, Giessen, and Stockholm among many others.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Investigate the Eritrean regime's use of Canada-based organizations and churches for extortion from Eritrean-Canadians;2. Deny entry visas to Eritrean artists and propagandists promoting hatred against pro-democracy Eritreans and promoting regime-sponsored violences;3. Call upon IRCC, settlement organizations, and government entities to protect Eritrean newcomers and asylum seekers from potential regime spy interpreters; 4. Call upon settlement organizations to provide culturally appropriate services for newcomers from Eritrea, including to hire impartial individuals who speak an Eritrean language; and5. Immediately initiate imposing Magnitsky sanctions on Eritrean regime officials.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.Insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is concerned:2)The Government of Canada currently has the tools to refuse visas under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) in order to protect the safety of Canadians and uphold the integrity of Canada’s immigration program.Under Canada’s immigration law, an individual may be inadmissible to Canada for a number of reasons, including on grounds of human or international rights violations, security, and criminality. All individuals who have committed or been complicit in the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, or who are the subject of a sanction imposed by Canada or an international organization of which Canada is a member, are inadmissible to Canada and may be refused a visa.All visa-required foreign nationals (including visitors, workers, students), immigrants and refugees are carefully assessed to ensure that they are eligible and admissible to come to Canada.IRCC works closely with Public Safety partners (Canada Border Services Agency, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian Security Intelligence Service) to screen applicants in order to determine whether they are admissible to enter or remain in Canada. This screening ensures that these persons do not pose a threat to the health, safety or security of Canadians.All inadmissibility assessments require a case-by-case analysis based on the facts of the case and the evidence before the decision maker. Foreign nationals who are temporary residents living in Canada and permanent residents found to be inadmissible can lose their status and be removed from Canada.3)IRCC’s Settlement Program provides funding for the delivery of settlement services in English and French by more than 550 third-party service provider organizations across Canada (excluding Quebec, where services are funded separately). These services include employment-related services, information and orientation services, French- or English-language training, as well as additional support services (including translation and interpretation) that are intended to remove barriers for newcomers in accessing settlement services.As a condition of receiving federal funding, service provider organizations are required to take measures to protect the personal information of their clients against unauthorized use or disclosure. Privacy and security requirements are established by IRCC and outlined in guidelines for service provider organizations as well as in the contribution agreement that establishes the funding conditions for each organization.For example, all staff of service provider organizations who have access to clients’ personal information must undergo a reliability assessment by the organization. The reliability assessment involves the verification of staff information to determine whether the person is reliable for the purpose of accessing personal client information. The reliability assessment also includes a criminal record check (or equivalent documentation). These requirements also apply to volunteers at service provider organizations who are given access to clients’ personal information, as well as to persons who are sub-contracted by the service provider organization. Interpreters who work for service provider organizations, including staff members, volunteers, or sub-contractors, would also be subject to these requirements.4)Specific measures are built into IRCC’s Settlement Program to promote the delivery of culturally-appropriate services for newcomers by over 550 third-party service provider organizations. For example, IRCC launched the Racialized Newcomer Women Pilot in 2018 to support targeted employment services for racialized newcomer women. Ten of the pilot projects were extended until 2025, with an investment of $5.9M, to ensure that support continues to be available where it is needed.Measures for promoting culturally-appropriate services for newcomers will be extended and enhanced through the Settlement Program’s current 2024 Call for Proposals, which will establish funding agreements for service provider organizations for the period between 2025 and 2030. The 2024 Call for Proposals has integrated a Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) approach to the selection and funding of services. GBA Plus is the Government of Canada’s approach to developing responsive and inclusive policies, programs, and other initiatives by taking into account gender, sex, age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography, language, race, religion, and sexual orientation. Specifically:
  • Organizations that are applying for funding are encouraged to apply GBA Plus analysis to the design, activities, and anticipated outcomes of their projects.
  • IRCC will continue to provide funding for targeted programming to address gaps in programming for populations that experience inequities and greater barriers to services, for example, women, youth, 2SLGBTQI+ populations, racialized newcomers, seniors, or people with disabilities, as well as funding for programming to address specific issues such as sexual and gender-based violence and mental health needs.
  • Settlement sector organizations may also apply for funding for indirect service delivery, to develop their own organizational capacity to address inequities for diverse populations, including by building capacity in anti-racism, service to people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ newcomers, etc.
  • In addition, the 2024 Call for Proposals includes a new Equity Stream, which will provide dedicated funding to organizations who can support the organizational capacity-building of grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations.
Insofar as the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is concerned:3)The Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB, or the Board) is responsible for making well-reasoned decisions on immigration and refugee matters, efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the law.As set out in Section 14 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, every person who appears before the IRB has the right to the assistance of an interpreter if they do not understand English or French. Therefore, the IRB provides interpretation for any party who does not understand any of the two official languages used in IRB proceedings. The role of an interpreter at the IRB is to interpret the hearing.The IRB has safeguards in place to help ensure their interpreters do not pose a risk. All IRB accredited interpreters must be permanent residents or citizens of Canada. Before working as an interpreter at the IRB, a candidate must pass a security screening done by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and shall, at all times when performing their duties, hold a valid security status. Interpreters must sign a contract that requires them to comply with rules in the IRB Code of Conduct for Interpreters regarding impartiality, confidentiality, and conflict of interest. Any real or potential conflict of interest must be disclosed. Interpreters cannot, within or outside the IRB, discuss any matter for which they provide services to the IRB. Furthermore, the IRB has a mechanism in place via its public facing website entitled Identification of Potential Security Risk in IRB Proceedings. This allows individuals (i.e., stakeholders, members of the public, etc.) to report a potential security risk related to IRB proceedings, including risks related to interpreters. Additionally, anyone can file a complaint to the IRB about the conduct and services of an interpreter. Finally, at the start of every hearing, the IRB validates the interpreter’s identity before proceeding. 
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) encourages anyone experiencing or witnessing extortion to report it to their local police of jurisdiction.Complaints are received and assessed by the police of jurisdiction, and may be subject to further investigation. Applicable actions under Canadian legislation are taken as deemed appropriate.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea and raises this concern directly with Eritrean officials and in multilateral forums, including the United Nations Human Rights Council. At the Human Rights Council, Canada regularly calls upon Eritrea to improve the human rights situation in the country. At the Council’s 47th session in 2021, Canada actively negotiated the text and co-sponsored the Resolution entitled "Situation of human rights in Eritrea", which established the mandate of a UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea. Canada consistently co-sponsors this Resolution, most recently in 2023, and the extension of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur.In March 2023 during the Council’s General Debate, Canada raised the issue of restrictions on freedoms, arbitrary detention, and indefinite conscription in Eritrea. Canadian officials met with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea during his October 2023 visit to Canada to discuss the dire human rights situation and his mandate.Canada has also repeatedly and publicly called for the swift withdrawal of Eritrean forces from northern Ethiopia, including through public joint statements with likeminded countries, as done on November 2, 2023, in the Joint Statement on the One Year Anniversary of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. On September 22, 2022, officials of the Government of Canada spoke at the Human Rights Council and urged all parties to cease violence immediately, respect human rights and implement accountability measures, and called for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean Defence Forces.Canada’s former Ambassador to Sudan, who represented Canada to Eritrea, engaged with Eritrean officials in 2021, calling on them to withdraw Eritrean Defense Forces from northern Ethiopia. On September 20, 2022, a tweet issued from the Global Affairs Canada corporate account deplored the movement of Eritrean Defence Forces in northern Ethiopia and condemned the escalation of hostilities. Standing up for human rights around the world is a core parts of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada’s robust sanctions regime serves as a key tool to respond to violations of internationally recognized human rights. In addition to imposing all sanctions adopted by the United Nations Security Council, Canada, often in concert with allies and likeminded partners, also acts autonomously, imposing sanctions under the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (JVCFOA), otherwise known as the Sergei Magnitsky Law, and the Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA).Canada has established a rigorous process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption, or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions, while also considering the broader political and international contexts when determining whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox constitute the most effective and appropriate response.The Government of Canada will continue to engage on the human rights situation in Eritrea. Promoting and protecting democracy, human rights, and fundamental freedoms is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada is committed to standing up for human rights and striving for a world where the rights and freedoms of all people are respected.
EritreaForeign influenced activitiesForeign policyMigration and migrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01954441-01954 (Public safety)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 22, 2023January 29, 2024November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01953441-01953 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 22, 2023January 29, 2024May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • There are no laws that require makers, distributers or advertisers of commercial pornographic material to ascertain and document the consent and age of those depicted in the material;
  • Recommendation #2 from the 2021 Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Report on MindGeek states: "That the Government of Canada mandate that contenthosting platforms operating in Canada require affirmation from all persons depicted in pornographic content, before it can be uploaded, that they are 18 years old or older and that they consent to its distribution";
  • Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act adds two offences to the Criminal Code: to create pornographic material for a commercial purpose without verifying the age and consent of the individuals shown, and to distribute pornographic material without verifying the age and consent of those depicted and also removing material if in writing, consent has been withdrawn; and
  • Organizations including Defend Dignity, the National Council of Women of Canada, London Abused Women's Shelter, Montreal Council of Women, Parents Aware and the National Centre on Child Exploitation have all expressed support for Bill C-270.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly adopt Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThere is no room in Canada for sexual exploitation. Our Government is committed to ensuring that all individuals are safe from sexual exploitation, including online. It is for this exact reason that the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s December 2021 mandate letter commits to introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content, taking into consideration the feedback received from the Canadian public in 2021.In 2022, we took it a step further, which included an expert advisory group, a Citizens’ Assembly, Indigenous engagement, which involved a sharing circle and one-on-one interviews, and 20 Ministerial roundtables across Canada. Our Government is committed to putting in place a regulatory framework to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content online. Online services have a role to play to make the Internet a safer place for all users in Canada.Furthermore, the Criminal Code includes a strong and comprehensive approach that protects against sexual exploitation, including offences that prohibit non-consensual distribution of intimate images (section 162.1), as well as child-specific sexual offences, including child pornography (section 163.1), making sexually explicit material available to a child (section 171.1) and luring a child (section 172.1). Canada’s laws addressing child sexual offending also apply extra-territorially, which means that prosecutions can happen in Canada for crimes allegedly committed by Canadian citizens or permanent residents abroad.An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide Internet service came into force on December 8, 2011. This Act requires a Canadian provider of Internet services to report to police when they have reasonable grounds to believe that their Internet service is being or has been used to commit a child pornography offence, such as making child pornography available, or distributing child pornography. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) is responsible under the Act for another measure to protect the Canadian public. It receives, and processes, reports of child pornography and child abuse on the Internet from Canadian providers of Internet services. C3P is a registered charitable organization that operates Cybertip.ca, which receives and processes tips from the public about potentially illegal material online related to child sexual exploitation and then refers any potentially actionable reports to the appropriate authorities. C3P also provides public education and awareness materials, as well as support and referral services for those who need it. In addition, C3P operates Project Arachnid, an automated web crawler, which scans the internet and automatically detects and processes tens of thousands of images per second and sends take down notices to online service providers to remove child sexual abuse material globally. When service providers, subject to the Act, are advised of a location on the Internet where child pornography may be made available to the public, the providers are required under this Act to report to C3P. All of these efforts together make C3P an effective organization that provides tools to protect children and combat child sexual exploitation.
C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)ConsentLegal agePornography
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01951441-01951 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 22, 2023January 29, 2024December 12, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01950441-01950 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 22, 2023January 29, 2024June 16, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens, and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Nearly 100,000 abortions are performed annually in Canada;
  • The Morgentaler Decision to have zero abortion law goes directly against the charter since it DOES NOT protect life;
  • Canada is only one of two, the other nation being North Korea, to have zero abortion laws;
  • Over 98% of abortions are for reasons of social or personal convenience; and
  • The Heartbeat starts when the baby is 5 weeks old.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to create/strengthen abortion regulation nationwide.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government has always and will always support a woman’s right to choose. Everyone has the right to make decisions about their health and body. The Supreme Court of Canada in 1988 struck down Canada’s criminal law against abortion, and the Government took the necessary steps to complete the repeal of those provisions by introducing amendments to take them off the books, which were enacted in 2019. Our Government is committed to upholding all the rights enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including section 7, which provides that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. Section 7 includes some protection against government interference with an individual’s access to abortion care. Section 7 also generally protects an individual’s right to control their bodily integrity, and a sphere of personal autonomy involving inherently private choices that go to the core of what it means to enjoy individual dignity and independence. Our government will always protect and promote women’s rights in Canada and around the world.
Abortion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01949441-01949 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 22, 2023January 29, 2024June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and international engagement.Canada is strongly committed to working with governments, as well as multilateral and non-governmental organizations, to promote inclusive and accountable governance around the world. Canada is consistently a strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values.Canada’s leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention demonstrates its steadfast commitment to upholding universal human rights and the rules-based international order.The Government of Canada maintains an active and open dialogue with the Turkish, Pakistani and Bahraini Governments concerning human rights, as part of Canada’s commitment to promote democracy and uphold human rights and the rule of law globally.Global Affairs Canada officials met with the Turkish families that reported of their arrest in Pakistan and Bahrain and eventual detention in Türkiye, before moving to Canada. Global Affairs Canada officials have also received a submission from these families, requesting sanctions against specific Turkish officials in relation to their previous detention in Türkiye.Canada is judicious when it chooses to deploy sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use, when appropriate. Canada remains committed to playing a leadership role in the preservation and strengthening of an international rules-based order – sanctions are a key component of this approach. We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools for maintaining and restoring international peace and security, combatting corruption, and promoting respect for norms and values, including human rights. Canada carefully considers the bilateral consequences that any sanction measures could have. To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Wherever possible, Canada coordinates closely with likeminded allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01948441-01948 (Democratic process)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONNovember 22, 2023January 29, 2024September 15, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:1. The record-low voter turnout of 43% in the last Ontario election demonstrates a trend of increasing voter disengagement;2. The distorted results from the most recent federal election clearly illustrate the need for electoral reform;3. Polls consistently show that a majority of voters in every province, all age groups and all major political parties support the principle of proportional representation;4. Citizens' Assemblies have considerable legitimacy and public trust because they are non-partisan, truly randomly-selected, representative bodies of citizens with no vested interest in the outcome;5. Citizens' Assemblies allow for more nuanced public deliberation than simple yes/no referenda, and are immune from manipulation by disinformation campaigns;6. Citizens' Assemblies have been used successfully in Canada, Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland, Scotland and the U.K. to tackle difficult issues; and7. A Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform would give citizens a leadership role in building consensus on a specific model for electoral reform for Canada, and would need to be established as soon as possible to enable their recommendations to be adopted before the next federal election.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Establish a Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, consisting of randomly-selected citizens and reflecting the diversity of Canadian society;
  • Mandate the Citizens' Assembly to craft a specific, detailed design for an electoral system tailored to Canada's needs and which makes every vote count, and to complete its work within 12 months; and
  • Collaborate across party lines to table and pass legislation to enact the changes recommended by the Assembly, well before the next federal election.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions. Our electoral system (i.e., the fundamental rules determining how votes are translated into seats in the House of Commons) is one of the most foundational pieces of our democracy. Among many things it provides Canadians with a direct connection to their Members of Parliament (MP), who must work with each other in developing national policy and making political decisions, while engaging and remaining accountable to their constituents in an increasingly digital and connected Canada.The first-past-the-post system is not perfect – no system is – but it has served Canada well for over 150 years and continues to advance the democratic values that Canadians want reflected in their system of government. This includes strong local representation, stability, and accountability. How Canadians vote and how we govern ourselves is fundamentally important and impacts us all. Given this, the Government’s view has been very clear – any major reforms to the electoral system should not be made without the broad support of Canadians.However, there are a number of ways in which the Government continues to seek to improve Canada’s federal electoral process. Notably, in 2018, the Government introduced the Elections Modernization Act, which represented a significant reform of the Canada Elections Act, which modernized the electoral process, making it easier for Canadians to participate in elections and further bolstering Canadians’ trust and confidence in Canada’s world class electoral system. The Government will continue to look for opportunities to consider improvements to Canada’s electoral system as it has always done, ensuring continuous improvement within an already robust system. In a healthy democracy, there is always more work to do, but Canadians have many reasons to be proud of their electoral system. The Government of Canada will continue to work to strengthen and protect our democratic practices and institutions to ensure they uphold Canadian values.
Electoral reformNational Citizens' Assembly on Electoral ReformPublic consultation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01947441-01947 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 22, 2023January 29, 2024November 16, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Collins Bay Public School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01944441-01944 (Foreign affairs)GeorgeChahalCalgary SkyviewLiberalABNovember 22, 2023January 29, 2024November 20, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:The people of Pakistan and Pakistani Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about reports of political turmoil and uncertainty in that country following the unjust removal of a democratically elected government, and the subsequent arrest of Imran Khan;There have been targeted arrests of members of the largest opposition party: PTI; andReports of abductions, enforced disappearances, and torture target political activists, their families, and other state opposition.Therefore: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada:Call upon the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, and Subcommittee on International Human Rights immediately begin a study of human rights violations, particularly towards minorities, and human rights groups in Pakistan;Call on the Government of Canada to implement Magnitsky Sanctions on corrupt Pakistani military officials, and ban Pakistani military officials who have been involved in human rights. violations from travelling to or living in Canada;Call on the Government of Canada to leverage its influence in the IMF to tie new and existing loans to Pakistan on the condition that free and fair elections are held;Call on the Government of Canada to implement a foreign agents registry to protect Canadians from Pakistani foreign interference; andThat all these measures continue until the respect for democratic institutions and human rights are restored.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada and Pakistan have a multifaceted bilateral relationship, which dates back to 1947, and is underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties.The Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation, including in the lead up to general elections announced for February 8, 2023. Canada supports free, fair, and inclusive electoral process and condemns any use of violence for political goals.The promotion and protection of human rights, democratic values, media freedom, and respect for the rule of law are integral elements of Canada’s foreign policy and are key priorities for Canada’s engagement in Pakistan. Canada considers diplomacy, advocacy and programming activities to be among the most effective ways of promoting these priorities in Pakistan. Global Affairs Canada officials regularly raise these topics with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Global Affairs Canada is also funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan with an investment of $21 million over five years, which supports women’s political participation and leadership, works to improve the accountability of democratic processes, and to increase the capacity of government institutions. Canada also supports civil society in Pakistan through its Canada Fund for Local Initiatives to fund locally implemented projects focused on advancing inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law.Regarding Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Government of Canada is actively following the IMF’s ongoing dialogue with the Government of Pakistan, including on fiscal reform to strengthen economic stability. Canada is a member of the IMF and shares the IMF’s priorities of inclusive growth, gender equality, strong governance and public institutions, maintaining openness, and using multilateralism to address global challenges for the benefit of all.On the issue of sanctions, Canada has established a rigorous process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption, or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions, while also considering the broader political and international contexts when determining whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox constitute the most effective and appropriate response.The Government of Canada is also aware of public interest related to a foreign agent registry and continues to look for innovative ways to enhance the measures Canada has in place to counter foreign interference.Canada will continue to be a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic values and principles.
Civil and human rightsDemocracyEconomic sanctionsForeign policyPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4534e-4534 (Public safety)WinnieNgJennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCAugust 16, 2023, at 3:47 p.m. (EDT)October 15, 2023, at 3:47 p.m. (EDT)November 21, 2023January 29, 2024October 16, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:In view of the recent CSIS revelation on China’s interference and influences in Canada, we are deeply concerned that some members of the community are using the centenary anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act 1923, aka “Chinese Exclusion Act,” to undermine our Government’s commitment to proceed with the Foreign Influence Transparency Registry;It is imperative not to conflate the racist Act, which discriminates against all Chinese, with the Registry, which is applicable only to those, Canadian or not, who lobby on behalf of foreign governments;Anti-Chinese racism cannot be used as a shield to distract from and to minimize the urgent actions required to preserve our Canadian democracy;Setting up a comprehensive system of our own Foreign Influence Transparency Registry is one of the most effective ways to safeguard our Canadian democratic system and uphold the universal core values of freedom, democracy, and justice;Canada must be in step with our allies including Australia, the UK and the US., each of which has established its own registry; andCanada simply cannot afford to play politics with our national security or our democratic process.We, the undersigned, citizens or residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to (1) Move expeditiously with the passage of the Foreign Influence and Transparency Registry legislation in the coming Fall Session of the House; (2) Develop a proactive and comprehensive strategy in eradicating systemic racism in all its manifestations within Canada; and (3) Develop a proactive public education strategy on promoting civil engagement and democratic participation.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Government of Canada is committed to the protection of individuals and communities in Canada, as well as our democratic institutions and processes. Developing legislation to establish a Foreign Influence and Transparency Registry remains an integral part of the strategy to uphold this commitment. A Foreign Influence Transparency Registry would not tackle all forms of foreign interference, such as transnational repression. However, by creating a registration obligation and making its information public, a registry would generate transparency, deter malign and covert influence activity, and foster societal resilience by encouraging individuals to undertake due diligence when entering into a relationship with, or conducting activities on behalf of, foreign organizations. So far, the feedback that Public Safety Canada received from Canadians and a diverse range of stakeholders, including racialized communities, during public consultations has indicated that there is broad support for a registry. Since the close of online consultations, Public Safety Canada has continued engaging with stakeholders to make sure that the various perspectives are meaningfully considered in the design of a proposal. A registry would not singularly address the complex issue of foreign interference. Rather, it would serve as an important tool to enhance Canada’s counter-foreign interference toolkit.In addition to a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, the government is actively considering further legislative tools and approaches to address other aspects of foreign interference. On November 24, 2023, Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice Canada launched public consultations on potential legislative amendments to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, the Criminal Code, the Security of Information Act, and the Canada Evidence Act. Our aim is to develop a modern and robust legal framework to counter foreign interference, which balances national security considerations with privacy and other Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protections.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer ZuberiIn 2019, Canada’s first Anti-Racism Strategy was launched. Budget 2022 committed $85 million over four years to support the work underway to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and an Action Plan on Combatting Hate.Budget 2023 provided an additional $25.4 million over five years, and $0.6 million ongoing, to continue to support the Strategy and address all forms of racism, including but not limited to anti-Asian racism, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia.In Budget 2023, the Government of Canada further announced its plans to introduce a new Action Plan to Combat Hate. This Action Plan will include measures to address hateful rhetoric and acts, building on measures in Budget 2023 to build safer, more inclusive communities.To enhance efforts to address antisemitism and Islamophobia in the country, the Government appointed a Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and a Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia to serve as advisors, to work with civil society and other stakeholders, and to enhance broader government anti-racism work. Furthermore, the Government supported Motion M-63, which called upon the Government to condemn Anti-Asian hate and all forms of racism and racial discrimination.The above-mentioned commitments are all aimed at preventing, addressing and ultimately condemning racism and discrimination, including against individuals and communities of Asian descent.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe response from the Privy Council Office (to part 3) is as follows:Democracies are built on public participation. That is why the Government of Canada has put in place a number of measures that aim to promote both civil engagement and democratic participation. With the December 2018 passing of the Elections Modernization Act, Elections Canada was provided with a mandate to conduct public information campaigns on voter registration, voting, and running as a candidate, including through efforts tailored to those persons and groups most likely to experience difficulties in exercising their democratic rights. The Elections Modernization Act also called for the creation of a National Registry of Future Electors (NRFE), which Elections Canada launched on April 1, 2019, to facilitate youth participation in Canada’s elections. Future electors who are between 14 and 17 can consent to be included in the NRFE which enables Elections Canada to add them to the National Register of Electors when they turn 18. As result, Elections Canada can mail them a voter information card once a federal election is called, which ensures they have the information they need to vote. Additionally, between the 43rd and 44th general elections, Elections Canada mailed out more than 270,000 letters to potential new electors between 18 and 19 years old. This mailout resulted in over 39,000 new electors being added to the National Register of Electors.To give students the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice being an active participant in our democracy, Elections Canada has also partnered with CIVIX to administer the Student Vote – a mock election conducted in parallel with general elections. In 2021, more than 800,000 elementary and high school students across Canada participated by casting a mock ballot, while in 2019 more than 1.1 million elementary and high school students took part.The Government of Canada welcomes efforts such as these by Elections Canada’s to promote civil engagement and democratic participation. Investments have also been made to ensure Canadians have the resources needed to be active participants in our democracy, including through youth-specific programs that encourage civic participation. The Youth Take Charge program, administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage, aims to strengthen youth attachment to Canada by providing funding for a diverse range of youth-led projects in the realms of arts and culture; civic engagement and youth service; economic activities; and history and heritage. Canadian registered not-for-profit organizations, Canadian registered charitable groups, and Indigenous representative organizations that are experienced in serving youth on a national, provincial, or territorial scale are eligible to apply for funding through the program.Additionally, in October 2023, the Government of Canada launched a call for proposals under the Canada Service Corps program, through which successful organizations can receive funding to create, promote, and facilitate volunteering opportunities for youth aged 12 to 30 years old. Successful projects can use the funding to create flexible or full-time volunteering placements and micro-grants to allow youth to design, develop, and lead their own service projects. In line with the Government of Canada’s focus on reaching youth from diverse backgrounds, projects funded through the Canada Service Corps program will target a minimum of 50% of participants who identify as either Indigenous youth or under-served youth, or both.Youth involvement in various aspects of Canadian society, from casting a mock-ballot or exchanging views online to volunteering in an organization or advising senior government officials, lay the foundation for a lifetime of active civil engagement and democratic participation. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring youth in Canada can access youth-specific resources and activities that encourage public participation – investing in opportunities and experiences for our youth is an investment into our future. Lastly, the Government of Canada recognizes that democracy is facing unprecedented challenges around the world. That is why, in 2023 the Government announced over $50 million for initiatives that promote and protect democracy at home and abroad.  Canada also currently serves as president of the Community of Democracies and is an active member of multi-stakeholder organizations, such as the Open Government Partnership, the Media Freedom Coalition, the Freedom Online Coalition and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance—all of which are working to promote and protect democracy, reinforce trust and confidence in democratic institutions and governments, and ensure that people have the opportunity to engage with their governments without fear.
Foreign influence transparency registrySocial values
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01940441-01940 (Public safety)JennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCNovember 21, 2023January 29, 2024October 13, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembledWhereas:In view of the recent CSIS revelation on China's interference and influences in Canada, we are deeply concerned that some members of the community are using the centenary anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act 1923, aka "Chinese Exclusion Act," to undermine our Government's commitment to proceed with the Foreign Influence Transparency Registry;It is imperative not to conflate the racist Act, which discriminates against all Chinese, with the Registry, which is applicable only to those, Canadian or not, who lobby on behalf of foreign governments;Anti-Chinese racism cannot be used as a shield to distract from and to minimize the urgent actions required to preserve our Canadian democracy;Setting up a comprehensive system of our own Foreign Influence Transparency Registry is one of the most effective ways to safeguard our Canadian democratic system and uphold the universal core values of freedom, democracy, and justice;Canada must be in step with our allies including Australia, the UK and the US., each of which has established its own registry; andCanada simply cannot afford to play politics with our national security or our democratic process.We, the undersigned citizens or residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:1) Move expeditiously with the passage of the Foreign Influence and Transparency Registry legislation in the coming Fall Session of the House;2) Develop a proactive and comprehensive strategy in eradicating systemic racism in all its manifestations within Canada; and3) Develop a proactive public education strategy on promoting civil engagement and democratic participation.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): SAMEER ZUBERIIn 2019, Canada’s first Anti-Racism Strategy was launched. Budget 2022 committed $85 million over four years to support the work underway to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and an Action Plan on Combatting Hate.Budget 2023 provided an additional $25.4 million over five years, and $0.6 million ongoing, to continue to support the Strategy and address all forms of racism, including but not limited to anti-Asian racism, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia.In Budget 2023, the Government of Canada further announced its plans to introduce a new Action Plan to Combat Hate. This Action Plan will include measures to address hateful rhetoric and acts, building on measures in Budget 2023 to build safer, more inclusive communities.To enhance efforts to address antisemitism and Islamophobia in the country, the Government appointed a Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and a Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia to serve as advisors, to work with civil society and other stakeholders, and to enhance broader government anti-racism work. Furthermore, the Government supported Motion M-63, which called upon the Government to condemn Anti-Asian hate and all forms of racism and racial discrimination.The above-mentioned commitments are all aimed at preventing, addressing and ultimately condemning racism and discrimination, including against individuals and communities of Asian descent.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Government of Canada is committed to the protection of individuals and communities in Canada, as well as our democratic institutions and processes. Developing legislation to establish a Foreign Influence and Transparency Registry remains an integral part of the strategy to uphold this commitment. A Foreign Influence Transparency Registry would not tackle all forms of foreign interference, such as transnational repression. However, by creating a registration obligation and making its information public, a registry would generate transparency, deter malign and covert influence activity, and foster societal resilience by encouraging individuals to undertake due diligence when entering into a relationship with, or conducting activities on behalf of, foreign organizations. So far, the feedback Public Safety Canada received from Canadians and a diverse range of stakeholders, including racialized communities, during public consultations has indicated that there is broad support for a registry. Since the close of online consultations, Public Safety Canada has continued engaging with stakeholders to make sure the various perspectives are meaningfully considered in the design of a proposal. A registry would not singularly address the complex issue of foreign interference. Rather, it would serve as an important tool to enhance Canada’s counter-foreign interference toolkit.In addition to a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, the government is actively considering further legislative tools and approaches to address other aspects of foreign interference. On November 24, 2023, Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice Canada launched public consultations on potential legislative amendments to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, the Criminal Code, the Security of Information Act, and the Canada Evidence Act. Our aim is to develop a modern and robust legal framework to counter foreign interference, which balances national security considerations with privacy and other Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protections.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe response from the Privy Council Office (to part 3) is as follows:Democracies are built on public participation. That is why the Government of Canada has put in place a number of measures that aim to promote both civil engagement and democratic participation. With the December 2018 passing of the Elections Modernization Act, Elections Canada was provided with a mandate to conduct public information campaigns on voter registration, voting, and running as a candidate, including through efforts tailored to those persons and groups most likely to experience difficulties in exercising their democratic rights. The Elections Modernization Act also called for the creation of a National Registry of Future Electors (NRFE), which Elections Canada launched on April 1, 2019, to facilitate youth participation in Canada’s elections. Future electors who are between 14 and 17 can consent to be included in the NRFE which enables Elections Canada to add them to the National Register of Electors when they turn 18. As result, Elections Canada can mail them a voter information card once a federal election is called, which ensures they have the information they need to vote. Additionally, between the 43rd and 44th general elections, Elections Canada mailed out more than 270,000 letters to potential new electors between 18 and 19 years old. This mailout resulted in over 39,000 new electors being added to the National Register of Electors.To give students the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice being an active participant in our democracy, Elections Canada has also partnered with CIVIX to administer the Student Vote – a mock election conducted in parallel with general elections. In 2021, more than 800,000 elementary and high school students across Canada participated by casting a mock ballot, while in 2019 more than 1.1 million elementary and high school students took part.The Government of Canada welcomes efforts such as these by Elections Canada’s to promote civil engagement and democratic participation. Investments have also been made to ensure Canadians have the resources needed to be active participants in our democracy, including through youth-specific programs that encourage civic participation. The Youth Take Charge program, administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage, aims to strengthen youth attachment to Canada by providing funding for a diverse range of youth-led projects in the realms of arts and culture; civic engagement and youth service; economic activities; and history and heritage. Canadian registered not-for-profit organizations, Canadian registered charitable groups, and Indigenous representative organizations that are experienced in serving youth on a national, provincial, or territorial scale are eligible to apply for funding through the program.Additionally, in October 2023, the Government of Canada launched a call for proposals under the Canada Service Corps program, through which successful organizations can receive funding to create, promote, and facilitate volunteering opportunities for youth aged 12 to 30 years old. Successful projects can use the funding to create flexible or full-time volunteering placements and micro-grants to allow youth to design, develop, and lead their own service projects. In line with the Government of Canada’s focus on reaching youth from diverse backgrounds, projects funded through the Canada Service Corps program will target a minimum of 50% of participants who identify as either Indigenous youth or under-served youth, or both.Youth involvement in various aspects of Canadian society, from casting a mock-ballot or exchanging views online to volunteering in an organization or advising senior government officials, lay the foundation for a lifetime of active civil engagement and democratic participation. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring youth in Canada can access youth-specific resources and activities that encourage public participation – investing in opportunities and experiences for our youth is an investment into our future. Lastly, the Government of Canada recognizes that democracy is facing unprecedented challenges around the world. That is why, in 2023 the Government announced over $50 million for initiatives that promote and protect democracy at home and abroad. Canada also currently serves as president of the Community of Democracies and is an active member of multi-stakeholder organizations, such as the Open Government Partnership, the Media Freedom Coalition, the Freedom Online Coalition and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance—all of which are working to promote and protect democracy, reinforce trust and confidence in democratic institutions and governments, and ensure that people have the opportunity to engage with their governments without fear.
Foreign influence transparency registrySocial values
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01939441-01939 (Public safety)JennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCNovember 21, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembledWhereas:In view of the recent CSIS revelation on China's interference and influences in Canada, we are deeply concerned that some members of the community are using the centenary anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act 1923, aka "Chinese Exclusion Act," to undermine our Government's commitment to proceed with the Foreign Influence Transparency Registry;It is imperative not to conflate the racist Act, which discriminates against all Chinese, with the Registry, which is applicable only to those, Canadian or not, who lobby on behalf of foreign governments;Anti-Chinese racism cannot be used as a shield to distract from and to minimize the urgent actions required to preserve our Canadian democracy;Setting up a comprehensive system of our own Foreign Influence Transparency Registry is one of the most effective ways to safeguard our Canadian democratic system and uphold the universal core values of freedom, democracy, and justice;Canada must be in step with our allies including Australia, the UK and the US., each of which has established its own registry; andCanada simply cannot afford to play politics with our national security or our democratic process.We, the undersigned citizens or residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:1) Move expeditiously with the passage of the Foreign Influence and Transparency Registry legislation in the coming Fall Session of the House;2) Develop a proactive and comprehensive strategy in eradicating systemic racism in all its manifestations within Canada; and3) Develop a proactive public education strategy on promoting civil engagement and democratic participation.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): SAMEER ZUBERIIn 2019, Canada’s first Anti-Racism Strategy was launched. Budget 2022 committed $85 million over four years to support the work underway to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and an Action Plan on Combatting Hate.Budget 2023 provided an additional $25.4 million over five years, and $0.6 million ongoing, to continue to support the Strategy and address all forms of racism, including but not limited to anti-Asian racism, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia.In Budget 2023, the Government of Canada further announced its plans to introduce a new Action Plan to Combat Hate. This Action Plan will include measures to address hateful rhetoric and acts, building on measures in Budget 2023 to build safer, more inclusive communities.To enhance efforts to address antisemitism and Islamophobia in the country, the Government appointed a Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and a Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia to serve as advisors, to work with civil society and other stakeholders, and to enhance broader government anti-racism work. Furthermore, the Government supported Motion M-63, which called upon the Government to condemn Anti-Asian hate and all forms of racism and racial discrimination.The above-mentioned commitments are all aimed at preventing, addressing and ultimately condemning racism and discrimination, including against individuals and communities of Asian descent.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Government of Canada is committed to the protection of individuals and communities in Canada, as well as our democratic institutions and processes. Developing legislation to establish a Foreign Influence and Transparency Registry remains an integral part of the strategy to uphold this commitment. A Foreign Influence Transparency Registry would not tackle all forms of foreign interference, such as transnational repression. However, by creating a registration obligation and making its information public, a registry would generate transparency, deter malign and covert influence activity, and foster societal resilience by encouraging individuals to undertake due diligence when entering into a relationship with, or conducting activities on behalf of, foreign organizations. So far, the feedback Public Safety Canada received from Canadians and a diverse range of stakeholders, including racialized communities, during public consultations has indicated that there is broad support for a registry. Since the close of online consultations, Public Safety Canada has continued engaging with stakeholders to make sure the various perspectives are meaningfully considered in the design of a proposal. A registry would not singularly address the complex issue of foreign interference. Rather, it would serve as an important tool to enhance Canada’s counter-foreign interference toolkit.In addition to a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, the government is actively considering further legislative tools and approaches to address other aspects of foreign interference. On November 24, 2023, Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice Canada launched public consultations on potential legislative amendments to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, the Criminal Code, the Security of Information Act, and the Canada Evidence Act. Our aim is to develop a modern and robust legal framework to counter foreign interference, which balances national security considerations with privacy and other Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protections.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe response from the Privy Council Office (to part 3) is as follows:Democracies are built on public participation. That is why the Government of Canada has put in place a number of measures that aim to promote both civil engagement and democratic participation. With the December 2018 passing of the Elections Modernization Act, Elections Canada was provided with a mandate to conduct public information campaigns on voter registration, voting, and running as a candidate, including through efforts tailored to those persons and groups most likely to experience difficulties in exercising their democratic rights. The Elections Modernization Act also called for the creation of a National Registry of Future Electors (NRFE), which Elections Canada launched on April 1, 2019, to facilitate youth participation in Canada’s elections. Future electors who are between 14 and 17 can consent to be included in the NRFE which enables Elections Canada to add them to the National Register of Electors when they turn 18. As result, Elections Canada can mail them a voter information card once a federal election is called, which ensures they have the information they need to vote. Additionally, between the 43rd and 44th general elections, Elections Canada mailed out more than 270,000 letters to potential new electors between 18 and 19 years old. This mailout resulted in over 39,000 new electors being added to the National Register of Electors.To give students the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice being an active participant in our democracy, Elections Canada has also partnered with CIVIX to administer the Student Vote – a mock election conducted in parallel with general elections. In 2021, more than 800,000 elementary and high school students across Canada participated by casting a mock ballot, while in 2019 more than 1.1 million elementary and high school students took part.The Government of Canada welcomes efforts such as these by Elections Canada’s to promote civil engagement and democratic participation. Investments have also been made to ensure Canadians have the resources needed to be active participants in our democracy, including through youth-specific programs that encourage civic participation. The Youth Take Charge program, administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage, aims to strengthen youth attachment to Canada by providing funding for a diverse range of youth-led projects in the realms of arts and culture; civic engagement and youth service; economic activities; and history and heritage. Canadian registered not-for-profit organizations, Canadian registered charitable groups, and Indigenous representative organizations that are experienced in serving youth on a national, provincial, or territorial scale are eligible to apply for funding through the program.Additionally, in October 2023, the Government of Canada launched a call for proposals under the Canada Service Corps program, through which successful organizations can receive funding to create, promote, and facilitate volunteering opportunities for youth aged 12 to 30 years old. Successful projects can use the funding to create flexible or full-time volunteering placements and micro-grants to allow youth to design, develop, and lead their own service projects. In line with the Government of Canada’s focus on reaching youth from diverse backgrounds, projects funded through the Canada Service Corps program will target a minimum of 50% of participants who identify as either Indigenous youth or under-served youth, or both.Youth involvement in various aspects of Canadian society, from casting a mock-ballot or exchanging views online to volunteering in an organization or advising senior government officials, lay the foundation for a lifetime of active civil engagement and democratic participation. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring youth in Canada can access youth-specific resources and activities that encourage public participation – investing in opportunities and experiences for our youth is an investment into our future. Lastly, the Government of Canada recognizes that democracy is facing unprecedented challenges around the world. That is why, in 2023 the Government announced over $50 million for initiatives that promote and protect democracy at home and abroad. Canada also currently serves as president of the Community of Democracies and is an active member of multi-stakeholder organizations, such as the Open Government Partnership, the Media Freedom Coalition, the Freedom Online Coalition and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance—all of which are working to promote and protect democracy, reinforce trust and confidence in democratic institutions and governments, and ensure that people have the opportunity to engage with their governments without fear.
Foreign influence transparency registrySocial values
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01938441-01938 (Public safety)JennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCNovember 21, 2023January 29, 2024October 30, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembledWhereas:In view of the recent CSIS revelation on China's interference and influences in Canada, we are deeply concerned that some members of the community are using the centenary anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act 1923, aka "Chinese Exclusion Act," to undermine our Government's commitment to proceed with the Foreign Influence Transparency Registry;It is imperative not to conflate the racist Act, which discriminates against all Chinese, with the Registry, which is applicable only to those, Canadian or not, who lobby on behalf of foreign governments;Anti-Chinese racism cannot be used as a shield to distract from and to minimize the urgent actions required to preserve our Canadian democracy;Setting up a comprehensive system of our own Foreign Influence Transparency Registry is one of the most effective ways to safeguard our Canadian democratic system and uphold the universal core values of freedom, democracy, and justice;Canada must be in step with our allies including Australia, the UK and the US., each of which has established its own registry; andCanada simply cannot afford to play politics with our national security or our democratic process.We, the undersigned citizens or residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:1) Move expeditiously with the passage of the Foreign Influence and Transparency Registry legislation in the coming Fall Session of the House;2) Develop a proactive and comprehensive strategy in eradicating systemic racism in all its manifestations within Canada; and3) Develop a proactive public education strategy on promoting civil engagement and democratic participation.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): SAMEER ZUBERIIn 2019, Canada’s first Anti-Racism Strategy was launched. Budget 2022 committed $85 million over four years to support the work underway to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and an Action Plan on Combatting Hate.Budget 2023 provided an additional $25.4 million over five years, and $0.6 million ongoing, to continue to support the Strategy and address all forms of racism, including but not limited to anti-Asian racism, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia.In Budget 2023, the Government of Canada further announced its plans to introduce a new Action Plan to Combat Hate. This Action Plan will include measures to address hateful rhetoric and acts, building on measures in Budget 2023 to build safer, more inclusive communities.To enhance efforts to address antisemitism and Islamophobia in the country, the Government appointed a Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and a Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia to serve as advisors, to work with civil society and other stakeholders, and to enhance broader government anti-racism work. Furthermore, the Government supported Motion M-63, which called upon the Government to condemn Anti-Asian hate and all forms of racism and racial discrimination.The above-mentioned commitments are all aimed at preventing, addressing and ultimately condemning racism and discrimination, including against individuals and communities of Asian descent.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Government of Canada is committed to the protection of individuals and communities in Canada, as well as our democratic institutions and processes. Developing legislation to establish a Foreign Influence and Transparency Registry remains an integral part of the strategy to uphold this commitment. A Foreign Influence Transparency Registry would not tackle all forms of foreign interference, such as transnational repression. However, by creating a registration obligation and making its information public, a registry would generate transparency, deter malign and covert influence activity, and foster societal resilience by encouraging individuals to undertake due diligence when entering into a relationship with, or conducting activities on behalf of, foreign organizations. So far, the feedback Public Safety Canada received from Canadians and a diverse range of stakeholders, including racialized communities, during public consultations has indicated that there is broad support for a registry. Since the close of online consultations, Public Safety Canada has continued engaging with stakeholders to make sure the various perspectives are meaningfully considered in the design of a proposal. A registry would not singularly address the complex issue of foreign interference. Rather, it would serve as an important tool to enhance Canada’s counter-foreign interference toolkit.In addition to a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, the government is actively considering further legislative tools and approaches to address other aspects of foreign interference. On November 24, 2023, Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice Canada launched public consultations on potential legislative amendments to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, the Criminal Code, the Security of Information Act, and the Canada Evidence Act. Our aim is to develop a modern and robust legal framework to counter foreign interference, which balances national security considerations with privacy and other Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protections.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELLThe response from the Privy Council Office (to part 3) is as follows:Democracies are built on public participation. That is why the Government of Canada has put in place a number of measures that aim to promote both civil engagement and democratic participation. With the December 2018 passing of the Elections Modernization Act, Elections Canada was provided with a mandate to conduct public information campaigns on voter registration, voting, and running as a candidate, including through efforts tailored to those persons and groups most likely to experience difficulties in exercising their democratic rights. The Elections Modernization Act also called for the creation of a National Registry of Future Electors (NRFE), which Elections Canada launched on April 1, 2019, to facilitate youth participation in Canada’s elections. Future electors who are between 14 and 17 can consent to be included in the NRFE which enables Elections Canada to add them to the National Register of Electors when they turn 18. As result, Elections Canada can mail them a voter information card once a federal election is called, which ensures they have the information they need to vote. Additionally, between the 43rd and 44th general elections, Elections Canada mailed out more than 270,000 letters to potential new electors between 18 and 19 years old. This mailout resulted in over 39,000 new electors being added to the National Register of Electors.To give students the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice being an active participant in our democracy, Elections Canada has also partnered with CIVIX to administer the Student Vote – a mock election conducted in parallel with general elections. In 2021, more than 800,000 elementary and high school students across Canada participated by casting a mock ballot, while in 2019 more than 1.1 million elementary and high school students took part.The Government of Canada welcomes efforts such as these by Elections Canada’s to promote civil engagement and democratic participation. Investments have also been made to ensure Canadians have the resources needed to be active participants in our democracy, including through youth-specific programs that encourage civic participation. The Youth Take Charge program, administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage, aims to strengthen youth attachment to Canada by providing funding for a diverse range of youth-led projects in the realms of arts and culture; civic engagement and youth service; economic activities; and history and heritage. Canadian registered not-for-profit organizations, Canadian registered charitable groups, and Indigenous representative organizations that are experienced in serving youth on a national, provincial, or territorial scale are eligible to apply for funding through the program.Additionally, in October 2023, the Government of Canada launched a call for proposals under the Canada Service Corps program, through which successful organizations can receive funding to create, promote, and facilitate volunteering opportunities for youth aged 12 to 30 years old. Successful projects can use the funding to create flexible or full-time volunteering placements and micro-grants to allow youth to design, develop, and lead their own service projects. In line with the Government of Canada’s focus on reaching youth from diverse backgrounds, projects funded through the Canada Service Corps program will target a minimum of 50% of participants who identify as either Indigenous youth or under-served youth, or both.Youth involvement in various aspects of Canadian society, from casting a mock-ballot or exchanging views online to volunteering in an organization or advising senior government officials, lay the foundation for a lifetime of active civil engagement and democratic participation. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring youth in Canada can access youth-specific resources and activities that encourage public participation – investing in opportunities and experiences for our youth is an investment into our future. Lastly, the Government of Canada recognizes that democracy is facing unprecedented challenges around the world. That is why, in 2023 the Government announced over $50 million for initiatives that promote and protect democracy at home and abroad. Canada also currently serves as president of the Community of Democracies and is an active member of multi-stakeholder organizations, such as the Open Government Partnership, the Media Freedom Coalition, the Freedom Online Coalition and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance—all of which are working to promote and protect democracy, reinforce trust and confidence in democratic institutions and governments, and ensure that people have the opportunity to engage with their governments without fear.
Foreign influence transparency registrySocial values
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01937441-01937 (Social affairs and equality)RachelBlaneyNorth Island—Powell RiverNDPBCNovember 21, 2023January 29, 2024October 30, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Old Age Security (OAS) payments were increased by 10% for seniors aged 75 and older in July 2022 and seniors aged 65-74 did not receive a 10% increase to their OAS;
  • Over 2 million people were left out by the Liberal government's decision to create a two-tiered system of OAS;
  • The rising cost of living impacts all seniors, not just those over a certain age and far too many seniors are living in poverty and can't afford basic necessities like groceries, rent and medication; and
  • Seniors built this country, they deserve respect and to retire with dignity.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon on the Government of Canada to increase OAS payments for all seniors, including those aged 65-74.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Old Age Security (OAS) program plays a significant role in providing income security to Canadians in their senior years. OAS benefits are intended to provide partial income security for seniors in recognition of the contributions that they have made to Canadian society and the economy.Benefits that recipients receive under the OAS program include: 1) the OAS pension, which is paid to all persons aged 65 or over who meet the residence requirements, 2) the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for low-income seniors, and 3) the Allowances for low-income Canadians aged 60 to 64 who are the spouses or common-law partners of GIS recipients, or who are widows or widowers.To ensure OAS benefits retain their value over time and to protect the purchasing power of seniors, OAS benefits are adjusted four times per year (in January, April, July and October) to reflect inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI measures the price of a collection of foundational goods and services, such as food, shelter, gas and clothing, commonly purchased by Canadian households.This quarterly indexation provides increases to all benefits under the OAS program, including the OAS pension, the GIS, and the Allowances, when prices go up. In October 2023, OAS benefits increased by 1.3%, following increases of 1.1% in July 2023, and 0.5% in April 2023. As of October 2023, OAS benefits had increased by 3.2% over the past year, from October 2022 to October 2023.In addition, the Old Age Security Act contains a guarantee ensuring that benefits can never decrease, even in the event of a decline in the CPI. Should the average cost of living decrease, OAS benefit amounts will stay at the same level as during the previous three-month period.In July 2022, the Government permanently increased the OAS pension by 10% for seniors aged 75 and over. This increase was designed to address the increased vulnerability that seniors face as they age.As seniors get older, they tend to have lower income, and often face higher health-related expenses because of the onset of illness or disability. This is especially true for those 75 and older.This vulnerability is further compounded by a reduced ability to supplement their income with paid work, the risk of outliving personal savings, and the risk of widowhood.That is why the Government took action to help make life more affordable for Canadians as they age.The Government of Canada remains committed to improving the income security of all seniors and continues to seek ways to strengthen the OAS program, as demonstrated by a broad range of measures taken since 2016:•           Budget 2016 restored the age of eligibility for the OAS pension and the GIS to 65, putting thousands of dollars back in the pockets of future Canadian seniors.•           In July 2016, the GIS was increased by up to $947 per year for the lowest-income single seniors, benefiting close to 900,000 vulnerable seniors across Canada.•           In December 2017, the Government launched automatic enrolment to the GIS. Seniors who are automatically enrolled for the OAS pension are now automatically enrolled for the GIS without ever having to complete an application.•           In Budget 2019, the Government enhanced the GIS Earnings Exemption so that low-income seniors who work are able to keep more of what they earn. As of July 2020, the enhanced exemption applies to both employment and self-employment income, and provides a full exemption on up to $5,000 of annual earnings, as well as a 50% exemption on the next $10,000 of earnings. This means that low-income seniors who work can keep more of their benefits.•           In July 2020, the Minister of Seniors announced a one-time payment to seniors, $300 for seniors eligible for the OAS and an additional $200 for seniors eligible for the GIS.•           In 2022, the Government of Canada took concrete action to help low-income renters who need it most, including seniors, and introduced a one-time $500 top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit.•           In Budget 2023, the Government introduced the one-time Grocery Rebate, which would deliver targeted inflation relief for 11 million individuals and families who already receive the Goods and Services Tax Credit, including more than half of Canadian seniors. This measure would provide an extra $225 for seniors, on average. This is in addition to the extra Goods and Services Tax Credit amounts that started being paid on November 4, 2022, with most payments having been made before the end of 2022.
Old Age SecuritySenior citizens
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01936441-01936 (Foreign affairs)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABNovember 21, 2023January 29, 2024June 16, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas: The people of Pakistan and Pakistani Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about reports of political turmoil and uncertainty in that country; andThere is particular concern about reports of violence and threats of violence being used as a way to suppress opposition parties in Pakistan in the lead up to general elections in that country later this year.Therefore: we, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of violence as a political means in Pakistan or anywhere else in the world.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada and Pakistan have a multifaceted bilateral relationship, which dates back to 1947, and is underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties.The Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation, including in the lead up to general elections announced for February 8, 2023. Canada supports free, fair, and inclusive electoral process and condemns any use of violence for political goals. As part of Canada’s regular interactions with government officials and opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Canadian officials request that all legal and democratic principles be upheld in a fair manner.Canada considers diplomacy, advocacy, and programming activities to be among the most effective ways of promoting democracy, human rights, and respect for the rule of law in Pakistan. In fact, the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for Canada’s engagement in Pakistan. Canada continues to advance an inclusive approach to democracy, one that allows people to participate in decision-making processes and institutions that impact all areas of their lives.Canada undertakes a variety of efforts to advance these foreign policy priorities. For example, Canadian officials, in Ottawa and at Canada’s High Commission in Islamabad, regularly raise these topics with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Canadian officials engage in a variety of fora with the aim of supporting human rights defenders and standing by civil society organizations at the forefront of protecting democratic principles. Canada also supports civil society in Pakistan through its Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides funding for locally implemented projects. Among the core themes of CFLI projects in Pakistan for 2023 is supporting civil society organizations working to advance inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law. Global Affairs Canada is also funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan, which support women’s political participation and leadership, improve the accountability of democratic processes, and increase the capacity of government institutions, with an investment of $21 million over five years.More broadly, Canada and Pakistan have a multifaceted and constructive bilateral relationship underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties. The two countries remain committed to working together on common interests such as enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade relations, advancing gender equality and promoting regional security and stability. Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic principles. The government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights and free and fair elections, on an ongoing basis.The promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law will remain key priorities for Canada’s engagement around the world.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01935441-01935 (Foreign affairs)GeorgeChahalCalgary SkyviewLiberalABNovember 21, 2023January 29, 2024November 20, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem have endured Israeli occupation, and continuously expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied territories;Gaza has been under a blockade for 17 years, which includes restrictions on movements, basic services, and human rights, where nearly 50% of the population of 2.5 million are children;The United Nations General Assembly on October 27, 2023 adopted a resolution calling for an "immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce" between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza, as civilian deaths in Gaza continue to rise at a staggering rate amid Israeli bombardment, in response to the horrific attacks and hostage taking of Israeli citizens;Canada was a leading voice 67 years ago in advocating for action, "not only to end the fighting but to make peace"; andCanada has provided $50 million in humanitarian aid.Therefore: we, the undersigned citizens of Canada:Call on the Government of Canada to engage with the international community to work towards a ceasefire and a genuine pathway to a political solution in the form of two-state solution;Call on the Government of Canada to lead peace-keeping, and facilitate governance of affected areas with the United Nations, Arab nations, and Palestinian to build governing institutions, infrastructure, and a permanent two-state solution;Call on the Government of Canada to condemn violations of international law and advocate the Israeli government to meet its commitments under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;Call upon the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, and Subcommittee on International Human Rights to immediately begin a study of violations of international law and human rights in Israeli and Palestinian territories; andCall on the Government of Canada to continue to condemn anti-semitism, islamophobia and all forms of bigotry.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer ZuberiThe Government of Canada has and will continue to condemn racism and discrimination in all its forms.The Government is deeply troubled by the rise of hatred and discrimination directed at Jewish and Muslim communities, and those perceived to belong to these communities.We are taking meaningful steps to build a more inclusive society by renewing and strengthening Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, developing Canada’s Action Plan on Combating Hate, as well as increasing funding for multicultural community programs across the country.Since 2019, the Government has committed over $200 million through Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy to combat systemic racism and discrimination in Canada.This includes $85 million, provided through Budget 2022, to support Indigenous Peoples, as well as Black, racialized, and religious minority communities while also raising awareness of issues related to racism and hate in Canada.It also includes $25.4 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, and $0.6 million ongoing, provided through Budget 2023, to support Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy and address all forms of racism, including but not limited to anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, anti-Asian racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia.The federal government also plans to introduce a new Action Plan to Combat Hate. This new Action Plan will include measures to combat hateful rhetoric and acts, building on measures announced in Budget 2023 to build safer, more inclusive communities.In addition, the federal Government has appointed a Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, and a Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.The Special Envoy, Deborah Lyons, supports efforts to combat antisemitism and hatred domestically, interacting with Canadian institutions and stakeholders to promote Holocaust education, remembrance and research. The Special Representative, Amira Elghawaby, serves as a champion, advisor, expert and representative to the Canadian government, for the purpose of enhancing efforts to combat Islamophobia and promote awareness of the diverse and intersectional identities of Muslims in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada stands firmly with the Israeli and Palestinian peoples in their right to live in peace, security, with dignity and without fear. Canada mourns every Israeli and Palestinian innocent life which has been lost in this conflict and expresses condolences to all families and communities affected by the violence.Canada unequivocally condemns Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, the appalling loss of life, and the heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence. Canada condemns Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Canada recognizes Israel’s right to exist and right to defend itself. In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.Canada remains deeply concerned by the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the diminishing safe space for civilians, and the ongoing risks to all Palestinian civilians. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians.Canada supported the previous pause in hostilities that allowed for the release of more than 100 hostages and supported an increase in humanitarian access to affected civilians. Canada wants to see this pause resumed and supports urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire.Canada voted in favour of a resolution adopted on December 12, 2023, by the United Nations General Assembly calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Canada supported the ceasefire referred to in this resolution as a necessary step to protect civilians, to allow for the entry of important humanitarian relief into Gaza, and to allow foreign nationals, including Canadians, to leave Gaza. In explaining its support for the resolution, Canada reiterated that this ceasefire cannot be one-sided. Hamas must release all hostages, stop using civilians as human shields, and it must lay down its weapons. There is no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza.Canada supports Palestinians’ right to self-determination. Canada opposes the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory, and any use of siege or blockade. Canada emphasizes that Gaza must no longer be used as a platform for terrorism.The rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for civilians is essential. Canada will continue to work with partners towards ensuring the sustained access of humanitarian assistance for civilians, including food, water, medical care, fuel, and shelter, and access for humanitarian workers. To date, Canada has announced $60 million in humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of vulnerable civilians in this crisis, including a matching fund of $13.7 million that leveraged the generosity of individual Canadians. This funding will help provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance. Canada will continue to support civilians with life-saving humanitarian aid, while ensuring that no money gets into the hands of Hamas.Canada remains committed to working with allies and partners toward a just and enduring peace in the form of a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognized borders.With respect to the calls for the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), as well as the Sub-Committee on International Human Rights (SDIR), to initiate studies on the topics suggested, the Government of Canada fully respects the independence of the House of Commons and its committees to make decisions with respect to their own agendas. As such, these requests are best brought to the attention of the Honourable Member for Willowdale and the Honourable Member for Laval—Les Îles as Chairs of FAAE and SDIR, respectively. The relevant contact information and a listing of ongoing and upcoming studies can be found on the respective pages for each committee on the House of Commons website.
Foreign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionIsraelPalestine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01933441-01933 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 20, 2023January 29, 2024May 30, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Liberal government's so-called 'feminist international assistance policy' has shown a lack of respect for the cultural values and autonomy of women in the developing world by supporting organizations that violate local laws on abortion and push abortion at the expense of international development priorities like clean water, access to basic nutrition, and economic development;
  • The Liberal's approach to international development for women and girls has recently been criticized by the Auditor General for failing to measure results; and
  • The Muskoka Initiative (launched by the previous Conservative government) involved historic investments in the wellbeing of women and girls around the world. The initiative emphasized value for money and ensured that investments were in priorities identified by local women.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to align international development spending with the approach taken in the Muskoka Initiative, focusing international development dollars on meeting the basic needs of vulnerable women around the world rather than pushing ideological agendas that may conflict with local values in developing countries, and measuring outcomes.
Response by the Minister of International Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Anita VandenbeldCanada is a global leader in protecting and advancing the health, rights and well-being of the poorest and most vulnerable, with the empowerment of women and girls at the core of Canada’s international assistance policies and programmes. Canada spearheaded the Muskoka Initiative for Maternal, Newborn, and Child health (MNCH) during its G8 presidency in 2010, and committed $2.85 billion between 2010 and 2015. In 2015, Canada renewed its support for MNCH by committing an additional $3.5 billion over the 2016 to 2020 period. In 2016-2017, Under the Her Voice Her Choice initiative, Canada committed a further $650 million for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programming between 2017 and 2020. The added focus on SRHR was informed by consultations with Canadian and international stakeholders, the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), and research evidence published in the 2018 Guttmacher-Lancet Commission on SRHR. Canada’s current commitment, the 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights (10YC), builds on decades of Canadian leadership in global health. Through this commitment, Canada will reach an average of $1.4 billion annually by 2023 to support women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health around the world, of which $700 million is allocated to SRHR. This is Canada’s longest, largest, and most comprehensive global health commitment to date and is a key vehicle for implementing Canada’s FIAP, strengthening health systems post COVID-19, and supporting the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.Through the 10YC, Canada continues to advance these priorities, while also promoting a complementary emphasis on comprehensive SRHR that supports country-led efforts to advance the health and rights of women and girls and address the socio-economic and cultural barriers that limit their attainment of gender equality. Through the 10YC, Canada is supporting interventions such as school meals programs, water and sanitation programming, micronutrient supplementation, community-based nutrition programs, midwifery training, and enhanced neo-natal care. Canada also continues to support large-scale investments to combat infectious diseases and strengthen health systems with key global health players, including the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ($5.3 billion, 2002-2025) Gavi Vaccine Alliance ($2.3 billion, 2000-2025), and the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents ($630 million, 2015-2025).Canada is committed to ensuring its interventions in developing countries are locally-led. Canada’s work is built on the value it places on local partnerships, and partners are carefully selected to ensure that government, local organizations and women and youth themselves, are central in the design and delivery of international assistance programming. This approach is consistent with the principles outlined in Canada’s Official Development Assistance Accountability Act (ODAAA), which requires that Canada’s aid responds to local perspectives and priorities. Aligned with the FIAP and ODAAA principles, Canada supports local ownership and works to ensure that all initiatives are grounded in local needs, priorities and contexts, which are the basis for deep and relevant engagement with local communities, including being designed and implemented with and by local partners and aligned with national legislation and country priorities. Within Canada’s global health investments, all efforts are made to ensure that, where feasible and appropriate, government, local organizations and beneficiaries, including youth and women’s-rights organizations, are involved throughout the project cycle, from design to evaluation. This ensures that programming remains responsive to local needs, values and priorities.Under the 10YC Accountability Framework, Canada has committed to publishing annual reports on the 10YC implementation progress, including tracking of funding and results achieved. The inaugural 2020-21 Report on the 10-Year Commitment is an example of Canada’s commitment to transparency, dialogue and partnership, moving beyond discussions about money committed and spent to a different conversation about using evidence and experience to improve and drive results and impact for communities around the world. The 2021-2022 Report on the 10-Year Commitment was published in December 2023.
International development and aidWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01932441-01932 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 20, 2023January 29, 2024May 18, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Free and fair trials, judicial independence, and the rule of law are all cornerstones to Canada's democracy;
  • Since June 2019, protests for democracy, freedom, universal suffrage, and regional autonomy have been occurring in Hong Kong;
  • On many occasions, peaceful protestors of Hong Kong are charged and convicted of penal offences through a judiciary that is neither impartial, fair, or free;
  • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c.27), Section 36 renders foreign nationals who have committed or been convicted of a foreign offence outside Canada inadmissible on grounds of criminality and serious criminality; and
  • Hong Kong people who have been arbitrarily charged and convicted with pro-democracy movement related penal offences for political purposes are at risk of being deemed inadmissible to enter Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Recognize the politicization of the judiciary in Hong Kong and its impact on the legitimacy and validity of criminal convictions; 2. Affirm its commitment to render all National Security Law charges and convictions irrelevant and invalid in relation to Section 36(1)(c); 3. Create a mechanism by which Hong Kong people with pro-democracy movement related convictions may provide an explanation for such convictions, on the basis of which Government officials can grant exemptions to Hong Kong people who are deemed inadmissible under A36(1)(b), (2)(b), and (2)(c) upon examination of the circumstances and determination that the applicant's criminal record is political in nature; and 4. Work with the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other democracies to waive criminal inadmissibility of Hong Kong people convicted for political purposes, who otherwise do not have a criminal record.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada.Immigration officers examine foreign charges and convictions to determine if there is an equivalent offence in Canada for the act committed. If there is no equivalent offence, the individual would not be inadmissible for having committed or being convicted of that offence. For example, as there is no equivalent offence in Canada for peaceful protesting, a charge or conviction for having partaken in such activities would not make an individual inadmissible to Canada.Where there are some similarities between the foreign law and Canadian law, a person would only be inadmissible if the underlying action is considered an offence in Canada.Immigration officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific facts presented by the applicant. All inadmissibility decisions are based on evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations or other documents, such as media articles or publicly-available information.Decision-makers are required to follow the rules of procedural fairness throughout the decision-making process. In the event that an immigration officer has concerns over the criminal admissibility of an applicant, the individual is informed and given an opportunity to provide a response to concerns about their application.If an officer determines that an applicant is inadmissible to come to Canada, the applicant may be eligible for relief, on a case-by-case basis, using mechanisms available under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. For example, a temporary resident permit may be issued, when justified in the circumstances, to allow an inadmissible foreign national to enter Canada.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob Oliphant(1) Canada has a special relationship with Hong Kong that is rooted in a shared history and extensive economic, institutional and people-to-people ties. Canada strongly believes that a stable and prosperous Hong Kong depends on respect for human rights. Canada has consistently underscored this essential fact, both in Canada’s public pronouncements and communication with the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong authorities. Canada has consistently expressed its deep concern that the National Security Law is eroding respect for human rights. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers expressed concerns in April 2023 about the National Security Law’s impact on the Hong Kong judicial system. In that report, the Special Rapporteur explained that the National Security Law can interfere with the independence of the judiciary, the ability of lawyers to exercise their profession independently, and the due process that guarantees the right to a fair trial in Hong Kong. Canada will continue to monitor all trials related to charges under the National Security Law and anti-sedition law, closely monitor developments in Hong Kong’s judiciary system, and will undertake appropriate action in response to emerging developments.(4) While Canada and its partners share a common interest in Hong Kong’s prosperity and security, each country has its own legislative framework and is responsible for applying its own sovereign rules and procedures, including those related to immigration and admissibility. For Canada, foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada. Inadmissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. With regards to human rights, Canada has repeatedly expressed its concern over the continued erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy and rights through joint statements with the G7 and the Media Freedom Coalition. Since 2019, these statements have specified shared concerns on the imposition of the National Security Law, the selection process of the Chief Executive in Hong Kong, changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system which barred opposition candidates from participation, and the deteriorating media environment in the region. Furthermore, Canada and like-minded countries each publicly expressed concerns about the Hong Kong authorities’ issuance of international bounties for pro-democracy advocates living overseas and reiterated opposition to the extraterritorial application of the National Security Law.
Civil and human rightsCriminal recordsForeign policyHong KongImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01931441-01931 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 20, 2023January 29, 2024February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the United States, UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01930441-01930 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 20, 2023January 29, 2024November 1, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01928441-01928 (Culture and heritage)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCNovember 20, 2023January 29, 2024March 17, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS
  • In April 2022, the Government of Canada announced it would be contributing $454,112 and the Province of British Columbia would be providing $9,545,888 towards a new regional aquatic centre in the District of Kent;
  • In the months since this announcement, inflation and supply chain challenges have increased the cost of construction by approximately 30 per cent and the District is in need of additional funding;
  • The Government of Canada has been open to funding flexibility when it comes to projects in rural communities and in support of reconciliation;
  • Indigenous families living on-reserve in the areas surrounding Kent District utilize many services in the community and would be well served by this aquatic centre; and
  • The District of Kent received written support for the project from surrounding communities, including the Seabird Island, Cheam, Stó:lo, Sts'ailes, Sq'éwlets, Skawahlook, Popkum and Peters First Nations, the Village of Harrison Hot Springs and the Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Areas 'C' and 'D'.
THEREFOREWe, the undersigned residents of the District of Kent, Harrison Hot Springs, the Seabird Island, Cheam, Stó:lo, Sts'ailes, Sq'éwlets, Skawahlook, Popkum and Peters First Nations and the Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Areas 'C' and 'D', call upon the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities to provide additional funding to support the construction of the Lets'emot Regional Aquatic Centre.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada is committed to renewing the relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership, as well as implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. This includes making significant infrastructure investments in Indigenous communities that improve socio economic conditions and community well-being.Since 2016, the Government of Canada has made significant infrastructure investments in British Columbia, with more than $7.2 billion in federal funding provided for projects, which includes just over $3.72 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Over $240 million has been allocated to community, culture, sport and recreation projects through Infrastructure Canada’s various programs.On March 2, 2022, Infrastructure Canada approved $454,112 in funding for the District of Kent Aquatic Centre. The project was prioritized through the final provincial intake under the Community, Culture, and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which is managed by British Columbia’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs. This final intake allocated all remaining funding under the Community, Culture and Recreation stream in British Columbia. The combined federal and provincial funding totals $10 million, representing a 73% cost share on the District of Kent Aquatic Centre project.With respect to infrastructure projects experiencing cost overruns, it is important to note that Infrastructure Canada provides a contribution toward the total estimated eligible cost of a project, and that contribution is capped at a maximum amount at the time of approval. Infrastructure Canada is not in a position to increase federal funding to cover cost overruns. As of March 31, 2023, no further projects can be submitted by British Columbia under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, and the program allocation available for projects in the province has been fully committed.Following the March 31st , project submission deadline for provinces, new time-limited authorities may be available to redistribute funding that remains unused in projects as a result of cancellations, cost savings or descoping. For example, provinces may request the decommitment of unused funding for its reallocation to other projects to accommodate scope increases and, in exceptional cases, revised cost estimates. These authorities are time-limited and acknowledge the ongoing volatility in the construction sector and are intended to maximize use of federal funding. All requests for decommitments and reallocations should be submitted by the Province of British Columbia through established program communication channels. Any such requests would be reviewed by Infrastructure Canada and approved at Canada’s discretion.As some of Infrastructure Canada’s largest infrastructure funding programs have reached full allocation, the department is taking stock of existing programs and gaining an understanding of needs, which will help to inform the development of the next suite of federally-led infrastructure programming. Infrastructure Canada recognizes that infrastructure programs will need to be efficient and flexible, and attuned to regional and local priorities, while delivering the economic, social, and environmental outcomes that Canadians expect.
AgassizSport and recreation facilities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01927441-01927 (Justice)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCNovember 20, 2023January 29, 2024October 27, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada exempts every "schoolteacher, parent or person standing in place of a parent" from criminal liability for "using force by way of correction toward a pupil or child" in their care;
  • This outdated Criminal Code provision does not align with modern standards of conduct for teachers and prevents parents from seeking justice when their children are abused by teachers; and
  • Parents should not have to worry about their children being abused by teachers, who are meant to care for and educate them.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to remove schoolteachers' exemption from criminal liability for using corrective force against a child in their care under Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government is committed to protecting children from all forms of violence. The Criminal Code contains general criminal offences to protect all persons from violence, including children. It is a crime to assault or threaten to assault someone, no matter their age. Assault is broadly defined in Canadian criminal law to include any intentional use of force against another person without their consent. This includes any non-consensual touching, directly or indirectly, of a person regardless of the amount of force used. Slapping, shaking, punching, pinching, kicking, or any other form of unwanted touching are all examples of actions that constitute an assault. It is also a crime to unlawfully confine a person against their will, for example by restraining them or restricting their movement, either physically or by controlling conduct, such as through fear, intimidation or other similar psychological means.Further, the abuse of a child in the commission of an offence is an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes. This means that the crime is treated more seriously and can result in a longer sentence.Section 43 of the Criminal Code provides a defense to teachers, parents and caregivers against criminal charges for certain conduct but is not intended to protect against abusive and harmful conduct.The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC), in its 2004 decision Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law v. Canada (Attorney General), found that section 43 is consistent with the Charter and provided guidelines that limit the scope of the defence. Specifically, the SCC clarified that teachers cannot use corporal punishment under any circumstances (i.e., physical force to discipline student behaviour). Teachers may only apply reasonable force to maintain order or enforce school rules (e.g., removing a child from a classroom).Our Government will continue to monitor Bill S-251, An Act to repeal section 43 of the Criminal Code (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s call to action number 6), and Bill C-273, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (Corinne’s Quest and the protection of children), which propose to repeal section 43 of the Criminal Code, as they make their way through the legislative process.
Child abuseCorporal punishmentCriminal Code
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01926441-01926 (Transportation)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCNovember 20, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • In the past, British Columbians had access to passenger rail services across much of the province, including routes from North Vancouver to Prince George and Victoria to Parksville;
  • The existing West Coast Express route from Mission to Vancouver only runs during peak hours on weekdays; and
  • Passenger rail services help to connect communities, acting as a lifeline for many rural and remote communities.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to work with their provincial counterpart in British Columbia to restore and expand passenger rail service to communities across the province.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezTransportation affects the daily lives of Canadians, and the Government is committed to providing travellers with a national transportation system that is safe, reliable, and continues to serve the transportation needs of all Canadians, including British Columbians.Regarding intercity passenger rail services, the Government of Canada recognizes the importance that these services play in supporting the quality of life of Canadians, including seniors and students as well as rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. The Government will continue to support and transform these services to promote a cleaner transportation system.That is why, the Government invested $210 million starting in 2023-24 to support maintenance on VIA Rail’s fleet used for long-distance and regional services. This includes VIA Rail’s services in British Columbia such as the Skeena service between Prince Rupert to Jasper and the Canadian running from Toronto to Vancouver. The Government has also invested more than $13 million in VIA Rail stations in British Columbia since 2018.As noted, local public transit services also play an important part in connecting Canadians. This includes the West Coast Express, which provides Translink operated commuter rail service that connects Downtown Vancouver to Mission City, and points in between.The Government of Canada works with partners, including the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure as well as Translink, to support public transit and active transportation networks. This support creates jobs and makes communities cleaner, more accessible, more sustainable, and livable for everyone. Since 2015, the Government has announced more than $30 billion for more than 1,400 public transit projects across the country. Through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the Government of Canada has allocated $33 billion to support infrastructure investments in Canada. Through ICIP, the Government is investing over $3.9 billion in British Columbia including support for the Millennium Line Broadway Extension project, the Expo and Millennium Upgrade Program project, and the Surrey Langley Skytrain project. As announced by the Prime Minister in 2021, the Government of Canada will invest billions of dollars to provide predictable federal public transit funding which will be available to support reliable, fast, affordable, and clean public transit solutions beginning in 2026-27 through the new permanent public transit funding.The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring the national transportation system meets the mobility needs of Canadians and will continue to support and engage with provinces and territories in addressing these needs.
British ColumbiaRail passenger transportation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01925441-01925 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 20, 2023January 29, 2024November 8, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Clarendon Central Public School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01923441-01923 (Civil and human rights)WarrenSteinleyRegina—LewvanConservativeSKNovember 9, 2023January 29, 2024October 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Freedom of choice in health care is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada;It is a fundamental right for individuals to be able to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own bodies;Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness or how they will address illness or injury in their own bodies; andCanadians are competent and able to make their own health decisions without State interference.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the Charter of Health Freedom drafted for the Natural Health Product Protection Association on September 4, 2008.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Civil and human rightsHealth
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01920441-01920 (Health)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 9, 2023January 29, 2024October 30, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Liberals are threatening access to Natural Health Products through new rules that will mean higher costs and fewer products available on store shelves;
  • New so-called 'cost recovery' provisions would impose massive costs on all consumers of Natural Health Products and undermine access for Canadians who rely on these products; and
  • Provisions in the latest Liberal omnibus budget have given the government substantial new arbitrary powers around the regulation of Natural Health Products.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to reverse the changes made in the latest Liberal budget regarding Natural Health Products.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4456e-4456 (Business and trade)ShantaSundarasonPaulChiangMarkham—UnionvilleLiberalONJune 1, 2023, at 9:55 a.m. (EDT)July 1, 2023, at 9:55 a.m. (EDT)November 9, 2023January 29, 2024July 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Shein clothing company recently opened a warehouse and office in Markham, Ontario, Canada and is an internationally known contributor to human rights abuses, forced labour and environmental damage around the world; andConcerns about chemicals used by Shein which are harmful to the purchasers and contribute to the pollution of our environment. This has been documented by health Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Require additional transparency from clothing and retail companies surrounding the supply chain process, specifically related to the harvesting, sourcing, and production of cotton;2. Require additional transparency from clothing and retail companies related to worker pay and working conditions;3. Require retail companies to minimize waste by disclosing how many returns they receive and how those returns are handled;4. Require clothing and retail companies do their due diligence, including by carefully assessing how they may be contributing to human rights abuse or environmental damage abroad and by providing access to remedy when harms occur;5. Result in meaningful consequences for companies that fail to carry out and report on adequate due diligence; and6. Remove a violator from the City of Markham (Shein) within 30 days should they not conform.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Government of Canada is committed to upholding human rights, as well as labour and environmental standards. The Minister of Labour and Seniors, with the support of the Ministers of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, Public Services and Procurement, and Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, remains committed to introducing legislation to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains.On May 3, 2023, the House of Commons passed Senate Public Bill S-211, An Act to enact the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. The bill received royal assent on May 11, 2023. The Act imposes an obligation on government institutions and certain private-sector entities to report publicly on the measures taken to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour is used by them or in their supply chains. Public Safety Canada is responsible for the implementation of this Act. The Act also amends the Customs Tariff to allow for a prohibition on the importation of goods manufactured or produced, in whole or in part, by forced labour or child labour as those terms are defined in the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. The government recognizes that while the Act may serve as an important first step, more is needed. This is reflected in Budget 2023, where the government announced its intention to introduce a Bill in 2024 to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains. The Bill will include due diligence measures and be strong, effective, and enforceable.Supply chain legislation is just one tool, among many, needed to address forced labour and other forms of exploitation. The government also has in place a variety of other initiatives to prevent and address exploitation in global supply chains and to promote responsible business conduct abroad. For example, Canada has adhered to a number of conventions aimed at protecting human rights and works to negotiate into Canada’s free trade agreements enforceable provisions to address forced labour. Trade measures or financial penalties can be imposed on free trade partners that do not live up to these obligations.In addition, the government introduced the prohibition on the importation of goods produced in whole or in part by forced labour, which came into force under the Customs Tariff on July 1, 2020. This implemented an obligation in the Labour Chapter of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and applies to all goods regardless of country of origin. In the 2023 federal budget, the government also indicated that it would take measures to strengthen the import prohibition.The government has also taken multiple measures across federal departments to address concerns about human rights violations in the People’s Republic of China involving members of  the Uyghur ethnic minority and other minorities within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang).These include a business advisory to caution Canadian businesses of the risks of supply chain exposure to entities engaging in human rights abuses and a Xinjiang integrity declaration for Trade Commissioner Service clients on doing business with Xinjiang entities.The government will continue to work closely with stakeholders and international partners to improve the overall approach to tackling forced labour in Canadian supply chains.On the question of the petitioners’ request to close a business in operation in the City of Markham, the matter may best be addressed by a different level of government as this is outside the purview of the Minister of Labour and Seniors and the Labour Program.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTBased on Statistics Canada’s Pilot physical flow account for plastic material, it is estimated that nearly 350,000 tons of synthetic textile products (e.g., polyester, nylon, PVC, acrylic) were produced for Canadian consumption in 2019, many of them imported into Canada. Textiles and apparel make up the fourth-largest category of plastic waste sent to landfills in Canada: 329,000 tons in 2019. Coordinated action is required so that textile and apparel items remain in the economy and out of the environment.System changes are happening across the country, and industry is moving forward voluntarily to increase circularity in the sector. For example, the Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium led by Fashion Takes Action, and partially funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), has been established to connect stakeholders on circular textile-related projects.On December 29, 2023, the Government of Canada published a Notice of intent to issue a section 46 notice for the Federal Plastics Registry to create an inventory of data on the Canadian Environmental Protection Act 1999 (CEPA) registry for a 45-day public comment period. The Registry would require annual reports from several sectors on plastic placed on the Canadian market and how it is managed at end-of-life, using a consistent and transparent process. Plastic fibres in the textile sector, such as nylon and polyester, would be part of this obligatory reporting. It would include information on plastics after diversion including such activities as recycling and final disposal in landfill. Data is crucial as the basis for risk management. The Registry would help in monitoring plastic in the economy over time allowing the Government of Canada to measure progress and identify gaps in the plastic value chain where further action could accelerate the transition to a circular economy.The Government of Canada’s goal is to support a circular economy, which aims to extract as much value as possible from resources by repairing, reusing, repurposing, refurbishing, or recycling products and materials. Although ECCC does not have the direct authority to force companies to divert waste, the department is working with stakeholders on initiatives to support a circular economy. For more information on the circular economy please see: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/conservation/sustainability/circular-economy.html
Business practice and regulationClothing industryWorking hours, terms and conditions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4375e-4375 (Health)Mary AnnSjogrenBranchElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCApril 3, 2023, at 2:58 p.m. (EDT)June 2, 2023, at 2:58 p.m. (EDT)November 9, 2023January 29, 2024June 2, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:It is well known that asbestos is a highly toxic carcinogen;Scientific evidence indicates that asbestos is harmful when ingested as well as when inhaled;Canada does not regulate asbestos in drinking water;Asbestos cement water pipes deliver water to millions of Canadians via municipal water systems;Legacy asbestos cement water pipes are in use across Canada, particularly in older neighbourhoods that may be home to more vulnerable, lower income populations;Asbestos cement water pipes were exempt from a ban on asbestos in Canada; andThe Government of Canada is currently conducting Canada’s first National Infrastructure Assessment.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Take urgent steps to assess health risks of asbestos in drinking water, in order for the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee to establish a drinking water quality guideline;2. Include an inventory of asbestos cement water pipes, and assessment of their condition, as a part of ongoing infrastructure assessment;3. Release this data publicly in accessible formats;4. Develop a plan to replace and dispose of asbestos cement water pipes safely, including worker protection;5. Advance prior and informed consent for trans-boundary transportation of asbestos-containing waste; and6. Establish an Asbestos Eradication Agency to evaluate and address asbestos in the natural and built environment, including occupational settings.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe federal government remains committed to launching Canada’s first ever National Infrastructure Assessment: "Building the Canada We Want in 2050". It sets out the purpose and benefits of undertaking a National Infrastructure Assessment and seeks input from the public, Indigenous peoples, provinces, territories, municipalities, and stakeholders on three main priorities of the assessment: Assessing Canada's infrastructure needs and establishing a long-term vision; improving coordination among infrastructure owners and funders; and determining the best ways to fund and finance infrastructure.On July 29, 2021, the Government of Canada released Building Pathways to 2050: Moving Forward on the National Infrastructure Assessment, following public engagement with over 300 organizations and individuals. This Report highlights key recommendations that will help guide the design of the National Infrastructure Assessment. It will be a foundational tool for infrastructure decision-makers across Canada to support the identification of needs and priorities in the built environment towards a net-zero emissions future.Since 2016, Infrastructure Canada has been proactive in gathering data on Canada's core public infrastructure assets. Data collection on the amount and location of asbestos cement pipes in Canada is currently being addressed through Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure (CCPI) survey. The CCPI survey is conducted by Statistics Canada, on behalf of Infrastructure Canada, on a bi-annual basis. The questionnaire is sent to governments of all levels (municipalities, provinces and territories, and federal) that own or lease public infrastructure, to collect data on the stock, condition, and performance of Canada’s core public infrastructure assets.Throughout 2021 and 2022, Infrastructure Canada undertook an extensive outreach process to improve the survey. As a result of the outreach process, the 2022 survey includes a question on asbestos in water:“What was the total length in kilometres of asbestos cement water pipes as of December 31, 2022?”Data from CCPI 2022 will be released in late 2024, subject to an evaluation of its fitness for use. More information about the survey can be found at Canada's Core Public Infrastructure Survey. 
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandIn Canada, the responsibility for drinking water quality is shared between the provincial, territorial, federal and municipal governments. The Federal Government, through Health Canada, develops the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality in collaboration with the provinces and territories, which then use the guidelines to set regulations and standards based on their needs and context. Provinces and territories generally have the responsibility for ensuring the safety of drinking water, including setting regulatory, monitoring and testing requirements. Municipalities tend to oversee the day-to-day operations of treatment facilities and distribution systems. Infrastructure owners, including municipalities, are responsible for assessing the condition of pipes and conducting any maintenance and remediation, as necessary.Health Canada continuously monitors research on asbestos in drinking water. In 2023, as part of its work on regularly assessing drinking water guidelines, Health Canada, in collaboration with provinces and territories, began a reassessment of the asbestos drinking water guideline to consider any new scientific evidence on the impacts of ingested asbestos on human health. Health Canada’s drinking water guideline for asbestos was established in 1989 and, at this time, there is no consistent scientific evidence that asbestos ingested through drinking water was harmful. As a result, no maximum acceptable concentration for asbestos in drinking water has been set. Health Canada undertook further assessments of new scientific data on asbestos in 2013 and 2018, and again concluded that there was no consistent scientific evidence that asbestos ingested through drinking water is harmful, including if pipe failure, construction or repair were to increase levels of asbestos in drinking water. Other international organizations, including the World Health Organisation, European Commission and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, have reached the same conclusions as Health Canada.The current reassessment of asbestos in drinking water will include a careful review of data on exposure to asbestos through drinking water, including monitoring results of asbestos in drinking water from Canadian cities. It will also include any available studies on the impacts of ingested asbestos on human health, including cumulative effects of exposure through drinking water. Health Canada considers all available science when it develops guidelines, including information for groups such as infants, children, people of reproductive age and populations who may be disproportionately impacted. Should the reassessment indicate that asbestos in drinking water is harmful to human health, Health Canada will update the drinking water guidelines and develop a maximum acceptable concentration for asbestos in drinking water.As set out in sections 14.1 (1) and (2) of the Hazardous Products Act, hazardous products that contain asbestos are prohibited from being sold or imported in Canada. This prohibition is part of the government-wide strategy on asbestos, which eliminates the need to establish an Asbestos Eradication Agency.
AsbestosWater mainsWater quality
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01913441-01913 (Social affairs and equality)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 9, 2023January 29, 2024November 8, 2023Petition to The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodWHEREAS:
  • School food programs are recognized around the world as essential to the health, well-being and education of students with over 388 million children in at least 161 countries receiving free or subsidized school meals at school;
  • New data from Statistics Canada (2022) indicates 1 in 4 children in Canada lives in a food-insecure household;
  • Canada is the only G7 country without a national school food program; and
  • Budget 2022 reaffirmed the December 2021 mandate letter commitments for the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food by directing them to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school, and public consultations took place through November - December 2022.
We, the undersigned, members of the Holy Cross Secondary School community and residents of the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington region, call upon the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to prioritize funding for a National School Food Program through Budget 2024 for implementation in schools by Fall 2024.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.The Government of Canada recognizes that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector, which would help drive down costs of food.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:•         the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;•         New Canadian Dental Care Plan;•         the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;•         the Employment Insurance program; and•         the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01911441-01911 (National defence and military operations)FrankCaputoKamloops—Thompson—CaribooConservativeBCNovember 9, 2023January 29, 2024November 6, 2023Petition to Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • The Liberal government has instructed the Department of National Defence to prohibit chaplains from public prayer at official functions, such as Remembrance Day and other Ceremonies.
We, the undersigned residence of Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, call upon the Minister of National Defence to:
  • Reverse their religiously discriminatory policies; and
  • Allow chaplains' prayers for our fallen soldiers during Remembrance Day and other ceremonies.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France LalondeThe Defence Team deeply values the work of military chaplains to support Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, and we will continue to build a diverse, inclusive military that attracts and retains talented people, as well as a chaplaincy that reflects the diversity of spiritual and faith beliefs of Canada and supports both the free expression of religious belief and the right of military members not to express a religious belief.The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service holds deep respect for the diverse religious and spiritual belief systems and practices of serving and retired CAF members, their families and Canadians. As such, CAF chaplains prioritize cultivating inclusive environments where all can feel welcome at ceremonies and events in which chaplains participate or offer leadership. This is why prayer and other faith-specific language that may be offered by CAF chaplains is very much subject to the context, participants and intended nature of the gathering or ceremony in which they are participating, including whether the ceremony or event is secular or non-secular in nature, open to the public at large, or private.With respect to Remembrance Day, specifically, most important to the Chaplain General is maintaining the focus on honouring the sacrifice of all who have gone before us in service to Canada, and to offer thanksgiving for their service and sacrifice. It is paramount that chaplains continue to offer words of remembrance, encouragement, and hope to CAF members and their families.
Canadian ForcesChaplaincy services and chaplainsEventsFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4328e-4328 (Citizenship and immigration)MelekKaniyoluAnitaVandenbeldOttawa West—NepeanLiberalONMarch 2, 2023, at 10:31 a.m. (EDT)April 1, 2023, at 10:31 a.m. (EDT)November 8, 2023January 29, 2024April 3, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278908" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship</Addressee>Whereas:The earthquakes of 7.7. and 7.6 magnitude in Türkiye on February 6, 2023, left behind over 30,000 unusable residential buildings, over 45,000 lives have been lost, and more than 150,000 people injured;The total affected size of the region is from Windsor to Ottawa, and the affected population is almost 15 million; andThe growing Turkish diaspora with over 150,000 people have family members who are injured, lost their homes and have no place to say.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, colleagues and friends of Turkish people, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to: 1. Take urgent action by way of ministerial instructions to ease the temporary resident visa application requirements for family members of Canadians, permanent residents, and other individuals residing in Canada under various temporary statuses, who have been affected by the devastating earthquake in Turkey;2. Temporarily suspend the conditions set out in Sections 11(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) for earthquake victims who have family members in Canada, in order to facilitate their entry into Canada and reunite with their loved ones during this difficult time;3. Temporarily waive the visa application fees, biometrics collection requirements and associated fees for the earthquake victims to ensure that earthquake victims are not burdened with additional costs and delays during the application process; and4. Temporarily expand the definition of "immediate family members" to include siblings of the residents of Canada, to better promote family reunification through temporary humanitarian measurement.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.The Government of Canada remains committed to helping those suffering in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. We announced a total of $50M in support of the humanitarian response, including two commitments to match funds donated by Canadians. In addition, through the Canadian Red Cross, Canada deployed 22,000 relief supplies including blankets, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, kitchen sets and jerry cans from its humanitarian stockpiles for use in Türkiye.In addition to its regular immigration pathways, special measures have been introduced to facilitate Turkish and Syrian nationals affected by this tragedy. On September 28, 2023, the Government extended these special measures put in place last spring through to January 3, 2024, to continue to support Turkish and Syrian nationals, as well as Canadian citizens and permanent residents. These include:
  • Free extensions of temporary residence status for Turkish and Syrian nationals studying, working, or visiting family in Canada;
  • Access to open work permits for Turkish and Syrian nationals already in Canada;
  • Priority processing of temporary residence, permanent residence, and refugee resettlement applications from persons in the affected regions, including for family members;
  • Waiving travel document requirements for permanent resident visas, as some permanent residence applicants may have lost their passports as a result of the earthquakes; and,
  • Waiving fees for temporary passports, limited-validity passports, emergency travel documents, Canadian citizenship certificates, and permanent resident travel documents, to assist Canadian citizens and permanent residents in their return to Canada from the affected area.
Under Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations provision 1(3), family members include a spouse or common-law partner, a dependent child, or a dependent child of a dependent child. This definition is generally used in the context where an applicant is seeking to bring dependents under a temporary or permanent resident program.In addition, the Government of Canada has a generous family reunification program. This program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor, as permanent residents, spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, parents, grandparents, dependent children (including adopted children), and other relatives in specific circumstances (for example, orphaned relatives under the age of 18 or a relative of any relation to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident provided the sponsor has no relatives who can be sponsored). As such, a sibling can come to Canada as an accompanying dependent child when sponsoring a parent, or under the “other relative” category. Alternatively, applications for permanent residence can also be made under humanitarian and compassionate considerations, which are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
EarthquakesFamily reunificationPassports and visasTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01904441-01904 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCNovember 7, 2023January 29, 2024September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01903441-01903 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCNovember 7, 2023January 29, 2024September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01902441-01902 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCNovember 7, 2023January 29, 2024September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4138e-4138 (Citizenship and immigration)HannahDeeganJennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCSeptember 29, 2022, at 2:41 p.m. (EDT)December 28, 2022, at 2:41 p.m. (EDT)November 7, 2023January 29, 2024January 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The 2009 CIMM Standing Committee report on Temporary foreign workers and non-status workers recommended that the government discontinue employer-specific work permits;The 2016 HUMA Standing Committee report on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program found that employer-specific work permits “place migrant workers in a vulnerable position with negative implications for their physical and mental well-being” and recommended that immediate steps be taken to eliminate employer-specific work permits;In 2019 Canada acknowledged that employer-specific work permits create a power imbalance that “favours the employer and can result in a migrant worker enduring situations of misconduct, abuse or other forms of employer retribution” when it implemented the Open work permit for vulnerable workers (OWP-V) policy;Numerous regulatory reforms attempting to improve the protection of temporary foreign workers, including the OWP-V policy, have failed to meaningfully counteract the high risk of abuse imposed on workers by employer-specific work permits; andA truly just and equitable immigration system provides full and permanent status to all workers coming to Canada and regularization programs for those currently without status. As an interim measure, migrant workers should not be tied to a specific employer or sector.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to eliminate, without delay, the employer-specific work permit and adopt a work authorization regime that permits temporary foreign workers to freely change employers while in the country, regardless of their occupation or national origin.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Marc MillerAny instances of harassment, abuse, or exploitation of temporary foreign workers are unacceptable and are not tolerated in Canada. The Government of Canada (GoC) acknowledges that there may be inherent power imbalances between some employers and temporary foreign workers, and has implemented a number of measures to help ensure worker protection.The GoC aims to balance the need to support employers in addressing labour shortages in Canada’s competitive economy, while seeking to protect temporary foreign workers during their stay in Canada. Employer-specific work permits remain an important feature of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program and Canada’s immigration system.Eliminating employer-specific work permits would represent a fundamental shift that could negatively impact the current labour migration system and would not necessarily reduce abuse and exploitation in the TFW Program. Even with Open Work Permits, those who are vulnerable could face challenges in leaving their employer, including limited skills and financial options, low official language abilities, and challenges finding affordable housing, among others. Removing the employer-specific work permit also risks making it more difficult to retain workers in certain occupations and industries, exacerbating labour shortages in many regions, including those that are more rural or remote in nature.   Program IntegrityEmployers under the TFW Program commit to?several key worker protection?measures (particularly for low wage workers), such as paid return airfare and a commitment to help with affordable housing. The Program also ensures that the wages of temporary foreign workers are aligned with those of Canadians doing the same job, which,?in-turn, protects the Canadian economy from downward pressure on wages and benefits all workers; temporary foreign workers as well as Canadians and permanent residents.??Employer-specific work permits can offer measures of protection for foreign nationals, as employers of employer-specific work permit holders are immediately subject to a compliance regime which seeks to ensure employers are meeting Program requirements and regulatory obligations. This enables the GoC to conduct inspections to help ensure employers comply with regulatory conditions and employment standards legislation—for example, providing a workplace free of abuse, respecting a worker’s job description, and not engaging in reprisals against workers who raise concerns.During an inspection (which can be conducted with or without notice), employers must demonstrate that they are meeting the terms and conditions of the TFW Program listed in the Labour Market Impact Assessment. If an employer is found to have committed a violation of program conditions and is deemed non-compliant, they can face consequences, including administrative monetary penalties of up to $1M and a temporary or permanent ban from the Program. Employer-specific work permits make it possible for the Government to know, for program integrity and worker protection purposes, which employers are employing foreign workers at any given time and at what locations they are working.In 2022-2023, the Department completed over 2,100 inspections. Through these inspections, 1,014 employers were found compliant, 1,015 were found compliant with justification, and 116 were found non-compliant.Over the course of an inspection, when IRCC finds that the employer had been non-compliant with the Regulations, the employer is given the opportunity to justify their non-compliance (as a procedural fairness step). An employer may be found compliant with justification if they are able to demonstrate that the reason for their non-compliance can be justified using the justifications included in the Regulations (for example, an error made in good faith by the employer, a change in federal or provincial law, or a change to the provisions of a collective agreement), and if they remedy the effects of the violation (for example, compensating the foreign worker for unpaid wages). Worker Protection MeasuresAs part of the GoC’s broader commitment to worker protections, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced, in June 2019, measures to make it easier for workers to leave abusive situations with the introduction of the Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers (OWP-V). This permit provides workers on valid employer-specific work permits experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, abuse in their job, access to an open work permit. With an open work permit, workers are able to exit abusive situations quickly and work for almost any employer in Canada.The OWP-V has a lower burden of proof compared to most immigration programs, recognizing that abuse is often difficult to substantiate. While we recognize the criticisms of the OWP-V with regards to higher than expected processing times, IRCC is continuously working to reduce the barriers that workers might face in exiting situations of abuse. Issuance of an OWP-V triggers a referral to either the IMP or TFWP employer compliance regimes dependent on which program the foreign worker was hired under, and results in an inspection under the related (IMP of TFWP) program.Moreover, in Fall 2021, the Department began the roll-out of trauma-informed training for officers who process OWP-V applications. This training includes a decision-making framework and procedures for following up with clients to address systemic barriers that prevent vulnerable TFWs from applying and being successful in obtaining an OWP-V. This training continues to be delivered to officers evaluating OWP-V applications.The TFW Program also has existing measures under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) Stream, where workers have the ability to work for another SAWP employer without having to apply for a new work permit, subject to agreements between the source country, employer and employee.  In Canada, temporary foreign workers have the same rights to workplace protections under applicable federal, provincial and territorial employment standards as Canadians and permanent residents. The Government understands that migrant workers in Canada might face challenges with regards to knowing and accessing their rights in Canada. As such, in September 2022, regulatory amendments were made to compel employers to provide migrant workers with information on their rights, including access to healthcare while in Canada.Furthermore, the GoC introduced the Changing Employers Public Policy in May 2020. The public policy allows temporary foreign workers already in Canada who are changing jobs or employers, and who have secured a job offer under the terms of either the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or International Mobility Program, to quickly begin work with a new employer or in a new occupation in advance of a final decision on their work permit application. Eligible workers can obtain authorization to work for a new employers within 10-15 days.IRCC will continue to work with Employment and Social Development Canada to explore the Government’s commitment to implement sector-based work permits. While we cannot speculate on any future policy decisions, IRCC is currently looking at possible reforms to the employer-specific work permit. Any new developments will be communicated publicly.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykIn Canada, temporary foreign workers have the same rights to workplace protections as Canadians and permanent residents under applicable federal, provincial, and territorial employment standards. The mistreatment of any temporary foreign worker – or any worker – is never acceptable.While the large majority of employers who participate in the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program meet their obligations and treat their employees with respect, in those cases where there is mistreatment the consequences can be severe.To address concerns around worker treatment, and to assist migrant workers in knowing and accessing their rights in Canada, in September 2022, regulatory amendments were made to compel employers to provide migrant workers with information on their rights, including access to healthcare while in Canada.In addition, a Migrant Worker Support Program was launched in 2022 (totalling $49.5M) to better support temporary foreign workers in Canada to learn about and exercise their rights. To date, funding is supporting 10 organizations, and over 100 sub-agreement holders across Canada, to deliver services including on-arrival orientation at major international airports and community-based and emergency support services.To assist with enforcement, the TFW Program also operates a confidential tip line and Concierge Service to assist workers who report allegations of abuse and mistreatment. Through the tip line, workers are offered personalized service, based on their needs, to report allegations of abuse or mistreatment, as they arise. Agents answer the phone five days per week (with weekend voicemail service) with the support of interpretation services in over 200 languages. All leads, tips and allegations received by the Department, whether through the tip line or the Concierge Service, are reviewed and flagged within 24 hours based on their level of risk. Leads that are considered high-risk are assessed as a priority; ensuring appropriate action can be taken as quickly as possible (inspections are launched on these high-risk employers within 24-48 hours to ensure worker safety). The numbers of tips and allegations received continues to increase, for example, this year, the Department has already seen a 53% increase in volume, compared to the same period last year.During an inspection (which can be conducted with or without notice), employers must demonstrate that they are meeting TFW Program requirements listed in the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). If an employer is found to have committed a violation of program conditions and is deemed non-compliant, they can face consequences, including administrative monetary penalties of up to a maximum of $1 million and a temporary or permanent ban from the Program. Without employer-specific work permits, it would be challenging for the Government to know, for Program integrity and worker protection purposes, which employers are employing foreign workers at any given time and at what locations they are working.In 2022-23, the Department completed over 2,100 inspections. Through these inspections, 1,014 employers were found compliant, 1,015 were found compliant with justification, and 116 were found non-compliant.In situations where the Department is made aware of serious risk to the health and safety of foreign workers, the TFW Program works closely with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), other federal stakeholders, and provinces and territories (PTs) to help resolve these situations.The TFW Program is a complex and multi-jurisdictional program where provinces and territories (PTs) are largely responsible for the administration and enforcement of legislation applicable to temporary foreign worker employment standards, occupational health and safety, and recruitment and housing standards; except under sectors covered by the federal Labour Code. The federal government is working closely with PTs and stakeholders to facilitate collaboration across jurisdictions and obtain greater assurance that PT standards are met, while implementing federal policies aimed at protecting temporary foreign workers.The goal of the TFW Program is to support employers in addressing labour shortages in Canada’s competitive economy, while seeking to protect temporary foreign workers during their stay in Canada. Employer-specific work permits remain an important feature of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program and Canada’s immigration system.Eliminating employer-specific work permits would represent a fundamental shift in the operation of the program, and the government is taking a cautious approach to what a sector specific work permit system might look like. For example, the TFW Program has existing measures under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) Stream, where workers can work for another SAWP employer without having to apply for a new work permit, subject to agreements between the source country, employer, and employee.The Government of Canada will continue to review and develop policies and regulations that promote and safeguard the health and safety of temporary foreign workers when they come to Canada. As part of this effort, and to foster continuous improvement, the TFW Program relies on recommendations and feedback from various sources. In this spirit, the program looks forward to receiving recommendations from the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM).
Employment or employer designated work permitsForeign workers
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01899441-01899 (Foreign affairs)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABNovember 7, 2023January 29, 2024June 16, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas: The people of Pakistan and Pakistani Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about reports of political turmoil and uncertainty in that country; andThe restoration of democracy in Pakistan is in the best interests of Canada, Pakistan, and the international community.Therefore: we, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to use all reasonable avenues of diplomacy to influence the Government of Pakistan to respect fundamental elements of democracy, including free and fair elections, freedom of the press, and judicial independence.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada and Pakistan have a multifaceted bilateral relationship, which dates back to 1947, and is underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties.The Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation, including in the lead up to general elections announced for February 8, 2024. Canada supports free, fair, and inclusive electoral process and condemns any use of violence for political goals.Canada considers diplomacy, advocacy, and programming activities to be among the most effective ways of promoting democracy, human rights, and respect for the rule of law in Pakistan. In fact, the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for Canada’s engagement in Pakistan. Canada continues to advance an inclusive approach to democracy, one that allows people to participate in decision-making processes and institutions that impact all areas of their lives.Canada undertakes a variety of efforts to advance these foreign policy priorities. For example, Canadian officials, in Ottawa and at Canada’s High Commission in Islamabad, regularly raise these topics with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Canadian officials engage in a variety of fora with the aim of supporting human rights defenders and standing by civil society organizations at the forefront of protecting democratic principles. Canada also supports civil society in Pakistan through its Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides funding for locally implemented projects. Among the core themes of CFLI projects in Pakistan for 2024 is supporting civil society organizations working to advance inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law. Global Affairs Canada is also funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan, which support women’s political participation and leadership, improve the accountability of democratic processes, and increase the capacity of government institutions, with an investment of $21 million over five years.More broadly, Canada and Pakistan have a multifaceted and constructive bilateral relationship underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties. The two countries remain committed to working together on common interests such as enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade relations, advancing gender equality and promoting regional security and stability. Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic principles. The government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights and free and fair elections, on an ongoing basis.The promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law will remain key priorities for Canada’s engagement around the world.
DemocracyForeign policyPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4414e-4414 (Health)KarenTompkinsChrisLewisEssexConservativeONMay 3, 2023, at 9:51 a.m. (EDT)August 31, 2023, at 9:51 a.m. (EDT)November 7, 2023January 29, 2024September 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:1 in 10 Canadians have a rare disease and face immense challenges in getting the appropriate care to survive and get better;1 in 15 babies in Canada are born with a rare disease and nearly a third will die before their fifth birthday;The Government of Canada announced an investment of up to $1.5 billion over 3 years as part of the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases (NSDRD) to help improve access to new, emerging and existing drugs, early diagnosis and screening for rare diseases;Global jurisdictions, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia have exemplary NSDRDs that we can learn from; andThe Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD) has and will continue to work with governments across Canada to build a comprehensive rare disease strategy that supports patients, including centres of expertise, access to medicine and investment in research.We, the undersigned, Canadians affected by rare disorders, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Implement the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases (NSDRD) to help patients access the treatments they need; 2. Work with the provinces to ensure immediate access to rare disease medicine currently available in Canada; 3. Extend the funding for rare disease medicine as part of the NSDRD, indefinitely; 4. Ensure that CORD and the Regroupement québécois des maladies orphelines (RQMO) are key partners in discussions on the implementation of the NSDRD; and 5. Build out the NSDRD to include centres of expertise so that the new funding for medicine contributes to better care for all Canadians with rare diseases.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes the importance of improving access to affordable and effective drugs for rare diseases (DRD). This is why the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases (the Strategy) was announced by the previous Minister of Health on March 22 2023, and has since been pushed toward implementation. The announcement outlined measures in support of the Strategy with an investment of up to $1.5 billion over three years.The Government of Canada recognizes that access to DRD is essential to ensuring better health outcomes for Canadians affected by rare diseases. The largest portion of this overall investment – up to $1.4 billion – is earmarked for provinces and territories to support 3-year bilateral agreements that will improve access to new and emerging drugs, as well as support enhanced access to existing drugs, early diagnosis, and screening for rare diseases. We have been working with willing provinces and territories since March of 2023 to establish a small set of new and emerging DRD that would be cost-shared and covered in a consistent way across the country, as a critical next step to advance the development of these bilateral agreements.The rest of the Strategy funding is designed to both reinforce and magnify the impact of the provincial and territorial bilateral agreements and deliver improvements that will benefit all rare disease patients over the medium to long term. That is why the Government of Canada has provided $20M over three years to the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) and the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) to support the collection and use of real-world evidence to support decision-making, as well as patient registries. CADTH and CIHI are making progress on key activities to support decision-making across the pharmaceutical lifecycle.As well, the Strategy provides $32 million over five years to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to advance a rare disease research agenda, developing better diagnostic tools and establishing a robust Canadian rare disease clinical trials network. Four funding opportunities were launched between June and August 2023, and funding is expected to start flowing for the largest project in January 2024, with remaining three projects beginning funding in April 2024. We know that this work will help more Canadians have access to the information they need regarding rare diseases as well as effective treatment for these illnesses.The input and participation of patient groups such as the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD) and the Regroupement québécois des maladies orphelines (RQMO) was invaluable throughout the engagement process during the development phase of the Strategy. To continue this important dialogue with rare disease patients, those delivering care, and those seeking to improve care, an Implementation Advisory Group (IAG) was launched on October 26, 2023. One of the IAG co-Chairs this year is the former (founding) President of the RRQMO, and CORD is also a member. The IAG will provide patient-centered advice to Health Canada and other health system partners on the implementation of the Strategy and be a forum to exchange information and best practices on DRD. Provincial and territorial representatives and other organizations are also present as observers during meetings of the IAG, giving them an opportunity to hear directly from the rare disease community. Canadians can access information regarding the IAG on Health Canada’s website.Making significant changes in the complex pharmaceuticals management system takes time. We are currently in the first stage of implementation. Over the longer term, lessons learned from this initial phase will inform future phases of the Strategy that will deliver the ongoing funding identified in Budget 2019 to help Canadians with rare diseases access the drugs they need.The Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces, territories, and key partners to deliver on these improvements so those living with rare diseases can have better health outcomes and access to cutting-edge treatment options.
National Strategy for Drugs for Rare DiseasesPharmacareRare and orphan diseases
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01897441-01897 (Civil and human rights)WarrenSteinleyRegina—LewvanConservativeSKNovember 7, 2023January 29, 2024October 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Freedom of choice in health care is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada;It is a fundamental right for individuals to be able to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own bodies;Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness or how they will address illness or injury in their own bodies; andCanadians are competent and able to make their own health decisions without State interference.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the Charter of Health Freedom drafted for the Natural Health Product Protection Association on September 4, 2008.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Civil and human rightsHealth
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01890441-01890 (Civil and human rights)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 6, 2023January 29, 2024November 1, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Canada has a tradition of respecting, honoring, and affirming the role of faith traditions in the Canadian Armed Forces;
  • The Canadian Armed Forces Chaplaincy program contributes to the health, morale, and spiritual wellbeing of servicemen and women from all faith and non-faith backgrounds; and
  • The Liberal government undermines the rights and freedoms of all servicemen and women by prohibiting diverse religious expression.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Affirm that the Canadian Armed Forces ought to be free to support servicemen and women through public prayer in keeping with the hard-won and honourable traditions of the Canadian Armed Forces, such as and especially on Remembrance Day.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France LalondeThe Defence Team deeply values the work of military chaplains to support Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, and we will continue to build a diverse, inclusive military that attracts and retains talented people, as well as a chaplaincy that reflects the diversity of spiritual and faith beliefs of Canada and supports both the free expression of religious belief and the right of military members not to express a religious belief.The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service holds deep respect for the diverse religious and spiritual belief systems and practices of serving and retired CAF members, their families and Canadians. As such, CAF chaplains prioritize cultivating inclusive environments where all can feel welcome at ceremonies and events in which chaplains participate or offer leadership. This is why prayer and other faith-specific language that may be offered by CAF chaplains is very much subject to the context, participants and intended nature of the gathering or ceremony in which they are participating, including whether the ceremony or event is secular or non-secular in nature, open to the public at large, or private.With respect to Remembrance Day, specifically, most important to the Chaplain General is maintaining the focus on honouring the sacrifice of all who have gone before us in service to Canada, and to offer thanksgiving for their service and sacrifice. It is paramount that chaplains continue to offer words of remembrance, encouragement, and hope to CAF members and their families.
Canadian Armed ForcesFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024e-4497e-4497 (Employment and labour)LucaSalvadorHon.TimUppalEdmonton Mill WoodsConservativeABJune 23, 2023, at 5:52 p.m. (EDT)July 23, 2023, at 5:52 p.m. (EDT)November 6, 2023January 29, 2024July 25, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:There is a shortage of dentists in Canada, but there are enough internationally trained dentists (ITDs) currently residing in Canada to fulfill the shortage;Dental licensing is overseen by provincial regulators, who outsource the same to a national licensing body, the National Dental Examining Board (NDEB);While the licensing process and examinations are straightforward, ITDs have to complete an equivalency process to become eligible to sit through the licensing examination; andUnlike other healthcare professions, the equivalency process forms the key barrier for ITDs to practice in Canada, as it takes three to five years on average and can cost up to $50,000.We, the undersigned, members of the Internationally Trained Dentists Association of Canada, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Recognize that the equivalency process conducted by the National Dental Examining Board (NDEB) is excessively burdensome and demanding in terms of time and costs involved;2) Recognize that apathy and inefficient decisions made by the NDEB has directly impacted over 2000 ITDs, leaving them unable to work in their profession and heavily in debt; and3) Work with, and request through the provinces and territories that the NDEB review its equivalency process examinations, service standards, release of results, methods of evaluation, overall passing standards and audits of procedural and financial documentation.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandDental care is an integral part of overall health. Unfortunately, far too many Canadians have little access to dental care for a number of reasons, including costs of accessing care and healthcare personnel shortages.The Government of Canada is committed to improving access by decreasing dental care costs. On December 1, 2022, we launched the Canada Dental Benefit, which provides direct payments to eligible applicants of up to $650 per child under 12 years of age and up to $1,300 over two years. To date, close to 395,000 Canadian children have benefited from the Canada Dental Benefit.Efforts are also underway to expand dental care to other population groups through the long-term Canadian Dental Care Plan and its complementary Oral Health Access Fund. Budget 2023 announced $13.1 billion over five years, and $4.4 billion ongoing for the Plan, enabling all eligible Canadians with family incomes under $90,000 to access dental care, with no co-pays for those earning under $70,000. The Oral Health Access Fund will provide targeted investments to address oral health gaps among vulnerable populations and reduce barriers to accessing care, including in rural and remote communities. All of these measures are crucial steps to increasing access to dental care and improving the oral health of all Canadians.With regards to improving access through addressing healthcare personnel shortages in the dental care sector, the Federal Government has a more limited role due to jurisdictional issues. Section 4(1) of the Department of Health Act sets out the powers and authorities of the Minister of Health, which do not extend to matters assigned by law to other departments, boards or agencies of the Government of Canada. The National Dental Examining Board of Canada is a federally incorporated board enacted through the Parliament of Canada that does not report to any federal entity, given that its jurisdiction over licensing and the practice of medical professionals is under provincial and territorial jurisdiction. As such, we are not in a position to direct the National Dental Examination Board of Canada, and would encourage the petition writers to write directly to the National Dental Examination Board of Canada with their concerns. They can be reached by email at info@ndeb-bned.ca or by phone at 613-236-5912.
CredentialsDentistry and dentistsImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01878441-01878 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandVision care is beneficial through all stages of life. Healthy vision is important for young children’s development, and helps to make many careers and activities of daily life easier. As people age, maintaining good eye health can reduce the odds of facing blindness and vision loss, as well as improve outcomes associated with eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.Vision loss in Canada can be caused by several common eye diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. According to a report from Deloitte and the Canadian Council of the Blind, more than eight million Canadians had a common eye disease in 2019 and were at serious risk of losing their vision. More than 1 in 10 older adults had some degree of vision loss.Regular eye exams can identify early issues with eye health and also screen for a range of health conditions including high blood pressures, diabetes, macular degeneration, and various blood diseases.While provinces and territories have primary jurisdiction in the administration and delivery of health care services, the federal health portfolio is leading and supporting a range of activities related to eye disease prevention and treatment.The Government of Canada is committed to investing in our health care system and supporting provinces and territories in delivering better health care for Canadians. The 2023 Federal Budget committed close to $200 billion over ten years in health funding to provinces and territories. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding, $25 billion of which has been designated to address four shared health priorities:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernizing the health care system with standardized health data and digital tools.
This funding builds on the 2017 investment of $11 billion over ten years to help provinces and territories improve home and community care, and mental health, and $3 billion to strengthen long-term care from Budget 2021. Addressing health workforce shortages and surgical backlogs, including for vision-related surgeries, is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan for the health care system. Budget 2023 included a $2 billion one-time top-up to provinces and territories to address urgent pressures in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and pediatric hospitals.Indigenous Services Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits Program also provides vision care to eligible First Nations and Inuit beneficiaries where not otherwise covered by other plans or programs. The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program’s vision care coverage includes eye exams, corrective eyewear, and eyeglass repairs.The Government of Canada recognizes that supporting research is key to a fulsome understanding of eye health, including how to prevent vision loss. Since 2018, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested approximately $61 million in vision-related research. This research spans the spectrum of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of various vision-related conditions.Health Canada also regulates drugs and medical devices, including those intended to be used for eye diseases and conditions. Where warranted, Health Canada has existing expedited review pathways that can be used to facilitate quicker access to health products that treat, prevent, or diagnose serious or life-threatening disease and conditions. Health Canada is also working closely with key stakeholders to identify and mitigate critical shortages of ophthalmic products when they occur.Finally, the Government of Canada is committed to the prevention and treatment of eye disease, and fully supports Canada’s public health system, which provides coverage for any vision care service that must be performed in a hospital.Private Member’s Bill C-284 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01877441-01877 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandVision care is beneficial through all stages of life. Healthy vision is important for young children’s development, and helps to make many careers and activities of daily life easier. As people age, maintaining good eye health can reduce the odds of facing blindness and vision loss, as well as improve outcomes associated with eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.Vision loss in Canada can be caused by several common eye diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. According to a report from Deloitte and the Canadian Council of the Blind, more than eight million Canadians had a common eye disease in 2019 and were at serious risk of losing their vision. More than 1 in 10 older adults had some degree of vision loss.Regular eye exams can identify early issues with eye health and also screen for a range of health conditions including high blood pressures, diabetes, macular degeneration, and various blood diseases.While provinces and territories have primary jurisdiction in the administration and delivery of health care services, the federal health portfolio is leading and supporting a range of activities related to eye disease prevention and treatment.The Government of Canada is committed to investing in our health care system and supporting provinces and territories in delivering better health care for Canadians. The 2023 Federal Budget committed close to $200 billion over ten years in health funding to provinces and territories. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding, $25 billion of which has been designated to address four shared health priorities:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernizing the health care system with standardized health data and digital tools.
This funding builds on the 2017 investment of $11 billion over ten years to help provinces and territories improve home and community care, and mental health, and $3 billion to strengthen long-term care from Budget 2021. Addressing health workforce shortages and surgical backlogs, including for vision-related surgeries, is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan for the health care system. Budget 2023 included a $2 billion one-time top-up to provinces and territories to address urgent pressures in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and pediatric hospitals.Indigenous Services Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits Program also provides vision care to eligible First Nations and Inuit beneficiaries where not otherwise covered by other plans or programs. The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program’s vision care coverage includes eye exams, corrective eyewear, and eyeglass repairs.The Government of Canada recognizes that supporting research is key to a fulsome understanding of eye health, including how to prevent vision loss. Since 2018, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested approximately $61 million in vision-related research. This research spans the spectrum of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of various vision-related conditions.Health Canada also regulates drugs and medical devices, including those intended to be used for eye diseases and conditions. Where warranted, Health Canada has existing expedited review pathways that can be used to facilitate quicker access to health products that treat, prevent, or diagnose serious or life-threatening disease and conditions. Health Canada is also working closely with key stakeholders to identify and mitigate critical shortages of ophthalmic products when they occur.Finally, the Government of Canada is committed to the prevention and treatment of eye disease, and fully supports Canada’s public health system, which provides coverage for any vision care service that must be performed in a hospital.Private Member’s Bill C-284 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01876441-01876 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandVision care is beneficial through all stages of life. Healthy vision is important for young children’s development, and helps to make many careers and activities of daily life easier. As people age, maintaining good eye health can reduce the odds of facing blindness and vision loss, as well as improve outcomes associated with eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.Vision loss in Canada can be caused by several common eye diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. According to a report from Deloitte and the Canadian Council of the Blind, more than eight million Canadians had a common eye disease in 2019 and were at serious risk of losing their vision. More than 1 in 10 older adults had some degree of vision loss.Regular eye exams can identify early issues with eye health and also screen for a range of health conditions including high blood pressures, diabetes, macular degeneration, and various blood diseases.While provinces and territories have primary jurisdiction in the administration and delivery of health care services, the federal health portfolio is leading and supporting a range of activities related to eye disease prevention and treatment.The Government of Canada is committed to investing in our health care system and supporting provinces and territories in delivering better health care for Canadians. The 2023 Federal Budget committed close to $200 billion over ten years in health funding to provinces and territories. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding, $25 billion of which has been designated to address four shared health priorities:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernizing the health care system with standardized health data and digital tools.
This funding builds on the 2017 investment of $11 billion over ten years to help provinces and territories improve home and community care, and mental health, and $3 billion to strengthen long-term care from Budget 2021. Addressing health workforce shortages and surgical backlogs, including for vision-related surgeries, is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan for the health care system. Budget 2023 included a $2 billion one-time top-up to provinces and territories to address urgent pressures in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and pediatric hospitals.Indigenous Services Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits Program also provides vision care to eligible First Nations and Inuit beneficiaries where not otherwise covered by other plans or programs. The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program’s vision care coverage includes eye exams, corrective eyewear, and eyeglass repairs.The Government of Canada recognizes that supporting research is key to a fulsome understanding of eye health, including how to prevent vision loss. Since 2018, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested approximately $61 million in vision-related research. This research spans the spectrum of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of various vision-related conditions.Health Canada also regulates drugs and medical devices, including those intended to be used for eye diseases and conditions. Where warranted, Health Canada has existing expedited review pathways that can be used to facilitate quicker access to health products that treat, prevent, or diagnose serious or life-threatening disease and conditions. Health Canada is also working closely with key stakeholders to identify and mitigate critical shortages of ophthalmic products when they occur.Finally, the Government of Canada is committed to the prevention and treatment of eye disease, and fully supports Canada’s public health system, which provides coverage for any vision care service that must be performed in a hospital.Private Member’s Bill C-284 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01875441-01875 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandVision care is beneficial through all stages of life. Healthy vision is important for young children’s development, and helps to make many careers and activities of daily life easier. As people age, maintaining good eye health can reduce the odds of facing blindness and vision loss, as well as improve outcomes associated with eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.Vision loss in Canada can be caused by several common eye diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. According to a report from Deloitte and the Canadian Council of the Blind, more than eight million Canadians had a common eye disease in 2019 and were at serious risk of losing their vision. More than 1 in 10 older adults had some degree of vision loss.Regular eye exams can identify early issues with eye health and also screen for a range of health conditions including high blood pressures, diabetes, macular degeneration, and various blood diseases.While provinces and territories have primary jurisdiction in the administration and delivery of health care services, the federal health portfolio is leading and supporting a range of activities related to eye disease prevention and treatment.The Government of Canada is committed to investing in our health care system and supporting provinces and territories in delivering better health care for Canadians. The 2023 Federal Budget committed close to $200 billion over ten years in health funding to provinces and territories. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding, $25 billion of which has been designated to address four shared health priorities:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernizing the health care system with standardized health data and digital tools.
This funding builds on the 2017 investment of $11 billion over ten years to help provinces and territories improve home and community care, and mental health, and $3 billion to strengthen long-term care from Budget 2021. Addressing health workforce shortages and surgical backlogs, including for vision-related surgeries, is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan for the health care system. Budget 2023 included a $2 billion one-time top-up to provinces and territories to address urgent pressures in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and pediatric hospitals.Indigenous Services Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits Program also provides vision care to eligible First Nations and Inuit beneficiaries where not otherwise covered by other plans or programs. The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program’s vision care coverage includes eye exams, corrective eyewear, and eyeglass repairs.The Government of Canada recognizes that supporting research is key to a fulsome understanding of eye health, including how to prevent vision loss. Since 2018, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested approximately $61 million in vision-related research. This research spans the spectrum of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of various vision-related conditions.Health Canada also regulates drugs and medical devices, including those intended to be used for eye diseases and conditions. Where warranted, Health Canada has existing expedited review pathways that can be used to facilitate quicker access to health products that treat, prevent, or diagnose serious or life-threatening disease and conditions. Health Canada is also working closely with key stakeholders to identify and mitigate critical shortages of ophthalmic products when they occur.Finally, the Government of Canada is committed to the prevention and treatment of eye disease, and fully supports Canada’s public health system, which provides coverage for any vision care service that must be performed in a hospital.Private Member’s Bill C-284 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01874441-01874 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandVision care is beneficial through all stages of life. Healthy vision is important for young children’s development, and helps to make many careers and activities of daily life easier. As people age, maintaining good eye health can reduce the odds of facing blindness and vision loss, as well as improve outcomes associated with eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.Vision loss in Canada can be caused by several common eye diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. According to a report from Deloitte and the Canadian Council of the Blind, more than eight million Canadians had a common eye disease in 2019 and were at serious risk of losing their vision. More than 1 in 10 older adults had some degree of vision loss.Regular eye exams can identify early issues with eye health and also screen for a range of health conditions including high blood pressures, diabetes, macular degeneration, and various blood diseases.While provinces and territories have primary jurisdiction in the administration and delivery of health care services, the federal health portfolio is leading and supporting a range of activities related to eye disease prevention and treatment.The Government of Canada is committed to investing in our health care system and supporting provinces and territories in delivering better health care for Canadians. The 2023 Federal Budget committed close to $200 billion over ten years in health funding to provinces and territories. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding, $25 billion of which has been designated to address four shared health priorities:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernizing the health care system with standardized health data and digital tools.
This funding builds on the 2017 investment of $11 billion over ten years to help provinces and territories improve home and community care, and mental health, and $3 billion to strengthen long-term care from Budget 2021. Addressing health workforce shortages and surgical backlogs, including for vision-related surgeries, is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan for the health care system. Budget 2023 included a $2 billion one-time top-up to provinces and territories to address urgent pressures in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and pediatric hospitals.Indigenous Services Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits Program also provides vision care to eligible First Nations and Inuit beneficiaries where not otherwise covered by other plans or programs. The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program’s vision care coverage includes eye exams, corrective eyewear, and eyeglass repairs.The Government of Canada recognizes that supporting research is key to a fulsome understanding of eye health, including how to prevent vision loss. Since 2018, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested approximately $61 million in vision-related research. This research spans the spectrum of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of various vision-related conditions.Health Canada also regulates drugs and medical devices, including those intended to be used for eye diseases and conditions. Where warranted, Health Canada has existing expedited review pathways that can be used to facilitate quicker access to health products that treat, prevent, or diagnose serious or life-threatening disease and conditions. Health Canada is also working closely with key stakeholders to identify and mitigate critical shortages of ophthalmic products when they occur.Finally, the Government of Canada is committed to the prevention and treatment of eye disease, and fully supports Canada’s public health system, which provides coverage for any vision care service that must be performed in a hospital.Private Member’s Bill C-284 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01873441-01873 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023January 29, 2024October 23, 2023Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandVision care is beneficial through all stages of life. Healthy vision is important for young children’s development, and helps to make many careers and activities of daily life easier. As people age, maintaining good eye health can reduce the odds of facing blindness and vision loss, as well as improve outcomes associated with eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.Vision loss in Canada can be caused by several common eye diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. According to a report from Deloitte and the Canadian Council of the Blind, more than eight million Canadians had a common eye disease in 2019 and were at serious risk of losing their vision. More than 1 in 10 older adults had some degree of vision loss.Regular eye exams can identify early issues with eye health and also screen for a range of health conditions including high blood pressures, diabetes, macular degeneration, and various blood diseases.While provinces and territories have primary jurisdiction in the administration and delivery of health care services, the federal health portfolio is leading and supporting a range of activities related to eye disease prevention and treatment.The Government of Canada is committed to investing in our health care system and supporting provinces and territories in delivering better health care for Canadians. The 2023 Federal Budget committed close to $200 billion over ten years in health funding to provinces and territories. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding, $25 billion of which has been designated to address four shared health priorities:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernizing the health care system with standardized health data and digital tools.
This funding builds on the 2017 investment of $11 billion over ten years to help provinces and territories improve home and community care, and mental health, and $3 billion to strengthen long-term care from Budget 2021. Addressing health workforce shortages and surgical backlogs, including for vision-related surgeries, is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan for the health care system. Budget 2023 included a $2 billion one-time top-up to provinces and territories to address urgent pressures in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and pediatric hospitals.Indigenous Services Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits Program also provides vision care to eligible First Nations and Inuit beneficiaries where not otherwise covered by other plans or programs. The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program’s vision care coverage includes eye exams, corrective eyewear, and eyeglass repairs.The Government of Canada recognizes that supporting research is key to a fulsome understanding of eye health, including how to prevent vision loss. Since 2018, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested approximately $61 million in vision-related research. This research spans the spectrum of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of various vision-related conditions.Health Canada also regulates drugs and medical devices, including those intended to be used for eye diseases and conditions. Where warranted, Health Canada has existing expedited review pathways that can be used to facilitate quicker access to health products that treat, prevent, or diagnose serious or life-threatening disease and conditions. Health Canada is also working closely with key stakeholders to identify and mitigate critical shortages of ophthalmic products when they occur.Finally, the Government of Canada is committed to the prevention and treatment of eye disease, and fully supports Canada’s public health system, which provides coverage for any vision care service that must be performed in a hospital.Private Member’s Bill C-284 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01872441-01872 (Health)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023January 29, 2024October 25, 2023Petition to the House of Commons WHEREAS:
  • Over 8 million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness;
  • 75% of vision losses cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable;
  • Historically, the federal government has lacked any substantive framework on the matter of public eye health care and the current structure has created huge gaps in access to care;
  • Systematic tackling of the issue will improve lives of millions of Canadians; and
  • It is necessary to establish a proper coordination framework between federal and provincial governments, increase capacity, provide sufficient funding for eye care, make vision care more affordable and inclusive, raise awareness of the importance of the vision care.
THEREFORE: we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandVision care is beneficial through all stages of life. Healthy vision is important for young children’s development, and helps to make many careers and activities of daily life easier. As people age, maintaining good eye health can reduce the odds of facing blindness and vision loss, as well as improve outcomes associated with eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.Vision loss in Canada can be caused by several common eye diseases, including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. According to a report from Deloitte and the Canadian Council of the Blind, more than eight million Canadians had a common eye disease in 2019 and were at serious risk of losing their vision. More than 1 in 10 older adults had some degree of vision loss.Regular eye exams can identify early issues with eye health and also screen for a range of health conditions including high blood pressures, diabetes, macular degeneration, and various blood diseases.While provinces and territories have primary jurisdiction in the administration and delivery of health care services, the federal health portfolio is leading and supporting a range of activities related to eye disease prevention and treatment.The Government of Canada is committed to investing in our health care system and supporting provinces and territories in delivering better health care for Canadians. The 2023 Federal Budget committed close to $200 billion over ten years in health funding to provinces and territories. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding, $25 billion of which has been designated to address four shared health priorities:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernizing the health care system with standardized health data and digital tools.
This funding builds on the 2017 investment of $11 billion over ten years to help provinces and territories improve home and community care, and mental health, and $3 billion to strengthen long-term care from Budget 2021. Addressing health workforce shortages and surgical backlogs, including for vision-related surgeries, is a key part of the Government of Canada’s plan for the health care system. Budget 2023 included a $2 billion one-time top-up to provinces and territories to address urgent pressures in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and pediatric hospitals.Indigenous Services Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits Program also provides vision care to eligible First Nations and Inuit beneficiaries where not otherwise covered by other plans or programs. The Non-Insured Health Benefits Program’s vision care coverage includes eye exams, corrective eyewear, and eyeglass repairs.The Government of Canada recognizes that supporting research is key to a fulsome understanding of eye health, including how to prevent vision loss. Since 2018, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research have invested approximately $61 million in vision-related research. This research spans the spectrum of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of various vision-related conditions.Health Canada also regulates drugs and medical devices, including those intended to be used for eye diseases and conditions. Where warranted, Health Canada has existing expedited review pathways that can be used to facilitate quicker access to health products that treat, prevent, or diagnose serious or life-threatening disease and conditions. Health Canada is also working closely with key stakeholders to identify and mitigate critical shortages of ophthalmic products when they occur.Finally, the Government of Canada is committed to the prevention and treatment of eye disease, and fully supports Canada’s public health system, which provides coverage for any vision care service that must be performed in a hospital.Private Member’s Bill C-284 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-284, An Act to establish a national strategy for eye careNational Strategy for Eye CareVision health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 29, 2024441-01867441-01867 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCNovember 2, 2023January 29, 2024February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS: Canada has signed the Paris Agreement; andSignatories to the Paris Agreement are required to "to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels".We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to take bold climate action to ensure that Canada plays its part to avoid runaway climate change and that this action include:1. Setting ambitious targets to lower Canada's emissions in order for Canada to assist in the international goal of avoiding a 1.5°C global average temperature increase above pre-industrial levels; 2. Implementing a national price on carbon;3. Arresting the growth in oil sands expansion;4. Working with the provinces to phase out coal-fired electricity and ending thermal coal exports; and5. Investing in the transition to a prosperous, decarbonized economy.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe science is clear that accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, are necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The economics are clear too – to build a strong, resilient economy for generations to come, we must harness the power of a cleaner future.The Government of Canada recognizes this reality, and since 2015 has taken significant, ambitious steps to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous peoples. Building on this national effort, the Government of Canada released its strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, in December 2020 to deepen emissions reductions across the economy, create new, well-paying jobs, make life more affordable for households, and build a better future.In 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act) provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on these commitments. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Actalso holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve our national targets based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Act,Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target, including a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Measures introduced by the Government of Canada since 2015 include:
  • Bringing into force the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act ensuring that every Canadian jurisdiction has a price on carbon. The price on carbon pollution started at $20 per tonne of emissions in 2019 – and has been rising at a predictable rate of $10 per year to reach $50 in 2022. Starting in 2023, the price will start rising by $15 per year until it reaches $170 per tonne in 2030;
  • Committing to accelerate our G20 commitment to eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies from 2025 to 2023, and develop a plan to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector including by federal Crown corporations;
  • Accelerating the phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation, and positioning the oil and gas sector to cut pollution by working with stakeholders to implement a cap on oil and gas sector emissions;
  • Working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples and others to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Following consultations, the cap will be designed to lower emissions at a pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, reduce oil and gas methane by at least 75% below 2012 levels by 2030, support clean technologies to further decarbonize the sector, and work to create sustainable jobs;
  • Building Canada’s renewable electricity future by continuing to advance the Clean Electricity Standard to enable Canada to achieve at net-zero electricity grid by 2035, and making significant investments to support renewable electricity and grid modernization projects;
  • Helping to reduce energy costs for homes and buildings, and boosting climate resiliency;
  • Driving progress on clean cars and trucks through investments in zero-emission vehicles charging and refueling infrastructure, and the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program;
  • Establishing of the Canadian Centre for Climate Services which provides climate information and support to help Canadians consider climate change in their decisions, including health-related adaptation decisions via the collaborative climate information portal, ClimateData.ca; and,
  • Developing a climate lens to integrate climate considerations throughout Government of Canada decision-making.
The Government of Canada has demonstrated its leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. We understand that accelerated efforts are crucial to reduce emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.   
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada recognizes that we cannot lose focus on the growing threat that climate change presents to the planet and to the health and livelihoods of all Canadians. In 2021, the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act enshrined in legislation the Government’s commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Act also establishes the 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target as Canada’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, which is currently an emissions reduction target of 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.As an early deliverable under this legislation, Canada released the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps to Clean Air and a Strong Economy (ERP) in March 2022. The plan is a sector-by-sector roadmap that lays out the measures Canada will take to reduce its emissions by at least 40% below 2005 levels by 2030, and puts in place the building blocks to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories, and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.The Government of Canada is helping to lead the energy transition by investing $120 billion since 2016 in climate action and clean growth. This includes substantial investments in clean energy, modern electricity grids and greater energy efficiency – all of which will drive economic prosperity and good jobs. Some of the government’s foundational investments include the $15 billion Canada Growth Fund to incentivize private sector projects and companies that will grow Canada’s clean economy; the $8 billion Net Zero Accelerator to secure large-scale investments in clean technologies; and the $4.2 billion Low Carbon Economy Fund to help provinces and territories, businesses, Indigenous communities, and other organizations install emission-reducing technologies.Budget 2023 laid out the next steps and key investments in Canada’s transition to a clean economy, securing Canada's competitive advantage. More specifically, the Budget proposed a suite of new investment tax credits for strategic industries such as clean electricity, clean technology manufacturing, and clean hydrogen, as well as enhancements to existing tax credits for areas such as clean technology and carbon capture, utilization and storage. In addition to these private sector incentives, Budget 2023 also announced that the Canada Infrastructure Bank will invest at least $20 billion to support the building of major clean electricity and clean growth infrastructure projects.To enhance long-term certainty, the Government has ensured it is no longer free to pollute anywhere in Canada by establishing a Pan-Canadian approach to pricing carbon pollution since 2019. With this approach we are fighting climate change by reducing emissions while putting more money in the pockets of Canadian families.The Government of Canada recognizes that reducing emissions from the oil and gas sector is necessary to mitigate the impacts of climate change. To support a sustainable transition to a net-zero economy by 2050 and contribute toward Canada’s 2030 emission reduction target, the Government committed to develop a cap on oil and gas sector emissions that is ambitious, yet achievable, and promotes investment in emissions reducing technologies while supporting the economic developments of regional economies. Canada has also committed to at least a 75% reduction in methane emissions from its oil and gas sector from 2012 levels by 2030. Many producers in Canada’s oil and gas sector, including the top oil sands producers, have also made their own net-zero commitments. Companies are actively investing in developing and deploying emissions reducing technologies, services, and products. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future and a stronger economy, poised to seize low-carbon opportunities.The Government of Canada has committed to achieve a net-zero electricity system by 2035 and, on August 10, 2023, introduced draft Clean Electricity Regulations to provide a clear regulatory signal toward that end (final regulations are expected in 2024). Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation is essential to decarbonize the economy, and will enable reductions in other sectors, such as transportation and buildings. The Government of Canada is providing $4.5 billion until 2035 to the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program to support smart renewable energy and electric grid modernization projects, and $250 million to support pre-development activities for clean electricity projects of national significance such as inter-provincial electricity transmission projects and small modular reactors. The Government is also investing over $500 million to support projects that reduce reliance on diesel fuel, support renewables, increase energy efficiency, and build capacity in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. Canada is operating from a strong starting point, as roughly 82% of our electricity already comes from non-emitting sources such as hydroelectricity, wind, solar, and nuclear power.In December 2018, Canada implemented regulations to accelerate the phase-out of conventional unabated coal-fired electricity generation by 2030.  Canada is also demonstrating international leadership on phasing out thermal coal. To advance the goals of the Paris Agreement, Canada is co-leading the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), alongside the United Kingdom. With over 165 members, the PPCA is the world’s leading coalition of stakeholders seeking to accelerate clean growth and climate protection through the rapid phase-out of unabated coal power-generation. In addition, Canada announced at COP26 in November 2021 that it is working to end thermal coal exports from and through Canada by 2030. Canada would be the first country in the world to ban thermal coal exports on the basis of environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  After two years of public consultations with a range of stakeholders, the Government of Canada released its interim Sustainable Jobs Plan for 2023-2025 in February 2023, outlining 10 key action areas where federal measures could help advance significant economic opportunities that create good jobs for Canadians across the country while driving prosperity and competitiveness on our way to net-zero emissions by 2050. In June 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, which would establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. If passed, the bill would require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Amid this concerted action, the government also launched Regional Energy and Resource Tables to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, experts, labour organizations and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada to realize a comparative advantage in a net-zero economy.Canada has what it takes to thrive in a low-carbon world. While transforming Canada’s energy systems will take time, the Government remains committed to delivering bold action to decarbonize its energy and natural resources sectors and build a cleaner, more prosperous economy that works for everyone.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable François-Philippe ChampagneThe government is committed to helping to ensure that Canada is positioned to both deliver on its ambitious emissions reductions obligations under the Paris Agreement and to seize the opportunities presented by a growing net-zero global economy. These commitments are reflected in a range of federal measures, including over $100 billion in earmarked investments since 2016, aimed at driving down emissions and supporting long-term, inclusive economic growth that benefits all Canadians.A net-zero emissions world will only be attainable if Canada is able to develop, commercialize and deploy clean technologies on a large-scale. To that end, an array of federal programs are available to support clean technologies across the innovation spectrum.To incent more business investment in research and development (R&D) that will generate new and improved, globally competitive products, processes, and services, including those needed to reach net-zero, the government has approximately 41 clean technology funding programs spread across 19 government organizations.  These programs provide integrated support, including flexible funding, to help Canadian businesses across all sectors and regions become more innovative and productive.The Government of Canada is helping innovators manage and create value from their innovations through investments like the Innovation Asset Collective, an independent, membership-based not-for-profit that assist Canadian businesses in the data driven cleantech sector with their intellectual property needs.Canada’s plan for a clean economy rests on a foundation of market-driven approaches, namely carbon pricing and Clean Fuels Regulations. The carbon pricing system provides a clear economic signal to businesses and allows them the flexibility to find the most cost-effective way to lower their emissions. The system creates large-emitter credit markets, which Budget 2023 proposed to reinforce with other tools, such as contracts for difference. An anchor regime of five investment tax credits will attract investments in electricity, hydrogen, clean technology (including to attract investments in critical minerals, nuclear energy equipment, energy storage, and zero emissions vehicles) and carbon capture and storage and is complemented by strategic financing from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and the Canada Growth Fund and more targeted programming like the Strategic Innovation Fund and the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program.The Strategic Innovation Fund has contributed over $7.3 billion to 37 projects representing total investments of over $51 billion in the Canadian economy to support the transition to a prosperous decarbonized economy.The new $15 billion Canada Growth Fund offers a flexible suite of investment tools tailored to project- and company-specific needs and risks, with view to de-risk and attract private investment that will contribute to: (1) reducing emissions; (2) diversifying our economy and bolstering our exports through investments in the growth of low-carbon industries and technologies across both new and traditional sectors of Canada’s industrial base; and (3) supporting the restructuring of critical supply chains in areas important to Canada’s future prosperity.The Government of Canada is also fostering partnerships that will strengthen clean technology innovation and adoption. Canada’s Global Innovation Clusters is an initiative of Innovation Canada, with industry leadership and co-investment, aimed at building collaborative innovation ecosystems in key sectors. The Clusters aim to attract investment and talent to Canada, help Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises scale up and integrate into global value chains, build resilient supply chains, and fight climate change. SIF also delivers funding that supports national innovation ecosystems that promote business R&D, technology demonstration, and commercialization.Collectively, federal supports for clean technology and businesses complement one another, ensuring businesses have seamless access to support and financing for innovation, commercialization, scale-up and growth.Importantly, the Government of Canada also recognizes that workers must be at the heart of the country’s efforts to transition to net zero. Building on our government’s previous investments in jobs and skills training, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement introduced $250 million over five years for new measures to help Canadian workers thrive in a changing global economy, including a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre. Natural Resources Canada also released an interim Sustainable Jobs Plan to enable the creation of good, middle class jobs across Canada.Through continued engagement, partnerships, strategic policies, and thoughtful investments in clean technology businesses, large-scale decarbonization and workers across the country, the Government of Canada will continue advance its commitments to decarbonize and grow a resilient and prosperous economy, in which no worker or region has been left behind.
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 29, 2024e-4765e-4765 (Foreign affairs)MichaelLawsonHeatherMcPhersonEdmonton StrathconaNDPABJanuary 29, 2024, at 11:52 a.m. (EDT)March 29, 2024, at 11:52 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:More than five million people are estimated to be internally displaced in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as a result of violence and a resurgent, multi-faceted conflict;The inadequate response of the international humanitarian sector, including donor countries like Canada, to this emergency has left people across the Congolese provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri exposed to disease outbreaks and continued violence – including alarming levels of sexual violence targeting women and children;More than 400,000 people who have been displaced in North Kivu alone have sought refuge at various camps around Goma, the provincial capital, and the nearby town of Sake, where living conditions are dire and humanitarian services are insufficient despite the proximity of many international humanitarian agencies; andCanada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy compels Canada’s government to prioritize the needs of women and girls affected by humanitarian crises more generally, and to mitigate the human impact of sexual and gender-based violence more specifically.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Increase Canada’s international humanitarian assistance budget for Democratic Republic of Congo in 2024, so that additional funds can be allocated in response to the acute crisis taking place in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, without reallocating funding from other urgent needs in the country; and2. Use all Canada’s available diplomatic and political tools (including its Feminist International Assistance Policy) to help alleviate the suffering of those affected by this crisis.Democratic Republic of the CongoHumanitarian assistance and workers44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 29, 2024e-4746e-4746 (Social affairs and equality)AlexanderCarterJulieDzerowiczDavenportLiberalONJanuary 29, 2024, at 11:43 a.m. (EDT)April 28, 2024, at 11:43 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Prince Edward Island has brought forward a Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI) proposal that is supported by the provincial government and would serve as an ideal model for evaluating potential GBI programmes and funding mechanisms;Due to the changing geopolitical landscape, today’s world is highly unpredictable and unstable. The world of work is also changing with the rise of automation, artificial intelligence, and other technologies; andIn order to look at how best to modernize our social safety net to better support Canadians in the 21st century.We, the undersigned, Canadians supporting GBI, call upon the Government of Canada to implement a national framework for GBI that tests various funding and implementation models and their effects on poverty, inequality, innovation and labour productivity.Guaranteed annual income44th Parliament220CertifiedJanuary 25, 2024e-4653e-4653 (Citizenship and immigration)NarinaAliterLena MetlegeDiabHalifax WestLiberalNSOctober 26, 2023, at 3:48 p.m. (EDT)January 24, 2024, at 3:48 p.m. (EDT)January 25, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:In September 2020 Azerbaijani forces conducted a large-scale invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh;Since September 2020 up to present days Azerbaijan has committed multiple crimes against peace, crimes against humanity and war crimes against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh;On December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan imposed an extended blockade on the Lachin Corridor, a vital lifeline connecting Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia, causing a man-made humanitarian crisis by halting essential supplies, including food and critical medical aid, to 120,000 people;On September 19, 2023, after 9 months of unprecedented blockade, Azerbaijan launched another large-scale attack against the malnourished and repressed people of Nagorno-Karabakh, trying to accomplish their long-term agenda of the ethnic cleansing of indigenous Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh;More than 100,000 people, including 30,000 children, 20,000 elderly citizens, and 9,000 people with disabilities, were forced to flee Nagorno-Karabakh; andArmenia grapples with significant challenges in accommodating over 100,000 displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh, given the country’s limited economic opportunities, and facing constraints in employment opportunities, housing options, infrastructure, and the persistent threat of military actions and aggression.We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Provide emergency travel authorization to the indigenous people of Nagorno-Karabakh, offer them and their family members free, extended temporary status, and allow them to work, study, and stay in Canada until it is safe for them to return home;2. Waive the regular requirements associated with a standard visitor visa or work permit for these individuals and their immediate families; and3. Prioritize and fast-track such applications.Nagorno-KarabakhPassports and visasTemporary resident status44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 24, 2024e-4734e-4734 (Health)SameerMurjiStephenEllisCumberland—ColchesterConservativeNSJanuary 24, 2024, at 3:58 p.m. (EDT)April 23, 2024, at 3:58 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="300010" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Health</Addressee>Whereas:On July 18, 2023, under the Natural Health Product Regulations, Health Canada gave approval to a sister company of Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd. for flavoured nicotine pouches to be sold;In October 2023 Imperial Tobacco began selling nicotine pouches in Canada, using flavours Berry Frost, Chill Mint and Tropic Breeze;It is completely legal for retailers to sell these nicotine pouches to children of any age;Imperial Tobacco is promoting these nicotine pouches using lifestyle advertising, and in places where youth are exposed such as convenience stores, Tik Tok, and other social media platforms;The increase in exposure to nicotine-based products has shown the susceptibility of youth to grow addicted to current nicotine products and new ones such as nicotine pouches which are currently trending in Canada;These are oral products that do not release visible smoke like cigarettes and vapes, making them undetectable by any smoke sensors and harder for parents and teachers to catch. This will entice youths to use these more frequently compared to cigarettes and vapes; andNicotine is a highly addictive drug.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to protect youth by immediately taking action on nicotine pouches, by requiring that nicotine pouches either be sold on a prescription-only basis or that their sale be temporarily suspended until proper regulations are in place; and that no other new nicotine products be approved by Health Canada, except on a prescription-only basis, until adequate regulations are in place.NicotinePublic healthYoung people44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 23, 2024e-4767e-4767 (Public safety)AlinaDurhamMarkStrahlChilliwack—HopeConservativeBCJanuary 23, 2024, at 10:08 a.m. (EDT)May 22, 2024, at 10:08 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The number of missing persons who went missing in Canada in 2022 rose over the previous year by 9%;Of the 64,727 persons reporting missing that year, 33,393 were adults; andA gap exists in Canada's missing persons protocol with Amber Alerts only issued if the victim is under the age of 18.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to support motion M-89 which calls on the federal government to work with the provinces and territories to expand protections for victims of crime over the age of 18, by amending the criteria for the activation of an Amber Alert for missing persons so that it may be activated by authorized users within law enforcement agencies when all of the following are met:(a) police have reasonable grounds to believe that the victim has been abducted;(b) police have reasonable grounds to believe victim is in imminent danger;(c) police have obtained enough descriptive information about the victim, abductor or the vehicle involved; and(d) police believe that the alert can be issued in a time frame that will provide a reasonable expectation that the victim can be returned or the abductor apprehended.AbductionAMBER Alert ProgramFederal-provincial-territorial relations44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 22, 2024e-4770e-4770 (Public safety)KennethDennisTakoVan PoptaLangley—AldergroveConservativeBCJanuary 22, 2024, at 10:43 a.m. (EDT)May 21, 2024, at 10:43 a.m. (EDT)Petition to <Addressee type="5" affiliationId="278480" mp-riding-display="1"> the Member of Parliament for Langley—Aldergrove</Addressee>Whereas:Since 2014, violent crime has increased by 38%, gang-related homicides have increased by 126%, and increasing acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;Regulations regarding the use of drugs in public settings are lacking;Prolific and repeat offenders continue to have an outsized negative impact on communities, businesses and citizens;Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government’s lack of action in addressing crime; andThe RCMP should be granted the resources to effectively address rising crime.We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising crime rate in Canada;2. Work with provincial and municipal governments to create stricter regulations on open drug use;3. Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada; and4. Work with provincial governments and others in the justice system to properly address recidivism and repeat/prolific offenders.Crime preventionCrime rate44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 22, 2024e-4769e-4769 (Media and telecommunications)ChrisAlemanyGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJanuary 22, 2024, at 10:43 a.m. (EDT)April 21, 2024, at 10:43 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Members of all parties in the House of Commons, members of the Senate, and all officers of Parliament have a common interest and duty in communicating reliably with the people of Canada in trusted, resilient, and innovative ways;Traditional social media spaces have become sources of considerable controversy, harassment, misinformation, and strife but free, decentralized and federated alternatives are emerging;Parliament already provides a comprehensive suite of technical services such as email and web streaming to connect the people of Canada to their Parliament;Government, academic, corporate and individual entities around the world are creating their own social media presence using these same emerging technologies; andParliament should own and control its communications infrastructure to ensure the ability of the public servants within its walls to fulfill their mandates and reach every Canadian in an equitable and easy way because as renowned Canadian Media Studies Philosopher Marshall Mcluhan said, the medium is the message.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to enact policy and dedicate budgetary resources to enable the Parliament of Canada to provide an open, trusted, federated, social media presence for use by all members, senators, officers and other employees of Parliament as appropriate for communication to all Canadians.Information disseminationParliament of CanadaSocial networking sites44th Parliament229Not certifiedJanuary 17, 2024e-4570e-4570 (Public safety)CherylSullimanChrisBittleSt. CatharinesLiberalONSeptember 19, 2023, at 1:52 p.m. (EDT)January 17, 2024, at 1:52 p.m. (EDT)January 17, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Freedom from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation has long been recognized in Canada as a human right, as contained in provincial human rights codes and the Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms:This human right is to be enjoyed by millions of Canadian citizens in a free and democratic society; andNotwithstanding the foregoing facts, discrimination and hate speech continue to proliferate across Canada against the gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, two spirited, and gender diverse community, culminating in murder and other acts of hatred and violence that continue to be perpetrated against that community, with little apparent deterrence by prosecution, despite lawful authority to do so.We, the undersigned, Citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to direct the various law enforcement authorities having jurisdiction to actively enforce section 319 of the Criminal Code of Canada on an urgent basis to ensure the safety and security of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, two spirited, and gender diverse community citizens against acts of hatred and violence.Hate propagandaLaw enforcementSex, gender and sexualitySexual and gender minorities44th Parliament220CertifiedJanuary 15, 2024e-4731e-4731 (Citizenship and immigration)KaylieHiggsJennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCDecember 15, 2023, at 10:54 a.m. (EDT)January 14, 2024, at 10:54 a.m. (EDT)January 15, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Millions of civilian lives in Gaza are at imminent risk amidst a worsening humanitarian crisis, including over ten thousand killed and over twenty-five thousand injured;There has been a disturbing rise in anti-Semitism, anti-Palestinian racism, and Islamophobia internationally;The protection of civilians is of utmost importance and recognized as critical in the Geneva Conventions, which Canada has ratified;Even when the current violence stops, millions of Palestinians will still be displaced and separated from their families abroad;Canadian citizens and permanent residents have beloved family members in Gaza;Under existing policy, these family members are subject to visa application requirements that are often impossible to meet due to limited working bureaucracy and infrastructure inside Gaza, and/or their inability to travel to a Canada visa office;Current policy only allows for children and spouses to be sponsored for permanent residency, excluding siblings, parents, and grandparents;Canada has demonstrated an ability to facilitate visa-less travel, at time of departure, for spouses and children from Gaza to Canada; andCanada has supported the travel and reunification of families in international crises before, such as the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel and permanent residence policy for Ukrainian nationals with family members in Canada, including siblings, children, parents, grandparents, and spouses; andThe Canadian government can update its policies governing eligibility for travel and residency as it chooses.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately create direct pathways for emergency travel of Palestinians to Canada and establish a policy for permanent residence for immediate and extended Palestinian family members in Canada.PalestinePermanent resident status44th Parliament220CertifiedJanuary 12, 2024e-4723e-4723 (Business and trade)MorganPetersJenicaAtwinFrederictonLiberalNBDecember 11, 2023, at 2:06 p.m. (EDT)January 10, 2024, at 2:06 p.m. (EDT)January 12, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruptions on the lives and wellbeing of Canadian, including the prosperity of small and medium-sized enterprises and for the Canadian economy overall;In response to these disruptive impacts of the Pandemic, the government responded by creating the Canada Emergency Business Account Program (CEBA) and the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) which nearly 900,000 businesses benefited from; andIn 2023, many small businesses have yet to recover from the financial impact of the pandemic, and have faced the added pressures of rising costs and a tight labour market and rural regions have been slower to rebound from the pandemic, facing inequitable impacts on their recoveries.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to extend the deadline to qualify for partial loan forgiveness under the CEBA and RRRF until at least January 18, 2025.Canada Emergency Business AccountCOVID-19LoansPandemicSmall and medium-sized enterprises44th Parliament220CertifiedJanuary 9, 2024e-4566e-4566 (Natural resources and energy)BillyMorinShannonStubbsLakelandConservativeABSeptember 5, 2023, at 3:12 p.m. (EDT)January 3, 2024, at 3:12 p.m. (EDT)January 9, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Canadians are struggling in an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, and this bill will increase the cost of living in urban and rural Canada;Bill C-50 will kill 170,000 direct Canadian jobs, displace 450,000 direct and indirect jobs, and cause major disruptions to 2.7 million jobs across all provinces in energy, manufacturing, construction, transportation, and agriculture sectors;The energy sector is the top private sector investor in clean technology, provides 10% of Canada’s GDP, and annually contributes an average of $26 billion in revenues to all levels of government, including $48 billion in 2022;Canadian energy and national security is increasingly threatened by the NDP-Liberals’ reckless anti-energy agenda to phase out oil and gas;This legislation will disproportionately impact remote, rural, Indigenous, and resource-based communities, provinces and regions, blue-collar and lower-income workers, and many Indigenous Canadians and visible minorities, who will face higher job disruptions and have more challenges finding new opportunities; andThe NDP-Liberal anti-energy Just Transition scheme has no plan to replace lost jobs, economic and technological growth, government revenue, or affordable energy.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its divisive, anti-energy, anti-private sector, top-down “Just Transition” agenda that will cause energy scarcity and poverty, and instead support private-sector-led energy transformation over government-forced transition, and bring home Canadian energy jobs, technology, and investment, which benefits every Canadian in every city, community, and region.C-50, An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economyEmployment opportunitiesGreen economy44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 8, 2024e-4754e-4754 (Transportation)TerenceJohnsonTaylorBachrachSkeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPBCJanuary 8, 2024, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)April 7, 2024, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Passenger rail is a safe, efficient, sustainable, affordable, and accessible mode of public transportation;Due to federal cutbacks and underinvestment over many years, Canada’s current passenger rail services lag far behind those available in other countries;Since its creation in 1978, VIA Rail has lacked both the legislative mandate and stable budget necessary to maintain and expand passenger rail service in Canada;While VIA Rail's on-time performance on tracks it owns is over 90 percent, it is only 60 percent on tracks it shares with other railways;Rail privatization and outsourcing schemes in other countries have led to higher fares, reduced service, deteriorating safety performance, and lower salaries for workers;Unlike other public passenger rail providers around the world, VIA Rail lacks representation from passengers and workers on its board of directors; andIn its Corporate Plan, VIA has warned that its long-distance fleet, built in the 1950s, is overdue for replacement, without which it will soon be unable to provide services in Atlantic and Western Canada.We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Incorporate the contents of Bills C-371, the Rail Passenger Priority Act, and C-236/C-640 (41-2) the VIA Rail Canada Act, in a Government Bill and prioritize its passage through the legislative process;2. Commit, in the 2024 federal budget, the funds necessary to renew VIA Rail’s long-distance fleet;3. Provide passenger and worker representation on VIA Rail’s board of directors; and4. Revise the High Frequency Rail project to protect VIA Rail’s role in delivering public passenger rail service along the Windsor to Quebec City corridor.Rail passenger transportationVIA Rail Canada Inc.44th Parliament207Open for signatureJanuary 8, 2024e-4753e-4753 (Social affairs and equality)RaeganSkaugeZiadAboultaifEdmonton ManningConservativeABJanuary 8, 2024, at 3:20 p.m. (EDT)May 7, 2024, at 3:20 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:On June 8, 2023, our Canadian Prime Minister referred to the voices of parents concerned about secrecy in schools as “angry, hateful rhetoric.” He urged people to “stand against” the introduction of gender policies that uphold parents' rights in the education system. He labeled New Brunswick's government “far-right” and as inflicting “cruelty and isolation” on the vulnerable. These comments are unacceptable, and harm the integrity of Canadian parents and the parent-child relationship;On July 8, 2023, the Prime Minister told Muslim parents concerned about gender ideology that they were being led astray by the “misinformation and disinformation” of “the American right-wing” and the “far right.” In the same breath he highlighted that, “The federal government doesn’t control what is taught in schools.”;The Prime Minister's divisive comments about the role of parents are not aligned with Canadian values nor the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms section 15, Equality Rights. His support of one community over another violates the Charter; andThe United Nations, which is not well known for being far right, clearly states in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights that "Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children." It is not far-right for parents to have concerns about secrecy in schools and the teaching of state-sponsored morality.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to stop meddling with Education, for which provincial governments have the exclusive responsibility under the Canadian Constitution, and apologize for characterizing parental rights as "far-right".ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools44th Parliament229Not certifiedJanuary 5, 2024e-4557e-4557 (Foreign affairs)EDENHAYTHORNTHWAITELisa MarieBarronNanaimo—LadysmithNDPBCSeptember 7, 2023, at 11:06 a.m. (EDT)January 5, 2024, at 11:06 a.m. (EDT)January 5, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:It is 78 years since the first use of nuclear weapons demonstrated their awesome power, yet we remain today under constant threat of warfare that could result in devastation from which the world may never recover;The Government of Canada has published statements saying “We are committed to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons”;The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to which Canada is a signatory, does not directly address complete elimination and prohibition of nuclear weapons;Canada as a member of the UN Conference on Disarmament and the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament, has an obligation to promote internationally the elimination of nuclear weapons;The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) has been signed by 92 countries and ratified by 68, but not by Canada; andAs a non-nuclear state, Canada is in a best position to comply with the articles of the TPNW and to guide its allies and other nations toward a world free from nuclear weapons.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to sign and commit to ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and to urge allies and other nations to follow suit.DisarmamentNuclear weaponsUnited Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons44th Parliament229Not certifiedJanuary 5, 2024e-4572e-4572 (Culture and heritage)GenePiccoliAnthonyHousefatherMount RoyalLiberalQCSeptember 7, 2023, at 11:03 a.m. (EDT)January 5, 2024, at 11:03 a.m. (EDT)January 5, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to launch a public inquiry into the activities of Cycling Canada which run contrary to their stated mission, and investigate their failure to respect their fiduciary responsibility as a publicly funded national sports organization.CyclingCycling CanadaInquiries and public inquiries44th Parliament229Not certifiedJanuary 5, 2024e-4626e-4626 (Environment)ThôngQuáchLaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCOctober 30, 2023, at 12:04 p.m. (EDT)December 29, 2023, at 12:04 p.m. (EDT)January 5, 2024Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Microfibers are ubiquitous pollution in the environment;There is scientific evidence suggesting microfibers cause harm;To date, the largest documented source of environmental microfibers is washing machines;Up to 18 million microfibers are released during every wash cycle; andResearch findings indicate washing machine filters divert the majority of microfibers released during laundering and significantly reduce loadings to the environment.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to 1. Create legislation requiring built-in washing machine filters that capture microfibers that could include a microfiber emission cap or a minimum filter pore size set at a level that is most effective for catching microfibers (e.g., 100 µm);2. Provide tax credit to consumers that retrofit machines with after-market filters;3. Create legislation requiring laundry filters to be required in industrial textile facilities, as well as commercial, public, and institutional laundry facilities; and4. Provide funding for further research on other sources of microfibers (e.g., dryers) to the environment and mitigation strategies.Laundry and drying machinesMicrofibresPollution control44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 20, 2023e-4728e-4728 (Human diseases)GrahamMcMullenJenicaAtwinFrederictonLiberalNBDecember 20, 2023, at 12:35 p.m. (EDT)April 18, 2024, at 12:35 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Curing diseases is invaluable to humanity;It's saddening to know the only thing preventing us from finding some cures is funding;The ice bucket challenge for ALS research created a breakthrough on understanding this disease from the donations of this initiative;If we can incentivise rich people and companies to invest in curing diseases, who knows what we can achieve;It’s no secret that competition encourages creativity and innovation;When millionaires and billionaires are competing against each other, they hold no expense for attempting to find new methods to achieve their goals;Let's create an open program that allows anyone to compete to cure a disease;The winning company can operate in Canada tax-free for a pre-determined amount of time;Whichever company “wins” by curing a listed disease, they’d want to build new manufacturing facilities and other expansions in Canada ultimately providing more jobs; andIncentivizing competition and creating a "race" to cure diseases would be a ground-breaking and world-leading approach to this.We, the undersigned, Canadians, call upon the Government of Canada to create a program, such as the one suggested here, that encourages companies to invest in finding cures for diseases.Human diseases and disordersMedical research44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 19, 2023e-4725e-4725 (Justice)DianneIlesicMichaelCooperSt. Albert—EdmontonConservativeABDecember 19, 2023, at 4:41 p.m. (EDT)April 17, 2024, at 4:41 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:For over eight years, the Liberal government has put the privileges of criminals ahead of the rights of victims;Frequent parole hearings often revictimize and retraumatize the families of victims of murder;The Liberal government has failed to respond to the Bissonnette decision, disregarding the impact that this decision will have on the families of victims of some of Canada’s most heinous murderers; andBill S-281, Brian’s Bill, is a modest response to Bissonnette that puts victims first by preventing convicted murderers from applying for parole every year after serving their minimum sentence.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly pass Brian's Bill (Bill S-281).Conditional releaseS-281. An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Act (parole review)Victims of violence44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 19, 2023e-4735e-4735 (Natural resources and energy)IanSmaleHon.EdFastAbbotsfordConservativeBCDecember 19, 2023, at 10:49 a.m. (EDT)April 17, 2024, at 10:49 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Ethanol blended gasoline is destructive to older vehicles fuel systems;Tens of thousands of classic car owners across Canada are left with no suitable fuel to purchase;This government has not taken any of these issues into consideration before banning ethanol free gas from the pumps;Ethanol absorbs water which leads to water condensation inside fuel tanks, carburetor fuel bowls and fuel lines where air spaces are present;Water content in fuel will also cause swelling inside fuel filters which can restrict fuel flow;Ethanol erodes fibreglass tanks, rubber hoses and plastic fuel lines;It contributes to rust in fuel systems and will also dissolve varnish and rust in steel fuel components, which can then clog the fuel filter;These issues will incur serious repair costs;Classic cars hold a nostalgic place in our hearts and minds, and are enjoyed not only by owners, but also by the public at many summer car shows;Many classic car clubs also engage in a range of charities and other social and community causes and needs; andCollectively, owners spend millions of dollars per year in various communities, businesses and related car show activities.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada who own classic and vintage automobiles, call upon the Government of Canada to once again make ethanol-free gasoline in a high octane grade(s) available at the gas pumps in Canada for collector car owners, plus owners of small gasoline engines and marine engines.CarsEthanolGasoline44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 18, 2023e-4418e-4418 (Justice)DennisChapmanDamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABDecember 18, 2023, at 4:37 p.m. (EDT)April 16, 2024, at 4:37 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:This petition is to rescind Bill C-75 in the 42nd Parliament, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code;Bill C-75 places our children directly in Imminent danger by reducing the sentencing for crimes against children, including but not limited to kidnapping a child under the age of 16, child marriage, sex crimes against children, infanticide and concealing the death of a child;Bill C-75 places the citizens of Canada at increased risk of violent crime by reducing the sentencing for rape, keeping a common bawdy house, transporting to a bawdy house and human trafficking;Bill C-75 places the public at increased risk of being victim to violent crime by reducing the sentencing for offences including but not limited to gang violence, incitement to join gangs, participating in organized crime, gun violence, illegal possession of firearms and smuggling of firearms;Bill C-75 poses a clear and present danger to our national security and to the citizens of Canada by reducing the sentencing for all acts relating to terrorism, including but not limited to harboring a terrorist, promoting acts of terrorism and committing acts of terrorism;Bill C-75 places the Canadian public at risk by reducing the sentencing for driving under the influence causing bodily harm; andBill C-75 further puts the public at risk by reducing the sentencing for police officers and other public officials found guilty of corruption.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to rescind Bill C-75 and restore the Canadian Criminal Code to its previous version for all sections therein affected by this bill.C-75 (42-1), An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other Acts and to make consequential amendments to other ActsCriminal justice systemSentencing44th Parliament220CertifiedDecember 18, 2023e-4681e-4681 (Citizenship and immigration)Marie-LyneDuboisLucBertholdMégantic—L'ÉrableConservativeQCNovember 15, 2023, at 3:55 p.m. (EDT)December 15, 2023, at 3:55 p.m. (EDT)December 18, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="300022" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship</Addressee>Whereas:For the Cuapantecatl Hernandez family, being returned to their country of origin, Mexico, would present a serious danger to their security;Being returned to Mexico would be harmful for the family’s two children, given that their mental, physical and academic development would be severely compromised; andAll members of the family are extremely well integrated into the community, both at work and at school.We, the undersigned, residents of the Centre-du-Québec region, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to allow the Cuapantecatl Hernandez family to stay in Canada where they are safe by cancelling the order requiring them to leave the country by December 2023 and granting them permanent residence.Cuapantecatl Hernandez familyDeportation, extradition and removal of foreignersPermanent resident status44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01958441-01958 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBNovember 27, 2023December 15, 2023October 25, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01934441-01934 (Civil and human rights)ChandraAryaNepeanLiberalONNovember 20, 2023December 15, 2023November 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • If current legislation is not adequate to deal with intimidation by foreign actors, the government should consider instead strengthening these laws. We do not believe, however, that a foreign influence registry will meaningfully address intimidation of Canadians and other kinds of foreign interference;
  • A registry is a misleading way to identify sources of foreign influence. It is difficult to distinguish between positive and malign foreign influence, which goes well beyond agents who are acting for foreign governments. Also, a foreign influence registry poses a serious harassment and stigmatization risk for racialized communities;
  • A broad definition of foreign influence could infringe on Canadians' charter rights while stifling international business and civil society links that are beneficial for Canada. It could also create a chill within vulnerable communities, leading them to withdraw from civic engagement and public service, which will result in their further marginalization; and
  • However, if a registry is necessary, it should apply to all countries equally and be based on specific arrangements such as monetary payment between individuals or organizations and a foreign state, rather than on hypothetical or presumed arrangements. Registration should only apply in the case of lobbying government officials and politicians, and not for private activities or general communications. It should not be based on country of origin, ethnicity, business and civil society affiliations, and most importantly, on one's views.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to reconsider its proposed Foreign Influence Transparency Registry.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Foreign governments have legal, established, and legitimate channels of engagement with the Government of Canada. These include diplomatic and lobbying efforts, as well as economic engagement involving entities that are owned in whole or in part by a foreign state. However, some foreign governments cross the line from standard, legitimate diplomatic activities and lobbying into foreign interference when they seek to exert influence in non-transparent ways. This concept is known as malign foreign influence. When not addressed, these activities can have serious implications for Canadian interests, national security and democratic processes and institutions. A Foreign Influence Transparency Registry would not tackle all forms of foreign interference, such as transnational repression. However, by creating a registration obligation and making its information public, a registry would generate transparency, deter malign and covert influence activity, and foster societal resilience by encouraging individuals to undertake due diligence when entering into a relationship with, or conducting activities on behalf of, foreign organizations.A registry is not a blacklist, nor does registration mean that an individual is engaged in undesirable or unlawful activity. Through a registration requirement, a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry would help identify who is undertaking influence activities in Canada on behalf of foreign states or their proxies. In doing so, a registry would reveal the interests behind activities directed at influencing the Canadian government or political processes in Canada. These interests and activities may be legitimate but, as an open democracy, it is important Canadians are aware of the underlying connection to a foreign principal. Unclear labelling of state-backed  communications can produce public or media messaging that reinforces interests of other states and circulates propaganda or disinformation that could either misdirect citizens or pollute the general media and information environment. The registry would apply to all countries equally.The Government of Canada is committed to the protection of individuals and communities in Canada, as well as our democratic institutions and processes. So far, the feedback Public Safety Canada received from Canadians and a diverse range of stakeholders, including racialized communities, during public consultations has indicated that there is broad support for a registry. Since the close of online consultations, Public Safety Canada has continued engaging with stakeholders to make sure the various perspectives are meaningfully considered in the design of a proposal. A registry would not singularly address the complex issue of foreign interference. Rather, it would serve as an important tool to enhance Canada’s counter-foreign interference toolkit. In addition to a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, the government is actively considering other legislative tools and approaches to address other aspects of foreign interference.
Civil and human rightsForeign influence transparency registry
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01921441-01921 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 9, 2023December 15, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01917441-01917 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKNovember 9, 2023December 15, 2023April 24, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01916441-01916 (Public safety)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKNovember 9, 2023December 15, 2023November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01908441-01908 (Consumer protection)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBNovember 7, 2023December 15, 2023April 25, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is reporting a rise in money laundering and fraud with the set-up of synthetic or false bank accounts where money is being sent from duped seniors' savings accounts and potentially going towards terrorist financing;The Government of BC estimates that $46.7 billion was laundered through the Canadian economy in 2018;FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) states requirements are not sufficient to prevent fraudsters from moving money illegally under the pretense of legitimacy through the wire transfer system in Canada;Our growing retiree population in Canada are increasingly becoming the target of fraud given they have built up wealth over a lifetime to help them support their retirement years and are vulnerable due to lack of controls and protection through the transmission of money within the Canadian banking system; andSeniors are seeing their savings built up over years removed due to the sophistication and disguised deceit and trickery foisted on them by professional fraudsters to exploit them and the current Canadian banking system.We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to undertake a serious and comprehensive review of the current transit system of Canadian citizens' money in this country with the aim of putting more stringent procedures, protocols, and safeguards in place to protect seniors in particular from losing their lifetime savings and wealth to fraud.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada is committed to a strong and comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) Regime. The government continually reviews the Regime to ensure that it is responsive to evolving risks. Since 2019, the government has made investments of over $319.9 million and a number of legislative and regulatory changes to enhance the effectiveness of the Regime.Budget 2023 made legislative amendments to strengthen the investigative, enforcement, and information sharing tools of Canada’s AML/ATF Regime. These amendments complement the government’s Budget 2022 commitment to establish a new Canada Financial Crimes Agency to become the lead enforcement agency against financial crime.On June 6, 2023, a public consultation was launched that will examine ways to improve Canada's AML/ATF Regime, as well as examine how different orders of government can collaborate more closely. This consultation will support the parliamentary review required under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act. Details of these consultations can be found here: Consultation on Strengthening Canada's Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime - Canada.ca.The 2023 Fall Economic Statement proposes legislative and regulatory measures to continue strengthening Canada's AML/ATF framework, including to: address sanctions evasion; support operational effectiveness; combat trade-based financial crime and environmental crime; and expand the framework to address risks related to white-label Automatic Teller Machines and in the real estate sector.  Illicit funds laundered by criminal actors are often generated illegally through fraud, including fraud that targets seniors. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canadians from these types of crimes. One major way it does so is through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which is the central repository for fraud information and intelligence in Canada, and is jointly operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Competition Bureau of Canada. As a National Police Service function, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre gathers intelligence on fraud affecting Canadians, and assists all law enforcement agencies across Canada with fraud prevention and enforcement.The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has a Senior Support Unit entirely supported by volunteers who are dedicated to reducing the impact of fraud across Canada. The Senior Support Unit is a critical component of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, providing advice, education and reassurance to vulnerable Canadians targeted by fraudsters. The Senior Support Unit receives reports referred by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s Intake Unit, after identifying that further assistance for a senior or vulnerable individual is needed.
Banks and bankinge-SecuritySenior citizens
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01906441-01906 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 7, 2023December 15, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01894441-01894 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 6, 2023December 15, 2023May 9, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01892441-01892 (Public safety)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 6, 2023December 15, 2023November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01891441-01891 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 6, 2023December 15, 2023June 16, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens, and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Nearly 100,000 abortions are performed annually in Canada;
  • The Morgentaler Decision to have zero abortion law goes directly against the charter since it DOES NOT protect life;
  • Canada is only one of two, the other nation being North Korea, to have zero abortion laws;
  • Over 98% of abortions are for reasons of social or personal convenience; and
  • The Heartbeat starts when the baby is 5 weeks old.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to create/strengthen abortion regulation nationwide.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government has always and will always support a woman’s right to choose. Everyone has the right to make decisions about their health and body. The Supreme Court of Canada in 1988 struck down Canada’s criminal law against abortion, and the Government took the necessary steps to complete the repeal of those provisions by introducing amendments to take them off the books, which were enacted in 2019. Our Government is committed to upholding all the rights enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including section 7, which provides that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. Section 7 includes some protection against government interference with an individual’s access to abortion care. Section 7 also generally protects an individual’s right to control their bodily integrity, and a sphere of personal autonomy involving inherently private choices that go to the core of what it means to enjoy individual dignity and independence. Our government will always protect and promote women’s rights in Canada and around the world.
Abortion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 15, 2023441-01887441-01887 (Social affairs and equality)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCNovember 6, 2023December 15, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw to the attention of the House the following:WHEREAS:Despite decades of advocacy and equality written into the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, women in Canada still aren't getting the equal pay and equal treatment they deserve;Canadian women receive 21 cents less than men on every dollar earned for substantially the same work;Almost 60% of all women over 15 are part of the paid workforce in Canada, accounting for almost half of all workers; andWomen and children make up three-quarters of all Canadians living in poverty; and Most singleparent families are supported by a working woman, and most of them live below the poverty line.THEREFORE, YOUR PETITIONERS call upon the House of Commons to enact legislation and policies that will promote pay equality and pay equity, and that women in Canada get the equal treatment they deserve.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerThe Government of Canada is committed to addressing the persistent wage gap that exists for Canadian women, a gap that is even more pronounced for underrepresented women, including Indigenous and racialized women. Many factors can impede women’s earning ability and contribute to the gender wage gap, including discrimination, working hours, and parenthood. Lack of affordable childcare, for example, can result in women taking on a greater share of caregiving responsibilities and having less time for paid work. Access to childcare also promotes greater gender equality by allowing more parents, particularly mothers, to participate in the workforce and achieve greater economic security. It also improves and grows the female-dominated early childhood educator workforce. This is why the Government of Canada invested $30 billion over five years in Budget 2021 to build a Canada-wide Early Learning and Childcare System. As of July 2023, the Childcare System has supported a record 85.7 per cent labor force participation rate for women in their prime working years. The $10 a day childcare program not only is saving families money, but it is increasing women’s participation in the workforce.And while having affordable childcare helps allows women to remain in the workforce, more women still need more opportunities to thrive in leadership positions. Which is why in September 2023, Women and Gender Equality Canada launched the Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund Call for Proposals to support projects working to change systems to improve women's economic security and prosperity, as well as women’s representation in leadership.Women and Gender Equality Canada can receive project ideas on an ongoing basis when funds are available as a tool to address gaps in the economy as they arise.We know that equal and full participation of women in the workplace matters to our economy, but it is also important to ensure women have independent financial security. Yet, women still remain underrepresented in certain high paying industries and occupations, such as in the construction sector and in leadership positions. Our government recognized this gap, so in Budget 2021, the Government of Canada invested $146.9 million over four years to expand the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy by providing greater access to financing, mentorship, and training for women to support women owned businesses. In Budget 2022, $84.2 million over four years was invested in the Union Training and Innovation Program to help apprentices from underrepresented groups begin and succeed in skilled trades careers.Achieving pay equity is a key factor in addressing the gender wage gap. In 2018, Proactive Pay Equity legislation was passed, with regulations coming into force in August 2021, to ensure that women and men working in federally regulated workplaces receive equal pay for work of equal value. The work on this issue is ongoing but there is growing momentum across government departments with many employers working to advance the pay equity process. You can read more about the progress of pay equity in Canada by reading the Pay Equity Commissioner’s annual 2022 report here.Our government will continue to build reflect on our progress to advance gender equality in Canada and reaffirm our commitment to building a more equal and inclusive country where everyone can reach their full potential.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Government strongly believes in the principle of equal pay for work of equal value and the fair treatment of all workers, regardless of gender.That is why we introduced An Act to Establish Proactive Pay Equity in the Federal Public and Private Sectors (the Pay Equity Act) in the House of Commons on October 29, 2018. The Pay Equity Act and associated regulations received Royal Assent on December 13, 2018, and came into force on August 31, 2021. The Pay Equity Act establishes a proactive pay equity regime to protect the right to equal pay for work of equal value in federally regulated workplaces, including the federal private and public sectors, parliamentary workplaces, and the Prime Minister's and ministers' offices.The pay equity regime requires federally regulated employers with ten or more employees to take proactive steps to correct gender wage gaps within their organizations. Among other obligations, employers are required to establish a pay equity plan within three years of becoming subject to the Pay Equity Act and ensure plans are updated at least every five years. The objective of the plan is to identify and eliminate wage gaps for jobs that are commonly held by women and receiving less pay than their male counterparts.The Pay Equity Act is administered and enforced by the Pay Equity Commissioner, who is a member of the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC). The current Commissioner was officially appointed to serve a five-year term on November 1, 2023. To support the Commissioner's ability to address non-compliance, a system for administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) has been developed and posted in the Canada Gazette, Part I for public consultation. The final regulations are expected to become operational in 2024. The objective of the regulations is to enable the Commissioner to levy penalties for prescribed violations of the Pay Equity Act and Pay Equity Regulations in a manner that is non-punitive.While this legislation is an important step towards closing the gender wage gap, proactive pay equity alone cannot close the gap. It needs to be part of a broader array of policy tools to address the gender wage gap and advance gender equality in the workplace. In addition to pay equity, the Government has taken action on a variety of legislative and non-legislative measures to address the issues facing women in the workplace, including pay transparency through pay gap reporting.In 2021 amendments were made to the Employment Equity Act and Regulations that require federally regulated employers with 100 or more employees to report on aggregated pay gaps experienced by women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities. A new online tool is being developed that will provide Canadians with user-friendly, online information on these employer pay gaps. This will shed light on the wage gaps that exist for women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities. In addition, it will keep employers accountable for their compensation practices while highlighting and encouraging those that are leading in equitable practices.
Pay equityWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023441-01854441-01854 (Fisheries)RyanWilliamsBay of QuinteConservativeONOctober 31, 2023December 14, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembledWhereas: Environment and Climate Change Canada unexpectedly terminated the leases of the Commercial Fishing Village Heritage Area located at Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area since 1981;The Canada Wildlife Act sets out a precedent in accommodating the commercial fishing leaseholders without incident at the commercial fishing village at the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area;These commercial fisheries are a vital part of the economy of Prince Edward County; andThe commercial fishing have operated without complaint and with respect for the environment in this region for over 200 years.We, the undersigned, call upon the Government to Canada to reinstate the leases for Commercial Fishing Village Heritage Area located at Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada will not be reinstating the commercial leases that terminated on August 31, 2023, in the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area. In recognition of the historic and ongoing importance of Lake Ontario commercial fishing operations in Prince Edward County, the government will continue to ensure the dock and boat launch remain safe for ongoing use and designated parking will be available to enhance access for commercial fishers.Canadian Wildlife Service provided eight months’ notice in advance of terminating the commercial leases on August 31, 2023. Termination of the leases does not impact an individual’s ability to fish commercially in Lake Ontario. Commercial fishing is regulated by the province of Ontario and fishing equipment and practices have changed over the last four decades. The termination of the leases allows Environment and Climate Change Canada to address hazards, restore the area to its natural state, implement visitor amenities and keep all visitors and staff safe.All the buildings on the formerly leased lots have been assessed by the Federal Heritage Review Board Office and have no heritage value nor designation. There is no such official designation as “commercial fishing village heritage area”.  Given its relatively low activity, the Port Traverse Harbour has not been designated as part of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Small Craft Harbour program. The boat launch and dock are now managed as part of the National Wildlife Area for public access.  The purpose of national wildlife areas is wildlife conservation, research and interpretation. The Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area is a Connecting Canadians to Nature site where public visitation is encouraged. The Government of Canada will ensure safe and equitable public access to these public lands and amenities to the benefit of all Canadians.  
Fisheries and fishersGovernment leasesPrince Edward Point National Wildlife Area
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023441-01855441-01855 (Animals)LindsayMathyssenLondon—FanshaweNDPONOctober 31, 2023December 14, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Minister of National DefenceWhereas:
  • As part of federal defence department training exercises, over eighteen hundred piglets have been killed after being stabbed, mutilated and exposed to radiation and chemical nerve agents;
  • Inadequately sedated piglets revived during the five-hour training exercise, with one piglet "vocalizing loudly" and another "attempting to jump off the (surgical) table";
  • Since 2005, the people responsible for ensuring that these piglets did not suffer, knew that the piglets were reviving but hid the information from the government and Canadians by altering documents and concealing what actually happened;
  • According to an Abacus poll conducted in January, 2023, only 1 in 10 Canadians support the use of piglets for military trauma training; and
  • 77% of NATO nations no longer use animals for military medical training.
We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of National Defence to end the use of animals in military medical training.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France LalondeNational Defence uses advanced simulations with life-like mannequins, known as human patient simulators for the majority of its medical training. Live tissue training on an anesthetized pig is used only in circumstances where simulations alone are not feasible, as is the case of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear training for medical providers. In these cases, simulators cannot replace the precision and experience gained with live tissue.During live tissue training, National Defence strictly adheres to the guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) (https://ccac.ca/) which establishes the ethical use and care of animals. Further, the use of animals is governed by Defence Administrative Orders and Directive (DAOD) 8014-0 Animal Use in Research and Training and DAOD 8014-1 Management of Animal Use in Research, Teaching and Testing.  This is in line with CCAC standards as well as assessments and certifications to ensure consistent application of the standards across Canada.  National Defence actively seeks to refine, reduce and where appropriate replace the use of live animals for research by using alternative experimental techniques. For example, in 2022, National Defence invested approximately $129,000 in an advanced simulation mannequin or high-fidelity patient simulator, to evaluate its utility to augment medical training provided to CAF members.The approach of using advanced simulation for the majority of training and live tissue training sparingly offers military medical trainees with the highest calibre medical training possible with the goal of providing premium medical care to CAF members and those they protect, at home or abroad.
Animal rights and welfareHogsMilitary exercises
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023441-01856441-01856 (Health)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBOctober 31, 2023December 14, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Nurses' incentives should be provided to all nurses to better create healthy relationships and a healthy workplace;
  • The government must do better in recognizing health care credentials from qualified professionals who are internationally trained and educated;
  • The government must do better and implement better strategies and incentives to attract and retain our healthcare workers in Manitoba;
  • New and experienced nurses and healthcare professionals are leaving our province and considering opportunities offered in other provinces that provide lucrative incentives and benefits to their healthcare professionals;
  • Many Manitoba seniors are on capped income and cannot afford their prescribed medications; and
  • Nurses are overworked due to high workloads.
We, the undersigned residents of Manitoba, call upon the House of Commons to work with Provincial Governments and other healthcare stakeholders to:1. Take nurses recruitment and retention seriously to help resolve the healthcare crisis;2. Ensure everyone who is contributing to Manitoba through taxes and our economy is eligible for Manitoba healthcare;3. Review the nurses' workload and incentive program to include all nurses, regardless of position status and type; and4. Reconsider some of the changes that have been made over the last few years and turn the health care facility into a facility that is capable of being, so the residents of Manitoba, particularly the communities of Tyndall Park, Maples, Burrows, Kildonan and even Lakeside have a place to go.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealthcare is a shared responsibility between the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories. While the federal government provides financial support to the provinces and territories for healthcare services, the responsibility for matters related to management of the health care system and health workforces falls within provincial and territorial jurisdiction. As part of their responsibility to administer and deliver healthcare services, provinces and territories establish training curricula and manage licensure, and regulate healthcare professionals through arms-length regulatory bodies, such as professional colleges and associations.At the same time, the federal government acknowledges that it has a key leadership role to play in supporting solutions to the challenges facing health systems across the country, including those related to Canada’s health workforce. We remain committed to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to protect and strengthen the publicly funded health care system.Budget 2023 delivered nearly $200 billion to reduce backlogs, expand access to family health services and ensure provinces and territories can provide the high quality and timely health care Canadians expect and deserve. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories to improve health care services for Canadians. This funding also includes $25 billion over 10 years to advance shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements that will support the needs of people in each province and territory in four areas of shared priority: family health services; health workers and backlogs; mental health and substance use; and a modernized health system. Additionally, provinces and territories are being asked to streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals, and to advance labour mobility.On October 12, 2023 federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Health issued a public statement reaffirming their commitment to supporting Canada’s health workforce so our health workers are able to provide high-quality, accessible and effective health services for people living in Canada. In particular, FPT governments committed to concrete actions focusing on retention, domestic education supply and demand, foreign credential recognition and ethical recruitment, labour mobility, and health workforce data and planning. These commitments included undertaking credential processes overseas in order to improve processing of licensure of international physicians and nurses within 90 days and support for a Nursing Retention Toolkit developed by the federally-appointed Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Leigh Chapman, in consultation with Canada’s nursing community. The toolkit highlights retention initiatives that employers or health authorities can implement to support their nursing workforce.The details on the Ministers commitments can be found here: Federal, provincial and territorial statement on supporting Canada’s health workforce.
Health care systemManitobaNurses
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023e-4404e-4404 (Citizenship and immigration)LesleyWestonJennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCApril 20, 2023, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT)June 19, 2023, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT)October 31, 2023December 14, 2023June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canada proudly proclaims that we welcome all refugees in need of safety, in keeping with our mostly-justified presentation of ourselves as caring, responsible people;The Safe Third Country Agreement with the US has made it very dangerous for refugees to enter Canada in order to escape persecution, violence and discrimination; andThe recent expansion in the STCA Agreement to 9,000 km of the US/Canada land border is forcing asylum seekers desperate for safety to look to even more dangerous pathways and people will die;We, the undersigned, citizens and/or residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. reverse the recent amendment to the Agreement; and2. suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement altogether so refugees could then enter Canada safely without risking their lives, and be safe while their claims are being processed by the Immigration Refugee Board to determine whether or not they have a valid refugee claim.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.Canada has a proud history of protecting and helping resettle the world’s most vulnerable groups and remains firmly committed to upholding its international obligations and maintaining a fair and compassionate refugee protection system which meets our international obligations.The Canada - U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), in effect since 2004, is based on the principle accepted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that asylum seekers should make their claim in the first country they arrive, in which it is safe to do so. The Canada - U.S. STCA requires that foreign nationals seek protection in either the U.S. or Canada, whichever they arrive in first, unless they meet an exception to the Agreement (e.g., having family member in Canada (with some restrictions)).The Government maintains that the STCA enhances the orderly management of asylum claims at the border, strengthening the integrity of our asylum system and public confidence in border integrity. Asylum seekers continue to have the opportunity to make an asylum claim in the U.S. if they are returned by Canada under the Agreement (or vice versa). When the Additional Protocol to the STCA came into effect on March 25, 2023, the STCA was able to be applied to all individuals entering Canada from the U.S. at the land border regardless of their location of entry. This ensured consistent treatment of claimants and removed the incentive to cross irregularly to evade the application of the STCA at ports of entry.In June 2023, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the constitutionality of the designation of the U.S. as a safe third country under s.7 of the Charter (right to life, liberty and security); a status that is subject to ongoing review by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) under the four criteria set out under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA):
  1. Being a party to the Refugee Convention and to the Convention Against Torture;
  2. Maintaining domestic policies and practices that respect international obligations;
  3. Human rights record in the country; and
  4. Being a party to an agreement with the Government of Canada for the purpose of sharing responsibility with respect to claims for refugee protection.
The Government of Canada strongly discourages irregular crossings, which can be risky and dangerous to those involved. IRCC supports the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) in their efforts to detect and disrupt human smuggling networks, and to combat international criminal organizations that seek to profit from the desperation and vulnerability of others.Canada is also party to the United Nations Protocol against Migrant Smuggling by Land, Sea and Air, which requires states parties to criminalize, prevent and combat this illegal activity. We encourage other countries to ratify and implement this Protocol, as well as its parent convention, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.While Canada’s law enforcement agencies work with international partners to disrupt smuggling networks, IRCC continues to develop new pathways to provide alternatives to irregular migration. In October of this year we announced the new humanitarian permanent residence pathway for 11,000 Haitians, Colombians and Venezuelans, as part of our commitment to welcome 15,000 migrants from Western Hemisphere on humanitarian basis with a path to economic opportunities, as an alternative to irregular migrationCanada is also working with international partners in the Americas, such as the International Organization for Migration and the UNHCR to increase the capacity of transit and host countries to respond to the needs of the large scale mixed migration movements. This assistance also addresses the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, expands regular migration pathways, responds to humanitarian crises and helps to build more durable, stable and safe societies in Latin America and the Caribbean. 
Canada–U.S. Safe Third Country AgreementCanada-United States relationsRefugees
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023e-4385e-4385 (Citizenship and immigration)LolitaPopovaJennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCApril 20, 2023, at 10:38 a.m. (EDT)June 19, 2023, at 10:38 a.m. (EDT)October 31, 2023December 14, 2023June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278908" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship</Addressee>Whereas:Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the rule of law and respect for human rights and democracy;The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, says, "Family reunification is an essential part of Canada's immigration system." Some Parliament members also acknowledged that "reuniting parents and grandparents with their families in Canada provides immense contributions to our communities.";Nonetheless, the Family Sponsorship program is a lottery system that has many flaws and is essentially closed since 2020;For 2021 and 2022, the applications that won were chosen from the 2020 pool of interest to sponsor, leaving permanent residents and citizens with no chance to apply for the program in 2021 or 2022;The lottery system is unfair to permanent residents and citizens who were contributing to the Canadian economy throughout their stay and would love to reunite with their loved ones; andA super visa, another option to relocate parents and grandparents to Canada, allows them multiple entries to Canada for ten years, however, they cannot get an open work permit and in general, have no rights.We, the undersigned, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to 1. Open up a submission for interest to sponsor forms in 2023; 2. Lift the arbitrary caps on both invitations to apply and accepted applications;3. Increase the Annual Levels Plan allocation for this stream;4. Implement processing standards to ensure that families are reunited in a reasonable period of time; and5. Develop a better system for the Family Sponsorship program, where eligible applicants could apply to sponsor their family.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.Family reunification is a key pillar of Canada’s immigration system that will continue to be firmly supported by the Government of Canada. This commitment is reflected in the Government’s decision to announce significant annual increases to permanent resident admissions through the Parents and Grandparents Program in the multi-year Levels Plan in the past years. In response to continued strong demand for parents and grandparents sponsorship and our desire to support families, the Government has increased the targeted number of parents and grandparents admissions from 25,000 in 2022 to 28,500 in 2023, 32,000 in 2024 and 34,000 in 2025 and 2026.Family class admissions must, however, be balanced with other immigration categories in order to meet Canada’s broader immigration objectives, including under the economic and refugee streams. Because of this, a random selection model has been implemented. The current intake system was introduced in large part to improve fairness and accessibility when compared to previous models. The 2019 online first-in system, for example, posed technical challenges for some prospective sponsors and may have disadvantaged those with certain cognitive or physical disabilities. The random selection model overcomes these obstacles by ensuring that regardless of when an Interest to Sponsor form is submitted during the three week submission period, all interested sponsors have an equal opportunity of being invited to apply, including via alternative submission methods to promote accessibility.The Government understands that there is growing demand for a new interest to sponsor period to be announced for prospective sponsors who were unable to express their interest in 2020 and for those who would like submit an Interest to Sponsor form for the first time. The viability and timing of the next intake are currently being assessed and an announcement will be communicated in a timely manner once a decision has been made.Regarding application-related caps, it is important to note that these limits are not arbitrary. Demand for sponsorship continues to exceed the admissions targets in the annual Immigration Levels Plan, the tool by which the Government of Canada sets the number of permanent residents to be admitted within each immigration category annually. This in turn determines how many applications can be processed. If application limits were not set, this would likely contribute to a significant negative impact on processing times, a growing backlog of cases and more uncertainty for selected sponsors and their family members. The current model ensures that Canada can continue to benefit from the managed migration system that has served it well for decades while upholding fairness.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has and will continue to work to improve processing times in all our programs. In a recent 2023 Report of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada on processing applications for permanent residence, the Department established that it would prioritize creating service standards for services that currently have none, including permanent residence streams, such as the family class, as part of a comprehensive multi-year service standard review. Completion of the first phase is expected by the end of the 2024–25 fiscal year.Finally, the Government also continues to actively assess ways in which to improve all lines of business, including the family class stream. As was raised in the Strategic Immigration Review reportpublished on October 31, 2023, IRCC is committed to exploring how we can enhance the immigration experience for families. Part of this process includes reviewing ways to ensure that equity considerations are built into policy and program changes and to better support accompanying family members.
Application processFamily reunificationImmigrant sponsorship
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023441-01859441-01859 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 31, 2023December 14, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023441-01860441-01860 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 31, 2023December 14, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023441-01861441-01861 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 31, 2023December 14, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023441-01862441-01862 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 31, 2023December 14, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 14, 2023441-01863441-01863 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 31, 2023December 14, 2023June 23, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Free and fair trials, judicial independence, and the rule of law are all cornerstones to Canada's democracy;
  • Since June 2019, protests for democracy, freedom, universal suffrage, and regional autonomy have been occurring in Hong Kong;
  • On many occasions, peaceful protestors of Hong Kong are charged and convicted of penal offences through a judiciary that is neither impartial, fair, or free;
  • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c.27), Section 36 renders foreign nationals who have committed or been convicted of a foreign offence outside Canada inadmissible on grounds of criminality and serious criminality; and
  • Hong Kong people who have been arbitrarily charged and convicted with pro-democracy movement related penal offences for political purposes are at risk of being deemed inadmissible to enter Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Recognize the politicization of the judiciary in Hong Kong and its impact on the legitimacy and validity of criminal convictions; 2. Affirm its commitment to render all National Security Law charges and convictions irrelevant and invalid in relation to Section 36(1)(c); 3. Create a mechanism by which Hong Kong people with pro-democracy movement related convictions may provide an explanation for such convictions, on the basis of which Government officials can grant exemptions to Hong Kong people who are deemed inadmissible under A36(1)(b), (2)(b), and (2)(c) upon examination of the circumstances and determination that the applicant's criminal record is political in nature; and 4. Work with the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other democracies to waive criminal inadmissibility of Hong Kong people convicted for political purposes, who otherwise do not have a criminal record.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada.Immigration officers examine foreign charges and convictions to determine if there is an equivalent offence in Canada for the act committed. If there is no equivalent offence, the individual would not be inadmissible for having committed or being convicted of that offence. For example, as there is no equivalent offence in Canada for peaceful protesting, a charge or conviction for having partaken in such activities would not make an individual inadmissible to Canada.Where there are some similarities between the foreign law and Canadian law, a person would only be inadmissible if the underlying action is considered an offence in Canada.Immigration officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific facts presented by the applicant. All inadmissibility decisions are based on evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations or other documents, such as media articles or publicly-available information.Decision-makers are required to follow the rules of procedural fairness throughout the decision-making process. In the event that an immigration officer has concerns over the criminal admissibility of an applicant, the individual is informed and given an opportunity to provide a response to concerns about their application.If an officer determines that an applicant is inadmissible to come to Canada, applicants may be eligible for relief, on a case-by-case basis, using mechanisms available under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. For example, a temporary resident permit may be issued, when justified in the circumstances, to allow an inadmissible foreign national to enter Canada.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has a special relationship with Hong Kong that is rooted in a shared history and extensive commercial, institutional and people-to-people ties.(1) The maintenance of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as expressed through the One Country, Two Systems framework, is a high priority for the Government of Canada. Under this framework, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. Canada remains committed to supporting Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy within the One Country, Two Systems framework, and to working with international partners to advance the goal of a free, stable and prosperous Hong Kong where human rights and fundamental freedoms under the Basic Law are guaranteed. We will continue to monitor developments in Hong Kong closely, including those relating to the territory’s judicial system, and reserve the right to undertake appropriate action in response to future developments.(4) In advance of the imposition of the National Security law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on May 22, 2020, expressing deep concern over proposals to introduce national security legislation in Hong Kong. Another statement was issued with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States on May 28, 2020, reiterating concerns over the anticipated introduction of the National Security Law. On June 17, 2020, Canada joined its G7 partners to release a joint statement urging China to reconsider its decision.Following the imposition and implementation of the National Security Law, Canada has worked in concert with international partners to support the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Hong Kong residents and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy under the Basic Law and the One Country, Two Systems framework. Canada also announced new immigration initiatives for Hong Kong and has sought to complement and align these initiatives with measures taken by our likeminded partners.Subsequently, following the adoption by the National People’s Congress of a package of changes to the electoral system in Hong Kong in March 2021, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union, also released a joint statement expressing grave concerns at the Chinese authorities’ decision. The joint statement made it clear such a decision strongly indicates that the authorities in mainland China are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong, while also stifling political pluralism, contrary to the aim of moving towards universal suffrage as set out in the Basic Law.The wider chilling effects of the National Security Law and the growing restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, which are being felt across civil society is deeply concerning. On December 20, 2021 Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as the Foreign Ministers of the G7, noting the outcome of the Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong, issued separate statements expressing grave concern over the erosion of democratic elements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s electoral system. On February 17, 2022, Canada and 21 other members of the Media Freedom Coalition issued a joint statement expressing their deep concern at the Chinese authorities’ attacks on freedom of the press and their suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong. In September, 2023, Canada co-sponsored an event at the UN in Geneva on the impact of the National Security Law on media freedom in Hong Kong.Canada, along with Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States also all publicly expressed concerns and condemned the Hong Kong authorities’ issuance of arrest warrants and international bounties for eight pro-democracy advocates living overseas. The National Security Law has no jurisdiction in applying the law within our borders and we will not waver in standing up for those who are targeted simply for exercising their rights peacefully.While Canada and its partners share a common interest in Hong Kong’s prosperity and security, each country has its own legislative framework and is responsible for applying its own sovereign rules and procedures, including those related to immigration and admissibility.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada. Inadmissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Civil and human rightsCriminal recordsForeign policyHong KongImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 13, 2023441-01922441-01922 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 9, 2023December 13, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerEquality rights are at the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are intended to ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identities and expressions, from coast, to coast to coast.Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. It is important that parents be involved in the lives of their children, and that should be balanced with the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current.The Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Some highlights:
  • A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including trans people (See Budget 2023, chapter 4)
  •  2022: Government of Canada criminalized conversion therapies, see Statement
  • 2017: Canadian Human Rights Act amended to protect gender identity and gender expression
  • 2022: Launch of Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan
The first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan enables the federal government to help advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan achieves these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The plan is supported by an investment of $100 million, which will help create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both present and future generations. In doing so it builds upon work the Government of Canada has done to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country. 
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 13, 2023441-01853441-01853 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBOctober 30, 2023December 13, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 13, 2023441-01852441-01852 (Foreign affairs)BradRedekoppSaskatoon WestConservativeSKOctober 30, 2023December 13, 2023November 4, 2022PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01961441-01961 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 27, 2023December 12, 2023November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
        
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01956441-01956 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 24, 2023December 12, 2023November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
   
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01952441-01952 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 22, 2023December 12, 2023April 1, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01946441-01946 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 22, 2023December 12, 2023November 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
           
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023e-4277e-4277 (Environment)ValerieElliottElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 15, 2023, at 12:23 p.m. (EDT)May 16, 2023, at 12:23 p.m. (EDT)November 22, 2023December 12, 2023May 16, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen (Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis) is a Blue-listed species that can only grow in nutrient-rich high, elevation old growth yellow and red cedar forests;The Species at Risk Act (SARA) lists Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen as a species of “special concern” found only in British Columbia (BC), and the species has been identified as threatened due to the threat of industrial logging;The goal of SARA is to uphold the protection of species at risk, and under both federal and provincial governments, no action has been taken to protect these fragile and irreplaceable old growth ecosystems;The BC’s Conservation Data Centre (CDC), lists only 52 documented extant populations of Oldgrowth Specklebelly in existence in BC, some being extirpated, while the BC Management Plan goal for Oldgrowth Specklebelly is: “to maintain all known extant populations.”; andIn 2021, the largest population of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen discovered in BC, consisting of over 600 individuals in the Granite Creek watershed near Port Renfrew (Tree Farm Licence 46 cut block 8022) was clear cut, and in August 2022, a population of five individuals were found within Tree Farm Licence 46 cut block 4733, a section of old growth forest bisected by a new logging road located in the Bugaboo Creek watershed near Port Renfrew, and is slated for logging.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to to immediately protect all extant populations of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen (Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis,) and to immediately require British Columbia to uphold and enforce protections for this species across all Crown lands.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada is committed to halting and reversing the loss of our country’s rich biodiversity. In support of this commitment, Environment and Climate is leading the development of Canada's 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy. The 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy will establish a shared vision for halting and reversing biodiversity loss in Canada, reflect Canada’s domestic priorities for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, and guide how Canada implements the Global Biodiversity Framework domestically.The Government of Canada recognizes that the environment and the conservation of biodiversity is a shared responsibility in Canada, and that real progress can only be made if all levels of governments share objectives and work in collaboration to achieve them.Species at risk are on the front line of biodiversity loss, and the federal, provincial and territorial governments have been working cooperatively to protect and recover Canada’s imperiled species for close to three decades. The Government of Canada respects provincial and territorial jurisdiction and therefore first looks to them to protect terrestrial species and their habitat on non-federally administered lands.Federally, the Species at Risk Act (SARA) is the Government of Canada's key legislative tool to protect and recover endangered and threatened species and their habitats. SARA provides a legal framework for identifying, listing, and recovering species at risk. The legislation mandates the development and implementation of recovery strategies and action plans, with the goal of preventing species extinction and promoting their recovery. SARA also includes provisions for critical habitat protection and cooperation between federal, provincial, and territorial governments, intending a coordinated effort to safeguard Canada's diverse wildlife and ecosystems, and supports the Government of Canada’s international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity.Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen is listed as a species of Special Concern on Schedule 1 of SARA andis identified as a Blue listed species by the British Columbia provincial government. The distribution of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen overlaps with that of several other federally listed species at risk within old-growth forests throughout coastal British Columbia including Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii.As required under SARA, a Management plan for the oldgrowth speclebelly lichen (Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis) https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.833290/publication.html was published in 2017; in addition, measures to achieve the management objective for the species have been set out in the Multi-species action plan for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and 2 other sites www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/action-plans/gwaii-haanas-national-park-reserve.htmlIn addition to fulfilling its obligations under SARA for the species, the Government of Canada recognizes that more needs to be done to protect the old-growth forests that support the Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen.Canada’s forests, and in particular British Columbias’s old-growth forests, are rich with biodiversity and provide important habitat for a range of wildlife. In addition to these habitat functions, forests are key to the health of our climate, influencing rainfall, temperature, and other metrics. Temperate old-growth forests, like those in British Columbia also function as important carbon reservoirs.Forest management is the jurisdiction of provincial governments, and the vast majority of Canada's forests are located on provincial and territorial Crown lands. In British Columbia, approximately 96% of forests are on provincial crown land. At the same time, the federal government is committed to supporting the province’s effort to manage and conserve old-growth forests given their significance for migratory birds, species at risk and their role in mitigating the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems and their associated wildlife.To demonstrate federal support, the 2022 federal Budget established a $50 million Old Growth Nature Fund, which will focus on protecting at-risk, high productivity old-growth forests that are of prime biodiversity value and identified as important for species at risk, migratory birds, climate mitigation and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Specifically, federal funding will support planning and collaboration with British Columbia and Indigenous communities, and provide incentives for third-party funders, to permanently protect and conserve large areas of at-risk old growth forests in the province. The Old Growth Nature Fund will also contribute directly to the Government of Canada's commitments to achieving Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The old growth temperate rainforests of British Columbia are among the largest natural carbon sinks in the world (on a per hectare basis) and are among the most efficient ecosystems at capturing carbon in Canada. High productivity old-growth supports critical habitat for SARA-listed species such as the Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen, Marbled Murrelet and Northern Spotted Owl.Federal officials are also working with their provincial and Indigenous colleagues and partners both to finalize a Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation and to explore additional ways to encourage and support the province in its efforts to protect and restore habitat.The federal government has also contributed to protecting nearly 400,000 ha of forest habitat in British Columbia. This includes conservation projects under programs such as the Target 1 Challenge, the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, and the Ecological Gifts Program.The federal government is also working to ensure forests, including old-growth forests, are considered in the context of ongoing species at risk and nature-related engagement with provincial and territorial partners. For example, Environment and Climate Change Canada, provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and stakeholders are engaged in the development of a forest sector action plan that will help guide collaborative efforts to recover species at risk under the Pan Canadian Approach to Species at Risk.     
Endangered speciesSpecies at Risk Act
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01943441-01943 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBNovember 22, 2023December 12, 2023October 30, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01942441-01942 (Health)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBNovember 21, 2023December 12, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Nurses' incentives should be provided to all nurses to better create healthy relationships and a healthy workplace;
  • The government must do better in recognizing health care credentials from qualified professionals who are internationally trained and educated;
  • The government must do better and implement better strategies and incentives to attract and retain our healthcare workers in Manitoba;
  • New and experienced nurses and healthcare professionals are leaving our province and considering opportunities offered in other provinces that provide lucrative incentives and benefits to their healthcare professionals;
  • Many Manitoba seniors are on capped income and cannot afford their prescribed medications; and
  • Nurses are overworked due to high workloads.
We, the undersigned residents of Manitoba, call upon the House of Commons to work with Provincial Governments and other healthcare stakeholders to:1. Take nurses recruitment and retention seriously to help resolve the healthcare crisis;2. Ensure everyone who is contributing to Manitoba through taxes and our economy is eligible for Manitoba healthcare;3. Review the nurses' workload and incentive program to include all nurses, regardless of position status and type; and4. Reconsider some of the changes that have been made over the last few years and turn the health care facility into a facility that is capable of being, so the residents of Manitoba, particularly the communities of Tyndall Park, Maples, Burrows, Kildonan and even Lakeside have a place to go.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealthcare is a shared responsibility between the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories. While the federal government provides financial support to the provinces and territories for healthcare services, the responsibility for matters related to management of the health care system and health workforces falls within provincial and territorial jurisdiction. As part of their responsibility to administer and deliver healthcare services, provinces and territories establish training curricula and manage licensure, and regulate healthcare professionals through arms-length regulatory bodies, such as professional colleges and associations.At the same time, the federal government acknowledges that it has a key leadership role to play in supporting solutions to the challenges facing health systems across the country, including those related to Canada’s health workforce. We remain committed to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to protect and strengthen the publicly funded health care system.Budget 2023 delivered nearly $200 billion to reduce backlogs, expand access to family health services and ensure provinces and territories can provide the high quality and timely health care Canadians expect and deserve. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories to improve health care services for Canadians. This funding also includes $25 billion over 10 years to advance shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements that will support the needs of people in each province and territory in four areas of shared priority: family health services; health workers and backlogs; mental health and substance use; and a modernized health system. Additionally, provinces and territories are being asked to streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals, and to advance labour mobility.On October 12, 2023 federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Health issued a public statement reaffirming their commitment to supporting Canada’s health workforce so our health workers are able to provide high-quality, accessible and effective health services for people living in Canada. In particular, FPT governments committed to concrete actions focusing on retention, domestic education supply and demand, foreign credential recognition and ethical recruitment, labour mobility, and health workforce data and planning. These commitments included undertaking credential processes overseas in order to improve processing of licensure of international physicians and nurses within 90 days and support for a Nursing Retention Toolkit developed by the federally-appointed Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Leigh Chapman, in consultation with Canada’s nursing community. The toolkit highlights retention initiatives that employers or health authorities can implement to support their nursing workforce.The details on the Ministers commitments can be found here: Federal, provincial and territorial statement on supporting Canada’s health workforce.
Health care systemManitobaNurses
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01929441-01929 (Business and trade)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCNovember 20, 2023December 12, 2023April 14, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Village of Lytton was decimated by fire on June 30th, 2021. The Village remains under an Evacuation Order with homes, and buildings not yet started construction;
  • Since rebuilding has yet to begin, doors cannot open, and businesses have had no revenue for nearly two years; and
  • Already incurring large deficits due to the pandemic, businesses destroyed by the fire will not be in a position to repay the CEBA loan when due December 31, 2023.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to recognize the extraordinary circumstances of businesses in the Lytton area and forgive their amounts owing on Canada Emergency Bank Account loans. Due to the magnitude of disaster and consequential bureaucratic delays, businesses have been unable to rebuild for nearly two years. Forgiveness of the CEBA loan for Lytton businesses would help to empower economic development and restore this destroyed community.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), and the impact the fire in Lytton has had on Lytton businesses.The government launched the CEBA program to provide timely support to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and help support the jobs these businesses provide. The program provided nearly 900,000 small businesses with interest-free, partially forgivable loans of up to $60,000 to cover non-deferrable operating expenses. From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Export Development Canada (EDC), federal government partners and more than 230 Canadian financial institutions worked together to provide support to both exporting and non-exporting companies. This vital support helped small businesses make it through an unprecedented period of time.To further help small businesses, the government has recently extended the flexibilities for CEBA and Regional Relief and Recovery Fund. On September 14, 2023, the government announced further extensions to CEBA repayment and loan forgiveness:
  • The repayment deadline to receive forgiveness (of up to $20,000) for all CEBA loans was extended to January 18, 2024 (previously extended from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2023).
  • The repayment deadline to qualify for partial loan forgiveness now includes a refinancing extension until March 28, 2024.
  • As of January 19, 2024, outstanding loans, including those that are captured by the refinancing extension, will convert to three-year term loans, subject to interest of five percent per annum, with the term loan repayment date extended by an additional year from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026. This will provide those who are unable to secure refinancing or generate enough cashflow to repay their loans by the forgiveness deadline an additional year to continue repayment at a low borrowing cost.
Export Development Canada is the administrator of the CEBA program on behalf of the Government of Canada and is working with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to put in place systems to collect loans that remain outstanding after December 31, 2026. For those that cannot repay by the deadline, the CRA will work with each business to determine its ability to repay, emphasizing fairness, empathy, and putting people first.The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of helping the people of Lytton rebuild. Pacific Economic Development Canada is offering two new programs to support the rebuilding of Lytton:
  • $6 million for the Lytton Homeowner Resilient Rebuild program to support eligible Lytton homeowners who wish to rebuild their home to fire-resilient or fire-resilient and Net Zero standards; and
  • $7.2 million to create the Lytton Business Restart program to help small- and medium-sized businesses re-establish in the community. This funding will include support for Indigenous businesses and those operated by women, youth, and other underrepresented groups.
The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting Canadians and Canadian businesses and is focusing on growing our economy and building a stronger, more resilient Canada for everyone.
Canada Emergency Business AccountLoansLyttonSmall and medium-sized enterprises
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01924441-01924 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBNovember 20, 2023December 12, 2023October 30, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action. 
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01919441-01919 (Health)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 9, 2023December 12, 2023March 2, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is a very important issue, and the Government is currently developing its approach to protecting children to ensure they can engage safely online.As stated in the 2021 mandate letters to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Justice, the Government is committed to developing and introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content to protect Canadians, and hold online platforms accountable for the content they host. The Government is working hard to meet these commitments and aims to introduce legislation as soon as possible. The Government has conducted extensive consultations with experts, citizens, civil society, and other stakeholders to this end. It has heard from a diverse set of views and intends to draw on those insights when drafting legislation. It has heard a strong consensus for protecting children and youth from harm online– and that this needs to be balanced against other priorities, like protections for freedom of expression and privacy rights. The Government has also heard support for a risk-based approach to online safety; the need to hold online platforms accountable to a standard for responsible action; the need for more transparency; and the need for better tools to empower users on these platforms. Finally, it has heard that there is a need to confront child sexual abuse material content, and to mitigate the risks associated with exposing children and youth to such content.                                                                                                                                                                               The Government has also been looking at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.Lessons learned from other jurisdictions as well as the advice received from each stream of engagement are contributing to the development online safety legislation in Canada. Summaries for consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.html Overall, the Government is committed to putting in place a legislative and regulatory framework that will hold large online platforms accountable for protecting their users, including children and youth, from the risk of exposure to a range of harmful content. People in Canada, especially children and youth, deserve safer and more inclusive online experiences.   
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01915441-01915 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBNovember 9, 2023December 12, 2023October 30, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01912441-01912 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 9, 2023December 12, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
            
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01909441-01909 (Foreign affairs)AnitaVandenbeldOttawa West—NepeanLiberalONNovember 8, 2023December 12, 2023November 22, 2022PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01907441-01907 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 7, 2023December 12, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerEquality rights are at the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are intended to ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identities and expressions, from coast, to coast to coast.Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. It is important that parents be involved in the lives of their children, and that should be balanced with the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current.The Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Some highlights:
  • A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including trans people (See Budget 2023, chapter 4)
  • 2022: Government of Canada criminalized conversion therapies, see Statement
  • 2017: Canadian Human Rights Act amended to protect gender identity and gender expression
  • 2022: Launch of Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan
The first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan enables the federal government to help advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan achieves these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The plan is supported by an investment of $100 million, which will help create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+communities, both present and future generations. In doing so it builds upon work the Government of Canada has done to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country.
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01905441-01905 (Taxation)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABNovember 7, 2023December 12, 2023October 11, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Liberals imposed carbon tax will continue to drive up the cost of home heating for Canadians;
  • In Canada heating your home in the winter isn't a luxury - it's a necessity;
  • After eight years of this Liberal government Canadians now must decide whether to heat their home or put food on their table;
  • Never before in Canadian history have Canadians paid more in taxes than under this Liberal government; and
  • Inflation has caused massive increases to costs faced by non-profits and registered charities and further compounded by the carbon tax.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Cancel the tripling of the carbon tax on home heating;2) Ensure no new taxes on Canadians;3) Ensure that Canadians are being put first: their family, their paycheques, their home, and their future.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandSince taking office in 2015, the government's focus has been investing in the middle class, growing the economy, strengthening Canada's social safety net, and making life more affordable for Canadians. Key measures include:
  • Reversed the Conservative policy and restored the age of eligibility for Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) to 65, from 67, preventing 100,000 seniors aged 65 and 66 from plunging into severe poverty each year.
  • Increasing support for families and low-income workers through programs such as the Canada Child Benefit and the Canada Workers Benefit, which have helped lift over 1 million Canadians out of poverty since 2015.
  • Across Canada reduction of fees for regulated childcare of 50 percent on average, with six provinces and territories reducing childcare fees to $10 a day or less by April 2, 2023. In Saskatchewan, this amounts to an estimated savings of up to $6,900 per child.
  • Increasing the GIS top up benefit for low-income single seniors, enhancing the GIS earnings exemption, and increasing Old Age Security for approximately 3.3 million Canadians in July 2022.
  • Reducing taxes for the middle class from 22 percent to 20.5 percent, while raising taxes on the wealthiest Canadians. 
  • Increasing the basic personal amount – i.e., the basic amount of income that Canadians can earn before paying federal income tax – to $15,000, while phasing out the benefits of the increased basic personal amount for wealthy individuals.
In addition, the Government of Canada has provided targeted inflation relief to Canadians struggling with the impacts of global inflation, which has made the cost of living a real challenge. This includes direct, tax-free payments of up to $1,300 per child over two years to eligible families to cover dental expenses for their children under 12 and a doubling of the GST credit in the fall of 2022.Furthermore, the new onetime Grocery Rebate provided targeted inflation relief for 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians and families who need it most, with up to an extra $467 for eligible couples with two children; and up to an extra $234 for single Canadians without children. The Grocery Rebate was delivered to eligible Canadians on July 5, 2023, by direct deposit or cheque through the Canada Revenue Agency.Climate action is critical to Canada’s long-term health and economic prosperity. Pollution pricing is widely recognized as effective and the most efficient means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which is why the Government of Canada has made sure that it is no longer free to pollute in Canada.The federal price on pollution is revenue neutral for the government of Canada; the direct proceeds from the federal pollution pricing system remain in the province or territory where they are collected. Put simply, every dollar collected from the pollution price is returned.In provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, 90 percent of direct proceeds are returned to residents of those provinces through Climate Action Incentive (CAI) payments. Most households receive more in CAI payments than the costs they face from the federal price on pollution, with low- and middle-income households benefitting the most, on average. The other 10 percent is used to support small and medium sized businesses and Indigenous groups. Proceeds relating specifically to the use of natural gas and propane by farmers are returned directly to farmers via a refundable tax credit.This year, through quarterly payments, a family of four will receive: $1,544 in Alberta, $1,056 in Manitoba, $976 in Ontario, and $1,360 in Saskatchewan. Starting in July 2023 when federal carbon pricing begins to apply in Atlantic Canada, a family of four will receive 3 quarterly payments totaling: $984 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $744 in Nova Scotia, $720 in Price Edward Island, and $552 in New Brunswick (double payment in October). Residents of small and rural communities are entitled to a 10 per cent supplement beyond the base amount. Future years will contain 4 quarterly payments.On October 26, 2023, the government announced its intent to double the CAI rural top-up, from 10 to 20 percent, with increased payments to rural residents starting in April 2024. It also announced a proposed temporary, three-year pause of the fuel charge on deliveries of light fuel oil exclusively for use in providing heat to a home or building until the end of 2026-27.The government will continue to take action to support the middle class and make life more affordable for Canadians.
Carbon tax
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01895441-01895 (Transportation)Hon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023October 12, 2023Petition to the Minister of TransportWHEREAS:
  • Municipalities, property associations and thousands of individual residents are deeply concerned by the potential damage including environmental, social, economic and public safety impact(s) unregulated float homes in Ontario can cause to our waterways, if left unregulated;
  • The Ontario Government has recently consulted Ontarians on this matter and appears willing to bring these floating homes under regulation. But its hands are tied, they need your support to enact changes per the recommendation set out below;
  • The problem is that in Ontario, Transport Canada classifies such structures as "vessels", while in British Columbia, Transport Canada classifies them as "float homes". There is, accordingly, a lack of national consistency in Transport Canada's oversight of these structures;
  • As a result, in Ontario, as a "vessel", these structures are currently exempt from all forms of provincial and municipal oversight and regulation, including building code adherence, environmental protection, public safety, taxation and location management;
  • In British Columbia, where Transport Canada classifies them as "float homes", these structures must conform to strict building standards and can be duly regulated by the province and municipalities to ensure environmental protection, building code adherence and use/location management; and
  • Once this change has been made, municipalities will be enabled to create bylaws to control float homes in a manner consistent with provincial and municipal standards.
We, the undersigned, citizens of the province of Ontario, call upon the Minister of Transport to:Respectfully request that your Department classify both existing and new float homes within Ontario as float homes not vessels, in a manner consistent with the precedent your Department established in British Columbia in 2001.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe Government of Canada is attentive to public concerns about floating accommodations on Ontario (ON) waters, and their potential environmental, social, and public safety impacts. Within the rubric of Transport Canada’s (TC) legislative and regulatory mandate, these structures are defined as vessels under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (the CSA 2001):A boat, ship or craft designed, used or capable of being used solely or partly for navigation in, on, through or immediately above water, without regard to method or lack of propulsion, and includes such a vessel that is under construction. It does not include a floating object of a prescribed class.While these floating accommodations often have no means of propulsion, they can be navigated under tow and, as such, are subject to pertinent regulations under the CSA 2001. TC’sregulatoryauthority under the CSA 2001 covers safety equipment, construction, navigation, and environmental protection. The department does not regulate where these vessels can operate, nor the duration for which they can stay anchored or moored in any given location.Vessels of this nature must meet the requirements of the Small Vessel Regulations and Transport Publication 1332 - Construction Standards for Small Vessels (2010), including having necessary safety equipment and meeting construction requirements. They must also meet the applicable requirements of the Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemical Regulations, under which, for example, the discharge overboard of raw sewage is prohibited.While the floating accommodations of concern in ON are anchored near shore, independent of shore installations, and capable of navigation (i.e., can be moved to another location), those in British Columbia (BC) that are referenced as “float homes”, and that are not considered vessels, are permanently moored to the dock or shore, dependent on shore services (e.g., electrical power, fresh water, phone, waste management, etc.), and cannot be used for navigation. These float homes are normally located within the confines of a harbour or a marina.Such accommodations are treated as real estate, built in conformity with the BC Float Home Standard, and overseen by the BC Float Home Committee. Because of their features, these BC float homes are not considered vessels under theCSA 2001. In this regard, the CSA2001and the BC Float Home Standard are addressing different structures.In June 2023, the ON Government amended Regulation 161/17 (under the Public Lands Act) to prohibit floating accommodations from docking overnight on provincial waterways. The updated regulation clarifies the difference between “floating accommodations” and “watercraft”, applies only to public lands in ON, and does not address floating accommodations located on private water lots or on waterways under the authority of other governments (e.g., portions of the Trent Severn Waterway). The regulatory amendments do not impact TC’s definition of a vessel under the CSA 2001.TC, Parks Canada (PCA), and the ON Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) each have authorities related to floating accommodations, depending on whether they are secured to a waterbed and/or surface land controlled provincially or federally. TC, PCA, and the ON Government have met on multiple occasions to discuss floating accommodations.Going forward, TC will continue to work with its federal, provincial, and municipal partners to help ensure safe navigation and environmental protections for ON’s navigable waterways. TC is interested in better understanding the public’s concerns regarding floating accommodations and the long-term anchoring of vessels generally and hosted an online consultation in fall 2023 to better understand the perspectives of Canadians.Should those consultations indicate sufficient interest in having an opportunity to restrict long-term anchoring, TC would consider incorporating restrictions to this effect in the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR). The VORR provide a mechanism for local authorities and municipal and provincial governments to regulate boating activities on their waters, and delegate enforcement powers to local enforcement authorities. Local authorities submit applications to TC on a regular basis seeking new restrictions. A restriction on long-term anchoring could be added for those instances where the anchoring poses a safety or environmental risk. 
HousingRegulationSmall craft
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01893441-01893 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and international engagement.Canada is strongly committed to working with governments, as well as multilateral and non-governmental organizations, to promote inclusive and accountable governance around the world. Canada is consistently a strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values.Canada’s leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention demonstrates its steadfast commitment to upholding universal human rights and the rules-based international order.The Government of Canada maintains an active and open dialogue with the Turkish, Pakistani and Bahraini Governments concerning human rights, as part of Canada’s commitment to promote democracy and uphold human rights and the rule of law globally.Global Affairs Canada officials met with the Turkish families that reported of their arrest in Pakistan and Bahrain and eventual detention in Türkiye, before moving to Canada. Global Affairs Canada officials have also received a submission from these families, requesting sanctions against specific Turkish officials in relation to their previous detention in Türkiye.Canada is judicious when it chooses to deploy sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use, when appropriate. Canada remains committed to playing a leadership role in the preservation and strengthening of an international rules-based order – sanctions are a key component of this approach. We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools for maintaining and restoring international peace and security, combatting corruption, and promoting respect for norms and values, including human rights. Canada carefully considers the bilateral consequences that any sanction measures could have. To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Wherever possible, Canada coordinates closely with likeminded allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01886441-01886 (Employment and labour)RosemarieFalkBattlefords—LloydminsterConservativeSKNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Employment Insurance (El) maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial support while they care for and bond with their new child;Having a parent at home longer in the critical first year of a child's life or placement within a family better supports healthy attachment and the well-being of the child;Adoptive and intended parents are at a disadvantage under the current El system;All parents are deserving of equal access to parental leave benefits;Bill C-318 delivers equitable access to parental leave for adoptive and intended parents; andThe Speaker of the House of Commons has ruled that the passage of Bill C-318 requires a royal recommendation.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support adoptive and intended parents by providing a royal recommendation for Bill C-318.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to support adoptive and intended parents through Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.The arrival of a new child is a precious and exciting time for parents. This is equally true for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents.On November 21, 2023, the Fall Economic Statement announced that a new 15-week shareable adoption benefit would be introduced in the EI program. This benefit is expected to provide approximately 1,700 Canadian families each year with additional time and flexibility as they welcome a new child in their home. Parents who form their families via surrogacy will also be eligible for this benefit. Bill C-59, An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, proposes amendments to the EI Act to implement this new benefit, along with corresponding changes to the Canada Labour Code to ensure job-protected leave for employees in the federally regulated private sector.  The new benefit for parents through adoption and surrogacy responds to what the Government heard during its comprehensive consultations on the EI program in 2021 and 2022. It will provide for an equal number of weeks of EI benefits for adoptive and intended parents as for biological parents, making EI benefits more inclusive of the way families are formed.The Government of Canada recognizes the diverse challenges faced by working parents raising children. Balancing family, work and financial considerations is a challenging task for Canadians raising children, and each family has its own needs. That is why we have made changes since 2017 to give parents more flexibility in their use of EI maternity and parental benefits. These include earlier access to maternity benefits, the choice of standard or extended parental benefits, and additional weeks of parental benefits when shared.We will continue to ensure that the EI program responds to the needs of today’s workforce, including for adoptive parents. EI is a significant income support program. Introducing a new benefit for adoptive parents needs to align with the implementation of the Government’s other priorities on EI. Once again, the government wishes to thank the petitioners. Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
C-318, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and the Canada Labour Code (adoptive and intended parents)Employment insuranceParental leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01885441-01885 (Foreign affairs)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023February 2, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01884441-01884 (Foreign affairs)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023February 2, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01883441-01883 (Foreign affairs)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023February 1, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01882441-01882 (Foreign affairs)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023February 2, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01881441-01881 (Foreign affairs)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023February 1, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01880441-01880 (Foreign affairs)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023February 3, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01879441-01879 (Foreign affairs)Hon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023October 31, 2022PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01871441-01871 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBNovember 6, 2023December 12, 2023October 30, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action. 
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01870441-01870 (Environment)RichardCanningsSouth Okanagan—West KootenayNDPBCNovember 2, 2023December 12, 2023October 23, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned Canadians, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • the impacts of climate change are accelerating in Canada and around the world;
  • Canada has endorsed the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 °C in order to avoid the most disastrous effects of climate change, yet greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have failed to decline in Canada;
  • Canada's current GHG reduction targets are not consistent with doing our fair share to meet the global goals agreed upon in Paris to mitigate climate change;
  • our fossil fuel extraction industries are significant contributors to Canada's GHG emissions;
  • subsidizing fossil fuel production, export and expansion, including new pipelines, are not compatible with the stated goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and
  • the government's continued support of the fossil fuel industry, in spite of scientific evidence of the cumulative damage of emissions, puts our future in danger.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to take urgent cooperative action to fulfill Canada's obligations under the Paris Agreement, through:
  • a just transition off of fossil fuel that leaves no-one behind;
  • eliminating federal fossil fuel subsidies; and
  • halting the expansion of fossil fuel production in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTIn 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45 per cent below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Act also holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve our national targets, based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, Canada published the first Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target as a concrete milestone that improves transparency and accountability on the way to net-zero. The 2030 ERP includes a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, $9.1 billion in new investments, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Achieving further emissions reductions, in line with Canada’s 2030 and 2050 commitments, will require significant and ongoing effort. The Government of Canada is optimistic that, together, Canadians can achieve real and lasting emission reductions, while sharing and exporting our climate solutions to the world and supporting the workers and communities affected by the global transition towards a low-carbon future.Looking forward, the transition to a cleaner future will bring new, dynamic opportunities across our labour force. To put workers across Canada at the forefront of building a net-zero emissions economy, the Government of Canada is committed to help Canadians have the skills they need to succeed and to enable the economy to have the workers it needs to thrive. Building on Budget 2021 investments in skills development, including through the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, Skills for Success, and the Apprenticeship Service, the Government is proposing to invest $250 million to help ensure Canadian workers can thrive in a changing global economy through the 2022 Fall Economic Statement.On July 24, 2023, the Government of Canada released the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Self-Review Assessment Framework and the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Guidelines, which were jointly developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Department of Finance Canada. The Guidelines apply to all federal departments and agencies.The Framework and Guidelines fulfill our domestic, G7 and G20 commitments to phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. Canada is the first country to release a rigorous analytical guide that both fulfills this commitment and transparently supports action. The Guidelines will be used to prevent the creation of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies in the future.     
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reduction targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seize the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonization technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our global partners need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government released policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures that deliver on Canada’s commitment at COP26. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector. This commitment was reiterated and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, outlines the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world rapidly shifting to a net-zero economy.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding to establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre, among other things.As committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023. The legislation proposes establishing a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill would also require the Government to:
  • establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures;
  • create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and
  • release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025.
These legislated mechanisms would guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a low-carbon economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables) are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables are helping to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, in collaboration with Indigenous partners, and with the input of experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for implementing joint strategies to leverage energy and resource opportunities to realize each region of Canada’s comparative advantage in a net-zero emissions economy.To date, the federal government has jointly launched nine Regional Tables across the country, with British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and the four Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) as well as the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Most recently, the Government of Canada and British Columbia, in collaboration with First Nation partners, released the foundational British Columbia Regional Energy and Resource Table Collaboration Framework, which sets the stage for a shared longer-term vision. On the other side of the country, plans for a similar framework with Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario are not far behind.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Environmental protectionFossil fuelsParis Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01869441-01869 (Environment)Lisa MarieBarronNanaimo—LadysmithNDPBCNovember 2, 2023December 12, 2023October 12, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada Whereas:
  • Canadians care deeply about the health of the ocean, and depend on a thriving ocean ecosystem;
  • In 2019, over one million cruise ship passengers travelled off British Columbia on their way to Alaska;
  • These ships generate significant amounts of pollutants that are harmful to human health, aquatic organisms and coastal ecosystems;
  • Canada's regulations under the Canada Shipping Act addressing the discharge of sewage and greywater are much less stringent than those in US Pacific coastal states;
  • Canada permits sewage to be discharged with 18 times greater fecal coliform counts than does Alaska;
  • Canada does not require that ships built before 2013 treat greywater discharges;
  • 22 of the 25 cruise ships sailing off British Columbia in 2019 were built before 2013;
  • The Salish Sea in Washington State is a no-discharge zone prohibiting the discharge of sewage in order to protect public health, water quality, and sensitive marine resources;
  • Canada has zero no-discharge zones off British Columbia;
  • Canada does not require third party independent observers on board cruise ships as is required by Alaska; and
  • Canada's less stringent regulations encourage cruise ships to discharge their waste off British Columbia.
We, the undersigned, concerned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Set standards for cruise ship sewage and greywater discharges equivalent to or stronger than those in Alaska;2. Designate no-discharge zones to stop pollution in marine protected areas, the entirety of the Salish and Great Bear Seas, and in critical habitat for threatened and endangered species; and3. Require regular independent third-party monitoring while ships are underway to ensure discharge requirements are met.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezPart 1: The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians and the environment from the potential risks of marine pollution.On June 23, 2023, Transport Canada announced mandatory environmental measures to address discharges of greywater and sewage from cruise ships, effective immediately within Canada’s territorial waters. These substances were previously included in voluntary measures but will now be enforceable under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to provide stronger protection to Canada’s oceans and marine ecosystems. For more information, please refer to Ship Safety Bulletin No. 14/2023. These measures exceed international standards, strengthen Canada’s existing discharge regime, and place Canada amongst the countries with the most stringent requirements for these types of discharges in the world.The announcement of these new mandatory measures for sewage and greywater discharges in Canadian waters is a first step towards strengthening Transport Canada’s environmental regime. The mandatory measures also reflect work undertaken by Transport Canada to address concerns raised by the Canadian public and environmental organizations with respect to vessel-sourced pollution in Canadian waters.Transport Canada is currently working to make these changes permanent through amendments to the Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations. Transport Canada will also continue to collaborate with the United States and other like-minded jurisdictions to support the implementation of a strong environmental regime that takes in to account our respective and unique jurisdictions.Part 2: The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians and the environment from the potential risks of marine pollution. This includes working to improve water quality and our marine environments from coast to coast to coast, to build a new world class environmental regime. Strengthening marine environmental protection requires a whole of government approach. Transport Canada is working closely with the Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada towards this shared objective.On February 8, 2023, the Government of Canada unveiled its 2023 Marine Protected Area Protection Standard, which, among other things, seeks to enhance restrictions on certain vessel discharges that occur within marine protected areas, including those located within the Salish and Great Bear Seas. Subject to further consultations with stakeholders, additional limitations or prohibitions are proposed for: oily engine bilge; sewage (blackwater); greywater; food waste; and scrubber washwater.In compliance with international regulations and law, voluntary measures for these substances, with the addition of garbage (including food wastes) and noxious liquid substances, will be also pursued in the Exclusive Economic Zone, 12–200 nautical miles from shore, where possible.Transport Canada also continues to support the ongoing work at the International Maritime Organization on these and related subjects. Part 3: Transport Canada has a robust marine oversight regime and is responsible for carrying out compliance and enforcement activities in accordance with the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and its regulations. The Department’s compliance and enforcement activities apply to Canadian and foreign vessels in Canadian waters. In instances where deficiencies or non-compliance are suspected or known, Transport Canada inspectors and investigators are authorized to take appropriate action to bring vessels into compliance. This may include directing corrective actions, issuing warnings or Administrative Monetary Penalties and Notices, or pursuing detentions and prosecutions through the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and the courts. Transport Canada compliance and enforcement actions are guided by the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and its regulations. Transport Canada will take into consideration new and/or additional methods to support oversight, as needed, as it continues to develop enhanced measures to strengthen Canada’s discharge requirements.Transport Canada will continue to engage with industry and interested parties to determine how to further strengthen the marine environmental regime, where needed. This would include consideration towards the compliance and enforcement regime.   
British ColumbiaCruise shipsSewage treatment and disposalWater quality
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01868441-01868 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBNovember 2, 2023December 12, 2023October 30, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which received Royal Assent on December 5, 2023. Bill C-48 enacts changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 enacts new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as makes additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also adopts changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The changes brought by Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023441-01866441-01866 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCNovember 2, 2023December 12, 2023May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:Over 29,000 Canadians have died due to apparent opioid toxicity between January 2016 and December 2021. Those who have died as a result of the preventable drug toxicity crisis were loved and valued citizens of this country: our children, siblings, spouses, parents, family members, clients, friends; andCanada's current drug policies have proven to be ineffective in the prevention of substance use and exacerbate substance use harms and risks. The "war on drugs" has resulted in widespread stigma towards those who use controlled substances. The "war on drugs" has allowed organized crime to be the sole provider of most controlled substances. Problematic substance use is a health issue and that cannot be resolved through criminalizing personal possession and consumption. Decriminalization of personal possession is associated with significantly reducing drug toxicity deaths in the countries that have adopted progressive drug policy reforms.Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Reform drug policy to decriminalize simple possession of drugs listed in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;2. Provide a path for expungement of conviction records for those convicted of simple possession; and3. With urgency, implement a health-based National Strategy for providing access to a regulated safer supply of drugs and expand trauma-informed treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services, and public education and awareness campaigns throughout Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Government continues to deliver on its promise to work toward removing the stigma associated with convictions for simple possession of drugs.Expungement is intended for cases where the criminalization of an activity constitutes a historical injustice because, among other things, were it to occur today, it would be inconsistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Expungement was not intended to address changing societal norms, such as the legalization of cannabis or health and social issues such as the ongoing opioid crisis.However, originally introduced in Parliament on December 7, 2021, Bill C-5, an Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), was amended in September 2022 to address concerns about the ongoing stigma associated with a record of convictions for simple possession of drugs. It now specifies that past convictions under section 4(1) of the CDSA for possession of controlled drugs must be kept separate and apart from other criminal convictions within two years of the Bill’s coming into force. For convictions after the coming into force, the record of conviction must be kept separate and apart from other criminal convictions two years following sentence completion. This amendment is consistent with the underlying objective of the Bill to address the negative consequences associated with simple possession. The amendment acknowledges the calls from public health organizations and those who work with individuals with addictions. It helps address barriers to successful reintegration into society and also helps address a contributing cause of the ongoing opioid crisis, namely the stigmatization of people who use drugs. Bill C-5 received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022.Criminal records have a lasting impact on the ability of rehabilitated individuals to successfully reintegrate into society after overcoming personal challenges in their lives. Treating simple possession of drugs as a health and social issue means eliminating the stigma associated with convictions for simple possession.Public Safety Canada continues to work with other departments, including Health Canada and the Department of Justice, to support the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy: Overview - Canada.ca, and address the national drug crisis as part of its mandate to keep cities and communities safe.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James Maloney
  1. Bill C-5, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, received Royal Assent and came into force on November 17, 2022. The Bill aims to ensure that responses to criminal offences are fair and effective, while ensuring that public safety is maintained. The amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) reinforce the Government’s commitment to address the ongoing opioid crisis by providing space to treat substance use as a health issue, rather than as a criminal one. The law now requires police and prosecutors to consider options such as issuing a warning, or divert people to treatment programs or other supportive services instead of proceeding with charges or prosecuting for simple drug possession, and enacts for the first time in the CDSA a declaration of principles to guide them in exercising discretion.
  2. Bill C-5 further addresses the stigma associated with having a criminal record by: (1) limiting the kind of information that may be kept in the police record of warning or referrals and the use that can be made of such records, as well as to whom these records may be disclosed; and, (2) providing that past and future records of convictions for this offence be kept separate and apart from other records of convictions after a certain period of time.
  3. The 2018 Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act provides that the Governor in Council may list an offence as eligible for expungement if the activity no longer constitutes an offence, and the criminalization of the activity was a historical injustice. Bill C-5 did not repeal the offence of simple drug possession.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe overdose crisis is one of the most serious and unprecedented public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. While there are a number of complex factors that contribute to the high rates of overdose that we are seeing today, a major driver is the increasingly toxic and unpredictable illegal drug supply, where fentanyl remains widespread and we have observed the rise or emergence of other substances, including stronger opioids, stimulants, and sedatives. In 2022, approximately four out of every five opioid-related overdose death involved fentanyl. The cost of substance use-related harms is not limited to the loss of lives alone and, more broadly, impacts health, social well-being, and public safety. The Government of Canada takes this crisis very seriously and is committed to working together with all levels of government, Indigenous Peoples and communities, partners from law enforcement, criminal justice, health and social systems, and people with lived and living experience and other key stakeholders, to take urgent action and leverage every available tool to save lives and work towards an end to this national public health crisis.Our government is committed to continued action using the broad range of powers at its disposal and to take steps to end overdose deaths and substance-use related harms. Canada’s approach to addressing the overdose crisis and substance use-related harms is comprehensive, equitable, collaborative, and compassionate, guided by our renewed federal drug strategy – the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS). The renewed CDSS outlines the Government of Canada’s updated plan to address the overdose crisis, and other substance use-related harms in Canada.Through the renewed CDSS, Canada is taking a holistic approach to addressing substance use and related harms, centered on promoting public health and protecting public safety. This whole-of-government initiative includes timely access to a full range of strategies to help people access the prevention, harm reduction, treatment, or recovery services and supports they need, when and where they need them.The renewed CDSS uses an integrated approach that brings together prevention and education, substance use services and supports, evidence, and substance controls. New investments include supporting a wide range of activities, such as: community-based supports; streamlining authorizations for supervised consumption sites and drug checking services;   vital data collection on substance-related harms and lab-based analysis of the illegal drug supply; an overdose monitoring platform for law enforcement and other first responders; and further action with our partners to disrupt illegal drug production and trafficking and stem the global flow of these devastating substances. By using a wide-range of tools, we have the best opportunity to end this crisis, protect communities and save lives.Since 2017, the federal government has made commitments of more than $1 billion and has taken significant action to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis and substance use-related harms. This includes a Budget 2023 commitment of $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $5.7 million ongoing, to support the renewed CDSS, which will continue to guide the government’s work to save lives and protect the health and safety of Canadians by:
  • ensuring that harm reduction services are available to Canadians who need them;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation and further risk of harms;
  • continuing to work with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options;
  • continuing to address illegal production and trafficking, with a focus on organized drug crime; and,
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis.
These investments have made a difference in reducing overdose deaths and harms. For example, since 2017 through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), Health Canada has provided over $500 million to support more than 380 community-based projects focused on innovative treatment, harm reduction, prevention and stigma reduction activities. More than $26 million of this funding was dedicated to expanding Naloxone awareness, training and distribution across Canada. As of May 2023, these projects contributed to more than 1.5M Canadians being trained on how to respond to an overdose, and more than 69,000 nasal naloxone kits being distributed across the country.We also invested $22.8 million in public education through national and targeted advertising, partnerships and experiential marketing on the risks of opioids, overdose awareness, harm reduction and stigma awareness and reduction. In addition, the Government of Canada is supporting policies and approaches to build the evidence around innovative care practices, including services that prescribe pharmaceutical-grade medications as an alternative to the highly toxic illegal drug supply for people at high risk of overdose – a practice often referred to as safer supply. As of November 2023, Health Canada has supported 31 safer supply pilot projects across Canada through SUAP, representing total funding commitments of over $102 million. This includes supporting a range of service delivery projects in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, as well as research/knowledge transfer and exchange projects to help share knowledge amongst stakeholders.These investments have also improved access to treatment. For example, provinces and territories have used federal investments provided through Budget 2018 for the Emergency Treatment Fund to expand existing treatment approaches, such as services to support youth with substance use disorder, withdrawal management services appropriate for people who use methamphetamine, Rapid Access Addictions Medicine clinics, access to opioid dependence treatments, and culturally-appropriate care for Indigenous communities. Funds have also been used to implement innovative approaches to treatment, including ‘wrap-around’ care and the development of telehealth infrastructure to connect clients in remote and rural settings.In addition to these investments, the Government of Canada has supported the expansion of supervised consumption services (SCS) across Canada and also proactively issued exemptions that allow provinces and territories to establish new temporary Urgent Public Health Need Sites – also known as overdose prevention sites – within existing shelters or other temporary sites, as needed. Since 2016, the number of SCS has grown from one to 40. From October 2017 to July 2023, they have received over 4.3 million visits, responded to over 51,000 overdoses, and made over 264,000 referrals to health and social services [as of October 25, 2023].Federal funds are enabling new checking technologies to be used at SCS and other associated services to provide people who use drugs and health workers with information on the contents of toxic street drugs, including whether they contain deadly fentanyl, benzodiazepines or other toxic substances. This gives people who use drugs the opportunity to make informed decisions that may reduce their risk of overdose. As of November 2023, there are 30 federally authorized SCS that are authorized to conduct drug checking in Canada, and 5 federally authorized sites that offer stand-alone drug checking services. In addition, the Government of Canada held a Drug Checking Technology Challenge (October 2018 to July 2021), that provided a total of $1,724,500 million to nine participants to catalyze innovation in drug checking technologies. Through the renewed CDSS, we will streamline authorizations for SCS, urgent public health need sites and drug checking services with clear public health and public safety requirements for organizations seeking to provide these evidence-based life saving services to Canadians.We have also made a number of regulatory changes at the federal level to help improve access to medications used in drug treatment programs, including:
  • issuing a class exemption (an exemption authorized to a group of people, such as pharmacists, to conduct specific activities with controlled substances) to make it easier for patients to access the medications they need;
  • approving injectable hydromorphone as a treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder;
  • approving injectable diacetylmorphine as a new treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder, as well as facilitating the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and diacetylmorphine; and,
  • authorizing nurses who provide health care services at a community health facility to conduct certain activities with controlled substances.
We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to respond to this crisis and to keep communities safe. Our government works closely with domestic and international partners to address the toxic illegal drug supply that is driving overdose harms and deaths. We continue to equip border agents with the tools necessary to intercept controlled substances. For example, we have made it harder to access chemicals used to make fentanyl by scheduling them under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) and have also amended legislation to allow border officers to open mail of any weight, in order to stop drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from entering Canada illegally through the mail system. Our government also works with private sector partners to address money laundering of the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking in an effort to dismantle the organized crime groups involved in the supply of these toxic illegal drugs.The Government of Canada continues to lead efforts to facilitate opportunities for collaboration between jurisdictions, health providers, researchers, people with lived and living experience, community-based organizations, and other partners and stakeholders, to reduce the harms associated with substance use and support efforts to provide a full range of culturally appropriate, evidence-based, and trauma-informed health and social services and supports to meet the diverse needs of people who use drugs.The Government of Canada is also working closely with provinces and territories to change the way our healthcare system delivers mental health and substance use services to Canadians. On February 7, 2023, the Government of Canada announced it will increase health funding to provinces and territories by nearly $200 billion over 10 years, in order to improve Canada’s health care system. This investment includes $25 billion for shared health priorities, including increasing access to mental health and substance use services and supports. These commitments are in addition to existing bilateral agreements with provinces and territories for health priorities, including mental health and substance use, that were put in place in 2017. These investments will set the foundation for long-term, integrated and sustained health care system change that builds on existing, targeted actions to address mental health and substance use challenges.We have also established federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governance tables, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses, the FPT Committee on Substance Use (formerly Problematic Substance Use & Harms), and the FPT Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use, to facilitate ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners. In addition, discussions are held with provinces and territories at the Deputy Minister and Ministerial level through meetings of the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health and the Federal, Provincial, Territorial Health Minister’s Meetings.To inform the federal approach, our government also regularly consults with stakeholders and has convened several expert advisory groups, including people directly impacted by substance use. Health Canada established the People with Lived and Living Experience Council, the Expert Advisory Group on Safer Supply and the Expert Task Force on Substance Use as part of this engagement strategy. We recognize that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and trauma, can place individuals at an increased risk of substance use harms and that the approaches to reduce these harms require sustained efforts and supports from diverse systems. We continue to work closely across federal departments so that federal actions on mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, poverty, and reconciliation are coordinated and synergistic. We are also committed to engaging collaboratively with provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and other stakeholders to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.With respect to safer supply, a number of researchers in academic institutions across Canada are studying this emerging approach, contributing to the evidence base that can inform decision-making at local, provincial and federal levels. Safer supply builds on the evidence from medication-assisted approaches to the treatment of substance use disorder, with safer supply services having a number of unique goals and approaches that need to be assessed and evaluated on their own merits.The evidence base around safer supply is still developing, but is growing. Existing studies and evaluations of safer supply programs are showing some promising early outcomes, including:
  • reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations; and,
  • client reports of reductions in overdoses and illegal drug use, reduced engagement in criminalized activities, access to health and social services, improved trust in primary care providers among clients who face barriers to care, and other quality of life improvements.
Health Canada is supporting several studies of safer supply. This includes a preliminary assessment of safer supply pilot projects in Ontario, British Columbia and New Brunswick. The federal government, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), is also supporting a study being conducted by a research team from the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse. This four-year evaluation research project focuses on program implementation and the short-term health outcomes of 11 of the government funded safer supply pilot projects. The final results of this study are expected in 2025. Additionally, CIHR has awarded $2 million to the University of Victoria to support a four-year study evaluating the safer supply initiatives in British Columbia, in partnership with Indigenous leaders, Elders and system partners. We will continue to monitor outcomes of safer supply, so that our response to the overdose crisis is evidence-based and focused on saving lives. Our government is committed to working to divert people who use drugs away from criminal justice systems and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health services and social supports, when needed. For example, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed into law in May 2017, providing some legal protection from simple drug possession charges for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. Furthermore, Bill C-5, which received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022, made legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and to the CDSA. Among other measures, the amendments require police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures – including diverting individuals to treatment programs – instead of laying a criminal charge or prosecuting individuals for personal drug possession. These amendments also repealed mandatory minimum penalties for certain offences in the CDSA to reflect the Government’s public-health focused approach to substance use. These measures are consistent with the August 2020 Guidelines issued by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, directing prosecutors to consider alternatives to prosecution for the personal possession of drugs, except in the most serious cases where public safety concerns arise.In addition, in May 2022, at the request of the province of British Columbia, a time-limited exemption was granted under the CDSA so that adults 18 years of age and older in the province are not subject to criminal charges for the personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. Instead, where appropriate, individuals may be provided with information regarding local health and social services. Upon request, they can also receive assistance to connect with those services. This exemption, which is in effect from January 31, 2023, to January 31, 2026, is part of a much broader strategy British Columbia and this Government are taking to help people who use drugs access supports and services, rather than face criminal charges. This time-limited exemption is being supported by rigorous monitoring and a third-party evaluation to gather evidence and data on its impacts and outcomes and inform implementation.Canada recognizes that stigma can prevent people who use substances from accessing the health and social services that they need and contributes to negative health outcomes. To help reduce stigma in police interactions with people who use drugs and to avoid causing more harm, Public Safety Canada launched an online training module specifically designed for law enforcement members in September 2020. The training raises awareness of the harms associated with substance use stigma and provides law enforcement members with practical tools to support their interactions with people who use drugs.The items above are some examples of concrete actions taken by the federal government to address the overdose crisis. Please visit the following website for a comprehensive list of all the actions taken to date.The Government of Canada will continue working with our partners and stakeholders to implement the renewed CDSS and will continue to support provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to improve access to a full range of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services, in addition to leading efforts to reduce stigma and advancing work on the development of standards for mental health and substance use health services. The Government of Canada believes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abusePublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023e-4507e-4507 (Civil and human rights)VijaykumarJainMelissaLantsmanThornhillConservativeONJuly 19, 2023, at 8:50 a.m. (EDT)October 17, 2023, at 8:50 a.m. (EDT)November 2, 2023December 12, 2023October 17, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Hindus are a minority group with a population of approximately 850,000 or 2.3% of Canada’s population which includes growing numbers who are born in Canada and a majority of whom immigrated to Canada from many countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Caribbean, among others; Overall Hindu Canadians are law abiding and peaceful citizens who contribute greatly to the Canadian economy, culture, and society; Hindus represent the indigenous people of Indian sub-continent, with a distinct and diverse culture, languages and philosophy; There have been numerous attacks on Hindu temples and Hindus are feeling unsafe in their places of worship; Hindus in Canada face growing negative stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination at work, in schools and in the communities; and Hindus traditions and culture are misrepresented and misunderstood by media and academia.We, the undersigned, Citizen of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to :1) Recognize Hinduphobia as a term in the glossary of terms in the Human Rights Code to describe anti-Hindu prejudice and discrimination;2) Recognize following definition of Hinduphobia : Anti Hindu sentiment or Hinduphobia is denial, negation, prejudice or vilification against Hindus, Hinduism, or Hinduness; and 3) Fund the development of educational and training materials along with a plan to educate Canadians about Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu sentiment to raise awareness and address systemic and institutional Hinduphobia.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer ZuberiThe Government would like to thank the petitioner for expressing their concerns regarding the growing negative stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination of Hindus in Canada.In Canada, Hindus have been an integral part of Canadian society since 1903. Over the past 120 years, Hindu communities have flourished and grown immensely. They've become increasingly active and prolific, leaving their mark on many aspects of Canadian society, from medicine and cutting-edge technology to the arts and thriving businesses.November 2022 marked Canada’s first official Hindu Heritage Month, a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the many contributions that Canadians of Hindu heritage have made and continue to make in building a strong and prosperous country.While Canada remains one of the most diverse and inclusive countries in the world, we are not immune to racism, discrimination, and hate. That is why our government has and continues to take concrete measures to ensure that all Canadians can equitably participate in Canada’s economic, cultural, social, and political spheres.Canada has set in place a strong legislative framework that supports diversity and addresses discrimination, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, and the Canadian Human Rights Act.Specifically, the Government of Canada recognizes the diversity of Canadians in regard to race, national or ethnic origin, colour and religion as fundamental characteristics of Canadian society in the Canadian Multiculturalism Act. Paragraph 3(1)(d) of the Act states that it is the policy of the Government of Canada to “recognize the existence of communities whose members share a common origin and their historic contribution to Canadian society, and enhance their development.”Regarding the Canadian Human Rights Commission, it operates independently of government and is responsible for administering the law as it relates to human rights, which protects people in Canada from discrimination when based on any of the designated 13 grounds, which include race, national or ethnic origin and religion.In 2019, the Government of Canada launched Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022, the goal of which is to help address racism in its various forms. With an investment of close to $100 million, the Strategy complements existing government efforts and programs aimed at eliminating inequities.We are aware that our work is not yet finished, which is why our government announced a further investment of $85 million over 4 years, from 2023 to 2026, for a renewed Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy. Further, the Government acknowledges that police-reported hate crimes have increased by 72% between 2019 and 2021. This is why Budget 2023 announced that the federal government plans to introduce a new Action Plan to Combat Hate to confront hate in all its forms.Please be assured that the government unequivocally rejects all forms of hate and discrimination and believes all Canadians must stand up against it where and when ever it is encountered, all while recognizing that it is our diversity that makes us stronger.
DiscriminationEducation and trainingHindu CanadiansHinduism and Hindus
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 12, 2023e-4586e-4586 (Food and drink)DebbieFieldJulieDabrusinToronto—DanforthLiberalONSeptember 20, 2023, at 10:52 a.m. (EDT)October 20, 2023, at 10:52 a.m. (EDT)November 2, 2023December 12, 2023October 20, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="300002" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Families, Children and Social Development</Addressee>Whereas:Families are struggling. Inflation and affordability pressures mean that more and more children are finding it difficult to access nutritious food, with food insecurity affecting 1 in 4 children (1.8 million);School food programs improve children’s nutrition, mental health, long-term health, school performance, attendance, social cohesion and contribute to local economies, as recognized by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (1997) and countless research studies;The quality of student diets across all socio-economic backgrounds is poor;The preventable cost of nutrition-related disease in Canada is estimated at $15.8 billion annually;School meals can take pressure off household budgets;A national school food program would join universal childcare and the Canada Child Benefit as crucial family supports;In 2017, UNICEF ranked Canada 37th out of the 41 wealthiest nations regarding providing healthy food for kids;The Rockefeller Foundation reports that US school meal programs return double their cost in human health and economic benefits; andFederal Budget 2019 committed to school food under the National Food Policy, Budget 2022 re-stated the federal commitment, and the Liberal Party’s 2021 election platform promised $1 billion over five years.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to provide $1 billion over 5 years for school food with an immediate investment of $200 million in Budget 2024, an investment, negotiated with provinces, territories and Indigenous leaders, which will help children develop the food and nutrition habits they need to lead healthy lives and succeed at school.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous partners, and key stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and explore how more children in Canada can receive nutritious food at school. Work to fulfill this commitment is ongoing and remains a key priority.To advance and inform this work, the government has and continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders from across Canada, including through bilateral conversations and roundtables, and has also sought the views of Canadians through an online questionnaire. The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development has also visited school food programs and met with stakeholders in many communities across Canada.Through these engagement activities, we have gained a better understanding of the current school food landscape, as well as views on principles and objectives that could shape a National School Food Policy. Stakeholders highlighted that school meal programs can have multiple social, health, environmental and economic benefits and can play a role in increasing access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children, especially those from low-income or food-insecure households.On October 31, 2023, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food released a “What We Heard” Report that summarizes the views that were shared during these engagements on a National School Food Policy.While we continue to work with key partners on the development of a National School Food Policy, we recognize that this is a challenging time for many families and that global inflation has made it more difficult to make ends meet. The Government of Canada has taken recent action to deliver inflation relief to Canadians. For example, the Government provided a one-time Grocery Rebate payment that provided eligible couples with two children with up to an extra $467. We also recently proposed amendments to the Competition Act to enhance competition, particularly in the grocery sector.In addition, the Government of Canada has made significant investments through targeted social programs and income supplements to reduce poverty and increase well-being. This in turn helps improve Canadians’ ability to meet their basic needs, including access to nutritious food. These programs and benefits include the following:• the Canada Child Benefit, which provides substantial tax-free income support to families raising children;• the new Canadian Dental Care Plan;• the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit, which supports workers earning lower wages;• the Employment Insurance program; and• the creation of a Canada-wide early learning and child care system with a significant reduction in fees.
ChildrenNutritionSchool meal programsSchool meals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01838441-01838 (Civil and human rights)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 26, 2023December 11, 2023May 27, 2022PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • A review conducted by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization found no information regarding the transmission of COVID-19 on airplanes;
  • According to Westjet's first Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Tammy McKnight, as of April 23, 2021, there had been no known case of COVID19 transmission onboard any Canadian aircraft;
  • An International Air Transport Association study in 2020 found that out of 1.2 billion passengers worldwide, only 44 cases of COVID-19 were reported as flight-related transmission;
  • Countries around the world have removed their vaccine mandates and restrictions; and
  • The vaccine mandate imposed on Canadians taking domestic flights, trains and ferries is an unreasonable infringement of their rights and freedoms that cannot be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
Therefore we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada and the Minister of Transport to:1) Abolish the domestic vaccine passport requirement for Canadian citizens and permanent residents taking domestic flights; and2) End all federally regulated COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezAs of June 20, 2022, the Government suspended vaccination requirements for domestic and outbound travel, the federally regulated transportation sector, and federal government employees. Proof of vaccination is no longer required for travel within Canada or for those working in the federally regulated transportation sector; accommodations for remote communities are also no longer necessary.Other public health measures, under the authority of the Public Health Agency of Canada such as border entry restrictions, passenger testing, masking, quarantine and isolation requirements were also lifted on October 1, 2022.  
COVID-19ImmunizationPandemicTravel restrictions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01851441-01851 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
      
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01850441-01850 (Government services and administration)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:Big White Mountain Resort is an important economic driver and employer for the region being British Columbia's second most visited winter destination, hosting over 650,000 skier visits and over 1 million resort guests annually;Postal codes are beneficial for the process of both accurately and correctly filing and collecting property taxes;Accurate navigation via mapping software relies heavily on postal codes;Postal codes benefit tourism organizations by allowing user-generated content to be accurately labelled and geotagged;The securing and managing of online services such as Google business listings relies on an organization or business having access to a postal code; andEssential services such as insurance and forms of identification must have a record of a postal code to be issued or purchased.Therefore:We, the undersigned, citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Public Services and Procurement to work with Canada Post and ensure that the creation of a postal code for Big White Mountain Resort is prioritized and handled in an expeditious manner.
Response by the Minister of Public Services and ProcurementSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Charles SousaCanada Post maintains a nation-wide postal code system for the sole purpose of processing and delivering millions of pieces of mail each day as efficiently as possible. It only assigns postal codes to addresses that qualify for a prime mode of delivery. Unfortunately, issues can arise when third parties such as Google rely on Canada Post’s mailing address database and postal codes for their own purposes.Canada Post assigns a mailing/postal address (including a postal code) for the purposes of mail delivery. The addressing authority (Municipality, Band, Province, District etc.) assigns a civic (9-1-1) address to identify a physical location. In some cases, the mailing/postal address already matches the civic (9-1-1) address, however in some areas, like Big White, it does not. Canada Post’s civic addressing program is the matching of a physical address to its mailing address. This matching gives customers one consistent address to serve both purposes and helps Canada Post improve efficiency and accuracy of mail and parcel delivery.The addressing authority owns/assigns all civic (9-1-1) addressing information including an official place name; Canada Post owns/assigns a mailing/postal address including the postal code.Canada Post provides each municipally-recognized address in Canada with one free method of delivery – such as door-to-door delivery, delivery to a community mailbox, delivery to a Post Office (PO) Box, or general delivery – as determined by Canada Post. Currently, the primary mode of mail delivery for residents and businesses in Big White are community mailboxes. All customers are currently using a PO box number as their mailing address. Canada Post is in contact with the municipality as it is in the process of moving from PO box numbering to civic (9-1-1) addresses for customers.Canada Post is working on a civic addressing change for Big White customers that will include recognizing the municipality place name of “Big White Mountain” along with their 9-1-1 civic address and updated postal code. The postal code for Big White Mountain will continue to originate from the Kelowna mail processing centre, where all mail coming into the community is prepared for delivery. This civic addressing project, which includes an extensive data collection process for all addresses, continues and Canada Post is targeting its completion in the first half of 2024, barring any unforeseen delays.In the meantime, customers are encouraged to provide both their PO box mailing address and civic address, when contracting services or ordering items online. Customers can review section 3.1.2.2. of our Addressing Guidelines to confirm how to format this addressing information. While this is not a guaranteed solution, it is an effective way of providing all of the necessary addressing information until Canada Post completes the scheduled address change.Canada Post continues to work with Big White Resort on this matter.
Postal codesSki resorts
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01849441-01849 (Health)ZiadAboultaifEdmonton ManningConservativeABOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023October 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPS) regulations;NHPs include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, and are used daily by Canadians as part of their proactive healthcare;The changes will cause consumer prices to rise significantly, and consumer choice to decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPS at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws; and This will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations and provide less NHP options for Canadians;THEREFORE:We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to on modernizing labelling and adjusting Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be considered once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations are running efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure stable operations and selection of natural health product choices continue for Canadians.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01848441-01848 (Justice)MartinShieldsBow RiverConservativeABOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas, beginning March 17th, 2023, persons struggling with mental health as their sole condition may access medical assistance in dying;Whereas, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) stated, "As a recovery-oriented organization, CMHA does not believe that mental illnesses are irremediable";Whereas, suicidality is often a symptom of mental illness and suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians between the age of 10 and 19; andWhereas, legal and medical experts are deeply concerned that permitting Canadians suffering from depression and other mental illnesses to access euthanasia would undermine suicide prevention efforts.Therefore we, the undersigned, call on the government of Canada to take the following actions to address the situation:1. Repeal euthanasia for those for whom mental illness is the sole condition; and2. Protect Canadians struggling with mental illness by facilitating treatment and recovery, not death.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandIn March 2023, the temporary exclusion of eligibility for medical assistance in dying (MAID) on the basis of a mental illness alone was extended by one year, until March 17, 2024. This was done to provide more time for the dissemination and uptake of key resources by the medical and nursing communities to ensure healthcare system readiness.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included the development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard will help clinicians align their practice with clear guidance and will assist regulators to ensure the protection of the public in the context of more complex cases.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of the provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • amending regulations to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over forty MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders;
  • implementing online engagement with Indigenous Peoples, through both Indigenous- and government-led activities; and,
  • holding discussions with the provinces and territories are underway to explore models to enhance existing MAID oversight mechanisms.
Moreover, additional resources developed by provinces and territories will support the medical and psychiatric communities in being prepared for upcoming changes to the law.Working to improve access to health care services remains a priority for the Government of Canada. All jurisdictions in Canada have a broad range of policies, programs and initiatives aimed at providing support to persons with disabilities and promoting their inclusion and full participation in Canadian society.Through Budget 2023, the Government committed close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government intends to work collaboratively with provinces and territories on four shared health priorities to improve integrated health care for Canadians:
  • expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernizing health systems with standardized health data and digital tools.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, the Government of Canada announced that it would provide $25 billion over ten years to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible and tailored so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. As there is no health without mental health, an integrated and inclusive approach to investments in health service teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools will help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.This builds on the government’s previous investment of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians. The investment is being provided directly to provinces and territories via negotiated bilateral agreements to help them expand access to community-based mental health and addiction services.Through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyMedical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal and complex choice that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. Our Government is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, protect those who may be vulnerable, and support autonomy and freedom of choice.In June 2021, when former Bill C-7 expanded eligibility for MAID to persons whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable, it also temporarily excluded from eligibility for MAID persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, for two years, until March 17, 2023. This was done in recognition that these requests are complex and require additional study. During this time, an independent expert review on MAID and mental illness was conducted by the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness. Its final report was tabled in May 2022. A study of the Criminal Code MAID provisions and other related issues, including mental illness, was also conducted in Parliament during this time by the Special Joint Committee on MAID. Its interim and final reports were tabled in June 2022 and February 2023, respectively.In March 2023, Bill C-39 extended the temporary exclusion of eligibility for MAID of persons suffering solely from a mental illness by one year, until March 17, 2024. The extension allowed additional time for the dissemination and uptake of key resources by the medical and nursing communities to ensure healthcare system readiness. The extension also provided more time to consider the Special Joint Committee on MAID’s interim and final reports.On March 27, 2023, the Government released the Model Practice Standard for MAID to provide clear guidance to clinicians and health professional regulators to help protect those who may be vulnerable, including those whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental disorder. Additionally, a Canadian MAID curriculum was developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers with the support of Health Canada and was launched in September 2023.On October 18, 2023, the Special Joint Committee on MAID was re-established to assess healthcare system readiness, in accordance with Recommendation 13 of that committee’s final report. It must submit a final report no later than January 31, 2024.Our Government continues to work with all partners including the provinces and territories, as well as stakeholders, to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable populations on this deeply personal issue is prioritized.
Health care systemMedical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01847441-01847 (Civil and human rights)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023October 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Freedom of choice in health care is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada;It is a fundamental right for individuals to be able to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own bodies;Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness or how they will address illness or injury in their own bodies; andCanadians are competent and able to make their own health decisions without State interference.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the Charter of Health Freedom drafted for the Natural Health Product Protection Association on September 4, 2008.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Civil and human rightsHealth
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01846441-01846 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01845441-01845 (Public safety)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023e-4364e-4364 (Transportation)TammyLachapelle-WardScottAitchisonParry Sound—MuskokaConservativeONApril 26, 2023, at 11:11 a.m. (EDT)June 25, 2023, at 11:11 a.m. (EDT)October 27, 2023December 11, 2023June 27, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="271245" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Transport</Addressee>Whereas:Some proponents of water aerodromes use the protection of the federal jurisdiction to bypass provincial and municipal authorities to build massive docks and boathouses under the guise of the Aeronautics Act;Current regulations for water aerodromes fail to state that mixed-use docks and structures are not permitted;Current regulations do not require a proponent to be transparent with local authorities about their plans, or require that they provide a copy of the registration or certification documents;Registration and certification of water aerodromes are done without environmental impact assessments from provincial and municipal authorities; andRegistration and certification of water aerodromes are done without safety assessments from local authorities.We, the undersigned, Electors and residents of all lakes in Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to 1) request an amendment to the current regulations (CARS) that water aerodromes follow the same requirements as land aerodromes, making it mandatory for proponents to consult with local authorities prior to construction of a dock or structure; and 2) request that it is written in the regulations that mixed-use docks and structures will not be protected under federal jurisdiction.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe Aeronautics Act defines an aerodrome as “any area of land, water (including the frozen surface thereof) or other supporting surface used, designed, prepared, equipped or set apart for use either in whole or in part for the arrival, departure, movement or servicing of aircraft and includes any buildings, installations and equipment situated thereon or associated therewith.”Water aerodromes can be either non-registered, registered, or certified (i.e., certified by Transport Canada and considered “airports”). Registration of a water aerodrome is voluntary and strictly for aviation-related purposes and enhances safety by making safety and navigation-related information and procedures known to pilots in the Canada Water Aerodrome Supplement. Transport Canada (TC) officials review the registration application to ensure that regulatory requirements of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) Part III, Subpart 1 (CAR 301) are met; aerodrome operators are expected to meet the applicable elements of CAR 301 (e.g., have a way to ascertain the direction of the wind) even if not registered. An aerodrome cannot be registered if it does not meet aviation-safety requirements.Aviation safety assessments at water aerodromes are within federal jurisdiction, and aviation safety at water aerodromes is based on a layered approach. In addition to applicable sections of CAR 301 for the water aerodrome itself and the option to register, the users of water aerodromes (seaplane pilots) are required to take certain precautions when operating at an aerodrome, such as observing for collision, and ensuring that the aerodrome is suitable for the intended operation. As such, a pilot is expected to visually inspect for vessels and other obstacles in the water. Those operating seaplanes are expected to plan for daylight flights, due to being restricted to daytime visual flight rules. A seaplane operator must also follow many applicable marine-related legislation or regulations when on water.With respect to consultations, it is true that water aerodromes are exempt from the consultation requirements of CARsPart III, Subpart VII (CAR 307) as the aerodrome work criteria would be difficult to apply to water aerodromes since there are no runways to build or extend. Nonetheless, an operator is still required to comply with other federal laws, as well as with provincial/municipal laws that do not conflict with the federal aeronautics’ regime. It is the responsibility of the operator to understand and obtain any applicable permits, approvals, and/or authorizations for work they are doing in or around the water, or even on land, including from an environmental perspective.Neither the CARs, standards, or associated guidance currently specify a required size for docks or specify any specific facilities needed to support water aerodrome operations. Whether a “mixed-use” installation or building is integral to aviation depends on the situation, and whether the local rules on land use can be applied may differ by municipality and province. Where there is disagreement as to whether a municipal or provincial law applies, the Courts are best positioned to decide.TC’s Navigation Protection Program administers the Canadian Navigable Waters Act (CNWA). The primary purpose of the CNWA is to authorize and regulate works and obstructions that may interfere with the public right to navigation in Canada’s navigable waters. Water aerodrome operators who wish to build docks or installations on the water that are subject to the CNWA are required to comply with this Act.TC acknowledges the request to amend water aerodrome regulations and will take into consideration the specific concerns heard in this petition. Any decision to proceed with regulatory changes would require further analysis and significant consultations with a wide range of stakeholders. In addition, there may be a range of non-regulatory options to consider. TC will examine these issues closely, including the recommendation in this petition, to determine the appropriate way forward.
AirportsDockage facilitiesRegulation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01843441-01843 (Justice)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023October 12, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled and to the Minister of JusticeWe the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • As a growing number of adults experience divorce and the nature of unions in our country rapidly evolves, there is a clear need for a review of the Divorce Act;
  • Canada now has the highest rate of common law relationships among G7 countries, with the share of co-residing common-law couples increasing from 6% in 1981, to 23% in 2021;
  • Nearly 4 in 10 children live with a lone parent, stepparents, parents in a commonlaw relationship, or other non-traditional unions;
  • More than a quarter of adults in a relationship are in their second marriage or common-law relationship, and these relationships often last more than a decade and result in children;
  • However, despite the evolving nature of unions within our country, the Federal Child Support Guidelines created under the Divorce Act fail to reflect the diversity and complexity of unions in 2023; and
  • Canadian parents, especially fathers who are responsible for almost 97% of child support payments, are struggling to deal with convoluted guidelines which fail to consider lifestyle decisions of former spouses in new relationships and changing family situations such as the birth of children in blended families.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Justice to initiate a statutory review of the Divorce Act, specifically concerning the Federal Child Support Guidelines, which takes into account the evolving reality of blended families, variance of income over time, and better reflects the needs of children in shared custody situations.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyFamily law is an area of shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. The Divorce Act and Federal Child Support Guidelines (Federal Guidelines) apply when people divorce or are divorced. Provincial and territorial family laws and child support guidelines apply when unmarried couples separate (common law partners) or when married couples separate but do not divorce. Federal, provincial, and territorial governments work together on an ongoing basis to monitor the application of the law and to improve the family justice system responses to the many complex issues that may arise during separation and divorce.Child support is the right of the child. The Federal Guidelines, a set of rules and tables, have the following goals: establish a fair standard of support for children so that they continue to benefit from both parents’ incomes after separation; reduce conflict between parents by making the calculation of child support more objective; ensure that parents and children in similar situations are treated the same; and make the legal process more efficient and encourage settlements.The guiding principle of the Federal Guidelines is that both parents share the responsibility to financially support their children based on their ability to do so. This responsibility continues even if parents remarry or have another relationship. Children should continue to benefit from both parents’ financial means after separation or divorce, just as they would if the family were still together.The way child support is calculated under the Federal Guidelines depends on the parenting time arrangement. In shared parenting time arrangements, the situation can vary significantly from one family to another. As a result, the method to calculate support in shared parenting time cases is discretionary. Child support is determined on a case-by-case basis by considering the following factors: (1) the amount in the tables that each parent would pay, based on each parent’s income; (2) the increased costs of shared parenting time; (3) the condition, means, needs and other circumstances of each parent and child.The Federal Guidelines recognize that in some cases, a child support amount, combined with other circumstances, could create undue hardship for a parent or child. Such circumstances could include the obligation to support children from another relationship. If an undue hardship claim is successful, a court may order a different child support amount.Child support is based on income. As income can vary overtime, so should child support amounts. Provincial child support services are administrative services that can calculate or recalculate child support amounts. These services can adjust child support amounts, either up or down, to reflect updated income information.The Government is committed to making the family justice system as fair as possible for all Canadians and to strengthening the family justice system. For example, Divorce Act amendments came into force in 2021 with the goal of promoting children’s best interests, addressing family violence, helping reduce poverty, and improving the efficiency and accessibility of the family justice system. In addition, work continues on various topics relating to Canadian families. The Department of Justice Canada recently undertook research on international child support models, including as it relates to shared parenting time, as well as on the experience of divorced and separated parents with child support and related issues. Information is published on the Department’s website. It is important for the Government of Canada to be aware of Canadians’ concerns about the family justice system so that work can continue with provincial and territorial governments to find ways to improve it.
Divorce ActMarriage and divorceStatutory reviewSupport of children
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01842441-01842 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCOctober 27, 2023December 11, 2023September 22, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Indigenous peoples have rights and title to their traditional territories and have been stewards of these lands since time immemorial;
  • The climate crisis requires action by all levels of government and industry;
  • Old-growth forests provide immeasurable benefits, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity, culture, recreation, education, food and more;
  • Valley-bottom high productivity old-growth ecosystems in British Columbia are endangered;
  • Of the remaining 2.7% of original high productivity old-growth forests in British Columbia, 75% are still slated to be logged;
  • Only 9% of the original 360,000 hectares of valley-bottom high productivity old-growth on Vancouver Island remain today, and only 2.6% of those forests are protected in parks;
  • The last unprotected intact old-growth valley on Southern Vancouver Island, Fairy Creek, is slated for logging, along with the upper Walbran Valle and other remaining pockets of old growth; and
  • Most Canadians support sustainable harvesting of second and third growth forests, but do not support logging old-growth trees or destroying their surrounding ecosystems.
We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • 1. Work with the provinces and First Nations to immediately halt logging of endangered old-growth ecosystems;
  • 2. Fund the long-term protection of old-growth ecosystems as a priority for Canada's climate action plan and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples;
  • 3. Support value-added forestry initiatives in partnership with First Nations to ensure Canada's forestry industry is sustainable, and based on the harvesting of second and third growth forests;
  • 4. Ban the export of raw logs and maximize resource use for local jobs; and
  • 5. Ban the use of whole trees for wood pellet biofuel production.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.Canada’s forests provide a wealth of environmental, economic, social and cultural benefits to Canadians. The forestry sector in Canada is governed by provincial legislation, regulations and policies. Through careful monitoring and planning, Canada’s forest sector manages the long-term health of its forests, both safeguarding these benefits in the face of challenges and finding new opportunities in a changing world.Finding solutions also means working with Indigenous communities and leaders so that forest management and conservation practices are informed by Indigenous knowledge systems. Through the Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is providing financial support to Indigenous-led projects and Indigenous-identified priorities in the forest sector. The IFI was recently renewed until 2024-2025 with a $10M contributions budget and a new $3M grants stream. During the renewal process, IFI heard communities’ call for change to support broader priorities in the sector and to support projects that accelerate Indigenous awareness, influence, inclusion, and leadership. With the new grants stream, Indigenous communities can access financial support to prepare for and participate in engagement and consultation activities, such as sustainable forest management planning with industry and government. Other eligible projects that support the sustainability of Canada’s forest industry include gathering, developing, using, and protecting Indigenous knowledge and science, Indigenous leadership and participation in forest stewardship and economic development opportunities. Since 2017, the program has supported 133 Indigenous-led, forest-based economic development projects, invested almost $17M in capital, and helped to create more than 625 jobs and 54 new or expanded businesses.British Columbia’s iconic old growth forests have deep-rooted cultural significance to Indigenous communities and are important to all British Columbians. They are also critical habitats for dozens of species at risk and migratory birds and are important natural stores of carbon.The British Columbia Old Growth Nature Fund established by the Departments of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and NRCan commits $50 million to advance shared objectives regarding urgent protection of vital ecosystems, wildlife habitats and species at risk while also protecting carbon stores in old growth forests. The Old Growth Nature Fund has been established in collaboration with the Province of British Columbia, non-governmental organizations, and Indigenous and local communities.This collaborative work to protect communities and diverse natural habitats, including by advancing Indigenous-led conservation efforts, is also crucial to securing a cleaner, healthier, and greener future for Canadians. The Old Growth Nature Fund further complements the Enhanced Nature Legacy announced in 2021, and the Natural Climate Solutions Fund announced in 2020.Canada boasts the most forest area certified by internationally recognized, third-party systems as being managed in a sustainable way, respecting ecological values and Indigenous rights. Three quarters of Canada’s managed public forests are certified to one or more of three sustainable forest management certification systems: the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Forest Stewardship Council, and the Canadian Standards Association. As with all forest industries in Canada, the wood pellet industry is governed by provincial legislation, regulations and policies that are the basis for sustainable forest management and include protections for old growth forests. Strict monitoring and enforcement measures ensure that Canada’s forests are harvested legally and sustainably.Canadian wood pellets are primarily made from sawmill residues that are by-products of wood product manufacturing. The industry also uses branches and treetops from harvest operations, logs damaged by natural disturbances, or trees that are cut to manage long-term ecological values in the forest. If not used, these additional sources of wood fibre are typically left to decompose into the atmosphere or may be burned onsite.Supporting markets for all material harvested, as part of a sustainable forest management plan, ensures that no part of the harvested tree is wasted, and delivers economic benefits to Canadians.Finally, as part of Budget 2023, Canada announced $368.4 million over three years, starting in 2023-2024 to NRCan to renew and update forest sector support, including for Indigenous leadership in the sector.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTCanada is home to ecosystems that are globally significant in their capacity to absorb carbon, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and protect biodiversity. This includes 24% of the world’s wetlands, 25% of temperate rainforest areas and 28% of remaining boreal forests. In this context, the Government of Canada understands that the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are connected and need to be tackled together.That said, conservation and protection of Canada’s forests, including old growth forests and ecosystems, is a shared responsibility. The vast majority of Canada's forests are located on provincial and territorial Crown lands. In British Columbia (B.C.), approximately 96% of forests are on provincial Crown land, where, under the Constitution Act, 1867, forest management is the jurisdiction of the provincial government. As such, forest management on those lands is within the jurisdiction of the B.C. government. At the same time, there is an important federal role to conserve migratory bird habitat, protect critical habitat of federally listed species at risk, and mitigate climate change.With this in mind, the mandate letters of the Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and Natural Resources include a commitment to help protect old growth forests, notably in B.C., by reaching a Nature Agreement with B.C., establishing a $50 million B.C. Old Growth Nature Fund, and ensuring First Nations, local communities and workers are partners in shaping the path forward for nature protection. This $50 million investment was made through Budget 2022, and a contribution agreement was signed with B.C. in March 2023.The Old Growth Nature Fund will deliver on the Ministers’ mandate letters by providing $50 million to the Government of B.C., to be matched by B.C., to permanently protect and conserve old growth forests in the province. The Fund focuses on protecting at-risk high productivity old growth forests that are of prime biodiversity value identified as important for species at risk, migratory birds, climate mitigation and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Specifically, federal funding supports planning and collaboration with B.C. and Indigenous communities, and provides incentives for third-party funders to permanently protect and conserve large areas of at-risk old growth forests in the province. For example, the 58,000-hectare Incomappleux Valley Conservancy in the B.C. interior was created, in-part, thanks to investments under the Old Growth Nature Fund.The Old Growth Nature Fund will be a key component of the Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation, which was signed on November 3, 2023, in Vancouver between Canada, B.C and the First Nations Leadership Council. The Framework Agreement presents a unique opportunity to collaboratively advance nature conservation, species at risk and climate mitigation objectives in collaboration with provincial and Indigenous partners. With regard to old growth specifically, work together under the Framework Agreement will include efforts to protect the habitat of old growth-associated species such as Marbled Murrelet. In so doing, the Agreement will build on recent announcements from the Government of B.C. concerning moratoria on old growth forest harvesting, and to launch a provincial Conservation Finance Mechanism to protect ecosystems including forests.The Government of Canada appreciates that, in addition to their habitat functions, forests are key to the health of the climate, influencing rainfall, temperature, and other metrics. Temperate old growth forests, like those in B.C., also function as important carbon reservoirs.Appreciating the significance of forests to biodiversity conservation and climate, the federal government has contributed to protecting nearly 400,000 hectares of forest habitat in B.C. This includes conservation projects under programs such as the Target 1 Challenge, Natural Heritage Conservation Program, Ecological Gifts Program, and others.Alongside this work, the federal government has made forests a central part of Canada’s plan to tackle climate change. The Old Growth Nature Fund in particular is expected to contribute directly to the Government of Canada's commitments to achieve Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The old growth temperate rainforests of B.C. are among the largest natural carbon sinks in the world (on a per hectare basis) and are among the most efficient ecosystems at capturing carbon in Canada.Complementing this effort on a broader scale, the Government of Canada has also announced a series of funding initiatives of significance to forest ecosystems and forestry in Canada:
  • Natural Climate Solutions is investing more than $5 billion over ten years to restore, better manage, and conserve Canada’s natural and managed ecosystems. This initiative includes three complementary programs:
    • 2 Billion Trees program, led by Natural Resources Canada;
    • Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF), led by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC); and
    • The Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) program, led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
  • The NSCSF is a $1.4 billion, 10-year (2021-2031) fund to reduce 5-7 megatons of GHG emissions annually. Up to $36.9 million in funding has been allocated to support Indigenous communities to deliver projects that build capacity and advance Indigenous-led efforts on natural climate solutions, with a focus on improved management, conservation, and restoration of wetlands, grasslands and forests that result in reduced and captured GHG emissions.
  • Enhanced Nature Legacy provides $2.3 billion in new funding over five years (2021-2026) that will further contribute to the implementation of conservation measures for Canada’s land and freshwater ecosystems and wildlife. This includes the establishment of new federal, provincial and territorial protected areas, other effective area-based conservation measures, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, and additional habitat restoration. It also included the announcement of further investments through the Low Carbon Economy Fund, a $2 billion fund that could, amongst other things, incent provinces to leave timber standing (for example, by creating other revenue streams for forests).
The broader significance of Canada’s forests is also recognized in the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada where forests are identified as a priority sector. Development of a conservation action plan for species at risk is currently underway in collaboration with forest sector partners and stakeholders to advance the protection and recovery of species at risk and enhance sector sustainability.With respect to support for Indigenous community involvement in ecosystem protection and climate action, including in forests and more broadly, it should be noted that under the NSCSF, described above, an Indigenous Partnership (NSCSF-IP) stream was established to provide targeted funding to enable Indigenous peoples to play a meaningful leadership role in natural climate solutions as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to Reconciliation. Through the NSCSF-IP, ECCC supports Indigenous organizations and communities to undertake Indigenous-led capacity building activities and on-the-ground projects for ecological restoration, improved land management, and conservation of wetlands, grasslands, agricultural lands and forests that result in reduced GHG emissions, and that maximize co-benefits for biodiversity, climate resiliency, and human well-being.Beyond this, ECCC has also funded approximately 115 First Nations, Inuit and Métis Guardians initiatives since 2017 with investments totaling over $46 million. Indigenous Guardians initiatives support Indigenous rights and responsibilities in protecting and conserving ecosystems including old-growth forests, developing and maintaining sustainable economies, and continuing the profound connections between the Canadian landscape and Indigenous culture. Indigenous Guardians are Indigenous peoples exercising their cultural responsibilities through on-the-ground stewardship of traditional lands, waters, air, and ice. They act as the “eyes and ears on the ground”. Indigenous Guardians funding supports on-the-ground activities such as ecological and cultural resource monitoring, restoration, and visitor experience activities, contribution to cultural continuity (e.g., intergenerational knowledge transmission) and implementation of Indigenous conservation practices and Indigenous knowledge.  
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuForests provide a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits for people and communities across Canada. They are a major source of income and employment for 300 communities across the country, directly employing 205,000 workers, including over 11,500 Indigenous workers. Canada is committed to Indigenous reconciliation and recognize the importance of natural resources to Indigenous Peoples.With respect to the proposal to ban the export of raw logs, logs are integral to the domestic manufacturing industry for a wide range of forest products including softwood lumber and other products like high value finished veneer panels. Domestic and international trade in logs is important for log harvesters and Canadian trade. The policy and process governing the export of logs harvested in British Columbia contained in Global Affairs Canada’s Notice to Exporters No. 102 form an important part of the Government’s efforts to ensure the right balance between log exports and domestic policy objectives.The Government regularly reviews policies to ensure that Canada’s domestic policy objectives and trade opportunities are maximized and welcomes all ideas and proposals related to its policies, including those associated with the export of raw logs. The Government is committed to continuing to work and collaborate closely with Indigenous Peoples and all stakeholders and partners on this issue to achieve the best possible results for Canada.
Environmental protectionForest policyIndigenous policy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01841441-01841 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 26, 2023December 11, 2023June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and international engagement.Canada is strongly committed to working with governments, as well as multilateral and non-governmental organizations, to promote inclusive and accountable governance around the world. Canada is consistently a strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values.Canada’s leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention demonstrates its steadfast commitment to upholding universal human rights and the rules-based international order.The Government of Canada maintains an active and open dialogue with the Turkish, Pakistani and Bahraini Governments concerning human rights, as part of Canada’s commitment to promote democracy and uphold human rights and the rule of law globally.Global Affairs Canada officials met with the Turkish families that reported of their arrest in Pakistan and Bahrain and eventual detention in Türkiye, before moving to Canada. Global Affairs Canada officials have also received a submission from these families, requesting sanctions against specific Turkish officials in relation to their previous detention in Türkiye.Canada is judicious when it chooses to deploy sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use, when appropriate. Canada remains committed to playing a leadership role in the preservation and strengthening of an international rules-based order – sanctions are a key component of this approach. We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools for maintaining and restoring international peace and security, combatting corruption, and promoting respect for norms and values, including human rights. Canada carefully considers the bilateral consequences that any sanction measures could have. To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Wherever possible, Canada coordinates closely with likeminded allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01840441-01840 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 26, 2023December 11, 2023May 9, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01839441-01839 (Health)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 26, 2023December 11, 2023March 2, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons;A significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;The consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights; Anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andOnline age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is a very important issue, and the Government is currently developing its approach to protecting children to ensure they can engage safely online.As stated in the 2021 mandate letters to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Justice, the Government is committed to developing and introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content to protect Canadians, and hold online platforms accountable for the content they host. The Government is working hard to meet these commitments and aims to introduce legislation as soon as possible. The Government has conducted extensive consultations with experts, citizens, civil society, and other stakeholders to this end. It has heard from a diverse set of views and intends to draw on those insights when drafting legislation. It has heard a strong consensus for protecting children and youth from harm online– and that this needs to be balanced against other priorities, like protections for freedom of expression and privacy rights. The Government has also heard support for a risk-based approach to online safety; the need to hold online platforms accountable to a standard for responsible action; the need for more transparency; and the need for better tools to empower users on these platforms. Finally, it has heard that there is a need to confront child sexual abuse material content, and to mitigate the risks associated with exposing children and youth to such content.The Government has also been looking at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.Lessons learned from other jurisdictions as well as the advice received from each stream of engagement are contributing to the development online safety legislation in Canada. Summaries for consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.html Overall, the Government is committed to putting in place a legislative and regulatory framework that will hold large online platforms accountable for protecting their users, including children and youth, from the risk of exposure to a range of harmful content. People in Canada, especially children and youth, deserve safer and more inclusive online experiences.   
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01837441-01837 (Business and trade)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 26, 2023December 11, 2023June 4, 2021Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas, the current tax regime greatly favours selling a small business or farm to a family member then a stranger;Whereas, continued family ownership and long-term business stability are weakened by the current taxation rules;Whereas, small businesses are the backbone of our economy and communities;Whereas, the average age of a Canadian farmer in 2016 was 55;Whereas, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) estimates that $500 billion in farm assets are set to change hands within the next 10 years;Whereas, farmers and small business owners are unfairly penalized by the tax system if they want to sell their business and assets to a family member.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Support and quickly pass Bill C-208, (transfer of small businesses or family farm or fishing corporation), which will ensure that farms and businesses can be transferred to the next generation without having to worry about unfair taxes; and 2. Ensure that family owned small businesses and farms are encouraged, supported and red tape is eliminated.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandBill C-208 (An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (transfer of small business or family farm or fishing corporation), 43rd Parliament, 2nd session) received royal assent on June 29, 2021. In Budget 2023, the government announced additional proposed measures to support intergenerational business transfers (see page 16 of Budget 2023 Tax Measures: Supplementary Information under the heading “Strengthening the Intergenerational Business Transfer Framework”).
Family farmsSmall and medium-sized enterprisesTransfer of property
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01836441-01836 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 26, 2023December 11, 2023May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • There are no laws that require makers, distributers or advertisers of commercial pornographic material to ascertain and document the consent and age of those depicted in the material;
  • Recommendation #2 from the 2021 Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Report on MindGeek states: "That the Government of Canada mandate that contenthosting platforms operating in Canada require affirmation from all persons depicted in pornographic content, before it can be uploaded, that they are 18 years old or older and that they consent to its distribution";
  • Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act adds two offences to the Criminal Code: to create pornographic material for a commercial purpose without verifying the age and consent of the individuals shown, and to distribute pornographic material without verifying the age and consent of those depicted and also removing material if in writing, consent has been withdrawn; and
  • Organizations including Defend Dignity, the National Council of Women of Canada, London Abused Women's Shelter, Montreal Council of Women, Parents Aware and the National Centre on Child Exploitation have all expressed support for Bill C-270.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly adopt Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThere is no room in Canada for sexual exploitation. Our Government is committed to ensuring that all individuals are safe from sexual exploitation, including online. It is for this exact reason that the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s December 2021 mandate letter commits to introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content, taking into consideration the feedback received from the Canadian public in 2021.In 2022, we took it a step further, which included an expert advisory group, a Citizens’ Assembly, Indigenous engagement, which involved a sharing circle and one-on-one interviews, and 20 Ministerial roundtables across Canada. Our Government is committed to putting in place a regulatory framework to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content online. Online services have a role to play to make the Internet a safer place for all users in Canada.Furthermore, the Criminal Code includes a strong and comprehensive approach that protects against sexual exploitation, including offences that prohibit non-consensual distribution of intimate images (section 162.1), as well as child-specific sexual offences, including child pornography (section 163.1), making sexually explicit material available to a child (section 171.1) and luring a child (section 172.1). Canada’s laws addressing child sexual offending also apply extra-territorially, which means that prosecutions can happen in Canada for crimes allegedly committed by Canadian citizens or permanent residents abroad.An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide Internet service came into force on December 8, 2011. This Act requires a Canadian provider of Internet services to report to police when they have reasonable grounds to believe that their Internet service is being or has been used to commit a child pornography offence, such as making child pornography available, or distributing child pornography. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) is responsible under the Act for another measure to protect the Canadian public. It receives, and processes, reports of child pornography and child abuse on the Internet from Canadian providers of Internet services. C3P is a registered charitable organization that operates Cybertip.ca, which receives and processes tips from the public about potentially illegal material online related to child sexual exploitation and then refers any potentially actionable reports to the appropriate authorities. C3P also provides public education and awareness materials, as well as support and referral services for those who need it. In addition, C3P operates Project Arachnid, an automated web crawler, which scans the internet and automatically detects and processes tens of thousands of images per second and sends take down notices to online service providers to remove child sexual abuse material globally. When service providers, subject to the Act, are advised of a location on the Internet where child pornography may be made available to the public, the providers are required under this Act to report to C3P. All of these efforts together make C3P an effective organization that provides tools to protect children and combat child sexual exploitation.
C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)ConsentLegal agePornography
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01835441-01835 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBOctober 26, 2023December 11, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01834441-01834 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCOctober 26, 2023December 11, 2023October 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyrampus marmoratus) is listed as "threatened" under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) since 2003 and is a migratory bird protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act;
  • The federal recovery strategy notes that the Marbled Murrelet is threatened primarily due to ongoing loss of old-growth forest nesting habitat, largely from industrial forestry operations;
  • While all nests are protected under both the federal SARA and Migratory Birds Convention Act, the Marbled Murrelets nests are virtually undetectable, therefore existing protections are insufficient for the protection of this species;
  • The forestry industry has consistently failed to uphold their reporting obligations within proposed cut blocks;
  • In 2021, biologists observed over 300 verified detections of Marbled Murrelets in cut block 8022, tree farm license (TFL) # 46 and observed behaviours of nesting within the forest;
  • Existing small Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs) in TFL #46 only contain 26% suitable nesting habitat as per the 2018 suitable habitat maps; and
  • Old-growth forests meet the definition of a "wide range of biodiversity values" as per the Convention of Biological Diversity definitions.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately protect all critical old growth habitat used by Marbled Murrelets yrampus marmoratus), habitat to which the Migratory Birds Convention Act applies.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada is committed to halting and reversing the loss of this country’s rich biodiversity. In support of this commitment, Environment and Climate Change Canada is leading the development of Canada's 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy. The 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy will establish a shared vision for halting and reversing biodiversity loss in Canada, reflect Canada’s domestic priorities for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, and guide how Canada implements the Global Biodiversity Framework domestically.The Government of Canada recognizes that the environment and the conservation of biodiversity is a shared responsibility in Canada and that real progress can only be made if all levels of government share objectives and work in collaboration to achieve them. Species at risk are on the front line of biodiversity loss, and the federal, provincial, and territorial governments have been working cooperatively to protect and recover Canada’s imperiled species for close to three decades. The Government of Canada respects provincial and territorial jurisdiction and therefore first looks to them to protect terrestrial species and their habitat as well as migratory birds’ habitat beyond the nest on non-federally administered lands.The statutory scheme protecting migratory birds under both the Species at Risk Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, respects and supports this reality and achieves two principal goals: (1) it ensures the protection of individuals, nests, and eggs of migratory birds, and (2) it complies with the constitutional division of powers and the principles of subsidiarity and cooperative federalism.The Species at Risk Act (SARA) is the Government of Canada's key legislative tool to protect and recover endangered and threatened species and their habitats. SARA provides a legal framework for identifying, listing, and managing at-risk species and mandates the development of recovery strategies and action plans, with the goal of preventing species extinction and promoting their recovery. SARA also includes provisions for critical habitat protection. The Act is based on cooperation between federal, provincial, and territorial governments, intending a coordinated effort to safeguard Canada's diverse wildlife and ecosystems, and supports the Government of Canada’s international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Minister of the Environment is also responsible for the administration of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (MBCA), which provides for the protection of migratory birds through the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, and the Migratory Birds Sanctuary Regulations. The Act prohibits the hunting, possession, and trade of migratory birds, their nests, and eggs without permits. Regulations under the MBCA provide a framework for species-specific protection, hunting seasons, and to focus conservation efforts.  In 2022, the Migratory Bird Regulations were modernized.  The new Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, provide protection to migratory bird nests when they are considered to have a high conservation value for migratory birds. The nests of all migratory bird species are protected when they contain a live bird or a viable egg. This supports conservation benefits as the nests of most migratory birds only have conservation value when they are active.  In general, the Regulations grant authority to federal agencies to enforce these laws, ensuring the sustainability of migratory bird populations. The federal government also works with the provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous nations, and various partners to protect migratory bird habitat through the work of North American Waterfowl Management Plan Habitat Joint Ventures, the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Network, Important Bird Areas program, and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas.As a migratory bird and listed on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act, the Marbled Murrelet is protected under both SARA and the MBCA. The amended final Recovery Strategy for the Marbled Murrelet in Canada was published on the SAR Public Registry in January 2023. This recovery strategy partially identifies critical habitat for the species in Canada where available information in terrestrial and marine habitats was adequate to do so. There are also three multispecies Action Plans that include Marbled Murrelet for lands and waters administered by the Parks Canada Agency.  In March and December 2022, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change issued protection statements pursuant to subsection 58(5.2)(b) of SARA indicating how the critical habitat of certain migratory birds (including Marbled Murrelet), that is habitat to which the MBCA applies, is legally protected. Nests of migratory birds are legally protected through the following Acts of Parliament and relevant provisions: s.33 of SARA, s.5 of the Migratory Birds Regulations, and s.3(2) of the Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations. The protection statement noted that: “For clarity, the language ‘habitat to which that Act [MBCA] applies’ refers to the nest only.” The text of the protection statement can be found on the Species at Risk Public Registry: Protection statement: habitat to which the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 applies for migratory birds listed under the Species at Risk ActIn addition to fulfilling its obligations under SARA and the MBCA for the species, the Government of Canada recognizes that more needs to be done to protect the old growth forests that support the Marbled Murrelet.Canada’s forests, and in particular British Columbia’s (B.C.) old growth forests, are rich with biodiversity and provide important habitat for a range of wildlife. In addition to these habitat functions, forests are key to the health of our climate, influencing rainfall, temperature, and other metrics. Temperate old growth forests, like those in British Columbia, also function as important carbon reservoirs.Forest management is the jurisdiction of provincial governments, and the vast majority of Canada's forests are located on provincial and territorial Crown lands. In British Columbia, approximately 96% of forests are on provincial crown land. At the same time, the federal government is committed to supporting the province’s effort to manage and conserve old growth forests given their significance for migratory birds, species at risk and their role in mitigating the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems and their associated wildlife.To demonstrate federal support, the 2022 Federal Budget established a $50 million Old Growth Nature Fund, which will focus on protecting at-risk high productivity old growth forests that are of prime biodiversity value identified as important for species at risk, migratory birds, climate mitigation and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Specifically, federal funding will support planning and collaboration with B.C. and Indigenous communities, and provide incentives for third-party funders, to permanently protect and conserve large areas of at-risk old growth forests in the province. The Old Growth Nature Fund will also contribute directly to the Government of Canada's commitments to achieve Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The old growth temperate rainforests of British Columbia are among the largest natural carbon sinks in the world (on a per hectare basis) and are among the most efficient ecosystems at capturing carbon in Canada. Federal officials are also working with their provincial and Indigenous colleagues and partners to finalize a Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation and to explore additional ways to encourage and support the province in its efforts to protect and restore habitat.The federal government has also contributed to protecting nearly 400,000 hectares of forest habitat in British Columbia. This includes conservation projects under programs such as the Target 1 Challenge, the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, and the Ecological Gifts Program.The federal government is also working to ensure forests, including old growth forests, are considered in the context of ongoing species at risk and nature-related engagement with provincial and territorial partners. For example, Environment and Climate Change Canada, provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and stakeholders are engaged in the development of a forest sector action plan that will help guide collaborative efforts to recover species at risk under the Pan Canadian Approach to Species at Risk.     
Endangered speciesHabitat conservationMigratory birdsMigratory Birds Convention Act, 1994
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01833441-01833 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • There are no laws that require makers, distributers or advertisers of commercial pornographic material to ascertain and document the consent and age of those depicted in the material;
  • Recommendation #2 from the 2021 Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Report on MindGeek states: "That the Government of Canada mandate that contenthosting platforms operating in Canada require affirmation from all persons depicted in pornographic content, before it can be uploaded, that they are 18 years old or older and that they consent to its distribution";
  • Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act adds two offences to the Criminal Code: to create pornographic material for a commercial purpose without verifying the age and consent of the individuals shown, and to distribute pornographic material without verifying the age and consent of those depicted and also removing material if in writing, consent has been withdrawn; and
  • Organizations including Defend Dignity, the National Council of Women of Canada, London Abused Women's Shelter, Montreal Council of Women, Parents Aware and the National Centre on Child Exploitation have all expressed support for Bill C-270.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly adopt Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThere is no room in Canada for sexual exploitation. Our Government is committed to ensuring that all individuals are safe from sexual exploitation, including online. It is for this exact reason that the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s December 2021 mandate letter commits to introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content, taking into consideration the feedback received from the Canadian public in 2021.In 2022, we took it a step further, which included an expert advisory group, a Citizens’ Assembly, Indigenous engagement, which involved a sharing circle and one-on-one interviews, and 20 Ministerial roundtables across Canada. Our Government is committed to putting in place a regulatory framework to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content online. Online services have a role to play to make the Internet a safer place for all users in Canada.Furthermore, the Criminal Code includes a strong and comprehensive approach that protects against sexual exploitation, including offences that prohibit non-consensual distribution of intimate images (section 162.1), as well as child-specific sexual offences, including child pornography (section 163.1), making sexually explicit material available to a child (section 171.1) and luring a child (section 172.1). Canada’s laws addressing child sexual offending also apply extra-territorially, which means that prosecutions can happen in Canada for crimes allegedly committed by Canadian citizens or permanent residents abroad.An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide Internet service came into force on December 8, 2011. This Act requires a Canadian provider of Internet services to report to police when they have reasonable grounds to believe that their Internet service is being or has been used to commit a child pornography offence, such as making child pornography available, or distributing child pornography. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) is responsible under the Act for another measure to protect the Canadian public. It receives, and processes, reports of child pornography and child abuse on the Internet from Canadian providers of Internet services. C3P is a registered charitable organization that operates Cybertip.ca, which receives and processes tips from the public about potentially illegal material online related to child sexual exploitation and then refers any potentially actionable reports to the appropriate authorities. C3P also provides public education and awareness materials, as well as support and referral services for those who need it. In addition, C3P operates Project Arachnid, an automated web crawler, which scans the internet and automatically detects and processes tens of thousands of images per second and sends take down notices to online service providers to remove child sexual abuse material globally. When service providers, subject to the Act, are advised of a location on the Internet where child pornography may be made available to the public, the providers are required under this Act to report to C3P. All of these efforts together make C3P an effective organization that provides tools to protect children and combat child sexual exploitation.
C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)ConsentLegal agePornography
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01832441-01832 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and international engagement.Canada is strongly committed to working with governments, as well as multilateral and non-governmental organizations, to promote inclusive and accountable governance around the world. Canada is consistently a strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values.Canada’s leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention demonstrates its steadfast commitment to upholding universal human rights and the rules-based international order.The Government of Canada maintains an active and open dialogue with the Turkish, Pakistani and Bahraini Governments concerning human rights, as part of Canada’s commitment to promote democracy and uphold human rights and the rule of law globally.Global Affairs Canada officials met with the Turkish families that reported of their arrest in Pakistan and Bahrain and eventual detention in Türkiye, before moving to Canada. Global Affairs Canada officials have also received a submission from these families, requesting sanctions against specific Turkish officials in relation to their previous detention in Türkiye.Canada is judicious when it chooses to deploy sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use, when appropriate. Canada remains committed to playing a leadership role in the preservation and strengthening of an international rules-based order – sanctions are a key component of this approach. We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools for maintaining and restoring international peace and security, combatting corruption, and promoting respect for norms and values, including human rights. Canada carefully considers the bilateral consequences that any sanction measures could have. To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Wherever possible, Canada coordinates closely with likeminded allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01831441-01831 (Civil and human rights)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023May 27, 2022PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • A review conducted by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization found no information regarding the transmission of COVID-19 on airplanes;
  • According to Westjet's first Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Tammy McKnight, as of April 23, 2021, there had been no known case of COVID19 transmission onboard any Canadian aircraft;
  • An International Air Transport Association study in 2020 found that out of 1.2 billion passengers worldwide, only 44 cases of COVID-19 were reported as flight-related transmission;
  • Countries around the world have removed their vaccine mandates and restrictions; and
  • The vaccine mandate imposed on Canadians taking domestic flights, trains and ferries is an unreasonable infringement of their rights and freedoms that cannot be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
Therefore we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada and the Minister of Transport to:1) Abolish the domestic vaccine passport requirement for Canadian citizens and permanent residents taking domestic flights; and2) End all federally regulated COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezAs of June 20, 2022, the Government suspended vaccination requirements for domestic and outbound travel, the federally regulated transportation sector, and federal government employees. Proof of vaccination is no longer required for travel within Canada or for those working in the federally regulated transportation sector; accommodations for remote communities are also no longer necessary.Other public health measures, under the authority of the Public Health Agency of Canada such as border entry restrictions, passenger testing, masking, quarantine and isolation requirements were also lifted on October 1, 2022.  
COVID-19ImmunizationPandemicTravel restrictions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01830441-01830 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • There are no laws that require makers, distributers or advertisers of commercial pornographic material to ascertain and document the consent and age of those depicted in the material;
  • Recommendation #2 from the 2021 Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Report on MindGeek states: "That the Government of Canada mandate that contenthosting platforms operating in Canada require affirmation from all persons depicted in pornographic content, before it can be uploaded, that they are 18 years old or older and that they consent to its distribution";
  • Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act adds two offences to the Criminal Code: to create pornographic material for a commercial purpose without verifying the age and consent of the individuals shown, and to distribute pornographic material without verifying the age and consent of those depicted and also removing material if in writing, consent has been withdrawn; and
  • Organizations including Defend Dignity, the National Council of Women of Canada, London Abused Women's Shelter, Montreal Council of Women, Parents Aware and the National Centre on Child Exploitation have all expressed support for Bill C-270.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly adopt Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThere is no room in Canada for sexual exploitation. Our Government is committed to ensuring that all individuals are safe from sexual exploitation, including online. It is for this exact reason that the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s December 2021 mandate letter commits to introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content, taking into consideration the feedback received from the Canadian public in 2021.In 2022, we took it a step further, which included an expert advisory group, a Citizens’ Assembly, Indigenous engagement, which involved a sharing circle and one-on-one interviews, and 20 Ministerial roundtables across Canada. Our Government is committed to putting in place a regulatory framework to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content online. Online services have a role to play to make the Internet a safer place for all users in Canada.Furthermore, the Criminal Code includes a strong and comprehensive approach that protects against sexual exploitation, including offences that prohibit non-consensual distribution of intimate images (section 162.1), as well as child-specific sexual offences, including child pornography (section 163.1), making sexually explicit material available to a child (section 171.1) and luring a child (section 172.1). Canada’s laws addressing child sexual offending also apply extra-territorially, which means that prosecutions can happen in Canada for crimes allegedly committed by Canadian citizens or permanent residents abroad.An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide Internet service came into force on December 8, 2011. This Act requires a Canadian provider of Internet services to report to police when they have reasonable grounds to believe that their Internet service is being or has been used to commit a child pornography offence, such as making child pornography available, or distributing child pornography. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) is responsible under the Act for another measure to protect the Canadian public. It receives, and processes, reports of child pornography and child abuse on the Internet from Canadian providers of Internet services. C3P is a registered charitable organization that operates Cybertip.ca, which receives and processes tips from the public about potentially illegal material online related to child sexual exploitation and then refers any potentially actionable reports to the appropriate authorities. C3P also provides public education and awareness materials, as well as support and referral services for those who need it. In addition, C3P operates Project Arachnid, an automated web crawler, which scans the internet and automatically detects and processes tens of thousands of images per second and sends take down notices to online service providers to remove child sexual abuse material globally. When service providers, subject to the Act, are advised of a location on the Internet where child pornography may be made available to the public, the providers are required under this Act to report to C3P. All of these efforts together make C3P an effective organization that provides tools to protect children and combat child sexual exploitation.
C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)ConsentLegal agePornography
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01829441-01829 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • There are no laws that require makers, distributers or advertisers of commercial pornographic material to ascertain and document the consent and age of those depicted in the material;
  • Recommendation #2 from the 2021 Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Report on MindGeek states: "That the Government of Canada mandate that contenthosting platforms operating in Canada require affirmation from all persons depicted in pornographic content, before it can be uploaded, that they are 18 years old or older and that they consent to its distribution";
  • Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act adds two offences to the Criminal Code: to create pornographic material for a commercial purpose without verifying the age and consent of the individuals shown, and to distribute pornographic material without verifying the age and consent of those depicted and also removing material if in writing, consent has been withdrawn; and
  • Organizations including Defend Dignity, the National Council of Women of Canada, London Abused Women's Shelter, Montreal Council of Women, Parents Aware and the National Centre on Child Exploitation have all expressed support for Bill C-270.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly adopt Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThere is no room in Canada for sexual exploitation. Our Government is committed to ensuring that all individuals are safe from sexual exploitation, including online. It is for this exact reason that the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s December 2021 mandate letter commits to introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content, taking into consideration the feedback received from the Canadian public in 2021.In 2022, we took it a step further, which included an expert advisory group, a Citizens’ Assembly, Indigenous engagement, which involved a sharing circle and one-on-one interviews, and 20 Ministerial roundtables across Canada. Our Government is committed to putting in place a regulatory framework to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content online. Online services have a role to play to make the Internet a safer place for all users in Canada.Furthermore, the Criminal Code includes a strong and comprehensive approach that protects against sexual exploitation, including offences that prohibit non-consensual distribution of intimate images (section 162.1), as well as child-specific sexual offences, including child pornography (section 163.1), making sexually explicit material available to a child (section 171.1) and luring a child (section 172.1). Canada’s laws addressing child sexual offending also apply extra-territorially, which means that prosecutions can happen in Canada for crimes allegedly committed by Canadian citizens or permanent residents abroad.An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide Internet service came into force on December 8, 2011. This Act requires a Canadian provider of Internet services to report to police when they have reasonable grounds to believe that their Internet service is being or has been used to commit a child pornography offence, such as making child pornography available, or distributing child pornography. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) is responsible under the Act for another measure to protect the Canadian public. It receives, and processes, reports of child pornography and child abuse on the Internet from Canadian providers of Internet services. C3P is a registered charitable organization that operates Cybertip.ca, which receives and processes tips from the public about potentially illegal material online related to child sexual exploitation and then refers any potentially actionable reports to the appropriate authorities. C3P also provides public education and awareness materials, as well as support and referral services for those who need it. In addition, C3P operates Project Arachnid, an automated web crawler, which scans the internet and automatically detects and processes tens of thousands of images per second and sends take down notices to online service providers to remove child sexual abuse material globally. When service providers, subject to the Act, are advised of a location on the Internet where child pornography may be made available to the public, the providers are required under this Act to report to C3P. All of these efforts together make C3P an effective organization that provides tools to protect children and combat child sexual exploitation.
C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)ConsentLegal agePornography
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01828441-01828 (Health)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023January 28, 2021PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: That, all human life should be regarded with great respect, from conception to natural death.Therefore we, the undersigned request the Canadian Parliament and Government to: Support measures which protect human life.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government has always and will always support a woman’s right to choose. Everyone has the right to make decisions about their health and body. The Supreme Court of Canada in 1988 struck down Canada’s criminal law against abortion, and the Government took the necessary steps to complete the repeal of those provisions by introducing amendments to take them off the books, which were enacted in 2019. Our Government is committed to upholding all the rights enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including section 7, which provides that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. Section 7 includes some protection against government interference with an individual’s access to abortion care. Section 7 also generally protects an individual’s right to control their bodily integrity, and a sphere of personal autonomy involving inherently private choices that go to the core of what it means to enjoy individual dignity and independence. Our government will always protect and promote women’s rights in Canada and around the world.
Health care system
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01827441-01827 (Public safety)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01826441-01826 (Transportation)Hon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023October 5, 2023Petition to the Minister of TransportWHEREAS:
  • Municipalities, property associations and thousands of individual residents are deeply concerned by the potential damage including environmental, social, economic and public safety impact(s) unregulated float homes in Ontario can cause to our waterways, if left unregulated;
  • The Ontario Government has recently consulted Ontarians on this matter and appears willing to bring these floating homes under regulation. But its hands are tied, they need your support to enact changes per the recommendation set out below;
  • The problem is that in Ontario, Transport Canada classifies such structures as "vessels", while in British Columbia, Transport Canada classifies them as "float homes". There is, accordingly, a lack of national consistency in Transport Canada's oversight of these structures;
  • As a result, in Ontario, as a "vessel", these structures are currently exempt from all forms of provincial and municipal oversight and regulation, including building code adherence, environmental protection, public safety, taxation and location management;
  • In British Columbia, where Transport Canada classifies them as "float homes", these structures must conform to strict building standards and can be duly regulated by the province and municipalities to ensure environmental protection, building code adherence and use/location management; and
  • Once this change has been made, municipalities will be enabled to create bylaws to control float homes in a manner consistent with provincial and municipal standards.
We, the undersigned, citizens of the province of Ontario, call upon the Minister of Transport to:Respectfully request that your Department classify both existing and new float homes within Ontario as float homes not vessels, in a manner consistent with the precedent your Department established in British Columbia in 2001.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe Government of Canada is attentive to public concerns about floating accommodations on Ontario (ON) waters, and their potential environmental, social, and public safety impacts. Within the rubric of Transport Canada’s (TC) legislative and regulatory mandate, these structures are defined as vessels under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (the CSA 2001):A boat, ship or craft designed, used or capable of being used solely or partly for navigation in, on, through or immediately above water, without regard to method or lack of propulsion, and includes such a vessel that is under construction. It does not include a floating object of a prescribed class.While these floating accommodations often have no means of propulsion, they can be navigated under tow and, as such, are subject to pertinent regulations under the CSA 2001. TC’sregulatoryauthority under the CSA 2001 covers safety equipment, construction, navigation, and environmental protection. The department does not regulate where these vessels can operate, nor the duration for which they can stay anchored or moored in any given location.Vessels of this nature must meet the requirements of the Small Vessel Regulations and Transport Publication 1332 - Construction Standards for Small Vessels (2010), including having necessary safety equipment and meeting construction requirements. They must also meet the applicable requirements of the Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemical Regulations, under which, for example, the discharge overboard of raw sewage is prohibited.While the floating accommodations of concern in ON are anchored near shore, independent of shore installations, and capable of navigation (i.e., can be moved to another location), those in British Columbia (BC) that are referenced as “float homes”, and that are not considered vessels, are permanently moored to the dock or shore, dependent on shore services (e.g., electrical power, fresh water, phone, waste management, etc.), and cannot be used for navigation. These float homes are normally located within the confines of a harbour or a marina.Such accommodations are treated as real estate, built in conformity with the BC Float Home Standard, and overseen by the BC Float Home Committee. Because of their features, these BC float homes are not considered vessels under theCSA 2001. In this regard, the CSA2001and the BC Float Home Standard are addressing different structures.In June 2023, the ON Government amended Regulation 161/17 (under the Public Lands Act) to prohibit floating accommodations from docking overnight on provincial waterways. The updated regulation clarifies the difference between “floating accommodations” and “watercraft”, applies only to public lands in ON, and does not address floating accommodations located on private water lots or on waterways under the authority of other governments (e.g., portions of the Trent Severn Waterway). The regulatory amendments do not impact TC’s definition of a vessel under the CSA 2001.TC, Parks Canada (PCA), and the ON Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) each have authorities related to floating accommodations, depending on whether they are secured to a waterbed and/or surface land controlled provincially or federally. TC, PCA, and the ON Government have met on multiple occasions to discuss floating accommodations.Going forward, TC will continue to work with its federal, provincial, and municipal partners to help ensure safe navigation and environmental protections for ON’s navigable waterways. TC is interested in better understanding the public’s concerns regarding floating accommodations and the long-term anchoring of vessels. TC also hosted an online consultation in fall 2023 to better understand the perspectives of Canadians.Should those consultations indicate sufficient interest in having an opportunity to restrict long-term anchoring, TC would consider incorporating restrictions to this effect in the Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR). The VORR provide a mechanism for local authorities and municipal and provincial governments to regulate boating activities on their waters, and delegate enforcement powers to local enforcement authorities. Local authorities submit applications to TC on a regular basis seeking new restrictions. A restriction on long-term anchoring could be added for those instances where the anchoring poses a safety or environmental risk. 
HousingRegulationSmall craft
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023e-4421e-4421 (Public safety)SteveSullivanHon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONMay 24, 2023, at 8:26 a.m. (EDT)September 21, 2023, at 8:26 a.m. (EDT)October 25, 2023December 11, 2023September 21, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Impaired driving kills hundreds of Canadians and injures thousands more every year;In 2021, there were nearly 78, 500 federal charges and provincial sanctions for impaired driving;Impaired driving is estimated to cost society billions of dollars every year, between health care, law enforcement, courts, prisons, insurance, personal costs, and more;The HALT Act, named after the Abbas family who were killed by an impaired driver, was signed by U.S. President Joe Biden in November 2021 with bi-partisan support. It will require new cars and trucks to be equipped with advanced alcohol impaired driving prevention technology by 2026-2027; andExperts estimate technology could eliminate the majority of injuries and deaths caused by alcohol-impaired driving.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to introduce legislation to require anti-impaired driving technology in new vehicles by 2026-2027.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezRoad safety in Canada is a shared jurisdiction among all levels of government, industry partners, and all road users. Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Transport Canada regulates the safety performance of new and imported motor vehicles and equipment to strengthen road safety. Justice Canada is responsible for the Criminal Code of Canada, which contains the federal laws and penalties for impaired driving. Provincial and territorial governments are responsible for driver licensing and vehicle registration, vehicle maintenance, and insurance as well as setting and enforcing the rules of the road. Safety is a key priority for Transport Canada, and this includes measures to strengthen road safety. The Department works with provincial and territorial partners and other stakeholders, including police, to reduce impaired driving. The Department chairs a Canadian Standards Association Technical Committee concerning the standards for breath alcohol ignition interlocks for convicted offenders and conducts surveys to measure impaired driving on Canadian roads.Maintaining road safety requires the combined efforts of many, which is why in 2017, the Government announced investments of $161 million until March 2025 to address drug-impaired driving (DID). Funds are administered by Public Safety Canada to enhance training of frontline officers to recognize the signs and symptoms of DID; build law enforcement capacity; provide access to drug screening equipment; develop policy and research; and raise public awareness about the dangers of DID. Provinces and Territories can access up to $81 million of this funding.Transport Canada also has regular communication with the United States (U.S.) on road safety. The Department is aware that their recent legislation includes financial support to further test anti-impaired driving technologies. Although there are significant benefits to anti-impaired driving technologies being installed in vehicles, various considerations need to be assessed for the benefits of these devices to be fully realized. Some of the issues include: the need for provincial and territorial support and coordination; public acceptance; addressing the cost of device manufacturing and associated costs to consumers; and assessing the vehicle fleet changeover time to have a meaningful impact. It is important to note that the technology is still evolving. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is scheduled to release their Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in 2023, seeking comments on mandating these technologies. This will be followed by a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking additional comment prior to any Final Rule being published. Transport Canada will continue to monitor these developments and collaborate with the U.S. NHTSA through their process as well as similar processes in other countries. These steps will help inform the appropriate path forward for Canada which could potentially include mandating these devices to keep Canadians safe.While collective efforts to tackle impaired driving are resulting in a decrease in occurrences, the numbers are still far too great, and we are committed to working with partners to continue to explore all options to address this egregious crime. 
Impaired drivingNew technologies
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01824441-01824 (Justice)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023October 12, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled and to the Minister of JusticeWe the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • As a growing number of adults experience divorce and the nature of unions in our country rapidly evolves, there is a clear need for a review of the Divorce Act;
  • Canada now has the highest rate of common law relationships among G7 countries, with the share of co-residing common-law couples increasing from 6% in 1981, to 23% in 2021;
  • Nearly 4 in 10 children live with a lone parent, stepparents, parents in a commonlaw relationship, or other non-traditional unions;
  • More than a quarter of adults in a relationship are in their second marriage or common-law relationship, and these relationships often last more than a decade and result in children;
  • However, despite the evolving nature of unions within our country, the Federal Child Support Guidelines created under the Divorce Act fail to reflect the diversity and complexity of unions in 2023; and
  • Canadian parents, especially fathers who are responsible for almost 97% of child support payments, are struggling to deal with convoluted guidelines which fail to consider lifestyle decisions of former spouses in new relationships and changing family situations such as the birth of children in blended families.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Justice to initiate a statutory review of the Divorce Act, specifically concerning the Federal Child Support Guidelines, which takes into account the evolving reality of blended families, variance of income over time, and better reflects the needs of children in shared custody situations.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyFamily law is an area of shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. The Divorce Act and Federal Child Support Guidelines (Federal Guidelines) apply when people divorce or are divorced. Provincial and territorial family laws and child support guidelines apply when unmarried couples separate (common law partners) or when married couples separate but do not divorce. Federal, provincial, and territorial governments work together on an ongoing basis to monitor the application of the law and to improve the family justice system responses to the many complex issues that may arise during separation and divorce.Child support is the right of the child. The Federal Guidelines, a set of rules and tables, have the following goals: establish a fair standard of support for children so that they continue to benefit from both parents’ incomes after separation; reduce conflict between parents by making the calculation of child support more objective; ensure that parents and children in similar situations are treated the same; and make the legal process more efficient and encourage settlements.The guiding principle of the Federal Guidelines is that both parents share the responsibility to financially support their children based on their ability to do so. This responsibility continues even if parents remarry or have another relationship. Children should continue to benefit from both parents’ financial means after separation or divorce, just as they would if the family were still together.The way child support is calculated under the Federal Guidelines depends on the parenting time arrangement. In shared parenting time arrangements, the situation can vary significantly from one family to another. As a result, the method to calculate support in shared parenting time cases is discretionary. Child support is determined on a case-by-case basis by considering the following factors: (1) the amount in the tables that each parent would pay, based on each parent’s income; (2) the increased costs of shared parenting time; (3) the condition, means, needs and other circumstances of each parent and child.The Federal Guidelines recognize that in some cases, a child support amount, combined with other circumstances, could create undue hardship for a parent or child. Such circumstances could include the obligation to support children from another relationship. If an undue hardship claim is successful, a court may order a different child support amount.Child support is based on income. As income can vary overtime, so should child support amounts. Provincial child support services are administrative services that can calculate or recalculate child support amounts. These services can adjust child support amounts, either up or down, to reflect updated income information.The Government is committed to making the family justice system as fair as possible for all Canadians and to strengthening the family justice system. For example, Divorce Act amendments came into force in 2021 with the goal of promoting children’s best interests, addressing family violence, helping reduce poverty, and improving the efficiency and accessibility of the family justice system. In addition, work continues on various topics relating to Canadian families. The Department of Justice Canada recently undertook research on international child support models, including as it relates to shared parenting time, as well as on the experience of divorced and separated parents with child support and related issues. Information is published on the Department’s website. It is important for the Government of Canada to be aware of Canadians’ concerns about the family justice system so that work can continue with provincial and territorial governments to find ways to improve it.
Divorce ActMarriage and divorceStatutory reviewSupport of children
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01823441-01823 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
      
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023e-4573e-4573 (Social affairs and equality)TylerWilliamsLeahGazanWinnipeg CentreNDPMBSeptember 7, 2023, at 11:07 a.m. (EDT)October 7, 2023, at 11:07 a.m. (EDT)October 25, 2023December 11, 2023October 10, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:On Friday, August 25 2023, at the end of the day, it was announced that Lanark County had terminated "access to the Canada-wide Early Learning Child Care Funding (CWELCC)" for Natural Connections Child Care effective September 7, 2023 with no reason offered besides citing "Article A4.2 Termination for Convenience" effectively more than doubling the cost of care for over 280 families in the region; whatever the reasons for this decision - budget, audit, bureaucratic, mismanagement, misbehaviour - the families and caregivers who this funding has helped and supported, deserve to know.We, the undersigned, concerned residents of Lanark County and beyond, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Provide financial aid/funding intervention for all families and caregivers affected by this decision, and an explanation of the factors that led to this decision;2. Support the calling of an emergency council meeting with members of the public present, with full transparency, on the subject of the child care crisis facing Lanark County, the sequence of events that led to this decision being carried out, with no explanation, and discussion on how to properly ensure this does not happen again to families in this community; and3. Ensure that contingency plans for affected families and caregivers, with appropriate timelines and procedures, are in place if funding for child care agencies is terminated under "Article A4.2 Termination for Convenience" to insure that no family is ever put in this position again.
Response by the Minister of Families, Children and Social DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe Government of Canada made a transformative investment of more than $27 billion over five years to build a Canada-wide early learning and child care (ELCC) system with provinces and territories. The vision for the Canada-wide ELCC system is that all families in Canada have access to high-quality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive ELCC, no matter where they live. Under the Canada-Ontario Canada-wide ELCC Agreement (2021-2026), the Government of Canada is providing more than $10.2 billion in funding over five years to the Government of Ontario.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have primary responsibility for the design and delivery of ELCC systems within their jurisdiction.In Ontario, the Ministry of Education provides funding to licensed child care programs that participate in the Canada-wide ELCC system through Consolidated Municipal Service Managers and District Social Services Administration Boards, also known as service system managers. Service system managers enter into a service agreement with child care operators and are responsible for ensuring their compliance with the terms and conditions of their agreements. For home-based child care, a home child care agency holds the service agreement with a service system manager, and the agency then contracts with individual home-based child care providers.All child care providers, including home-based, must follow certain requirements laid out by the provincial government, including regulations under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014, and funding guidelines issued by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Home child care agencies must also adhere to requirements set out in their service agreements with the service system managers.  Service system managers are responsible for planning, managing and coordinating child care within their regions.Lanark County indicated that the details concerning the termination of Natural Connections Childcare’s agreement are confidential.The federal government will continue to work with provincial and territorial governments to increase the supply of high quality and affordable spaces across the country.  
Care for childrenEarly learning and child care programs and agreements
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01821441-01821 (Transportation)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the Minister of Transport Whereas:
  • Quality of life is negatively affected by a high frequency of air traffic occurring near residential areas, including from related stress and interrupted sleep;
  • There is a need for greater cooperation on the part of airport management with citizens and federal authorities to reduce the negative impacts of aircraft noise;
  • The Region of Waterloo International Airport (RWIA) is home to one of the largest and busiest flight training schools in Canada, and its total air traffic has increased by over 1,400% between 2019 and 2022, making it now the 6th busiest in Canada;
  • The negative impacts for residents nearby RWIA have worsened significantly during this time, particularly given that the airport: does not have any night time flight restrictions or curfews in place, permits pilots to arrive and depart at any hour of the day or night, and has not maintained a functioning noise management committee with citizen representation that meets regularly to review residents' complaints; and
  • Canada's other busiest airports near residential areas in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal are all subject to heightened noise management requirements and air traffic and runway restrictions.
We, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to:
  • Ensure that all Canadian airports near residential areas have established sufficient airport-specific noise abatement procedures and control requirements to meet all their obligations under the Canadian Aviation Regulations; and
  • Assess whether any other Canadian airports near residential areas should be subject to additional noise management requirements and restrictions, such as:
      • the requirement to develop a minister-approved Noise Management Plan and report publicly on noise management issues and actions;
      • heightened noise abatement procedures and controls, and operating restrictions on flights during night time hours; and/or
      • operating restrictions for designated Noise-Restricted Runways.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezManaging noise at aerodromes, especially active aerodromes, is a difficult exercise for the aerodrome operators, residential neighbours, aerodrome users and all levels of government. Aerodrome operators are responsible for managing noise resulting from the use of their facility with the goal of balancing the needs of aerodrome users and those of the residential community. This can be a challenging endeavour that is best managed by the aerodrome operator as they are most familiar with the operational demands and circumstances at the aerodrome. Many tools exist to manage noise such as aircraft and runway operational procedures and operating restrictions. Such procedures and restrictions exist at many aerodromes and are published in the aviation document entitled Canada Flight Supplement (CFS). Many of these procedures and restrictions have been made enforceable through the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR). There are specific procedures or restrictions that have been published for the Region of Waterloo International Airport (RWIA).  The RWIA has a page on its website that allows people to submit noise concerns. Petitioners can propose to the operator of the RWIA to establish a venue for communication and discussion such as an on-going outreach committee or a noise management committee. In collaboration with the aerodrome management and its users, changes to the existing procedures or restrictions could be explored in a manner that could provide some relief. As experiences with such measures grows, they can be modified accordingly. For more information on the regulatory framework related to aircraft noise, please refer to: 
  1. Managing noise from aircraft: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/operating-airports-aerodromes/managing-noise-aircraft 
  1. Advisory Circular (AC) 302-002. The purpose of this AC is to introduce the new?Noise Abatement Procedures and Restrictions Implementation Process, the completion of which is now required to implement new or amended noise abatement procedures and noise control measures made pursuant to CAR 602.105, at airports and aerodromes: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/reference-centre/advisory-circulars/advisory-circular-ac-no-302-002 
 
Air trafficAirportsNoise and noise pollution
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 11, 2023441-01820441-01820 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBOctober 25, 2023December 11, 2023October 16, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 11, 2023e-4662e-4662 (Taxation)WendyThienesBradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCDecember 11, 2023, at 2:04 p.m. (EDT)April 9, 2024, at 2:04 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="263831" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Finance</Addressee>Whereas:Massage therapy is not recognized in the list of professional services rendered by health practitioners in the Excise Tax Act;Canadians are charged HST/GST on massage therapy services;HST/GST fees create an impression of inequality between massage therapists and other health professionals; andRemoval of HST/GST on massage therapy services would improve the accessibility and affordability of massage therapy services for Canadians.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Finance to:1. include the practice of massage therapy in the definition of practitioner within Schedule V of Part II of the Excise Tax Act; 2. add massage therapy services to the list of professional services rendered by practitioners under section 7 of Part II, Schedule V of the Excise Tax Act; and3. exempt massage therapy services in Canada from HST/GST under the Excise Tax Act.Excise Tax ActExcise taxesTax exemption44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 11, 2023e-4719e-4719 (Food and drink)JustinCantafioGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCDecember 11, 2023, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT)April 9, 2024, at 2:03 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Provincial farmers' market nutrition coupon programs are successful with multiple impacts including strengthening food security, sustaining local farmers and foodlands, providing nutritionally vulnerable households access to healthy locally grown foods, promoting community inclusion and reducing social isolation, and positively impacting the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of fresh foods they eat;In 2022 18.5% of all Canadians experienced food insecurity, up from nearly 16% in 2021;The Government of Canada introduced its Food Policy for Canada in 2019, the Emergency Food Security Fund in 2020, and the Local Food Infrastructure Fund in 2020, yet Canada’s food insecurity rates continue to rise;Since 2012, the BC Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program has increased access to healthy, nutritious food at farmers' markets while directly supporting BC farmers and supporting food security across the province;Other provinces including Nova Scotia and Manitoba and their provincial farmers’ market organisations have also implemented highly successful programs;100% of coupon dollars redeemed in farmers' market nutrition coupon programs directly benefit Canadian farmers and producers;Demand for food security measures is soaring in Canada; andA federal nutrition coupon program fund would assist in meeting this demand, encourage provinces without a provincial nutrition coupon program to create one, and support those provinces who have a provincial nutrition coupon program to expand to meet demand.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to create a national nutrition coupon program fund that will strengthen and grow all existing and proposed provincial and territorial farmers' markets nutrition coupon programs across Canada.Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon ProgramFarmers marketsFood and drinkFood supply44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01798441-01798 (Fisheries)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:A public survey done in 2011 found that 70% of British Columbians agree with the statement that, "wild Pacific salmon are as important to British Columbians as the French language is to Quebeckers"; The Fraser River sockeye run unexpectedly collapsed in 2009, with only 1 million of the expected 10 million salmon returning to spawn; This collapse prompted the Government of Canada to launch a comprehensive Federal Commission of Inquiry, headed by the Honourable Bruce Cohen and released in 2012, to investigate the cause of this catastrophic decline; Among the 75 recommendations stemming from Justice Cohen's inquiry were:
  • The Government of Canada should remove from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans mandate the promotion of salmon farming as an industry and farmed salmon as a product,
  • The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should explicitly consider proximity to migrating Fraser River sockeye when siting salmon farms, should consider relocating existing salmon farms that are too close to existing salmon runs, and should consider prohibiting net-pen salmon farming altogether, especially in the Discovery Islands,
  • Department of Fisheries and Oceans should encourage British Columbia to require users of pesticides in forestry and agriculture to record, and report annually to the province, the areas where pesticides were applied and the amounts used, and
  • To improve future sustainability of the Fraser River sockeye, the Government of Canada should champion, within Canada and internationally, reasonable steps to address the causes of warming waters and climate change; and
Years later, the recommendations made by Justice Cohen in the Inquiry have yet to be implemented. THEREFORE, YOUR PETITIONERS call upon the House of Commons to act on the precautionary principle and immediately implement all of the 75 recommendations made by Justice Cohen to save our salmon.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Diane LebouthillierThe Government of Canada recognizes the importance of the Cohen Commission’s recommendations and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), along with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and the Province of British Columbia (BC), have now taken actions to address all 75 of the recommendations.Many of the Cohen recommendations are broad reaching, and consequently, acting on many of the recommendations is an ongoing task. Ongoing work on many of the Cohen recommendations continues, particularly across several key areas, such as salmon stock assessment, health status assessment, habitat protection and restoration, precautionary approach to salmon aquaculture, and fisheries management.Commitment to ongoing action is reflected in the Wild Salmon Policy 2018-2022 Implementation Plan which outlines specific activities and approaches led by DFO over the last five years towards restoring and maintaining healthy and diverse Pacific salmon populations and their habitats. A five-year report of the Implementation Plan was published on September 21, 2023 (https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/annual-annuel/5-year-annee-eng.html).Please see the 2018 Cohen Response Status Update Report and Annex (https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cohen/report-rapport-2018-eng.htm) for more detail on DFO’s actions to date in response to the Cohen Commission recommendations and the Wild Salmon Policy 2018-2022 Implementation Plan(https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/ip-pmo/index-eng.html). Additionally, the third Wild Salmon Policy Annual Report was released on February 4, 2022 (https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/annual-annuel/2020-2021-eng.html). Furthermore, the Government of Canada recognizes that a bold and targeted response with concrete actions is required to address the historic declines facing Pacific salmon. In response, the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) establishes a more comprehensive and transformative approach to support Pacific salmon rebuilding in both the immediate and longer-term. Working collaboratively with Indigenous groups, partners and stakeholders across British Columbia and the Yukon, the main goal of this initiative is to conserve and restore wild Pacific salmon stocks and their ecosystems, for all that depend on them. The PSSI’s four pillars to achieve this goal are: conservation and stewardship; salmon enhancement; harvest transformation; and integration and collaboration.DFO has addressed the Cohen Commission’s Recommendation 3: “The Government of Canada should remove from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ mandate the promotion of salmon farming as an industry and farmed salmon as a product” as per the ‘Annex to the Cohen Response 2018 Status Update: recommendation response detail’ (http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cohen/annex-annexe-2018-eng.htm).The petition highlights Cohen Commission’s Recommendation 15: “The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should explicitly consider proximity to migrating Fraser River sockeye when siting salmon farms” and Recommendation 17: “The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should apply revised siting criteria to all licensed salmon farm sites. Farms that no longer comply with siting criteria should be promptly removed or relocated to sites that comply with current siting criteria.” It is also important to note Recommendation 19 in consideration of responses to Recommendations 15 and 17: “ On September 30, 2020, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans should prohibit net-pen salmon farming in the Discovery Islands (fish health sub-zone 3-2) unless he or she is satisfied that such farms pose at most a minimal risk of serious harm to the health of migrating Fraser River sockeye salmon. The Minister’s decision should summarize the information relied on and include detailed reasons. The decision should be published on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ website.”In response to Recommendation 19, the Department looked at the overall risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon from pathogens that can be found at Atlantic salmon farms, which was important in assessing whether current siting criteria are sufficient in the protection of wild salmon stocks, including migrating Fraser River sockeye. The Department completed risk assessments on nine known pathogens, assessing the risk of these pathogens coming from aquaculture operations in the Discovery Islands area to Fraser River sockeye. It was concluded that each pathogen posed no more than a minimal risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon abundance and diversity under the current fish health management practices (https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cohen/recherche-aquaculture-research-eng.html). DFO continues to update its understanding of pathogens and pests and adapt its management in response. Siting of aquaculture operations is a shared and harmonized process in BC, requiring a provincial crown tenure, a federal navigable waters permit, and a federal aquaculture licence. Aquaculture applications are submitted through a single portal, where the Government of BC considers siting through the lens of granting leases for provincial crown lands, Transport Canada considers siting related to safe navigation, and DFO considers siting relating to potential impacts to fish and fish habitat, potential impacts to existing fisheries, and fish health and wild-farmed interactions, which includes consideration of the proximity to wild salmon migration routes.Siting guidelines inform a proponent and the public on how a new or amendment application will be assessed. Licence conditions for aquaculture set out the specific operational and reporting requirements to which licence holders must adhere in order to operate legally and be in compliance with the Fisheries Act and associated regulations. They also contain provisions to ensure that aquaculture sites are operated in an environmentally sustainable manner that minimizes the risk to wild fish stocks and the marine resource.In fall 2020, the Department consulted with First Nations in the Discovery Islands to hear their views and concerns with respect to the aquaculture sites in the area. These perspectives informed the former Minister Bernadette Jordan’s decision in December 2020 to phase out Atlantic salmon aquaculture in the area by June 2022. While the Federal Court ultimately struck down that decision, former Minister Joyce Murray decided in June 2022 not to reissue Atlantic salmon aquaculture licences in the Discovery Islands, and to consult with First Nations and industry on the future of licensing in the area. In February 2023, following six months of consultations, former Minister Murray decided not to reissue licences in the Discovery Islands. Industry and some of the First Nations in the area filed a judicial review in Federal Court in March 2023 which is still a matter before the courts.The Government is moving forward on the development of an Open-Net Pen Transition Plan for salmon aquaculture in B.C. The vision of the Transition Plan is to advance innovation and growth in sustainable aquaculture in BC to progressively minimize or eliminate interactions between farmed and wild salmon, while also taking into account social, cultural, and economic objectives.In developing the Transition Plan, DFO will rely on input from the Province of British Columbia, First Nations, industry, local governments, stakeholders, and British Columbians. The Government is committed to ensuring that the transition from open-net pen aquaculture is done in a manner that respects the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples.In July 2022, DFO released a discussion framework, which outlines the vision for open-net pen transition in BC. Members of the public were invited to participate by completing an online survey, which was available until October 27, 2022; details about this process are available on the aquaculture engagement webpage. Other activities included Ministerial roundtables with Indigenous leaders, key stakeholders, and conservation organizations; as well as bilateral meetings and engagement sessions with First Nations; local and provincial governments; industry, academics, conservation organizations; and other stakeholder groups. In May 2023, a What We Heard Report summarizing Phases 1 and 2 of engagement was released.  In July 2023, in response to requests from First Nations and others, the time period for consultation on the Transition Plan was extended. The feedback and input received during this engagement will be instrumental in the development of the final transition plan.In relation to the Cohen Commission’s Recommendation 54: “The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should encourage the Province of British Columbia:
  • to require users of pesticides in forestry and agriculture to record, and report annually to the province, the areas where pesticides were applied and the amounts used to develop; and
  • maintain a pesticide-use database (that includes information on location, volume / concentration, and timing of use) and make that information publicly available.”
BC has a system in place to monitor, report, and disseminate information on pesticide use across sectors (aquaculture, agriculture, forestry). The province requires users to report pesticide use, and has the ability to provide information on total use. Standards of use are consistent with Health Canada requirements. As part of the Fisheries Protection Program, DFO will continue to coordinate and work with the Province of BC on areas of common interest. Specific to pesticides used for aquaculture purposes, under the authority of the Aquaculture Activities Regulations, DFO collects all information regarding the deposit of deleterious substances, including both drugs and pesticides. Any use of registered pesticides, including Hydrogen Peroxide are reported to DFO through a 72 hour notification requirement, and a quarterly report include dates and amounts of product used.Both ECCC and DFO have taken action in response the Cohen Commission’s Recommendation 74: “To improve future sustainability of the Fraser River sockeye, the Government of Canada should champion, within Canada and internationally, reasonable steps to address the causes of warming waters and climate change.” DFO works to address climate change impacts in aquatic ecosystems as a part of an ECCC-led, whole-of-government effort. Through this work, the department conducts vulnerability assessments on Pacific species, including salmon, to warming waters and continues to monitor trends in sea surface temperature, oxygen levels, and ocean acidification in freshwater and marine areas. These monitoring data are important to understanding the causes of change and are used by DFO in studies to quantify the rate of change in freshwaters and marine waters inhabited by Pacific salmon.
Cohen CommissionFisheries policyFisheries stocksFraser RiverPacific fisheriesSockeye salmon
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023e-4460e-4460 (Justice)LaurelSimBlaineCalkinsRed Deer—LacombeConservativeABMay 26, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)September 23, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)October 24, 2023December 7, 2023September 25, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Sexual violence against children has increased 118% between 2010 and 2017 according to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics;Statistics show that the Sexual Offender Information Registry Act (SOIRA) has rarely been used by police agencies for its stated purpose – protecting society through the effective prevention and investigation of crimes of a sexual nature;On September 16, 2021, the horrific and preventable murders of Mchale Erica Busch (age 24) and her baby son, Noah Lee McConnell (age 16 months), in their apartment building in Hinton, Alberta, were perpetrated by Robert Keith Major, age 53, who was a known, previously convicted sex offender with multiple criminal convictions; andMchale Busch and her fiancé, Cody McConnell, had no knowledge that the offender was living in the apartment adjacent to theirs, as they had only moved in 10 days prior and had no connection to the accused. The complex was a family-friendly building where many children resided and was close to two playgrounds and a school.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Require mandatory reporting by convicted sexual offenders to the nearest police station upon any change of residence; 2. Clarify that failure to report as required is an offence for which an arrest warrant shall be issued; and3. Create a specially designated offender classification for persons convicted of sexual assault offences against children where a sentence of more than two years is imposed or for offenders convicted of two or more violent sexual offences or offences involving abduction of women and/or children.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) establishes reporting obligations for a registered sex offender in relation to a change of residence.On October 26, 2023, Bill S-12 came into force, ensuring the National Sex Offender Registry can continue to be an effective tool to prevent and investigate crimes of a sexual nature.Under section 4.1(1)(a) of the SOIRA, an offender subject to a SOIRA order is obligated to report to a registration centre any change in their main residence or secondary residence within seven days. If an offender fails to report in accordance with section 4.1(1)(a) of the SOIRA, they can be charged under section 490.031(1) of the Criminal Code for failure to comply with their SOIRA order. This is a hybrid offence, meaning it can be prosecuted by summary conviction (a less serious offence), or by indictment (a more serious offence). The maximum penalty for this offence is a maximum fine of $10,000.00 or a term of imprisonment of 2 years less a day imprisonment if prosecuted by summary conviction, or a maximum fine of $10,000.00 or a term of 2 years if prosecuted by indictment.While failure to report continues to be an offence under the Criminal Code, Bill S-12 also introduced a new warrant provision that permits a peace officer to arrest a person who is non-compliant with their obligations under sections 4 to 5.1 of the Sex Offender Information Registration Act in order to bring them to a registration centre and provide them with the opportunity to comply. If the offender still fails to comply they could then be charged under section 490.031(1) of the Criminal Code for failure to comply, as noted above.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneySexual offences, particularly against children, are amongst the most egregious crimes. Protecting persons in Canada from sexual offenders is a top priority for the Government.Bill S-12, An Act to amend the Criminal Code,the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act, came into force on October 26, 2023. It responds directly to a Supreme Court of Canada decision and strengthens the National Sex Offender Registry.This legislation aims to ensure that everyone in Canada – survivors of sexual assault and their families in particular – can feel safe and have confidence in our criminal justice system, knowing that tools are in place for police to prevent and investigate sexual crimes.Under these recent reforms:
  • anyone convicted of a sexual offence against a child, when prosecuted by indictment and sentenced to two years or more in prison, as well as any repeat sexual offender, will be automatically required to register on the National Sex Offender Registry;
  • all other sexual offenders will also be required to register, unless they can demonstrate to a judge that they pose no risk to the community; and,
  • judges will be able to impose lifetime registration for sexual offenders who are found guilty of more than one offence at the same time, if the pattern of offending demonstrates a risk of reoffending.
The legislation also aims to strengthen the National Sex Offender Registry as a law enforcement tool in many other ways, including by adding five new designated offences for which an individual can be added to the Registry, including the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, so called “sextortion”, and aggravated sexual assault of a person under 16.In addition, the legislation created a compliance warrant scheme authorizing police to seek a warrant to arrest an offender who is non-compliant with their Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA) obligation and bring them to a registration center to facilitate compliance. If an offender complies, a charge for non-compliance is precluded.The legislation now also contains a summons provision to permit courts to compel an offender to return to court for a consideration of their SOIRA obligation in situations where this issue was not considered at sentencing. Further, under the legislation, registered offenders are required to provide law enforcement with at least 14 days’ notice and a specific address of destination when travelling, when possible.Finally, the legislation empowers survivors and victims of crime by giving them greater voice and agency in the criminal justice process, namely through amended publication ban provisions and enhanced access to information.The Government will do everything in its power to protect persons in Canada, especially the most vulnerable, and to help give a voice to the victims.
Child sexual abuse and exploitationCriminal CodeSex Offender Information Registration ActSex offenders
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01800441-01800 (Environment)MarcSerréNickel BeltLiberalONOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades, if left unabated, will bring "widespread devastation and extreme weather";
  • The summer of 2023 was the hottest three months globally on record, and Canada is experienced the most severe wildfire season on record;
  • In the past decade, over 85% of gases that are warming our planet, greenhouse gases, come from burning fossil fuels;
  • Canada's oil and gas sector is our fastest and largest sector of greenhouse gas emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to "cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050."
WE, the undersigned residents of Canada, call on the federal government to move forward immediately with a bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving an interim and science-based target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada is taking action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to achieve Canada’s 2030 and 2050 climate targets in a way that allows the sector to compete in a global economy that is transitioning to net-zero. Addressing emissions from the oil and gas sector—the largest source of GHG emissions in Canada—is critical to the achievement of Canada’s climate goals and international commitments, and vital to the sustainability and competitiveness of Canada’s energy industry.In March 2022, the Government of Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, which outlines the measures Canada is taking to reach its Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement, a 40-45% economy-wide reduction in GHG emissions below 2005 levels by 2030. A key element of the Government’s plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This Government of Canada commitment was first announced in November 2021 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow.Capping and cutting oil and gas sector emissions will send a clear, long-term policy signal to invest in clean technology, low-emissions energy assets, and supporting infrastructure while avoiding investments in oil and gas production that do not incorporate best-in-class technologies and infrastructure. The oil and gas emissions cap will build on other measures in place to reduce emissions from the sector, including carbon pollution pricing and methane regulations. The Government plans to release further details before the end of 2023.
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01801441-01801 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023June 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01802441-01802 (Justice)MichaelCooperSt. Albert—EdmontonConservativeABOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023November 4, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01803441-01803 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
    
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01804441-01804 (Transportation)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Pablo RodriguezWHEREAS:
  • Since 1946, the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada (MAAC) has been the regulating agency of model aircraft flying in Canada. MAAC regulates radio-controlled (RC) model flying by setting radio frequencies, noise restrictions, flying clubs, flying field layouts, training requirements, as well as providing liability insurance coverage for its members;
  • RC model aircraft is a hobby for all ages - the minimum age limit of 14 years of age to fly a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) set in the 2019 Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) has greatly reduced our ability to attract young pilots to our hobby;
  • There is extensive flight training and testing provided under MAAC that makes commercial RPAS testing unnecessary for MAAC members; and
  • The current rules and restrictions have effectively grounded many RC fixed wing pilots across Canada. If the exemption for RC pilots within MAAC is not re-instated, we believe it will end this hobby.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transportation to:1. Review the decision of Transport Canada to cancel MAAC member's exemption of Part 9 of the Canadian Aviation Act (CAA); and2. Reinstate the exemption to MAAC members or remove fixed wing RC models from the category of Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) as listed in the CAA.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezIn 2019, with the coming into force of Part IX – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs), which contain most of the rules that apply to all Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) up to 25 kilograms conducting visual line-of-sight (VLOS) operations, Transport Canada issued an exemption to the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada (MAAC) that allowed its members to operate model aircraft between 250 grams and 35 kilograms while abiding by all applicable safety guidelines and conditions set out in the exemption.  When the new regulations came into effect, the definition of “model aircraft” and any reference to model aircraft in the CARs was repealed, and the term Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) was introduced to refer to “a navigable aircraft, other than a balloon, rocket, or kite that is operated by a pilot who is not on board” (CARs?101.01), which includes both drones and model aircraft. This change reflected a focus on regulating that is based on the risks posed by the weight of the aircraft and operating environment, not its end-use.   The decision to issue an exemption to the MAAC was based on an assessment of their safety policies and procedures, which were assessed as providing an acceptable level of safety to Part IX of the CARs, which sets out registration, pilot licensing, and operational requirements for RPAS in Canada. The exemption included several conditions designed to further mitigate potential safety risks, including that the exemption would no longer be valid should any of the conditions be breached.    On February 3, 2023, the MAAC was notified that the exemption was rendered invalid due to a breach of Condition #3 of the exemption, which read that “Prior to sanctioning a field in Class C, D, E, F, or any other type of restricted airspace, the MAAC shall obtain an authorization through a written agreement from the appropriate controlling agency or user agency for the area, [and] shall include operational boundaries, maximum altitudes, and communication protocols to facilitate the safe operation of RPAS at the field”. Since the MAAC did not receive written authorization from the controlling agency (NAV CANADA) prior to sanctioning some fields in controlled airspace, the exemption is no longer valid. As such, members of the MAAC are now required to follow the rules set out in Part IX of the CARs.     In parallel, in June 2023, Transport Canada pre-published proposed amendments to Part IX of the CARs, which would allow for routine beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations with RPAS up to 150 kilograms away from populated areas in uncontrolled airspace at low altitudes and includes routine VLOS operations with RPAS up to 150 kilograms. Although distinct from the cancellation of the exemption, Transport Canada has received substantial feedback from the Canadian model aircraft community that will be taken into consideration as we navigate next steps.   Transport Canada will continue to work with the MAAC and the broader model aircraft community to determine appropriate next steps and facilitate the safe and legal use of Canadian airspace by its members. To date, no replacement application has been received from the MAAC. Anyone may apply for an exemption at any time if they can demonstrate that their proposed operation is in the public interest and would not negatively affect aviation safety. For more information, please send an email to ExemptionsAviation@tc.gc.caAll Canadian pilots of RPAS, including recreational operators, must understand that they are sharing the skies with other aircraft and follow the rules set out in Part IX of the CARs. They are encouraged to consult Transport Canada’s safety resources to ensure their operations are safe, legal, and avoid harming others.  
Air safetyRecreationRemotely piloted aircraft
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01805441-01805 (Justice)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled We, the undersigned citizens (or residents) of Canada, draw the attention of the House Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:
  • The premise behind child support is to ensure the standard of living between the child(ren)'s homes are as equal as possible in the cases of joint and/or shared custody cases. However, this is not always the case and in some cases can have the reverse affect; causing a greater discrepancy in the child(ren)'s household standard of living;
  • The current method of receiving child support is based on the parental personal income. However, the family status of the parent receiving child support may change over time leading to an increase in disposable household income and, thus causing a negative shift in the child(ren)'s standard of living;
  • Household income is only considered in cases of "undue hardship", which one of the parties needs to begin a legal process, meaning extra stress and expenses. However, many other standards like the Canadian Revenue Agency, CRA, use the measure of household income to calculate disability and child tax benefits, instead of personal income as a standard; and
  • The use of household income as a measure accounts for changes in the standard of living outside of personal income, and therefore provide a holistic picture of whether child support payments are required or not.
THEREFORE:Your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to considers using household income, instead of personal income in all cases, not only in "undue hardship instances" as the standard for the calculation of receiving child support in the cases of joint and/or shared custody and thus allowing for a common standard throughout departments.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyFamily law is an area of shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. The Divorce Act and Federal Child Support Guidelines (Federal Guidelines) apply when people divorce or are divorced. Provincial and territorial family laws and child support guidelines apply when unmarried couples separate (common law partners) or when married couples separate but do not divorce. Federal, provincial, and territorial governments work together on an ongoing basis to monitor the application of the law and to improve the family justice system responses to the many complex issues that may arise during separation and divorce.Child support is the right of the child. It is calculated using a set of rules and tables. The child support model and formula used to calculate child support amounts was developed in the 1990s to fit the Canadian situation. It is based on parents’ capacity to pay. Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Justice, at the time, tasked the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Family Law Committee with recommendations of making improvements to the family law system. To do so, models in other countries were examined and consultations with stakeholders, and close collaboration with the provinces and territories, took place.The Federal Guidelines have the following goals: establish a fair standard of support for children so that they continue to benefit from both parents’ incomes after separation; reduce conflict between parents by making the calculation of child support more objective; ensure that parents and children in similar situations are treated the same; and make the legal process more efficient and encourage settlements.The guiding principle of the Federal Guidelines is that both parents share the responsibility to financially support their children based on their ability to do so. This responsibility continues even if parents remarry or have another relationship. Children should continue to benefit from both parents’ financial means after separation or divorce, just as they would if the family were still together.The way child support is calculated under the Federal Guidelines depends on the parenting time arrangement. In shared parenting time arrangements, the situation can vary significantly from one family to another. As a result, the method to calculate support in shared parenting time cases is discretionary and is determined on a case-by-case basis by considering the following factors: (1) the amount in the tables that each parent would pay, based on each parent’s income; (2) the increased costs of shared parenting time; and, (3) the condition, means, needs and other circumstances of each parent and child.The Federal Guidelines recognize that in some cases, a child support amount, combined with other circumstances, could create undue hardship for a parent or child. The purpose of the standard-of-living test set out in the Federal Guidelines is to determine which of the two households has a higher standard of living. If an undue hardship claim is successful, a court may order a different child support amount.The child support amounts set out in the Federal Child Support Tables (Federal tables) are produced using the federal child support formula that takes into account parents’ income and taxes. There is a separate table for every province and territory to take into account the specific tax rules of that province or territory. Information on the formula used to calculate child support amounts in the Federal Table amounts is published on the Department’s website.The rules to calculate income for child support purposes is different than for taxes purposes. It is calculated using gross income, starting with line 15000 of the Income Tax Return and adjusted with schedule III of the Federal Guidelines. Gross income is used because it is generally considered to be a fairer and more accurate indication of a parent’s ability to pay child support than net income.As income can vary over time, so should child support amounts. Provincial child support services are administrative services that can calculate or recalculate child support amounts, including in the context of divorce. These services can adjust child support amounts, either up or down, to reflect updated income information, for eligible families.The Government is committed to making the family justice system as fair as possible for all Canadians and to strengthen the family justice system. For example, Divorce Act amendments came into force in 2021 with the goal of promoting children’s best interests, addressing family violence, helping reduce poverty, and improving the efficiency and accessibility of the family justice system. In addition, work continues on various topics relating to Canadian families. The Department of Justice Canada recently undertook research on international child support models, including as it relates to how income is defined and used in other jurisdictions. Information is published on the Department’s website.It is important for the Government of Canada to be aware of Canadians’ concerns about the family justice system so that work can continue with provincial and territorial governments to find ways to improve it.
Family lawSupport of children
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01806441-01806 (Fisheries)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 18, 2022Petition to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardWe, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to persevere in her restorative aims and use tools in the Sustainable Fisheries Framework, and to:1. Postpone licensing any further shellfish aquaculture facilities located in/near herring spawning and rearing habitat in Baynes Sound/Lambert Channel until:
  • (i) an ecosystem-based assessment is completed on the impacts of this industry's activities on the herring stock,
  • (ii) this industry establishes a record of effectively managing its gear and equipment, and pays for the cleanup of the tons of plastic debris it produces annually; and
2. Develop, with First Nations, a co-management plan for Baynes Sound/Lambert Channel that:
  • (i) is area-based and ecosystem-based,
  • (ii) respects and recognizes unceded traditional territories and this location's unique value as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area and Important Bird and Biodiversity Area with twenty-one salmon-bearing creeks, and herring spawning and rearing grounds,
  • (iii) considers other stakeholders.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Diane LebouthillierHerring plays a critical, foundational role in the ecosystem, supporting numerous economically, ecologically, and culturally significant species. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) takes into consideration the importance of herring and herring spawning areas when making decisions about aquaculture licences and has strong regulatory tools in place to protect herring spawn. The Fisheries Act prohibits harmfully disturbing herring spawn, unless authorized (for example, legally harvesting roe on kelp). A shellfish aquaculture licence is not an authorization to harmfully disturb spawn. Herring spawn has been known to settle on aquaculture gear and any spawn on shellfish gear, or any other thing upon which it has set, cannot be harmfully disturbed or killed, until the time for the eggs to have hatched is passed.In addition to the above noted provisions in the Fisheries Act, the shellfish aquaculture conditions of licence prescribe the protection of important and sensitive habitats, including but not limited to kelp beds and eelgrass. It is prohibited to conduct shellfish aquaculture activities within kelp and eelgrass, which are important spawning habitats for herring.All shellfish aquaculture licence applications are subject to a rigorous harmonized review process that considers the application in context to all other fisheries and habitat, including proximity to fish spawning areas. The review is conducted on a site by site basis and site specific measures can be prescribed into a licence when and as needed.DFO recognizes that debris from aquaculture sites is an important issue to the public. The marine finfish aquaculture conditions of licence and shellfish aquaculture conditions of licence include requirements to have infrastructure and equipment capable of withstanding oceanographic and meteorological conditions in the licensed location. Farm operators must conduct regular inspections of their infrastructure and equipment and are responsible for ensuring debris generated by the facility is collected or treated and disposed of appropriately.According to the conditions of licence for Shellfish Aquaculture operators, the onus is on the licence holder to prevent pollution. New shellfish aquaculture conditions of licence were introduced in spring 2021, directly addressing marine plastic debris and ghost gear. The new licence conditions support lost gear identification, polystyrene (eg. Styrofoam) pollution reduction, and regular clean-ups of licensed facilities. These conditions work to support government priorities and commitments, specifically under the restored Fisheries Act, G7 Ocean Plastics Charter, CCME Zero Plastic Waste Action Plan (Phase II), and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI).  The shellfish conditions of licence require aquaculture licence holders to perform regular seafloor inspections, remove and dispose of debris, permanently label most types of plastic equipment and aquaculture gear for easy identification, and remove exposed foam used for floatation. These new requirements came into effect as of April 1, 2023.DFO will continue to review the performance of existing management measures and will work with partners and stakeholders to identify areas where further action is needed.DFO is committed to working with provinces/territories, Indigenous partners, environmental groups and others on sustainable management of aquaculture.DFO is currently exploring an area-based approach to aquaculture management in the Baynes Sound/Lambert Channel area through a two-year pilot project in partnership with the K’omoks First Nation.DFO is now working closely with the K’omoks First Nation, and other First Nations with overlapping territory in the area, to discuss and understand the unique social, cultural, environmental, and economic values in Baynes Sound/Lambert Channel. This includes the recognition of Baynes Sound as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area and the shared responsibility of stewardship.This initiative is a step towards ecosystem-based management and may lead to the co-development of an aquaculture management plan for this area, should that be something all parties agree to creating.
AquacultureHerringIndigenous peoples
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01807441-01807 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01808441-01808 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01809441-01809 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01810441-01810 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01811441-01811 (Justice)GlenMotzMedicine Hat—Cardston—WarnerConservativeABOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023November 29, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01812441-01812 (Health)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 23, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Nurses' incentives should be provided to all nurses to better create healthy relationships and a healthy workplace;
  • The government must do better in recognizing health care credentials from qualified professionals who are internationally trained and educated;
  • The government must do better and implement better strategies and incentives to attract and retain our healthcare workers in Manitoba;
  • New and experienced nurses and healthcare professionals are leaving our province and considering opportunities offered in other provinces that provide lucrative incentives and benefits to their healthcare professionals;
  • Many Manitoba seniors are on capped income and cannot afford their prescribed medications; and
  • Nurses are overworked due to high workloads.
We, the undersigned residents of Manitoba, call upon the House of Commons to work with Provincial Governments and other healthcare stakeholders to:1. Take nurses recruitment and retention seriously to help resolve the healthcare crisis;2. Ensure everyone who is contributing to Manitoba through taxes and our economy is eligible for Manitoba healthcare;3. Review the nurses' workload and incentive program to include all nurses, regardless of position status and type; and4. Reconsider some of the changes that have been made over the last few years and turn the health care facility into a facility that is capable of being, so the residents of Manitoba, particularly the communities of Tyndall Park, Maples, Burrows, Kildonan and even Lakeside have a place to go.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealthcare is a shared responsibility between the Government of Canada and the provinces and territories. While the federal government provides financial support to the provinces and territories for healthcare services, the responsibility for matters related to management of the health care system and health workforces falls within provincial and territorial jurisdiction. As part of their responsibility to administer and deliver healthcare services, provinces and territories establish training curricula and manage licensure, and regulate healthcare professionals through arms-length regulatory bodies, such as professional colleges and associations.At the same time, the federal government acknowledges that it has a key leadership role to play in supporting solutions to the challenges facing health systems across the country, including those related to Canada’s health workforce. We remain committed to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to protect and strengthen the publicly funded health care system.Budget 2023 delivered nearly $200 billion to reduce backlogs, expand access to family health services and ensure provinces and territories can provide the high quality and timely health care Canadians expect and deserve. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories to improve health care services for Canadians. This funding also includes $25 billion over 10 years to advance shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements that will support the needs of people in each province and territory in four areas of shared priority: family health services; health workers and backlogs; mental health and substance use; and a modernized health system. Additionally, provinces and territories are being asked to streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals, and to advance labour mobility.On October 12, 2023 federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Health issued a public statement reaffirming their commitment to supporting Canada’s health workforce so our health workers are able to provide high-quality, accessible and effective health services for people living in Canada. In particular, FPT governments committed to concrete actions focusing on retention, domestic education supply and demand, foreign credential recognition and ethical recruitment, labour mobility, and health workforce data and planning. These commitments included undertaking credential processes overseas in order to improve processing of licensure of international physicians and nurses within 90 days and support for a Nursing Retention Toolkit developed by the federally-appointed Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Leigh Chapman, in consultation with Canada’s nursing community. The toolkit highlights retention initiatives that employers or health authorities can implement to support their nursing workforce.The details on the Ministers commitments can be found here: Federal, provincial and territorial statement on supporting Canada’s health workforce.
Health care systemManitobaNurses
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01813441-01813 (Justice)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023November 4, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01814441-01814 (Health)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023March 14, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is a very important issue, and the Government is currently developing its approach to protecting children to ensure they can engage safely online.As stated in the 2021 mandate letters to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Justice, the Government is committed to developing and introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content to protect Canadians, and hold online platforms accountable for the content they host. The Government is working hard to meet these commitments and aims to introduce legislation as soon as possible. The Government has conducted extensive consultations with experts, citizens, civil society, and other stakeholders to this end. It has heard from a diverse set of views and intends to draw on those insights when drafting legislation. It has heard a strong consensus for protecting children and youth from harm online– and that this needs to be balanced against other priorities, like protections for freedom of expression and privacy rights. The Government has also heard support for a risk-based approach to online safety; the need to hold online platforms accountable to a standard for responsible action; the need for more transparency; and the need for better tools to empower users on these platforms. Finally, it has heard that there is a need to confront child sexual abuse material content, and to mitigate the risks associated with exposing children and youth to such content.                                                                                                                                               The Government has also been looking at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.Lessons learned from other jurisdictions as well as the advice received from each stream of engagement are contributing to the development online safety legislation in Canada. Summaries for consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.html Overall, the Government is committed to putting in place a legislative and regulatory framework that will hold large online platforms accountable for protecting their users, including children and youth, from the risk of exposure to a range of harmful content. People in Canada, especially children and youth, deserve safer and more inclusive online experiences.   
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01815441-01815 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerEquality rights are at the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are intended to ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identities and expressions, from coast, to coast to coast.Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. It is important that parents be involved in the lives of their children, and that should be balanced with the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current.The Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Some highlights:• A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including trans people (See Budget 2023, chapter 4)• 2022: Government of Canada criminalized conversion therapies, see Statement• 2017: Canadian Human Rights Act amended to protect gender identity and gender expression• 2022: Launch of Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action PlanThe first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan enables the federal government to help advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan achieves these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The plan is supported by an investment of $100 million, which will help create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both present and future generations. In doing so it builds upon work the Government of Canada has done to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country 
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01816441-01816 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023March 9, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. 
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01817441-01817 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • Women's shelters are sadly seeing increased demand;
  • The high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live; and
  • At a time when this Liberal government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, they are cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to restore funding for women's shelters.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the right to a safe and affordable place to call home. Providing a safe and secure space for persons fleeing domestic violence is a priority for our government. Launched in 2017, the National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, more than $82-billion plan giving more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum while prioritizing populations most in need, including women and their children. The federal government aims to put 33% of the strategy’s investments, with a minimum of 25%, toward serving the unique needs of women and their children.NHS programs and initiatives support the creation of shelters, such as the $13.2 billion National Housing Co-Investment Fund which aims to create 2,000 new shelter spaces and repair 2,000 shelters for survivors of family violence. As of June 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed to creating 1,241 new shelter spaces or transitional housing units available for survivors of gender-based violence, and to repair/renew a further 302 units.  The Government recognizes that Indigenous women and children face unique challenges and barriers to housing. For those who experience violence, a shelter is often a first step to rebuilding their lives and protecting them from further violence. The NHS includes programming and funding exclusively for shelters in Indigenous communities and in the North. This includes $420 million through the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative to build a minimum of 38 shelters and 50 new transitional homes for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping gender-based violence. As of June 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed $76 million toward the construction of 11 shelters and 18 transitional homes through this program.In May 2020, our government committed $44.8 million to build a total of 12 new shelters across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping family violence. These Indigenous-led shelters will provide vital refuge and culturally appropriate critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of their experiences, access support programming and create a stable environment where they can begin to regain an independent life. This is also a crucial element of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, the Government of Canada’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and an important contribution to the National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. 
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerIn response to unprecedented challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada provided approximately $300 million in emergency funding to over 1,400 organizations such as women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations that provide critical supports and services to those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV), including intimate partner violence.Along with other temporary COVID-19 emergency measures introduced by the federal government since 2020, this measure is coming to an end.  Despite this, the Government of Canada continues to support critical services for individuals experiencing gender-based violence. Most notably, on November 9, 2022, Women and Gender Equality Canada launched a historic National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This provides an investment of $539.3 million over five years, committed in Budget 2022, which is being implemented through bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories to support their efforts to address and end gender-based violence. These agreements, along with the respective provincial/territorial implementation plans, will be posted on Women and Gender Equality Canada’s website. This historic funding builds on additional Government of Canada investments to address gender-based violence since 2021-22:  
SheltersWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01818441-01818 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023May 9, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 7, 2023441-01819441-01819 (Environment)LeslynLewisHaldimand—NorfolkConservativeONOctober 24, 2023December 7, 2023October 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled, the Member of Parliament for Haldimand-Norfolk, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeWHEREAS:Our quality and tranquility of life and enjoyment of our property has been taken from us due to Skydive Ontario and CAF2, Cayuga East Aerodrome;The excessive noise of multiple aircraft, screaming parachutists, as well as unsafe operations and trespassing issues by the parachutists have robbed us of our right to enjoy/use our properties, as it would be expected in this area;There is an increase in exhaust fumes from the aircraft and an increased risk of lead contamination from the leaded avgas used in these aircraft; andThis operation has no place in an area zoned as "Protected Agricultural Wetlands" and in close proximity to several wetland restoration projects.Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled, the Member of Parliament for Haldimand-Norfolk, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to have this operation closed down, not only for the safety and well-being of the residents, but to preserve the natural environment that we all once enjoyed.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezTransport Canada is aware of the business operations of Skydive Ontario, based at the Cayuga East Aerodrome (CAF2) and the impacts on the surrounding community. A history of complaints has been submitted to the Department regarding Skydive Ontario, including issues such as: noise; unsafe flying; low flying; flying in clouds; flying at night; firearms use; wildlife management; the construction of a hangar; lead pollution; etc. To date, there have been no regulatory non-conformities identified by Transport Canada officials. Additionally, departmental officials have maintained a dialogue with the operator to advise of the community concerns and have been informed of accommodations made in an attempt to address some of the issues. One of the mitigation strategies to address noise and low flying includes the implementation of their Noise Program, which includes varied departure and arrival paths, along with minimized power during approaches. While the Department understands this is a difficult issue experienced by the community, Transport Canada’s experience shows that these matters are most effectively addressed at the local community level, and it is recommended that the community and the air operator engage in constructive dialogue to work towards a feasible solution. Complaints regarding trespassing on private property should be directed to the local law enforcement agencies by the residents. As the safety regulator for aviation in Canada, Transport Canada exercises its authority through the Aeronautics Act and the Canadian Aviation Regulations. Accordingly, within the Department’s jurisdictional authority, various surveillance activities have been conducted to follow-up on the reports provided by the community, and no regulatory non-conformities have been identified.  
AirportsCayuga East AerodromeEnvironmental protection
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 6, 2023441-01797441-01797 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 23, 2023December 6, 2023October 18, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
  
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 6, 2023441-01796441-01796 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBOctober 23, 2023December 6, 2023October 17, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 6, 2023441-01795441-01795 (Environment)VivianeLapointeSudburyLiberalONOctober 23, 2023December 6, 2023June 16, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:Our economic and financial systems depend on a stable climate and the Bank of Canada recognizes that climate change poses significant risks to the financial system and the economy;Continued financial support for emissions-intensive activities increases future climate-related risks to the stability financial systems and the longterm interests of Canadians;There has been no significant legislative action on the matter in Canada despite international developments legislating the climate and finance nexus which risks leaving Canada behind; andBill S-243, An Act to enact the Climate-Aligned Finance Act was drafted based on consultation with national and international experts so as to enable Canada to leapfrog from laggard to leader on aligning financial flows with climate commitments.Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to enact the principal concepts of the Climate-Aligned Finance Act which would:1) Establish a duty for directors and officers of federal financial institutions to align with climate commitments;2) Align purposes of crown corporations and departments, including market oversight by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, with climate commitments;3) Require the development of action plans, targets and progress reports on meeting climate commitments through annual reporting requirements; 4) Ensure climate expertise on certain boards of directors and avoid conflicts of interest;5) Make capital adequacy requirements proportional to microprudential and macroprudential climate risks generated by financial institutions; 6) Require a government action plan to align all financial products with climate commitments; and7) Mandate timely public review processes on implementation progress to ensure iterative learning.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about climate-aligned finance in Canada.Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy and net-zero emissions by 2050 will require substantial investment beyond the public sector. Private sector capital and expertise will be needed to meet Canada’s climate objectives and create a climate-resilient economy.Developing sustainable finance in Canada will promote the long-term growth and stability of Canada’s financial system. It will also create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and investors.In May 2021, the Government of Canada launched the Sustainable Finance Action Council (SFAC) to help lead the Canadian financial sector towards integrating sustainable finance into standard industry practice. The SFAC is chaired by Kathy Bardswick and comprises 25 Canadian deposit-taking institutions, insurance companies and pensions funds, with combined assets of over $10 trillion.The SFAC’s Terms of Reference call on it to provide financial sector input to the Government of Canada on the development of foundational market infrastructure, including enhancing climate disclosure, defining green and transition investment, and improving climate data and analytics. More recently, in Budget 2022, the Government of Canada asked the SFAC to develop and report on strategies for aligning private sector capital with the net-zero transition, with support from the Canadian Climate Institute and in collaboration with the Net-Zero Advisory Body.The council’s early emphasis has been on enhancing climate-related financial disclosures in Canada’s private sector. The SFAC has also worked on taxonomy, and, late in 2022, submitted the Taxonomy Roadmap Report to the Government of Canada, with recommendations for advancing a Canadian taxonomy, or classification, to identify economic activities that the financial sector could label as “green” or “transition”, as well as SFAC’s advice on advancing climate-related disclosures in Canada.Building on SFAC’s Taxonomy Roadmap Report, the 2023 Fall Economic Statement announced that the Department of Finance; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; and Environment and Climate Change Canada will develop options for making climate disclosures mandatory for private companies, to expand the coverage of mandatory climate disclosures. It also announced that the Department of Finance will work with Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada to undertake next steps, in consultation with regulators, the financial sector, industry and independent experts, to develop a taxonomy that is aligned with reaching net-zero by 2050. This work will be supported by external technical experts. The 2023 Fall Economic Statement proposes to provide $1.5 million in 2024-25 to the Department of Finance to support this work.
Climate change and global warmingFinancial institutions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 6, 2023441-01794441-01794 (Social affairs and equality)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCOctober 23, 2023December 6, 2023June 14, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS
  • Losing a young child is a traumatic experience for parents and families;
  • The sudden death of a child can place unforeseen financial burden on the family while they are in the earliest stages of mourning; and
  • Families have had their Canada Child Benefit accidentally paid out and then clawed back by the Government of Canada after the death of a child, placing even further undue stress and financial burden upon on them.
THEREFOREWe, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to extend the Canada Child Benefit to parents of deceased children for a period of at least two (2) months following the death of the child.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe loss of a child is an extremely sad and difficult time for families and the Government of Canada provides support to families caring for their sick or injured child, or who find themselves in this very tragic situation of having lost a child, through various programs. For example:
  • Employment Insurance (EI) family caregiver benefits for children provide up to 35 weeks of income support to workers who are unable to work to take care of a child who is critically ill or injured;
  • EI compassionate care benefits provide up to 26 weeks of income support to workers who are unable to work when they have to take care of a person who requires end-of-life care;
  • EI sickness benefits are available to eligible parents when they are unable to work due to emotional or psychological distress, including grieving, and is available for up to 26 weeks when they need time off work following the death of their child; and
  • EI maternity benefits continue to be payable following the loss of a child, as they are designed to support a birth mother’s physical and emotional recovery for up to 15 weeks surrounding childbirth.
The Government of Canada also provides support through the Canadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime for parents or legal guardians who have taken time away from work and suffered a loss of income to cope with the death or disappearance of their child or children. The benefit provides eligible parents with payments of $500 per week, paid every 2 weeks, for a maximum of 35 weeks, which do not have to be consecutive, over a period of 3 years. 
Benefits for childrenChildrenDeaths and funerals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 5, 2023441-01901441-01901 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 7, 2023December 5, 2023October 18, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 5, 2023e-4330e-4330 (Animals)TwylaFrancoisLindsayMathyssenLondon—FanshaweNDPONFebruary 28, 2023, at 1:23 p.m. (EDT)June 28, 2023, at 1:23 p.m. (EDT)November 6, 2023December 5, 2023July 10, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278899" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of National Defence</Addressee>Whereas:Young pigs are poisoned with chemical weapons, irradiated, stabbed, dismembered, disemboweled and killed for Canadian military trauma training;The Department of National Defence (DND) continues to use pigs despite acknowledging that they are poor models for human anatomy and may actually interfere with effective training;The continued use of piglets for military trauma training puts Canadian soldiers’ lives at risk by using obsolete teaching methods and inapplicable animal models;Twenty-three of 30 NATO member nations no longer use animals for military trauma training;In the past 10 years, the DND spent over $1 million in tax-payer funds by purchasing pigs for military trauma training; andHuman patient simulators which accurately mimic human anatomy and physiology are more applicable and cost-effective training tools for military trauma training.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of National Defence to bring an end to the use of animals in military trauma training and replace them with more advanced, human-relevant and less expensive human patient simulators.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France LalondeNational Defence uses advanced simulations with life-like mannequins, known as human patient simulators for the majority of its medical training. Live tissue training on an anesthetized pig is used only in circumstances where simulations alone are not feasible, as is the case of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear training for medical providers. In these cases, simulators cannot replace the precision and experience gained with live tissue.During live tissue training, National Defence strictly adheres to the guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) (https://ccac.ca/) which establishes the ethical use and care of animals. Further, the use of animals is governed by Defence Administrative Orders and Directive (DAOD) 8014-0 Animal Use in Research and Training and DAOD 8014-1 Management of Animal Use in Research, Teaching and Testing.  This is in line with CCAC standards as well as assessments and certifications to ensure consistent application of the standards across Canada.  National Defence actively seeks to refine, reduce and where appropriate replace the use of live animals for research by using alternative experimental techniques. For example, in 2022, National Defence invested approximately $129,000 in an advanced simulation mannequin or high-fidelity patient simulator, to evaluate its utility to augment medical training provided to CAF members.The approach of using advanced simulation for the majority of training and live tissue training sparingly offers military medical trainees with the highest calibre medical training possible with the goal of providing premium medical care to CAF members and those they protect, at home or abroad.
Animal rights and welfareHogsMilitary exercises
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 5, 2023441-01888441-01888 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONNovember 6, 2023December 5, 2023October 5, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 5, 2023e-4710e-4710 (Justice)FalonMilburnEarlDreeshenRed Deer—Mountain ViewConservativeABDecember 5, 2023, at 9:16 a.m. (EDT)April 3, 2024, at 9:16 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Stella Quinn Crawford, a three year old from Alberta was killed by an impaired driver on the afternoon of April 15, 2023;Impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada;Individuals convicted of impaired driving causing death or bodily harm are often sentenced concurrently, regardless of how many people were injured or killed in the collision;Driving bans for impaired drivers may coincide with their incarceration, allowing the driver back on the road soon after their release;Every hour in Canada, an average of 10 federal criminal charges and provincial short-term license suspensions are laid for alcohol or drug-impaired driving;Every day, on average, four Canadians are killed and 175 are injured in impairment-related crashes;The majority of impaired drivers are repeat offenders; and Driving in Canada is a privilege, not a right.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to require individuals convicted of multiple impaired driving charges for the same incident to serve prison sentences consecutively, not concurrently. Amend the Criminal Code of Canada to impose driving bans equal to or greater than the prison sentence received for individuals convicted of impaired driving causing death or impaired driving causing bodily harm, and ensure the driving ban is served consecutively with prison sentences, not concurrently.Consecutive sentencesDriving permitsImpaired driving44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 5, 2023e-4712e-4712 (Correctional system)GordonMaahsBradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCDecember 5, 2023, at 8:59 a.m. (EDT)April 3, 2024, at 8:59 a.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:At the direction of the Liberal government, the Correctional Service of Canada is operating the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP) in federal correctional institutions, effectively encouraging illicit drugs use in prisons;Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;Illicit drugs in federal institutions are contraband. Equally, any items used for injecting drugs are also contraband;The already hazardous workplace of the correctional officer is made more dangerous by the presence of the PNEP; andThe Canadian Drug and Substances Strategy should focus on helping Canadians recover from addiction and receive treatment, not on supporting these addictions.We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada,, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the Prison Needle Exchange Program’s operations, stop permitting the use of illicit drugs in Canadian prions, and focus the efforts on helping inmates recover from their addictions.Correctional facilitiesDrug use and abuseNeedle exchange program44th Parliament220CertifiedDecember 5, 2023e-4624e-4624 (Business and trade)RomanBrochuTaylorBachrachSkeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPBCOctober 6, 2023, at 1:23 p.m. (EDT)December 5, 2023, at 1:23 p.m. (EDT)December 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Many small businesses have yet to fully recover from the financial impact of the pandemic, and have faced the added pressures of inflation and a tight labour market;Small businesses, Chambers of commerce and business advocates across Canada have called on the federal government to extend by a full year the repayment terms of the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) and Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) programs, including the deadline for accessing partial loan forgiveness; andBy extending access to partial loan forgiveness under CEBA/RRRF by only three weeks, the federal government has failed to sufficiently addressed the challenges small businesses are facing.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to extend the deadline to qualify for partial loan forgiveness under the CEBA and RRRF until at least December 31, 2024.Canada Emergency Business AccountCOVID-19LoansPandemicSmall and medium-sized enterprises44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01793441-01793 (Civil and human rights)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 20, 2023December 4, 2023October 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Freedom of choice in health care is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada;It is a fundamental right for individuals to be able to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own bodies;Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness or how they will address illness or injury in their own bodies; andCanadians are competent and able to make their own health decisions without State interference.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the Charter of Health Freedom drafted for the Natural Health Product Protection Association on September 4, 2008.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Civil and human rightsHealth
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01792441-01792 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 20, 2023December 4, 2023April 24, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01791441-01791 (Environment)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 20, 2023December 4, 2023October 17, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • We are in a climate emergency crisis. Canada's temperatures are rising faster than overall global temperatures. Extreme weather events, including unprecedented droughts, hurricanes, floods, and forest fires are destroying lives, homes, communities, and forests. 120,000 Canadians have been driven from their home;
  • Young people are grieving; feeling hopeless and anxious about a frightening future. They feel abandoned by a government that is failing to act decisively to counteract the worsening climate catastrophe;
  • Although the Federal government has made multiple climate commitments on the world stage, no effective action to reduce greenhouse gases and regulate the fossil industry has shown results. Indeed Canada is the only G7 country whose emissions are well above 1990 levels and continue to rise;
  • Oil and gas extraction is the highest greenhouse gas (ghg) emitting industry in Canada. Between 1990 and 2021, Canada's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 88%, with no clear action to curb emissions. In 2023 Canada's five biggest oil and gas companies made $38.3 billion dollars in profit; and
  • Despite the fossil fuel sector's record breaking profits, Canada's Federal government continues to provide them with unwarranted subsidies and tax breaks. Between 2019 and 2021, $4.3 billion Canadian dollars were given directly to support oil and gas.
Therefore:We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada and the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to urgently fulfil its responsibility to protect this land and its citizens now and in the future. We therefore ask you to urgently legislate and swiftly enact an economically prudent oil and gas emission reduction plan. The target of this plan would be to reduce oil and gas emissions by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2030.We suggest that this be achieved by:
  • Placing a legislated and monitored emission cap on all oil and gas production facilities. Emission caps must deliver real, absolute emission reductions and include methane;
  • Removing all publicly financed tax exemptions to the oil and gas sector;
  • Eliminating all inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by January 1, 2024 and redirect this money to the urgent development of proven clean energy;
  • Stopping all government assumption of transfer of risk, and provision of goods and services to fossil fuel companies; and
  • Prohibiting fossil fuel companies from using offsets or exemptions on exported fuels.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTOver the past six years, the Government of Canada has demonstrated leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. It understands that accelerated efforts are crucial to reduce emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Canada has invested more than $100 billion to address climate change since 2015 and has recently announced $9.1 billion in new investments.In 2021, Canada adopted an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels, and passed legislation to enshrine its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment.On March 29, 2022, Canada tabled the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy (ERP)in Parliament and released the plan. The 2030 Plan is the Government’s next major step in taking action to Canada’s climate objectives and create good, sustainable jobs in Canada.Achieving Canada's climate goals requires all sectors of the economy to pursue decarbonization in ways that make cleaner initiatives more affordable and create new, sustainable job opportunities for workers. In addition, the 2030 ERP reflects input received from thousands of Canadians, businesses and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories and the Carbon Neutrality Advisory Group.The 2030 ERP builds on the significant progress Canada had already made to address climate change, including the actions outlined in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, and Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, released in 2020. With the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada is taking additional actions, including:
  • Working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples and others to develop a cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector;
  • Developing a national net-zero by 2050 buildings strategy, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy;
  • Investing in nature and natural climate solutions through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions;
  • Working with provinces, territories, industry, and other stakeholders on the design of a Clean Electricity Standard to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035;
  • Helping industries decarbonize by adopting clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions; and
  • Ensuring that workers and communities are able to benefit from the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents, including by making significant investments in skills training and continuing consultations on the development of Sustainable Jobs and Skills legislation.
The 2030 ERP is designed to be an evergreen roadmap to guide emissions reduction efforts. As governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities across the country work together, Canada will identify and respond to new opportunities.Capping and cutting oil and gas sector emissions, with milestones set at a pace that aligns with achieving Canada’s 2030 and net-zero by 2050 climate change objectives will send a clear, long-term policy signal to invest in clean technology, low-emissions energy assets, and supporting infrastructure while avoiding investments in oil and gas production that do not incorporate best-in-class technologies.In 2022, the Government published a discussion paper titled Options to cap and cut oil and gas sector greenhouse gas emissions to achieve 2030 goals and net-zero by 2050, which sought input on two potential regulatory approaches to implement the cap: the development of a new cap-and-trade system under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999; and the modification of existing carbon pollution pricing systems under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act. The Government plans to release further details before the end of 2023.The oil and gas emissions cap will build on other measures in place to reduce emissions from the sector, including carbon pollution pricing, Clean Fuel Regulations and methane regulations.On July 24, 2023, the Government of Canada released the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Self-Review Assessment Framework and the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Guidelines, which were jointly developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Department of Finance Canada. The Guidelines apply to all federal departments and agencies. The Framework and Guidelines fulfill Canada’s domestic, G7 and G20 commitments to phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. Canada is the first country to release a rigorous analytical guide that both fulfills this commitment and transparently supports action. The Guidelines will also be used to prevent the creation of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies in the future.
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01790441-01790 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBOctober 20, 2023December 4, 2023October 17, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023e-4292e-4292 (Health)EthanEdstromLisa MarieBarronNanaimo—LadysmithNDPBCMarch 16, 2023, at 10:27 a.m. (EDT)July 14, 2023, at 10:27 a.m. (EDT)October 20, 2023December 4, 2023July 14, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Between July 2016 and January 2021, opioid overdoses accounted for over 24,626 deaths, with 90% of these deaths occurring from the use of non-pharmaceutical opioids;In the two weeks post-release, an incarcerated individual’s risk for overdose is 56x higher than that of the general population;Lowest-income neighbourhoods exhibited more opioid-related deaths, hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and neonatal abstinence syndrome. The rates of opioid-related harms in the lowest income quintile were at least double that of the highest income quintile within all of these categories;There is up to 5-fold greater opioid-related hospitalizations among Indigenous people compared to non-Indigenous people; andFederal, provincial, and municipal leadership across Canada have called for urgent action, including drug policy reform and increased funding for wraparound supports.We, the undersigned, residents and citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Refine the national approach to treating substance use disorder to emphasize evidence-based harm reduction strategies like safe consumption sites, safer supply, and drug checking services;2. Provide additional conditional funding to provinces for the implementation and expansion of these programs in order to facilitate access; and3. Incorporate decriminalization of simple possession of substances in the national overdose strategy in order to allow substance use disorder to be treated as a medical and social issue rather than a criminal one.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe toxic drug and overdose crisis is one of the most serious and unprecedented public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. While there are a number of complex factors that contribute to the high rates of overdoses that we are seeing today, a major driver is the increasingly toxic and unpredictable illegal drug supply, where fentanyl remains widespread and we have observed the rise or emergence of other substances, including stronger opioids, stimulants, and sedatives. In 2022, approximately four out of every five deaths involved fentanyl. The cost of substance use-related harms is not limited to the loss of lives alone and, more broadly, impacts health, social well-being, and public safety.The Government of Canada takes this crisis very seriously and is committed to working together with all orders of government, Indigenous Peoples and communities, partners from law enforcement, criminal justice, health and social systems, and people with lived and living experience and other key stakeholders, to take urgent action and leverage every available tool to save lives and work towards an end to this national public health crisis.Provinces and territories have a range of tools and authorities to address the ongoing overdose crisis in their respective jurisdictions. This includes the power to declare a public health emergency which allows a provincial or territorial government to access and exercise extraordinary powers in response to a significant increase in opioid-related deaths as was the case for British Columbia in April 2016 and Alberta in May 2017. More recently, Yukon declared a substance use health emergency in January 2022. In addition to provincial and territorial emergency declarations, some Indigenous communities have also declared emergencies in response to rising substance use-related harms and deaths.The Government of Canada has publicly recognized the overdose crisis is a public health crisis. Canada is committed to continued action using the broad range of powers at its disposal and to take steps to end overdose deaths and substance-use related harms. Canada’s approach to addressing the overdose crisis and substance use-related harms is comprehensive, collaborative, and compassionate, guided by our federal drug strategy – the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS). The CDSS takes a public health-focused approach and lays out our framework for evidence-based actions to reduce the harms associated with substance use in Canada and keep our communities safe. Recognizing the need for comprehensive approaches to save lives, our government supports a full range of integrated, evidence-based services and supports, including improving access to treatment and harm reduction; increasing awareness, prevention and stigma reduction activities; further building the evidence base; and strengthening enforcement to address illegal drug production and trafficking.Since 2017, the federal government has made commitments of more than $1 billion and has taken significant action to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis and substance use-related harms. This includes a Budget 2023 commitment of $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $5.7 million ongoing, to support a renewed CDSS which will continue to guide the government's work to save lives and protect the health and safety of Canadians by :
  • ensuring that harm reduction services are available to Canadians who need them;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation and further risk of harms;
  • continuing to work with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options;
  • continuing to address illegal production and trafficking, with a focus on organized drug crime; and,
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis.
These investments have made a difference in reducing overdose deaths and harms. For example, since 2017, through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), Health Canada has provided over $500 million to support more than 380 community-based projects focused on innovative treatment, harm reduction, prevention and stigma reduction activities. More than $26 million of this funding was dedicated to expanding Naloxone awareness, training and distribution across Canada. We also invested $22.8 million in public education through national and targeted advertising, partnerships and experiential marketing on the risks of opioids, overdose awareness, harm reduction and stigma awareness and reduction. In addition, the Government of Canada is supporting policies and approaches for greater access to pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the toxic illegal drug supply – a practice often referred to as safer supply. As of June 2023, Health Canada has supported 31 safer supply pilot projects across Canada through SUAP representing total funding commitments of over $100 million. This includes supporting a range of service delivery projects in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, research/knowledge transfer and exchange projects to help share knowledge amongst stakeholders.These investments have also improved access to treatment. For example, provinces and territories have used federal investments provided through Budget 2018 for the Emergency Treatment Fund to expand existing treatment approaches such as services to support youth with substance use disorder, withdrawal management services appropriate for people who use methamphetamine, Rapid Access Addictions Medicine clinics, and access to opioid dependence treatments, and culturally-appropriate care for Indigenous communities. Funds have also been used to implement innovative approaches to treatment, including ‘wrap-around’ care and the development of telehealth infrastructure to connect clients in remote and rural settings.In addition to these investments, the Government of Canada has supported the expansion of supervised consumption services (SCS) across Canada and also proactively issued exemptions that allow provinces and territories to establish new temporary Urgent Public Health Need Sites – also known as overdose prevention sites – within existing shelters or other temporary sites, as needed. Since January 2016, the number of federally approved SCS has grown from one to 40. Since 2017, they have received over 4.3 million visits, responded to almost 50,000 overdoses, and made 257,000 referrals to health and social services [as of October 2023].Federal funds are enabling new drug checking technologies to be used at SCS and other associated services to provide people who use drugs and health workers with information on the contents of toxic street drugs, including whether they contain deadly fentanyl, benzodiazepines or other toxic substances. This gives people who use drugs the opportunity to make informed decisions that may reduce their risk of overdose. As of November 2023, there are 30 federally authorized SCS that are authorized to conduct drug checking in Canada, and 5 federally authorized sites that offer stand-alone drug checking services. In addition, the Government of Canada held a Drug Checking Technology Challenge (October 2018 to July 2021), that provided a total of $1,724,500 million to nine participants to catalyze innovation in drug checking technologies. Through the renewed CDSS, we will streamline authorizations for SCS, urgent public health need sites and drug checking services with clear public health and public safety requirements for organizations seeking to provide these evidence-based life saving services to Canadians.We have also made a number of regulatory changes at the federal level to help improve access to medications used in drug treatment and safer supply programs, including:
  • issuing a class exemption (an exemption authorized to a group of people, such as pharmacists, to conduct specific activities with controlled substances) to make it easier for patients to access the medications they need;
  • approving injectable hydromorphone as a treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder;
  • approving injectable diacetylmorphine as a new treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder; as well facilitating the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and diacetylmorphine; and,  
  • authorizing nurses who provide health care services at a community health facility to conduct certain activities with controlled substances.
We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to respond to this crisis and to keep communities safe. Our government works closely with domestic and international partners to address the toxic illegal drug supply that is driving substance use harms and overdose deaths. We continue to equip border agents with the tools necessary to intercept controlled substances. For example, we have made it harder to access chemicals used to make fentanyl by scheduling them under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) and have also amended legislation to allow border officers to open mail of any weight, in order to stop drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from entering Canada illegally through the mail system. Our government also works with private sector partners to address money laundering of the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking in an effort to dismantle the organized crime groups involved in the supply of these toxic illegal drugs.With respect to the call for immediate collaboration with provinces and territories, the Government of Canada continues to lead efforts to facilitate opportunities for collaboration between jurisdictions, health providers, researchers, people with lived and living experience, community-based organizations, and other partners and stakeholders to reduce the harms associated with substance use and support efforts to provide a full range of culturally appropriate, evidence-based, and trauma-informed health and social services and supports to meet the diverse needs of people who use drugs.On February 7, 2023, the Government of Canada announced it will increase health funding to provinces and territories by nearly $200 billion over 10 years, in order to improve Canada’s health care system. This investment includes $25 billion for shared health priorities, including increasing access to mental health and substance use services and supports. These commitments are in addition to existing bilateral agreements with provinces and territories for health priorities, including mental health and substance use, that were put in place in 2017. These investments will set the foundation for long-term, integrated and sustained health care system change that builds on existing, targeted actions to address mental health and substance use challenges.We have also established federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governance tables, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses, the FPT Committee on Substance Use (formerly Problematic Substance Use & Harms), and the FPT Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use to facilitate ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners. In addition, discussions are held with provinces and territories at the Deputy Minister and Ministerial level through meetings of the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health and the Federal, Provincial, Territorial Health Minister’s Meetings.To inform the federal approach, our government also regularly consults with stakeholders and has convened several expert advisory groups, including people directly impacted by substance use. Health Canada established the People with Lived and Living Experience Council, the Expert Advisory Group on Safer Supply and the Expert Task Force on Substance Use as part of this engagement strategy. We recognize that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and trauma, can place individuals at an increased risk of substance use harms and that the approaches to reduce these harms require sustained efforts and supports from diverse systems. We continue to work closely across federal departments so that federal actions on mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, poverty, and reconciliation are coordinated and synergistic. We are also committed to engaging collaboratively with provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and other stakeholders to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.Our government is committed to working to divert people who use drugs away from criminal justice systems and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health services and social supports, when needed. For example, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed into law in May 2017, providing some legal protection from simple drug possession charges for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. Furthermore, Bill C-5, which received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022, made legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Among other measures, the amendments encourage police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures – including diverting individuals to treatment programs – instead of laying a criminal charge or prosecuting individuals for personal drug possession. These amendments also repealed mandatory minimum penalties for certain offences in the CDSA to reflect the Government’s public-health-focused approach to substance use. These measures are consistent with the August 2020 Guidelines issued by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada directing prosecutors that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for the personal possession of drugs, except where public safety concerns arise.In addition, in May 2022, at the request of the Province of British Columbia, a time-limited exemption was granted under the CDSA so that adults 18 years of age and older in the province will not be subject to criminal charges for the personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. Instead, individuals will be provided with information regarding local health and social services. Upon request, they can also receive assistance to connect with those services. This exemption, which is in effect from January 31, 2023, to January 31, 2026, is part of a much broader strategy British Columbia and this Government are taking to help people who use drugs access supports and services, rather than face criminal charges. This time-limited exemption is being supported by rigorous monitoring and a third-party evaluation to gather evidence and data on its impacts and outcomes and inform implementation.Canada recognizes that stigma can prevent people who use substances from accessing the health and social services that they need and contributes to negative health outcomes. To help reduce stigma in police interactions with people who use drugs and to avoid causing more harm, Public Safety Canada launched an online training module specifically designed for law enforcement members in September 2020. The training raises awareness of the harms associated with substance use stigma and provides law enforcement members with practical tools to support their interactions with people who use drugs.The items above are some examples of concrete actions taken by the federal government to address the overdose crisis, please visit the following website for a comprehensive list of all the actions taken to date.The Government of Canada remains committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to this tragic and complex public health crisis to help reduce harms and save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.Health Canada will continue working with its partners and stakeholders to advance a comprehensive federal strategy to address substance use in Canada, including the toxic drug and overdose crisis. Canada will continue to support provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to improve access to a full range of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services, in addition to leading efforts to reduce stigma and create national standards for substance use treatment programs. The Government of Canada believes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abusePublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01788441-01788 (Justice)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABOctober 20, 2023December 4, 2023October 12, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled and to the Minister of JusticeWe the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • As a growing number of adults experience divorce and the nature of unions in our country rapidly evolves, there is a clear need for a review of the Divorce Act;
  • Canada now has the highest rate of common law relationships among G7 countries, with the share of co-residing common-law couples increasing from 6% in 1981, to 23% in 2021;
  • Nearly 4 in 10 children live with a lone parent, stepparents, parents in a commonlaw relationship, or other non-traditional unions;
  • More than a quarter of adults in a relationship are in their second marriage or common-law relationship, and these relationships often last more than a decade and result in children;
  • However, despite the evolving nature of unions within our country, the Federal Child Support Guidelines created under the Divorce Act fail to reflect the diversity and complexity of unions in 2023; and
  • Canadian parents, especially fathers who are responsible for almost 97% of child support payments, are struggling to deal with convoluted guidelines which fail to consider lifestyle decisions of former spouses in new relationships and changing family situations such as the birth of children in blended families.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Justice to initiate a statutory review of the Divorce Act, specifically concerning the Federal Child Support Guidelines, which takes into account the evolving reality of blended families, variance of income over time, and better reflects the needs of children in shared custody situations.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyFamily law is an area of shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. The Divorce Act and Federal Child Support Guidelines (Federal Guidelines) apply when people divorce or are divorced. Provincial and territorial family laws and child support guidelines apply when unmarried couples separate (common law partners) or when married couples separate but do not divorce. Federal, provincial, and territorial governments work together on an ongoing basis to monitor the application of the law and to improve the family justice system responses to the many complex issues that may arise during separation and divorce.Child support is the right of the child. The Federal Guidelines, a set of rules and tables, have the following goals: establish a fair standard of support for children so that they continue to benefit from both parents’ incomes after separation; reduce conflict between parents by making the calculation of child support more objective; ensure that parents and children in similar situations are treated the same; and make the legal process more efficient and encourage settlements.The guiding principle of the Federal Guidelines is that both parents share the responsibility to financially support their children based on their ability to do so. This responsibility continues even if parents remarry or have another relationship. Children should continue to benefit from both parents’ financial means after separation or divorce, just as they would if the family were still together.The way child support is calculated under the Federal Guidelines depends on the parenting time arrangement. In shared parenting time arrangements, the situation can vary significantly from one family to another. As a result, the method to calculate support in shared parenting time cases is discretionary. Child support is determined on a case-by-case basis by considering the following factors: (1) the amount in the tables that each parent would pay, based on each parent’s income; (2) the increased costs of shared parenting time; (3) the condition, means, needs and other circumstances of each parent and child.The Federal Guidelines recognize that in some cases, a child support amount, combined with other circumstances, could create undue hardship for a parent or child. Such circumstances could include the obligation to support children from another relationship. If an undue hardship claim is successful, a court may order a different child support amount.Child support is based on income. As income can vary overtime, so should child support amounts. Provincial child support services are administrative services that can calculate or recalculate child support amounts. These services can adjust child support amounts, either up or down, to reflect updated income information.The Government is committed to making the family justice system as fair as possible for all Canadians and to strengthening the family justice system. For example, Divorce Act amendments came into force in 2021 with the goal of promoting children’s best interests, addressing family violence, helping reduce poverty, and improving the efficiency and accessibility of the family justice system. In addition, work continues on various topics relating to Canadian families. The Department of Justice Canada recently undertook research on international child support models, including as it relates to shared parenting time, as well as on the experience of divorced and separated parents with child support and related issues. Information is published on the Department’s website. It is important for the Government of Canada to be aware of Canadians’ concerns about the family justice system so that work can continue with provincial and territorial governments to find ways to improve it.
Divorce ActMarriage and divorceStatutory reviewSupport of children
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023e-4511e-4511 (Citizenship and immigration)AndrewGriffithTomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABJuly 12, 2023, at 3:03 p.m. (EDT)October 10, 2023, at 3:03 p.m. (EDT)October 20, 2023December 4, 2023October 11, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278908" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship</Addressee>Whereas:The government has published a notice in the Canada Gazette permitting self-administration of the citizenship oath;Affirming the Oath of Citizenship in the presence of other new Canadians was the will of Parliament when the original Citizenship Act was approved by Parliament in 1947 and has been central to citizenship since Canadian citizenship ever since;One of the fundamental objectives of the citizenship program is "to enhance the meaning of citizenship as a unifying bond for Canadians;”Citizenship ceremonies mark the end of an often lengthy and difficult immigration journey and provide a unique celebratory moment for new and existing Canadians;Most citizenship ceremonies should be in-person rather than virtual given their greater impact on new Canadians;The stated cost and time savings in the notice are unlikely to be realized and are minimal in relation to total processing time and overall cost of the citizenship program; andTwo-thirds of submissions opposed the proposed change.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to: 1. Abandon plans to permit self-administration of the citizenship oath;2. Revert to in-person ceremonies as the default, with virtual ceremonies limited to 10 percent of all ceremonies;3. Focus on administration and processing efficiencies prior to citizenship ceremonies, where most frustrations are; and4. Explore evening and weekend ceremonies to improve accessibility along with more flexible scheduling management.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continues to explore the use of an online tool that could enable the self-administration of the Oath of Citizenship (the Oath) in some circumstances. Extensive analysis is underway to assess various options for implementation, particularly surrounding the client experience journey, measures related to the integrity of the process and an ongoing commitment that citizenship ceremonies remain an important part of Canadian tradition. Additionally, the Department continues to reflect on the feedback received from Canadians, which will be incorporated into the assessment of options and decisions on a way forward.The Department introduced video ceremonies in April 2020 as a means of adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to enable the Department to allow the flexibility for clients to take the oath in a safe and secure environment. Video ceremonies continue as a stream of service delivery and have proven to be an important tool for reducing processing times for applicants and increasing the number of candidates that can take the Oath each month. As we have learned: video ceremonies can also accommodate both larger groups of individuals per ceremony than in-person events; allow for participation of applicants from rural areas; and, bring together new Canadians from across the country for their citizenship ceremony. From January 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023, the Department has held on average 50 in-person ceremonies and 224 video ceremonies per month with an average of 79 and 135 invited participants per event, respectively. This has resulted in 276,540  new citizens, exceeding pre-COVID levels.A number of factors are considered when scheduling ceremonies, including operational demands, the availability of presiding officials and appropriate venues. While citizenship ceremonies are primarily scheduled on weekdays and during working hours, the Department will occasionally schedule after regular business hours or on weekends and public holidays. The Department does hold ceremonies outside of core operational hours, but these events are considered on a case-by-case basis for significance, public interest and operational capacity. For example, the Department hosted several citizenship ceremonies across the country on Canada Day.While the Department has made strides in returning to the 12 month service standard for the granting of citizenship, further modernization efforts will enable faster processing times as well as improved client service. In 2023, IRCC launched a review of Canada’s immigration system, and has spent the last few months meeting with stakeholders and receiving feedback from people who use the immigration and citizenship system, and others who have creative ideas on how to improve it. In hearing the strengths and challenges of current immigration and citizenship programs, policies and services has helped to inform where we need to go in the future and the steps we will need to take to get there.New capabilities are planned via a modernized operating platform—such as an online single window portal into immigration programs, enhanced automation and digital self-service—and will transform the way we do business up to and including in the citizenship process. It will speed up processing and improve program integrity, while making the immigration to citizenship journey clearer and more human-focused for clients. Additionally, the portal will allow applicants to access all of IRCC’s programs and services and to interact with the Department. It will offer a more positive and personalized experience to those looking for information, applying for programs and services, and checking for updates on the status of their application(s).            Although the new platform and portal will bring rapid and real enhancements, we have not been waiting on them to improve on what we do; we have made strides since 2020 with the introduction of electronic citizenship applications (e-applications), online citizenship tests, online application tracker to monitor progress, electronic certificates (e-certificates) of Canadian citizenship, and video citizenship ceremonies. These advancements have shown results. In July 2022, the Department had a citizenship grant inventory of 381,859 applications and a processing time, from application received to the client taking the Oath of Citizenship, of 26 months. By September 2023, the grant inventory had been reduced to 247,931 applications, and the processing time had improved, lowering to 17 months.Canadian citizenship is a valuable status and the Department will ensure the Citizenship Program continues to modernize the process.
Citizenship and identityOaths
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01786441-01786 (Transportation)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCOctober 20, 2023December 4, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED Whereas:
  • The government's 10-year transit plan will end in 2027;
  • Action on public transit means action on climate change, as transportation is responsible for approximately 25 per cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions; and
  • According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, a transition to zeroemission public transit can help Canada reach its 2030 Paris Climate Agreement commitments.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Establish a permanent federal funding mechanism for public transit that goes above and beyond the 10-year transit plan ending in 2027;
  • Work together with all levels of government to provide sustainable, predictable, long-term, and adequate funding; and
  • Establish accountability measures to ensure that all governments work together to increase access to public transit.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleCanada’s public transit systems provide an essential service to millions of people, generating billions of dollars in economic benefits, and helping Canadians meet its climate targets. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has made the most significant public transit investments in Canada’s history, delivering federal investments of more than ten times of what was provided in the decade prior.The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program is one way the Government of Canada is delivering funding to communities through the Investing in Canada Plan. Under the program, over $33-billion in funding is being delivered through bilateral agreements between Infrastructure Canada and each of the provinces and territories. The program provides long-term, stable funding delivered by Infrastructure Canada to: help communities reduce air and water pollution, provide clean water, increase resilience to climate change; build strong, dynamic and inclusive communities; and ensure Canadian families have access to modern, reliable services that improve their quality of life. Building on the Investing in Canada Plan, in 2021, the Government introduced the Zero Emission Transit Fund, the Active Transportation Fund, and the Rural Transit Solutions Fund. These dedicated transit programs, which will deliver funding until 2025-2026, aim to accelerate the shift towards clean, sustainable transportation modes across the country and facilitated federal funding for key public transit projects.In addition to our ongoing investments, the Government of Canada concluded engagement on the federal vision for permanent public transit funding in October 2022. The consultation will set out how we can work together to make the most out of the creation of the first national permanent public transit fund which will provide an average of $3 billion per year, beginning in 2026-27. This ongoing funding will deliver stability required for long-term planning and collaboration across orders of government while allowing flexibility to address regional needs and considerations. Permanent federal funding for public transit and active transportation presents an opportunity to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, transit agencies, Indigenous peoples and other partners to align investment priorities and address shared objectives, including driving economic, environmental and social outcomes, and improving housing supply and affordability in communities of all sizes across Canada. 
Federal-provincial-territorial relationsPublic transit
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023e-4405e-4405 (Holidays and observances)LouisAndersonMichaelMcLeodNorthwest TerritoriesLiberalNTJune 6, 2023, at 3:10 p.m. (EDT)October 4, 2023, at 3:10 p.m. (EDT)October 20, 2023December 4, 2023October 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="271245" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Transport</Addressee>Whereas:The safe operation of aircraft in Canada's airspace depends on highly skilled and dedicated individuals to maintain these complex machines;The safety of passengers, flight crew and cargo is paramount;The responsibility for maintaining the airworthiness of all aircraft in Canada and Canadian aircraft abroad falls squarely on the shoulders of Canada's Aircraft Maintenance Engineers;These dedicated individuals must meet rigorous qualification standards to earn and maintain their AME license along with recurrent training on topics such as regulations and ever-changing aircraft technology;Canada's AMEs work tirelessly, often in inclement weather and under tight schedules to ensure the airworthiness of each aircraft before each and every flight's departure; andThere currently is a shortage of young people entering this career path and it's value as a challenging, exciting and rewarding career choice needs to be promoted to young Canadians.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, in support of the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to request that the Government of Canada establish an annual Day of Recognition (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Day or AME Day) to be celebrated on April 20 each year in recognition of Canada's Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, who keep aircraft of all types and sizes safely maintained in every type of weather all across Canada. April 20 is a significant date for AMEs in Canada, for it was this day in 1920 when Canada's very first Air Engineer License (predecessor to the Aircraft Maintenance Engineers License) was issued to Mr. Robert McCombie of Regina, SK.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe safe operation of aircraft in Canada’s airspace is of utmost importance to Transport Canada, and one of its main priorities. Transport Canada recognizes the value and impact that those working in the aviation industry have on aviation safety in Canada on a daily basis. While the aviation industry faces its share of challenges, such as shortages of young people choosing aviation as a profession, it is especially important to ensure that the valuable work performed by individuals in the aviation industry, at all levels, is recognized. Aircraft maintenance engineers, for instance, ensure that the public as well as anyone else who travels by air can do so in confidence and safely.   On February 23, Canadians celebrate Canada’s air transportation safety, strength, and success, much of which is due to the dedication of all those who work in the industry. National Aviation Day celebrates over 100 years of Canadian aviation, and all the air operators, aerospace engineers, aircraft maintenance engineers, pilots, flight attendants, airport personnel, air traffic controllers, air operations specialists, Transport Canada employees, and all those in the aviation community who share the credit for Canada's aviation safety, strength, and success. On a larger scale, International Aviation Day helps generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States. Many Canadians working in the aviation industry contribute daily to air transportation safety, and collectively contribute to making Canadian aviation one of the most secure in the world. It is therefore Transport Canada’s recommendation that such efforts and successes continue to be recognized during National Aviation Day on February 23 and during International Civil Aviation Day on December 7, to ensure that the dedication and contributions of those working in aviation in Canada are evenly recognized.  
Aircraft maintenance and repairsAircraft Maintenance Engineer Day
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01784441-01784 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Liberal Government is involving itself in decisions that should be made by parents and provinces;Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the Liberal government's attempted interference when he told Justin Trudeau to "butt out" of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs' Policy 713. The New Brunswick proposal requires that schools receive parental consent to change the names and pronouns of students under the age of 16 for official recordkeeping purposes; andIn the vast majority of cases, parents care about the wellbeing of their children and love them much more than any state-run institution. The role of government is to support families and respect parents, not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children.Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to butt out and to let parents raise their own children.
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerEquality rights are at the core of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and are intended to ensure that everyone of every age is treated with the same respect, dignity, and consideration, regardless of personal characteristics such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, mental or physical disability, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, and gender identities and expressions, from coast, to coast to coast.Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression continue to be a reality in Canada, and it must be eliminated. It is important that parents be involved in the lives of their children, and that should be balanced with the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.The Government of Canada is committed to promoting 2SLGBTQI+ equality, protecting 2SLGBTQI+ rights, and addressing discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both past and current.The Government has taken several actions to end discrimination against transgender and gender diverse people in Canada. Some highlights:• A new Action Plan to Combat Hate that will also address hate faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities, including trans people (See Budget 2023, chapter 4)• 2022: Government of Canada criminalized conversion therapies, see Statement• 2017: Canadian Human Rights Act amended to protect gender identity and gender expression• 2022: Launch of Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action PlanThe first Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan enables the federal government to help advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people of every age in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.The Action Plan achieves these objectives by prioritizing community action and by coordinating work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government, recognizing the types of inequities facing communities. The plan is supported by an investment of $100 million, which will help create a more equitable Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, both present and future generations. In doing so it builds upon work the Government of Canada has done to address persisting disparities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities and to build a safer, more inclusive country.
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionSchools
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01783441-01783 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • Women's shelters are sadly seeing increased demand;
  • The high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live; and
  • At a time when this Liberal government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, they are cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to restore funding for women's shelters.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the right to a safe and affordable place to call home. Providing a safe and secure space for persons fleeing domestic violence is a priority for our government. Launched in 2017, the National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, more than $82-billion plan giving more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum while prioritizing populations most in need, including women and their children. The federal government aims to put 33% of the strategy’s investments, with a minimum of 25%, toward serving the unique needs of women and their children.NHS programs and initiatives support the creation of shelters, such as the $13.2 billion National Housing Co-Investment Fund which aims to create 2,000 new shelter spaces and repair 2,000 shelters for survivors of family violence. As of June 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed to creating 1,241 new shelter spaces or transitional housing units available for survivors of gender-based violence, and to repair/renew a further 302 units.  The Government recognizes that Indigenous women and children face unique challenges and barriers to housing. For those who experience violence, a shelter is often a first step to rebuilding their lives and protecting them from further violence. The NHS includes programming and funding exclusively for shelters in Indigenous communities and in the North. This includes $420 million through the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative to build a minimum of 38 shelters and 50 new transitional homes for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping gender-based violence. As of June 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed $76 million toward the construction of 11 shelters and 18 transitional homes through this program.In May 2020, our government committed $44.8 million to build a total of 12 new shelters across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping family violence. These Indigenous-led shelters will provide vital refuge and culturally appropriate critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of their experiences, access support programming and create a stable environment where they can begin to regain an independent life. This is also a crucial element of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, the Government of Canada’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and an important contribution to the National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. 
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerIn response to unprecedented challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada provided approximately $300 million in emergency funding to over 1,400 organizations such as women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations that provide critical supports and services to those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV), including intimate partner violence.Along with other temporary COVID-19 emergency measures introduced by the federal government since 2020, this measure is coming to an end.  Despite this, the Government of Canada continues to support critical services for individuals experiencing gender-based violence. Most notably, on November 9, 2022, Women and Gender Equality Canada launched a historic National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This provides an investment of $539.3 million over five years, committed in Budget 2022, which is being implemented through bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories to support their efforts to address and end gender-based violence. These agreements, along with the respective provincial/territorial implementation plans, will be posted on Women and Gender Equality Canada’s website. This historic funding builds on additional Government of Canada investments to address gender-based violence since 2021-22:  
SheltersWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01782441-01782 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023March 22, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that various actors in India have advocated, instituted, and enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state, contrary to India's secular and pluralistic foundation, posing grave danger to India's religious minorities;
  • Christians in India are facing targeted attacks by extremists, with 486 incidents of anti-Christian attacks in 2021 according to the United Christian Forum, and over 300 attacks reported as of July 2022, including widespread documentation of Church vandalism, assaults of Church workers, and Christian congregations threatened and humiliated;
  • Crimes against Dalit groups, including Dalit women and girls, are reported every hour according to a 2021 report by the National Crime Records Bureau, with the total cases increasing to 50,900 in 2021 compared with 50,291 in 2020; and
  • Indian Muslims are at risk of genocide according to NGO Genocide Watch, which documented "signs and processes" of genocide in India, further supported by credible reports indicating that growing Muslim minorities are subject to planned and targeted threats, assault, sexual violence and killings.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Formally ensure that all trade deals with India, including the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), are premised on mandatory human rights provisions;2. Initiate targeted sanctions against extremists guilty of inciting violence against religious minorities in India; and3. Promote mutually respectful and mutually beneficial human rights dialogue between Canada and India.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is committed to creating economic opportunities through initiatives such as trade agreements so that more Canadians can engage in, and benefit from, trade, while at the same time advancing broader social, labour, and environmental priorities in Canada, such as inclusive growth and the promotion of human rights. Fostering greater engagement and closer ties with countries through trade agreements is also an effective way of promoting Canadian values, such as human rights, democracy, openness, respect for the rule of law, and rules-based international trade. With respect to trade agreement negotiations, the Government of Canada has paused negotiations with India to further review and reflect. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting exporters to find opportunities to expand into international markets, including in the fast-growing Indo-Pacific Region.The promotion and protection of human rights has long been an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada believes that human rights are the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic values. Canada’s autonomous sanctions regime is one of many tools that support this important work. The government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights, such as freedom of religion or belief and the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minority groups around the world, on an ongoing basis. Canada is also committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief internationally and at home, working with partners to create a climate of inclusion and respect for diversity and against the persecution of minorities on the grounds of religion or belief. No person or group should face restrictions on the freedom to practise their faith or belief, whether in the form of laws, policies, or actions or through harassment or violence. It causes suffering and division and leads to a climate of fear, intolerance, and stigmatization. Canada will continue to stand up for this freedom while promoting diversity and inclusion for all.
Civil and human rightsIndiaInternational tradeReligious minorities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01781441-01781 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023December 5, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01780441-01780 (Public safety)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023October 17, 2023Petition to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Whereas:
  • Emergencies on Long Beach are attended by Parks Canada in collaboration with the Canadian Coast Guard, Westcoast Inland Search and Rescue, B.C. Emergency Response Group, and the RCMP; however, rescues initially fall in the hands of surfers and beachgoers; On February 10, 2018, doctoral candidate Nijin John died near Lovekin Rock at Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve; bystander Vincent Mallaley attempted CPR but Nijin John ultimately died at the scene;
  • On May 20, 2018, Ann Wittenberg died in an ocean accident near Lovekin Rock at Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve; surfers and other bystanders pulled her from the ocean and attempted CPR, but she died on scene hours before her daughter's (Victoria Orr) wedding;
  • On March 26, 2019, four people spent two hours stranded on Lovekin Rock before being hoisted, unharmed, off the rock by a chopper; a concerned citizen called 9-1-1 around 4:00 p.m., and Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC) Victoria proceeded to task a Royal Canadian Air Force Cormorant helicopter out of Canadian Forces Base Comox and the Canadian Coast Guard;
  • On August 7, 2021 there was another drowning at Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve;
  • According to Parks Canada, over one million people visit Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, making it the third most visited National Park in Canada; and
  • Lifeguards watched over the beach as part of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve's Surf Guard Program for 40 years until the federal Conservative government cut the program in 2012.
We, the undersigned, residents of British Columbia and visitors to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, call upon the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to reinstate the surf guard tower and surf guard services, and extend the duration of the surf guard program to accommodate the growing number of emergencies as well as visitors at Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTSafety is one of Parks Canada’s top priorities. As our country's largest natural and cultural tourism provider, Parks Canada is committed to providing visitors with safe and meaningful experiences. When it comes to water safety, Parks Canada recognizes that a regional, multi-faceted approach is required. To achieve this, Parks Canada collaborates with the Districts of Ucluelet and Tofino to raise awareness of water hazards through the CoastSmart program, a regional coastal safety campaign that focuses on prevention messaging for all unsupervised beaches in the region. Parks Canada is committed to collaborating further with stakeholders in the surf community.A meeting was held recently with the Minister and the Member of Parliament from Courtenay--Alberni. As discussed there, the Minister is open to having Parks Canada taking surf safety multi-partner approach to the next phase, exploring the potential for a third-party organization to lead the education of visitors and local water users about the risks of the ocean. Working together with local partners will follow the successes and best practices of other recreation safety organizations and can help ensure a more thorough and tailored approach to messaging for users across the region. As this multi-partner work proceeds, the Minister is committed to another call with the Member of Parliament from Courtenay—Alberni.The Surf Guard program concluded in 2012 as it was no longer aligned with evolving surf and water recreation practices in the region:
  • The Surf Guard program only monitored one section of Long Beach for a few months during the peak summer season. There are 16 kilometres of beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve’s Long Beach Unit alone.
  • Water activity now takes place year-round in the region, stretching across a broad network of beaches, with activities ranging from surfing, to stand up paddle boarding, storm watching, and more.
  • In recent years, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve has experienced a significant increase in the number of visitors.
  • Pacific Rim National Park Reserve aligns with all surf beaches on the Pacific Coast of Canada from Sombrio Beach on southern Vancouver Island to North Beach on Haida Gwaii, which are not supervised. It is the responsibility of visitors to assess risks and make informed decisions.
Parks Canada does not intend to reinstate the surf guard program and is working to reduce the risk by addressing risk factors identified by the International Life Saving Federation.The CoastSmart program’s public awareness campaign shares the key risks of recreating on or near water, whether surfing, beach walking, or engaging in many other coastal activities. Education is one of the most effective ways to reduce the frequency and severity of incidents. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve provides information to visitors through online platforms, signage, and the Coastal Stewards stationed on Long Beach during the summer. Together, these initiatives help visitors learn about ocean hazards and make informed decisions before and during their visit to the coast.Parks Canada continues to focus efforts on visitor education and incident prevention in collaboration with other organizations, with the intention of broadening the reach of the program and seeking new opportunities to collaborate and amplify the messaging.     
LifeguardsPacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01779441-01779 (Animals)JeremyPatzerCypress Hills—GrasslandsConservativeSKOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of HealthWhereas:Uncontrolled Richardson's ground squirrels' populations can potentially expose Canadians to the risk of harm or injury in rural areas;Uncontrolled Richardson's ground squirrels' populations can pose serious threats to the Canadian agricultural industry and can result in serious injuries to livestock;Strychnine, when used properly, is the most effective and efficient measure to control populations of Richardson's ground squirrels;There are currently no viable alternatives to strychnine to control populations of Richardson's ground squirrels;Health Canada's decision to ban the use of strychnine will have unintended negative consequences for the Canadian economy and, particularly, the economies of the prairie provinces; andThe Governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta have stated their opposition to Health Canada's decision, citing the limited environmental effects of the product when used properly.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon Health Canada and the Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, to reverse their decision to ban the sale and use of strychnine under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, and to conduct research to study potential alternatives to strychnine which would serve to control the populations of Richardson's ground squirrels that are comparable to strychnine in effectiveness, efficiency, and costs.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandIn Canada, the regulation of pesticides is shared among all levels of government. Federally, pesticides are regulated under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), which is administered by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). The Agency’s number one priority is to protect the health and safety of Canadians and the environment.Before a pesticide is allowed to be used or sold in Canada, it must undergo a rigorous scientific assessment process that provides reasonable certainty that no harm to human health and the environment will occur when pesticides are used according to label directions. Depending on the type of pesticide being evaluated, results from numerous scientific studies (in some cases hundreds of studies) are reviewed to determine whether the pesticide would have any negative effect on people, animals (including birds, beneficial insects such as pollinators, mammals, and other wildlife), or plants, including organisms in the soil and water. This assessment also takes into consideration sensitive populations, such as pregnant and nursing women, infants, children and seniors.Health Canada also periodically re-evaluates pesticides that are on the market to determine whether they continue to meet the Department’s health and environmental standards and hence whether they should continue to be registered and permitted for use in Canada.As outlined in Re-evaluation Decision RVD2020-06, Strychnine and Its Associated End-use Products (Richardson’s Ground Squirrels) published on March 4, 2020, Health Canada concluded that the environmental risks associated with the use of strychnine for the control of Richardson’s Ground Squirrels (RGS) (also known as gophers) were not shown to be acceptable when used according to label directions and that no further feasible mitigation measures could be implemented by users of the product. Consequently, the registration of products containing strychnine used to control RGS was cancelled with a 3-year phase-out period, which ended on March 4, 2023.In its decision, Health Canada recognized the value of strychnine because it is easy to use, cost effective and manages RGS in a single feeding. However, there are alternatives to strychnine registered to control RGS available to users: chlorophacinone, diphacinone, zinc phosphide, and aluminum phosphide. While these alternatives may have some limitations compared to strychnine, they were found to be efficacious against the target pest during the scientific review that led to their registration.Efforts to identify new products and to conduct additional research into RGS control should involve grower groups, registrants and manufacturers of potential alternative products, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and/or provincial representatives. Health Canada will continue to be available to provide information and guidance regarding the registration process, and information on currently registered alternative products.
Pest Control Products ActPesticidesResearch and researchersRichardson ground squirrelsStrychnine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01778441-01778 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023October 12, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C clearly communicates that the future of humanity is at risk without “rapid and far-reaching” changes to mitigate a 1.5°C temperature rise in the next 11 years and to achieve zero emissions by 2050;
  • Canada is on course to significantly overshoot our 2030 Paris Agreement target (Auditor General's Report 2018) with oil and gas and transportation emissions continuing to rise (Government of Canada);
  • The World Health Organization has clearly stated that “climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century”; and
  • The health impacts from climate change, including lung disease, heat-related illness, spread of infectious diseases, displacement, famine, drought, and mental health impacts, are being felt in Canada and abroad and are expected to accelerate across our planet at an unprecedented rate threatening "human lives and viability of the national health systems they depend on” (Lancet Countdown 2018, Lancet Countdown Briefing for Canadian Policymakers, 2018).
We, the undersigned, Physician Mothers of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Act upon the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment “Call to Action on Climate Change and Health” report (February 5, 2019), which has clearly outlined specific measures towards zero emissions;
  • Prioritize the elimination of emissions and preservation of a healthy environment as part of every portfolio and in every decision made by our federal and provincial parties;
  • Implement a nationwide carbon pricing strategy;
  • Commit to the rapid elimination of fossil fuels and coal from our economy;
  • Commit to rapid incorporation of green energy and net-zero infrastructure across the country; and
  • Eliminate single use plastics.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe science is clear that accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, are necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The economics are clear too – to build a strong, resilient economy for generations to come, Canada must harness the power of a cleaner future.The Government of Canada recognizes this reality, and since 2015 has taken significant, ambitious steps to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous peoples. Building on this national effort, the Government of Canada released its strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, in December 2020 to deepen emissions reductions across the economy, create new, well-paying jobs, make life more affordable for households, and build a better future.In 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act) provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on these commitments. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Actalso holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve its national targets based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Act,Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target, including a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Measures introduced by the Government of Canada since 2015 include:
  • Bringing into force the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act ensuring that every Canadian jurisdiction has a price on carbon. The price on carbon pollution started at $20 per tonne of emissions in 2019 – and has been rising at a predictable rate of $10 per year to reach $50 in 2022. Starting in 2023, the price rose to $15 per year until it reaches $170 per tonne in 2030;
  • Meeting Canada’s G20 commitment to eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023, and committing to develop a plan to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector including by federal Crown corporations;
  • Accelerating the phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation, and positioning the oil and gas sector to cut pollution by working with stakeholders to implement a cap on oil and gas sector emissions;
  • Building Canada’s renewable electricity future by continuing to advance the Clean Electricity Standard to enable Canada to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, and making significant investments to support renewable electricity and grid modernization projects;
  • Helping to reduce energy costs for homes and buildings, and boosting climate resiliency;
  • Driving progress on clean cars and trucks through investments in zero-emission vehicles charging and refueling infrastructure, and the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program;
  • Establishing the Canadian Center for Climate Services, which provides climate information and support to help Canadians consider climate change in their decisions, including health-related adaptation decisions via the collaborative climate information portal, ClimateData.ca; and,
  • Developing a climate lens to integrate climate considerations throughout Government of Canada decision-making.
Furthermore, the Government of Canada is implementing an ambitious, comprehensive, and circular economy approach to reduce plastic waste, increase the value retention and recovery of plastics, and tackle plastic pollution through a range of complementary solutions spanning the plastics lifecycle. By reducing plastic pollution and improving how plastic is made, used, and managed, the Government of Canada can strengthen sustainable economies, grow jobs, help fight climate change, and protect biodiversity and the environment.Actions such as these, as well as ongoing efforts with provinces and territories to ensure that producers are responsible for the cost of managing their plastic waste, will help address the issue of plastic pollution from single-use plastics.The Government of Canada also recognizes that a more ambitious, strategic and collaborative approach is required to adapt to the impacts of climate change including higher temperatures, variable precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, severe floods, wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. Working with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, Indigenous peoples and other key partners and stakeholders, the federal government is implementing Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy. This Strategy has a shared vision for climate resilience and provides a blueprint for whole-of-society action to help communities and residents of Canada better adapt to and prepare for the impacts of climate change.These and other historic commitments aim to increase Canada’s climate and environmental ambition, and to help people living in Canada be more resilient to climate impacts. These commitments will benefit all Canadians, in particular those groups that are disproportionately affected by the negative effects of climate change including children, low-income communities, seniors, and Indigenous peoples.   
Canadian Association of Physicians for the EnvironmentCarbon pricingFossil fuelsGreenhouse gasesPlasticsRenewable energy and fuel
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01777441-01777 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023June 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023e-4519e-4519 (Social affairs and equality)BrennaWilsonBonitaZarrilloPort Moody—CoquitlamNDPBCJuly 17, 2023, at 8:04 a.m. (EDT)October 15, 2023, at 8:04 a.m. (EDT)October 19, 2023December 4, 2023October 16, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:An expected 18 month delay to receiving the Canada Disability Benefit due to regulation process;A risk to life due to insufficient supports on current disability programs federally and provincially;Canadians living with disabilities, on provincial and federal disability benefits, are struggling immensely with benefits significantly below the poverty line, the cost of living crisis and the ever increasing amount of homelessness; Over half of those who are unhoused have one or more disabilities. Benefits are often not nearly enough to cover rent, and persons with disabilities are not prioritized in many municipal or provincial RGI programs; There have been instances of people turning to maid out of economic desperation, often which is exasperating any current medical conditions they have, forced to live in survival mode, making impossible choices, and asking for charity to scrap by; There have been those in the community who have also been lost to suicide; and People are desperately awaiting the CDB, but an additional year and a half without supports will have dire consequences.We, the undersigned, members of the community of disabled Canadians, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Consider the implementation of a temporary top up benefit, a Disability Emergency Response Benefit or DERB, to be immediately provided to help all those currently eligible for any disability benefit program, until the Canada Disability Benefit is being distributed; and2. Consider DERB to fill the gaps and make a difference in the many lives desperately needing support now.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer ZuberiThe Government is committed to reducing poverty and supporting the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities. Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, was introduced in the House of Commons on June 2, 2022, and received Royal Assent on June 22, 2023.The Act is framework legislation, establishing the Benefit and providing the legal authorities to detail the Benefit’s design in future regulations. Regulations made under the Act will prescribe the Benefit amounts, eligibility criteria and other design and administrative elements. This approach, in the spirit of “Nothing Without Us,” will allow the Government to continue to engage with Canadians with disabilities, other stakeholders and provincial and territorial governments to inform the Benefit’s design. Support for the approach of focusing on a long-term sustainable solution was voiced by a number of witnesses to the parliamentary study of Bill C-22. They mentioned that the use of framework legislation deeply aligned with the principle of “Nothing Without Us,” by providing persons with disabilities inclusive and accessible opportunities to participate in the design and detail of a benefit specifically targeted to them.The Government is very aware of the fact that many Canadians with disabilities need the additional financial support that the Canada Disability Benefit will provide. The intent, therefore, is to move forward quickly with the regulatory development process. To that end, the 2023 federal budget committed $21.5 million in 2023-24 to continue work on the future delivery of the benefit, including engagement on the regulations. This work will build on engagement activities, including roundtables and an on-line public survey, that took place in 2021 and 2022, as well as community-led consultations which continue into 2023. Since August 2023, the Government has started a new phase of engagement with persons with disabilities and stakeholder organizations excited to provide input to the development of the Benefit’s regulations. This new engagement has been through roundtables, bilateral meetings and the future launch of an online engagement tool which will provide every Canadian an opportunity to comment and provide feedback on the regulations. As well, engagement will continue with the provinces and territories, who play a central role in providing supports and services for persons with disabilities.An interim measure would require a new program to be established including potential additional legislation to be passed by Parliament, as well as the establishment of a new regime of administrative processes and procedures. Given limited resources, this could have the effect of delaying the development and implementation of the Canada Disability Benefit. The Government is focusing its resources on implementing the Benefit as soon as possible, while ensuring the meaningful involvement of persons with disabilities in the development of the regulations.
Disability benefitsPersons with disabilities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 4, 2023441-01775441-01775 (Civil and human rights)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 19, 2023December 4, 2023October 11, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Freedom of choice in health care is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada;It is a fundamental right for individuals to be able to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own bodies;Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness or how they will address illness or injury in their own bodies; andCanadians are competent and able to make their own health decisions without State interference.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the Charter of Health Freedom drafted for the Natural Health Product Protection Association on September 4, 2008.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Civil and human rightsHealth
44th Parliament207Open for signatureDecember 1, 2023e-4708e-4708 (Social affairs and equality)ShoshanaPellmanHon.Judy A.SgroHumber River—Black CreekLiberalONDecember 1, 2023, at 3:56 p.m. (EDT)March 30, 2024, at 3:56 p.m. (EDT)Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:In 2018, the Canadian government announced an End to Poverty Plan which would affect all Canadians;The government introduced the MBM2018 table (Statistics Canada Table 11-10-0066-01) in 2020 as the official poverty line for a family of four in Canada, considering the location of each person resulting in variations in the needed disposable income;The government has been issuing Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments to low-income seniors;The GIS payments are based solely on income;The government issued GIS funds to 2,400,988 low-income seniors in July, August and September 2023;In the case of low-income seniors over 75 the same inequities exist;The government stated that 45,000 low-income seniors were raised out of poverty which is only 5 % per government data; andThere is a disconnect between the poverty line, poverty reduction plan and GIS payments leaving low-income seniors living in poverty.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to review and amend the Old Age Security Act so that low-income GIS benefits be adjusted in ways that eliminate senior’s poverty (including elimination of inequities that exist for those living in the same location) and include ways to provide added funds for those living in other locations where there exist higher living costs as shown in Statistics Canada Table 11-10-0066-01.Guaranteed Income SupplementPovertySenior citizens44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 1, 2023441-01774441-01774 (Foreign affairs)Hon.DavidMcGuintyOttawa SouthLiberalONOctober 18, 2023December 1, 2023October 3, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS
  • The United Kingdom (UK) is the only OECD country to discriminate based on country of residence for state pension indexation. UK state pension recipients in many countries enjoy annual indexation, while recipients in others receive an amount which is "frozen" at the same level as when it is first received - i.e. a pension which is never indexed to provide an annual cost of living increase;
  • This policy is arbitrarily applied. For example, the 127,000 UK state pension recipients in Canada are "frozen", while the 128,000 recipients in the USA are "unfrozen" and receive annual indexation. Other "unfrozen" countries include Turkey, Israel, The Philippines, and all countries in the European Union;
  • In contrast, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is indexed for inflation wherever the recipient lives in the world;
  • Over 91% of "frozen" pensioners live in Commonwealth Countries. Canada is a Founding Member of the Commonwealth, and both the Canadian and Commonwealth Charters of Rights are committed to equality and non-discrimination;
  • This policy is estimated to cost Canada around $490 million each year, and results in many Canadian pensioners living in poverty;
  • The UK has repeatedly rejected requests from Canada over the years for a new Social Security Agreement covering pension indexation. In the past three years the UK has snubbed seven such requests, and shows no indication of changing this stance going forward; and
  • A protocol on Social Security Coordination, guaranteeing pension indexation, was agreed by the UK within the post-Brexit UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Canada and the UK are currently negotiating a Trade Agreement. Canada has raised pension indexation twice in these talks, only to be immediately dismissed by the UK.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, request the Government of Canada to ensure that the current Canada-UK trade negotiations result in the "unfreezing" of UK state pensions paid to Canadian recipients.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanUnder UK law, UK State Pensions are paid anywhere in the world. For many UK pensioners living in countries outside the UK, including in Canada, pensions are not adjusted for increases in the cost of living. Pensions are paid at the same rate as when pensioners became entitled, or the date they left the UK if they were already pensioners.Over the years, the Government of Canada has sought to address this issue with the UK, including by proposing that the two countries negotiate a comprehensive social security agreement (SSA) that would provide for the indexation of UK pensions. To date, the UK has maintained its long-standing position that it cannot consider the indexation of UK pensions paid into Canada.The UK policy of non-indexation is codified in UK domestic law. A bilateral agreement with Canada is not required if the UK chooses to pay indexed pensions into Canada.In 2020, the British Secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Frozen British Pensions launched an inquiry regarding the impact of the UK Government’s approach to UK State Pensions paid to UK pensioners living abroad. The final report was released in December 2020. The Government of Canada presented a submission on the issue regarding the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada, for the APPG’s consideration. The submission is consistent with Canada’s position of support for UK pensioners living in Canada.In November 2020, Employment and Social Development Canada officials wrote to the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions, seeking their interest in concluding a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK. UK officials declined the request, but noted they would continue to consider this matter carefully.In March 2021, motions were presented in both the House of Commons in Canada and the UK regarding the UK’s non-indexation policy, urging the UK to negotiate a SSA with Canada that would allow for the indexation of pensions. This showcases the continued support to resolve this long-standing issue.In June 2021, the Minister of Seniors, in her capacity as the Minister responsible for concluding SSAs on behalf of the Government of Canada, sent a letter to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, to formally request the conclusion of a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK, which would provide for the indexation of UK pensions. No response was received from the UK Government.In April 2022, the Minister of Seniors met with the British High Commissioner to Canada, to reiterate Canada’s longstanding position that UK pensioners who live in Canada should be recognized for the contributions they have made to society and should be treated equally, regardless of where they live. The British High Commissioner re-confirmed that the UK Government had no plans to change its current policy.In June and October 2022, the Minister of Seniors wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions to reiterate Canada’s request to conclude a comprehensive bilateral SSA that would provide for the eligibility of benefits and the payment of indexed UK pensions. The UK Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion responded to the letter of June 2022, re-confirming that the UK Government had no plans to change its current policy. No response was received from the UK Government to the letter of October 2022.In April 2023, the Minister of Labour, met with the UK Minister for Employment. The Minister of Labour raised the issue of the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada. The UK Minister for Employment noted the concern of the Minister, however, he re-confirmed that the UK Government has no plans to change its current policy.Also in April 2023, the Minister of Seniors together with the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade, requesting her assistance in encouraging the UK government to resolve this issue. To date, no response has been received from the UK Government.Negotiations towards a comprehensive Canada-UK Free Trade Agreement are focused on advancing specific trade-related issues. Canada’s negotiating objectives were tabled in Parliament in 2022 and were informed by extensive public consultations across Canada.The Government of Canada will continue to raise this issue with the UK through various channels, where appropriate.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantUnder UK law, UK State Pensions are paid anywhere in the world. For many UK pensioners living in countries outside the UK, including in Canada, pensions are not adjusted for increases in the cost of living. Pensions are paid at the same rate as when pensioners became entitled, or the date they left the UK if they were already pensioners.Over the years, the Government of Canada has sought to address this issue with the UK, including by proposing that the two countries negotiate a comprehensive social security agreement (SSA) that would provide for the indexation of UK pensions. To date, the UK has maintained its long-standing position that it cannot consider the indexation of UK pensions paid into Canada.The UK policy of non-indexation is codified in UK domestic law. A bilateral agreement with Canada is not required if the UK chooses to pay indexed pensions into Canada.In 2020, the British Secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Frozen British Pensions launched an inquiry regarding the impact of the UK Government’s approach to UK State Pensions paid to UK pensioners living abroad. The final report was released in December 2020. The Government of Canada presented a submission on the issue regarding the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada, for the APPG’s consideration. The submission is consistent with Canada’s position of support for UK pensioners living in Canada.In November 2020, Employment and Social Development Canada officials wrote to the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions, seeking their interest in concluding a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK. UK officials declined the request, but noted they would continue to consider this matter carefully.In March 2021, motions were presented in both the House of Commons in Canada and the UK regarding the UK’s non-indexation policy, urging the UK to negotiate a SSA with Canada that would allow for the indexation of pensions. This showcases the continued support to resolve this long-standing issue.In June 2021, the Minister of Seniors, in her capacity as the Minister responsible for concluding SSAs on behalf of the Government of Canada, sent a letter to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, to formally request the conclusion of a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK, which would provide for the indexation of UK pensions. No response was received from the UK Government.In April 2022, the Minister of Seniors met with the British High Commissioner to Canada, to reiterate Canada’s longstanding position that UK pensioners who live in Canada should be recognized for the contributions they have made to society and should be treated equally, regardless of where they live. The British High Commissioner re-confirmed that the UK Government had no plans to change its current policy.In June and October 2022, the Minister of Seniors wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions to reiterate Canada’s request to conclude a comprehensive bilateral SSA that would provide for the eligibility of benefits and the payment of indexed UK pensions. The UK Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion responded to the letter of June 2022, re-confirming that the UK Government had no plans to change its current policy. No response was received from the UK Government to the letter of October 2022.In April 2023, the Minister of Labour, met with the UK Minister for Employment. The Minister of Labour raised the issue of the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada. The UK Minister for Employment noted the concern of the Minister, however, he re-confirmed that the UK Government has no plans to change its current policy.Also in April 2023, the Minister of Seniors together with the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade, requesting her assistance in encouraging the UK government to resolve this issue. To date, no response has been received from the UK Government.Negotiations towards a comprehensive Canada-UK Free Trade Agreement are focused on advancing specific trade-related issues. Canada’s negotiating objectives were tabled in Parliament in 2022 and were informed by extensive public consultations across Canada.The Government of Canada will continue to raise this issue with the UK through various channels, where appropriate.
International relationsPension indexationReciprocal social security agreementsUnited Kingdom
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 1, 2023441-01773441-01773 (Civil and human rights)Hon.DavidMcGuintyOttawa SouthLiberalONOctober 18, 2023December 1, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Since their arrival as immigrants in 1750 German and Austrian Canadians have contributed significantly to Canada's development;
  • They helped Britain conquer New France, and of 30,000 German soldiers Britain recruited to help suppress the American Revolution, more than 2,000 remained in Canada;
  • German and Austrian immigrants founded Lunenburg, Moncton, and the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, and helped to found York (modern day Toronto) and Berlin (today's Kitchener) in Ontario;
  • Three Canadians of German descent, Charles Fisher (Fischer) William Henry Steeves (Stieff) and Sir Charles Tupper, were Fathers of Confederation;
  • Two German Canadians served as Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Charles Tupper, as 6th and John Diefenbaker, as 13th;
  • During World Wars I and II, innocent German and Austrian Canadians were interned in Canada alongside enemy combatants without regard for their loyalty to Canada; and
  • The Government of Canada has apologized to the Ukrainian Canadian, Japanese Canadian and Italian Canadian communities for the wrongful internment of their members.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to apologize for the wrongful internment of German and Austrian Canadians during World Wars I and II, and further request that the Government of Canada commit to never again hold, imprison, or intern innocent Canadians based solely on their ethnic origin.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer ZuberiThe Government of Canada would like to thank the petitioners for their request that calls upon the Government of Canada to “apologize for the wrongful internment of German and Austrian Canadians during World Wars I and II”; and “commit to never again hold, imprison, or intern innocent Canadians based solely on their ethnic origin.”The Government of Canada believes in the importance of learning from the past, including the more difficult moments in our history.During both the First and Second World Wars, under the authority of the War Measures Act, the Government of Canada interned or restricted freedoms of people originating from countries with which Canada was at war, and anyone who was deemed to be a security risk. These measures have left an indelible mark on our country’s history and caused pain to the families and descendants of those interned, including members of the German and Austrian communities. The measures that were taken are inconsistent with Canadian values. In 1988, the Government of Canada repealed the War Measures Act. Canada has since chosen to put in place several legal measures that safeguard human rights and recognize the multicultural nature of Canada’s population. These include the Canadian Bill of Rights (1960), the Canadian Human Rights Act (1977), the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982), and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act (1988) which enshrined into law the federal government’s commitment to promoting and maintaining a diverse, multicultural society.The Government recognizes the importance of sharing this history in order to learn from it, and also acknowledges the importance of recognizing the contributions that the German and Austrian communities have and continue to make to the development of Canada, as well as those from other communities such as Italian, Ukrainian and others that were impacted by the internment.In 2008, under the now sunset Community Historical Recognition Program, a $10-million endowment was made to the Shevchenko Foundation to establish the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund. The Fund supports projects that commemorate and recognize the experiences of all of the communities affected by the internment operations of the First World War. It enables them to tell their stories and educate Canadians about the past and the contributions they have made to building Canada.Through National Historical Recognition Program funding, Parks Canada has created an exhibit to increase awareness about Canada's First World War internment operations. The Exhibit is located in Banff National Park where one of the former internment camps was located.A number of Museums have educational information on their websites related to the internment operations. These include the Canadian War Museum, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier21, and the Canadian Museum of History. Others have screened films or held exhibits on this subject in the past.In 2016, Parliament passed a motion to establish the month of October as German Heritage Month. It provides an opportunity for all Canadians to recognize the German community’s contributions to Canada’s success, with their heritage shaping our social and economic fabric.The Government of Canada is deeply committed to building an inclusive country that we can all be proud of. This tragic episode in our shared history reminds us of the importance of defending our values of openness and inclusion, and the impacts that can result from xenophobia, racism, discrimination, and hate.
Austrian CanadiansGerman CanadiansInternmentOfficial apology
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 1, 2023441-01772441-01772 (Justice)TakoVan PoptaLangley—AldergroveConservativeBCOctober 18, 2023December 1, 2023June 16, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:Whereas:There is no consensus among health experts regarding what constitutes irremediability of a mental illness;The Canadian government is bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to advance and protect the life, liberty, and security of its citizens; Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that adequate supports are in place for the mental health of Canadians; and Parliament considers that vulnerable Canadians should receive suicide prevention counselling rather than access to medical assistance in dying.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Publicly and unequivocally support Private Member's Bill C-314, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying).
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyMedical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal and complex choice that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. Our Government is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, protect those who may be vulnerable, and support autonomy and freedom of choice.Bill C-314, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying) was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on October 18, 2023. That same day, the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying was re-established, in accordance with Recommendation 13 of that Committee’s second report, in order to verify the degree of preparedness attained for a safe and adequate application of MAID in cases where a mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition. The Committee will be submitting a final report no later than January 31, 2024.Our Government continues to work with all partners to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable populations on this deeply personal issue is prioritized.
C-314, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 1, 2023441-01771441-01771 (Justice)TakoVan PoptaLangley—AldergroveConservativeBCOctober 18, 2023December 1, 2023October 17, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:Whereas:There is no consensus among health experts regarding what constitutes irremediability of a mental illness;The Canadian government is bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to advance and protect the life, liberty, and security of its citizens; Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that adequate supports are in place for the mental health of Canadians; and Parliament considers that vulnerable Canadians should receive suicide prevention counselling rather than access to medical assistance in dying.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Publicly and unequivocally support Private Member's Bill C-314, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying).
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyMedical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal and complex choice that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. Our Government is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, protect those who may be vulnerable, and support autonomy and freedom of choice.Bill C-314, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying) was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on October 18, 2023. That same day, the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying was re-established, in accordance with Recommendation 13 of that Committee’s second report, in order to verify the degree of preparedness attained for a safe and adequate application of MAID in cases where a mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition. The Committee will be submitting a final report no later than January 31, 2024.Our Government continues to work with all partners to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable populations on this deeply personal issue is prioritized.
C-314, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledDecember 1, 2023441-01770441-01770 (Environment)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONOctober 18, 2023December 1, 2023September 15, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS: Enbridge Line 5 has been operating for 70 years, over which time it has repeatedly spilled oil in Wisconsin and Michigan, and helped turn Sarnia, Ontario into the most polluted place in North America;Continued operation of this decrepit tar sands pipeline is posing an imminent threat to the Bad River and Lake Superior, with rapid erosion at a meander bringing the River frighteningly close to the pipeline;A pipeline rupture at this location would destroy the Kakagon and Bad River Sloughs, home of wild rice beds, the physical, cultural, and spiritual foundation of the Lake Superior Chippewa peoples;Continued operation of Line 5 would further degrade the global climate; and the biodiversity, ecosystems, and cultures of the Great Lakes watershed; and gravely threaten 21% of the world's freshwater and the drinking water of 40 million people;Enbridge no longer has legal permission to operate Line 5 in the Bad River Reservation or Straits of Mackinac, since the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and State of Michigan revoked their easements in 2013 and 2020, respectively;The Bay Mills Indian Community issued a "Banishment of Enbridge Energy, Inc. Line 5 Dual Pipelines from the 1836 Treaty of Washington Ceded Territory, Waters of the Great Lakes, and the Straits of Mackinac";The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues has called for decommissioning Line 5;The Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America Concerning Transit Pipelines (henceforth "the 1977 Agreement") provides for environmental protection against pipelines;Treaties with the US authorize the Lake Superior Chippewa to prevent the re-routing and elongation of Line 5 in Wisconsin, and tunnel for Line 5 in Michigan, that Enbridge has proposed;The International Energy Agency and Secretary General of the United Nations oppose construction of any new fossil fuel infrastructure, such as the aforementioned re-routing, elongation, and tunnel;The Government of Canada did not acknowledge any of the facts stated above when invoking the Agreement on October 4th, 2021 and again on August 29th, 2022 to keep Line 5 in operation; andNearly 300 organizations and more than 5,000 individuals have signed a letter calling on government ministers to stop invoking the Agreement in this way.WE, THE UNDERSIGNED residents of Canada, CALL UPON THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO retract any and all use of the 1977 Agreement to keep Enbridge Line 5 in operation.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Pam DanoffClimate change is an undeniable reality. That’s why the Government of Canada introduced Canada’s most comprehensive climate plan, making historic investments to build job-creating clean energy projects, and implementing a price on pollution which returns all proceeds to Canadians while significantly cutting pollution across the country. More than ever, the Government is firmly committed to ensuring Canada’s energy and economic security, while taking important steps to fight climate change and protect the environment for future generations.Canada has invoked the dispute settlement mechanism of the 1977 Transit Pipelines Treaty (the “Treaty”) twice concerning Line 5, first on October 4, 2021 on the pipeline segment in the Straits of Mackinac (Michigan), and again on August 29, 2022 on the pipeline segment on the Bad River Band Reservation (Wisconsin). This treaty ensures the uninterrupted transmission of hydrocarbons in transit—in the case of Line 5, light crude oil and natural gas liquids—from one place in Canada to another place in Canada, transiting through the United States.Line 5 not only helps provide energy that is essential for empowering a resilient Canadian economy, it also supplies energy to business owners and residents in the Midwestern United States, including Wisconsin. Canada and the United States share a vision for a sustainable and inclusive economic growth that strengthens the middle class, creates more opportunities for them, and ensures people have good jobs and careers on both sides of the border. Both Canadians and Americans expect their governments to strengthen Canada-U.S. supply chain security and work to reinforce this deeply interconnected and mutually beneficial economic relationship.The economic and energy disruption and damage to Canada and the U.S. from a Line 5 shutdown would be widespread and significant:
  • Line 5 is a key west-to-east outlet for Alberta and Saskatchewan production of light crude oil and natural gas liquids.
  • Line 5 supplies six refineries in Ontario and Quebec, including the refinery and petrochemical complex in Sarnia. In the U.S., Line 5 supplies four refineries in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. A 2021 third-party study of impacts in the U.S. Midwest indicated a shutdown would threaten more than 33,000 U.S. jobs and jeopardize US$20 billion in economic activity.
  • Line 5 also supplies three propane production facilities, in Wisconsin, Michigan and Sarnia (Ontario), which supply critical rural and agricultural needs in the Great Lakes region, on both sides of the border.
  • A Line 5 shutdown would also impact energy prices, such as propane for heating homes and the price of gas at the pump. As global market forces and inflation continue to hit Canadians, the Government must avoid putting additional pressure on the monthly budgets of Canadian families.
  • Furthermore, such a closure would directly impact the energy security of both Canada and the United States. At a time of heightened concern over energy security and supply, including during the energy transition, maintaining and protecting existing infrastructure should be a top priority. Canada has raised these concerns with the U.S. on numerous occasions.
Canada is committed to the process of reconciliation and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples in Canada, including as recognized in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This includes respecting the rights of the Bad River Band, such as in relation to governance of its Reservation.Alongside many U.S.-based local, state, and national organizations, Canada strongly supports the proposed replacement infrastructure solution, which would re-route Line 5 outside the Bad River Band Reservation and is currently undergoing state and federal permitting review.In the case of the Line 5 segment in the Straits of Mackinac, Canada, along with many U.S.-based partners, supports the Great Lakes Tunnel Project. This solution, also undergoing state and federal permitting reviews, will replace the existing Line 5 segment in the Straits by placing it within a tunnel under the Straits.These infrastructure solutions will keep Line 5 operating, further protect the environment including the iconic waters of the Great Lakes, meet critical energy needs in both Canada and the U.S. as we fight climate change and build net-zero economies, while responding to concerns expressed by Indigenous peoples, and fulfilling the Bad River Band’s desire to remove the pipeline segment from its Reservation.
Environmental protectionOil and gasPipeline transportation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 30, 2023441-01769441-01769 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 17, 2023November 30, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
 
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 30, 2023441-01768441-01768 (Social affairs and equality)KarenVecchioElgin—Middlesex—LondonConservativeONOctober 17, 2023November 30, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • Women's shelters are sadly seeing increased demand;
  • The high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live; and
  • At a time when this Liberal government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, they are cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to restore funding for women's shelters.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the right to a safe and affordable place to call home. Providing a safe and secure space for persons fleeing domestic violence is a priority for our government. Launched in 2017, the National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, more than $82-billion plan giving more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum while prioritizing populations most in need, including women and their children. The federal government aims to put 33% of the strategy’s investments, with a minimum of 25%, toward serving the unique needs of women and their children.NHS programs and initiatives support the creation of shelters, such as the $13.2 billion National Housing Co-Investment Fund which aims to create 2,000 new shelter spaces and repair 2,000 shelters for survivors of family violence. As of June 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed to creating 1,241 new shelter spaces or transitional housing units available for survivors of gender-based violence, and to repair/renew a further 302 units.  The Government recognizes that Indigenous women and children face unique challenges and barriers to housing. For those who experience violence, a shelter is often a first step to rebuilding their lives and protecting them from further violence. The NHS includes programming and funding exclusively for shelters in Indigenous communities and in the North. This includes $420 million through the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative to build a minimum of 38 shelters and 50 new transitional homes for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping gender-based violence. As of June 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed $76 million toward the construction of 11 shelters and 18 transitional homes through this program.In May 2020, our government committed $44.8 million to build a total of 12 new shelters across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping family violence. These Indigenous-led shelters will provide vital refuge and culturally appropriate critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of their experiences, access support programming and create a stable environment where they can begin to regain an independent life. This is also a crucial element of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, the Government of Canada’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and an important contribution to the National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. 
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerIn response to unprecedented challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada provided approximately $300 million in emergency funding to over 1,400 organizations such as women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations that provide critical supports and services to those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV), including intimate partner violence.Along with other temporary COVID-19 emergency measures introduced by the federal government since 2020, this measure is coming to an end.  Despite this, the Government of Canada continues to support critical services for individuals experiencing gender-based violence. Most notably, on November 9, 2022, Women and Gender Equality Canada launched a historic National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This provides an investment of $539.3 million over five years, committed in Budget 2022, which is being implemented through bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories to support their efforts to address and end gender-based violence. These agreements, along with the respective provincial/territorial implementation plans, will be posted on Women and Gender Equality Canada’s website. This historic funding builds on additional Government of Canada investments to address gender-based violence since 2021-22:
SheltersWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 30, 2023441-01767441-01767 (Employment and labour)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCOctober 17, 2023November 30, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • Canada has signed on to the Paris Agreement, which includes in its text the principle of a Just Transition;
  • It is the government's responsibility to ensure a fair deal for oil and gas workers who, by no fault of their own, are losing their jobs as the Canadian economy transitions to renewable energy;
  • The skills of oil and gas workers can easily be transitioned to jobs in renewable energy with the proper allocation of resources; and
  • Employment in the sector of renewable energy has already surpassed rates of employment in oil and gas, and continues to grow.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Working alongside oil and gas workers, create a plan for a Just Transition for oil and gas workers in Canada and include in it the 10 recommendations put forward by the Task Force on Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reduction targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seize the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonization technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our global partners need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government released policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures that deliver on Canada’s commitment at COP26. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector. This commitment was reiterated and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, outlines the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world rapidly shifting to a net-zero economy.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding to establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre, among other things.As committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023. The legislation proposes establishing a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill would also require the Government to:
  • establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures;
  • create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and
  • release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025.
These legislated mechanisms would guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a low-carbon economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables) are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables are helping to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for implementing joint strategies to leverage energy and resource opportunities to realize each region of Canada’s comparative advantage in a net-zero emissions economy.To date, the federal government has jointly launched nine Regional Tables across the country, with British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and the four Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador) as well as the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Most recently, the Government of Canada and British Columbia, in collaboration with First Nation partners, released the foundational British Columbia Regional Energy and Resource Table Collaboration Framework, which sets the stage for a shared longer-term vision. On the other side of the country, plans for a similar framework with Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario are not far behind. Other participating provinces and territories are collaborating to finalize proposed priorities, while discussion to establish a Regional Table or other collaboration mechanism continues in the remaining jurisdictions.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Economic diversificationLabour forceOil and gasRenewable energy and fuel
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023e-4550e-4550 (Justice)PeterVlaarMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONSeptember 13, 2023, at 1:27 p.m. (EDT)October 13, 2023, at 1:27 p.m. (EDT)October 16, 2023November 29, 2023October 16, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canadian citizens do not have equal access to the necessary care and supports required to meet their physical and mental needs, due to unequal economic and social conditions across our nation;The federal government is committed to making Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) accessible to those with mental disorders as the sole underlying condition before addressing the clear gaps in support for this vulnerable sector of the population;Canadian citizens applying for MAID are required to give informed consent, which includes being made aware of alternative care options but does not include the government making such care accessible, timely, and affordable;In the absence of robust access to the basic necessities of life and mental health supports, the governmental expansion of MAID to persons whose sole medical condition is a mental illness creates societal circumstances wherein informed consent to MAID can no longer be discerned as free and voluntary;The Government of Canada has a duty to its citizens not only to prioritize their right to self-determination but also to create social conditions wherein this right can be freely and fairly exercised by all its citizens, particularly the most vulnerable;We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Forego the planned expansion of MAID to include those suffering from mental disorders as the sole underlying condition;2. Provide a comprehensive federal mental health care commitment; and3. Bolster supports that provide for the basic necessities of life, including housing, income assistance, prescription drug coverage, and mental health care.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleInfrastructure CanadaHomelessness is a complex issue, and the Government of Canada is committed to continuing to work with partners and communities to move towards the goal of eliminating chronic homelessness in Canada by 2030. The Government of Canada is investing nearly $4 billion over nine years to address homelessness through Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. Launched in 2019, this community-based program supports Designated Communities (urban centres), Indigenous communities, territorial communities, and rural and remote communities across Canada to prevent and reduce homelessness.Reaching Home provides crucial funding to support services in activity areas such as: Basic Needs Services, Emergency Housing Funding, Prevention and Shelter Diversion. This funding can also support access to health and social services and improve overall wellbeing of those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness through the delivery of harm reduction activities and navigating access to clinical, health and treatment services (including mental health and addictions supports) through case management. Between April 1, 2019, and September 7, 2023, Reaching Home funding supported more than 6,700 projects to assist people experiencing and at risk of homelessness. Through these projects, 122,472 people received homelessness prevention support in rental assistance and landlord/family mediation, while 69,846 people have been placed in more stable housing. Canada Mortgage and Housing CorporationOur government believes that all people living in Canada should have access to safe and affordable housing. Launched in 2017, the National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, more than $82-billion plan to give more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS recognizes the distinct housing barriers faced by vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities and those dealing with mental health and addictions issues. The NHS consists of complementary initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum, prioritizing populations most in need. This includes the Rapid Housing Initiative and National Housing Co-Investment Fund, which provides funding for the creation, repair and renewal of affordable housing, transitional housing, and shelters, and the Canada Housing Benefit, which is delivered by the provinces and territories and provides funding directly to households in need to help them with their housing costs. The NHS is providing funding to protect and expand the community housing sector, which is home to many low-income and vulnerable tenants.  
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek Kusmierczyk3. Bolster supports that provide for the basic necessities of life, including housing, income assistance, prescription drug coverage, and mental health care.Income security is a shared responsibility across different orders of government. As such, the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of working with the provinces and territories to find solutions to common challenges.The Government of Canada has many programs in place that help individuals and families meet their basic needs. These include the Canada Child Benefit for families with children, and, the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors. In addition, existing programs, such as the Canada Workers Benefit and Employment Insurance, provide income supports for low-income individuals with labour market attachment or those with insurable employment. These programs exist alongside provincial and territorial social assistance programs. 
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyMedical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal and complex choice that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. Our Government is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, protect those who may be vulnerable, and support autonomy and freedom of choice.In June 2021, when former Bill C-7 expanded eligibility for MAID to persons whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable, it also temporarily excluded from eligibility for MAID persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness for two years, until March 17, 2023. This was done in recognition that these requests are complex and require additional study. During this time, an independent expert review on MAID and mental illness was conducted by the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness. Its final report was tabled in May 2022. A study of the Criminal Code MAID provisions and other related issues, including mental illness, was also conducted in Parliament during this time by the Special Joint Committee on MAID. Its interim and final reports were tabled in June 2022 and February 2023, respectively.In March 2023, former Bill C-39 extended the temporary exclusion of eligibility for MAID of persons suffering solely from a mental illness by one year, until March 17, 2024. The extension allowed additional time for the dissemination and uptake of key resources by the medical and nursing communities to ensure healthcare system readiness. The extension also provided more time to consider the Special Joint Committee on MAID’s interim and final reports.On March 27, 2023, the Government released the Model Practice Standard for MAID to provide clear guidance to clinicians and health professional regulators to help protect those who may be vulnerable, including those whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental disorder. Additionally, a Canadian MAID curriculum was developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers with the support of Health Canada and was launched in September 2023.On October 18, 2023, the Special Joint Committee on MAID was re-established to assess healthcare system readiness, in accordance with Recommendation 13 of that Committee’s final report. It must submit a final report no later than January 31, 2024.Our Government continues to work with all partners, including the provinces and territories, as well as stakeholders, to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable populations on this deeply personal issue is prioritized. 
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01765441-01765 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01764441-01764 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01763441-01763 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01762441-01762 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01761441-01761 (Citizenship and immigration)BradRedekoppSaskatoon WestConservativeSKOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023October 16, 2023Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipWHEREAS:
  • Bangladeshi students often face long wait times and low acceptance rates for study permits into Canada, impacting their ability to complete their studies;
  • Bangladeshi Canadians and students have called for the inclusion of Bangladesh into the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program, which students in other countries in the region have access too;
  • The Official Opposition has staunchly advocated in the House of Commons for Bangladesh to be included in the SDS program;
  • The Government of Canada did start internal evaluations for Bangladesh's inclusion into SDS and projected an answer for Fall 2022; and
  • Bangladeshi students have been waiting years for an answer on SDS.
We, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to:
  • provide an update on the status on the evaluation of Bangladesh for the Student Direct Stream program; and
  • include Bangladesh in the Student Direct Stream program in a timely manner.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is comprehensively reviewing the International Student Program in order to provide equitable access to students and strengthen program integrity.One of the elements of this program reform is to implement a Recognized Institution Framework, which will result in faster processing for prospective students applying to Designated Learning Institutions that are meeting a higher bar with regards to sustainable student recruitment, student support and housing, student equity and diversity, and student outcomes. This faster processing would be based on the Designated Learning Institutions meeting this higher bar, rather than the country from which the prospective international student is applying for a study permit. In the future, prospective students applying from Bangladesh to recognized institutions will have the opportunity to access expedited processing.IRCC strives to deliver client service excellence in all programs, including the International Student Program. The Student Direct Stream (SDS) is a program to expedite processing; it does not give international students better access to Canadian schools or programs. All students, whether or not they are applying through the SDS, are required to meet the regular study permit requirements. The SDS does not change the fundamental eligibility criteria for a study permit.IRCC continues to work towards delivering faster and more efficient processing for all of its clients, including international students.
BangladeshForeign students
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01760441-01760 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023May 10, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that various actors in India have advocated, instituted, and enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state, contrary to India's secular and pluralistic foundation, posing grave danger to India's religious minorities;
  • Christians in India are facing targeted attacks by extremists, with 486 incidents of anti-Christian attacks in 2021 according to the United Christian Forum, and over 300 attacks reported as of July 2022, including widespread documentation of Church vandalism, assaults of Church workers, and Christian congregations threatened and humiliated;
  • Crimes against Dalit groups, including Dalit women and girls, are reported every hour according to a 2021 report by the National Crime Records Bureau, with the total cases increasing to 50,900 in 2021 compared with 50,291 in 2020; and
  • Indian Muslims are at risk of genocide according to NGO Genocide Watch, which documented "signs and processes" of genocide in India, further supported by credible reports indicating that growing Muslim minorities are subject to planned and targeted threats, assault, sexual violence and killings.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Formally ensure that all trade deals with India, including the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), are premised on mandatory human rights provisions;2. Initiate targeted sanctions against extremists guilty of inciting violence against religious minorities in India; and3. Promote mutually respectful and mutually beneficial human rights dialogue between Canada and India.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is committed to creating economic opportunities through initiatives such as trade agreements so that more Canadians can engage in, and benefit from, trade, while at the same time advancing broader social, labour, and environmental priorities in Canada, such as inclusive growth and the promotion of human rights. Fostering greater engagement and closer ties with countries through trade agreements is also an effective way of promoting Canadian values, such as human rights, democracy, openness, respect for the rule of law, and rules-based international trade. With respect to trade agreement negotiations, the Government of Canada has paused negotiations with India to further review and reflect. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting exporters to find opportunities to expand into international markets, including in the fast-growing Indo-Pacific Region.The promotion and protection of human rights has long been an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada believes that human rights are the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic values. Canada’s autonomous sanctions regime is one of many tools that support this important work. The government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights, such as freedom of religion or belief and the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minority groups around the world, on an ongoing basis. Canada is also committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief internationally and at home, working with partners to create a climate of inclusion and respect for diversity and against the persecution of minorities on the grounds of religion or belief. No person or group should face restrictions on the freedom to practise their faith or belief, whether in the form of laws, policies, or actions or through harassment or violence. It causes suffering and division and leads to a climate of fear, intolerance, and stigmatization. Canada will continue to stand up for this freedom while promoting diversity and inclusion for all.
Civil and human rightsIndiaInternational tradeReligious minorities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01759441-01759 (Health)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023March 14, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWE, THE UNDERSIGNED RESIDENTS OF CANADA, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas sexually explicit material - including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence - can be easily accessed on the Internet by young persons; Whereas a significant proportion of the sexually explicit material accessed online is made available on the Internet for commercial purposes and is not protected by any effective age-verification method;Whereas the consumption of sexually explicit material by young persons is associated with a range of serious harms, including the development of pornography addiction, the reinforcement of gender stereotypes and the development of attitudes favourable to harassment and violence - including sexual harassment and sexual violence - particularly against women;Whereas Parliament recognizes that the harmful effect of the increasing accessibility of sexually explicit material online for young persons is an important public health and public safety concern;Whereas online age-verification technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights;Whereas anyone making sexually explicit material available on the Internet for commercial purposes has a responsibility to ensure that it is not accessed by young persons; andWhereas online age-verification was the primary recommendation made by stakeholders during a 2017 study by the Standing Committee on Health.THEREFORE your petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210, Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the protection of young people online, especially with regard to the consumption of sexually explicit material. This is a very important issue, and the Government is currently developing its approach to protecting children to ensure they can engage safely online.As stated in the 2021 mandate letters to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Justice, the Government is committed to developing and introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content to protect Canadians, and hold online platforms accountable for the content they host. The Government is working hard to meet these commitments and aims to introduce legislation as soon as possible. The Government has conducted extensive consultations with experts, citizens, civil society, and other stakeholders to this end. It has heard from a diverse set of views and intends to draw on those insights when drafting legislation. It has heard a strong consensus for protecting children and youth from harm online– and that this needs to be balanced against other priorities, like protections for freedom of expression and privacy rights. The Government has also heard support for a risk-based approach to online safety; the need to hold online platforms accountable to a standard for responsible action; the need for more transparency; and the need for better tools to empower users on these platforms. Finally, it has heard that there is a need to confront child sexual abuse material content, and to mitigate the risks associated with exposing children and youth to such content.                                                                                                                                                                                                  The Government has also been looking at efforts in other jurisdictions to protect children from explicit sexual content and other harmful content online. It has reviewed the United Kingdom’s 'Age-Appropriate Design Code' that requires regulated services to develop age assurance tools and other measures to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content by children. And it has watched with interest as Australia has indicated it will prioritize industry codes over mandatory age verification to address children’s access to online pornography.Lessons learned from other jurisdictions as well as the advice received from each stream of engagement are contributing to the development online safety legislation in Canada. Summaries for consultations can be found online https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.html Overall, the Government is committed to putting in place a legislative and regulatory framework that will hold large online platforms accountable for protecting their users, including children and youth, from the risk of exposure to a range of harmful content. People in Canada, especially children and youth, deserve safer and more inclusive online experiences.   
InternetLegal agePornographyYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01758441-01758 (Public safety)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01757441-01757 (Civil and human rights)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023June 23, 2022PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • A review conducted by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization found no information regarding the transmission of COVID-19 on airplanes;
  • According to Westjet's first Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Tammy McKnight, as of April 23, 2021, there had been no known case of COVID19 transmission onboard any Canadian aircraft;
  • An International Air Transport Association study in 2020 found that out of 1.2 billion passengers worldwide, only 44 cases of COVID-19 were reported as flight-related transmission;
  • Countries around the world have removed their vaccine mandates and restrictions; and
  • The vaccine mandate imposed on Canadians taking domestic flights, trains and ferries is an unreasonable infringement of their rights and freedoms that cannot be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
Therefore we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada and the Minister of Transport to:1) Abolish the domestic vaccine passport requirement for Canadian citizens and permanent residents taking domestic flights; and2) End all federally regulated COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezAs of June 20, 2022, the Government suspended vaccination requirements for domestic and outbound travel, the federally regulated transportation sector, and federal government employees. Proof of vaccination is no longer required for travel within Canada or for those working in the federally regulated transportation sector; accommodations for remote communities are also no longer necessary.Other public health measures, under the authority of the Public Health Agency of Canada such as border entry restrictions, passenger testing, masking, quarantine and isolation requirements were also lifted on October 1, 2022.  
COVID-19ImmunizationPandemicTravel restrictions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01756441-01756 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023March 28, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01755441-01755 (Health)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023October 11, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Liberals are threatening access to Natural Health Products through new rules that will mean higher costs and fewer products available on store shelves;
  • New so-called 'cost recovery' provisions would impose massive costs on all consumers of Natural Health Products and undermine access for Canadians who rely on these products; and
  • Provisions in the latest Liberal omnibus budget have given the government substantial new arbitrary powers around the regulation of Natural Health Products.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to reverse the changes made in the latest Liberal budget regarding Natural Health Products.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01754441-01754 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023October 13, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:
  • Women's shelters are sadly seeing increased demand;
  • The high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live; and
  • At a time when this Liberal government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, they are cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to restore funding for women's shelters.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns about the right to a safe and affordable place to call home. Providing a safe and secure space for persons fleeing domestic violence is a priority for our government. Launched in 2017, the National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, more than $82-billion plan giving more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum while prioritizing populations most in need, including women and their children. The federal government aims to put 33% of the strategy’s investments, with a minimum of 25%, toward serving the unique needs of women and their children.NHS programs and initiatives support the creation of shelters, such as the $13.2 billion National Housing Co-Investment Fund which aims to create 2,000 new shelter spaces and repair 2,000 shelters for survivors of family violence. As of June 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed to creating 1,241 new shelter spaces or transitional housing units available for survivors of gender-based violence, and to repair/renew a further 302 units.  The Government recognizes that Indigenous women and children face unique challenges and barriers to housing. For those who experience violence, a shelter is often a first step to rebuilding their lives and protecting them from further violence. The NHS includes programming and funding exclusively for shelters in Indigenous communities and in the North. This includes $420 million through the Indigenous Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative to build a minimum of 38 shelters and 50 new transitional homes for Indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping gender-based violence. As of June 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed $76 million toward the construction of 11 shelters and 18 transitional homes through this program.In May 2020, our government committed $44.8 million to build a total of 12 new shelters across Canada for Indigenous women, children, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people escaping family violence. These Indigenous-led shelters will provide vital refuge and culturally appropriate critical supports and services to help survivors of family violence recover from the trauma of their experiences, access support programming and create a stable environment where they can begin to regain an independent life. This is also a crucial element of the Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, the Government of Canada’s response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and an important contribution to the National Action Plan to end violence against Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. 
Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Lisa HepfnerIn response to unprecedented challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada provided approximately $300 million in emergency funding to over 1,400 organizations such as women’s shelters, sexual assault centres, and other organizations that provide critical supports and services to those experiencing gender-based violence (GBV), including intimate partner violence.Along with other temporary COVID-19 emergency measures introduced by the federal government since 2020, this measure is coming to an end.  Despite this, the Government of Canada continues to support critical services for individuals experiencing gender-based violence. Most notably, on November 9, 2022, Women and Gender Equality Canada launched a historic National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence. This provides an investment of $539.3 million over five years, committed in Budget 2022, which is being implemented through bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories to support their efforts to address and end gender-based violence. These agreements, along with the respective provincial/territorial implementation plans, will be posted on Women and Gender Equality Canada’s website. This historic funding builds on additional Government of Canada investments to address gender-based violence since 2021-22:  
SheltersWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 29, 2023441-01753441-01753 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 16, 2023November 29, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament220CertifiedNovember 29, 2023e-4657e-4657 (Foreign affairs)AmirEpsteinMelissaLantsmanThornhillConservativeONOctober 30, 2023, at 4:20 p.m. (EDT)November 29, 2023, at 4:20 p.m. (EDT)November 29, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization in Canada under the Criminal Code, specifically listed as a terrorist entity in the "Regulations Establishing a List of Entities" pursuant to section 83.05 of the Criminal Code;On October 7, 2023, armed members of the terrorist organization Hamas invaded southern Israel and violently abducted over 200 hostages including a Canadian citizen, leaving a further 1400 dead; andThe Canadian government must not only condemn hostage-taking but also take active steps in accordance with international law and treaties to secure the immediate release of all hostages taken by terrorist group Hamas, including the Canadian citizen.We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada 1. To unequivocally condemn hostage-taking and take active steps, in accordance with international law and treaties;2. To secure the immediate release of all hostages, including the Canadian citizen. It is imperative to make it clear that this demand is non-negotiable; and3. Until all hostages are released unharmed, financial transactions with Iran and Gaza must cease, in order to send a strong message that Canada will not tolerate such actions. While humanitarian aid in the form of food and medicine is a necessity, no financial aid should be provided whatsoever, as it will undoubtedly fund the very terrorism we aim to end.Foreign policyHostagesInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionMiddle East44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 23, 2023e-4395e-4395 (Civil and human rights)LIWANGChandraAryaNepeanLiberalONApril 14, 2023, at 9:54 a.m. (EDT)July 13, 2023, at 9:54 a.m. (EDT)October 16, 2023November 23, 2023July 14, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to reconsider its proposed Foreign Influence Transparency Registry.If current legislation is not adequate to deal with intimidation by foreign actors, the government should consider instead strengthening these laws. We do not believe, however, that a foreign influence registry will meaningfully address intimidation of Canadians and other kinds of foreign interference. A registry is a misleading way to identify sources of foreign influence. It is difficult to distinguish between positive and malign foreign influence, which goes well beyond agents who are acting for foreign governments. Also, a foreign influence registry poses a serious harassment and stigmatization risk for racialized communities. A broad definition of foreign influence could infringe on Canadians’ charter rights while stifling international business and civil society links that are beneficial for Canada. It could also create a chill within vulnerable communities, leading them to withdraw from civic engagement and public service, which will result in their further marginalization. However, if a registry is necessary, it should apply to all countries equally and be based on specific arrangements such as monetary payment between individuals or organizations and a foreign state, rather than on hypothetical or presumed arrangements. Registration should only apply in the case of lobbying government officials and politicians, and not for private activities or general communications. It should not be based on country of origin, ethnicity, business and civil society affiliations, and most importantly, on one’s views.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Foreign governments have legal, established, and legitimate channels of engagement with the Government of Canada. These include diplomatic and lobbying efforts, as well as economic engagement involving entities that are owned in whole or in part by a foreign state. However, some foreign governments cross the line from standard, legitimate diplomatic activities and lobbying into foreign interference when they seek to exert influence in non-transparent ways. This concept is known as malign foreign influence. When not addressed, these activities can have serious implications for Canadian interests, national security and democratic processes and institutions.A Foreign Influence Transparency Registry would not tackle all forms of foreign interference, such as transnational repression. However, by creating a registration obligation and making its information public, a registry would generate transparency, deter malign and covert influence activity, and foster societal resilience by encouraging individuals to undertake due diligence when entering into a relationship with, or conducting activities on behalf of, foreign organizations. A registry is not a blacklist, nor does registration mean that an individual is engaged in undesirable or unlawful activity. Through a registration requirement, a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry would help identify who is undertaking influence activities in Canada on behalf of foreign states or their proxies. In doing so, a registry would reveal the interests behind activities directed at influencing the Canadian government or political processes in Canada. These interests and activities may be legitimate but, as an open democracy, it is important Canadians are aware of the underlying connection to a foreign principal. Unclear labelling of state-backed communications can produce public or media messaging that reinforces interests of other states and circulates propaganda or disinformation that could either misdirect citizens or pollute the general media and information environment. The registry would apply to all countries equally.The Government of Canada is committed to the protection of individuals and communities in Canada, as well as our democratic institutions and processes. So far, the feedback Public Safety Canada received from Canadians and a diverse range of stakeholders, including racialized communities, during public consultations has indicated that there is broad support for a registry. Since the close of online consultations, Public Safety Canada has continued engaging with stakeholders to make sure the various perspectives are meaningfully considered in the design of a proposal. A registry would not singularly address the complex issue of foreign interference. Rather, it would serve as an important tool to enhance Canada’s counter-foreign interference toolkit. In addition to a Foreign Influence Transparency Registry, the government is actively considering other legislative tools and approaches to address other aspects of foreign interference.
Civil and human rightsForeign influence transparency registry
44th Parliament229Not certifiedNovember 23, 2023e-4645e-4645 (Business and trade)FrançoisLarocheMarie-HélèneGaudreauLaurentides—LabelleBloc QuébécoisQCOctober 24, 2023, at 11:27 a.m. (EDT)November 23, 2023, at 11:27 a.m. (EDT)November 23, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:In 2020, as the pandemic wreaked havoc across society and the economy, several financial assistance programs were created, including CEBA. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were invited to apply;Nearly 900,000 SMEs benefited from this interest-free loan including a subsidy between $10,000 and $20,000;If repayments were made before the announced date, a portion of the loan was forgiven;As per article 1379 of the Civil Code of Quebec, “a contract of adhesion is a contract in which the essential stipulations were imposed or drawn up by one of the parties, on his behalf or upon his instructions, and were not negotiable,” as in CEBA;These 900,000 companies applied in good faith, and there have been reports of serious miscommunication between the parties involved, exacerbated by the fact that management of the program was assigned to an external organization, ACCENTURE; andEven if they repay the amount early, entitling them to the forgivable portion of the subsidy, some companies will not be able to receive the subsidy as stipulated in the CEBA contract, without a clearly explained valid reason.We, the undersigned, citizens and entrepreneurs of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada not only to extend the loan repayment date, but also to respect the agreements in the initial CEBA framework, as well as government transparency in its handling of the files to ensure that the program runs smoothly.Canada Emergency Business AccountCOVID-19LoansPandemicSmall and medium-sized enterprises44th Parliament229Not certifiedNovember 22, 2023e-4533e-4533 (Public safety)XavierSt-GelaisMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJuly 25, 2023, at 1:57 p.m. (EDT)November 22, 2023, at 1:57 p.m. (EDT)November 22, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="271245" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Transport</Addressee>Whereas:In 2020, the Canadian Council of Motor Transportation Administrators, comprised of federal and provincial ministers overseeing transportation, issued Standard 16: Commercial Truck Driver Entry Level Training under the National Safety Code;Standard 16 establishes a comprehensive national standard for mandatory entry level training as part of commercial truck driver licensing, with only five provinces having since implementing it within their vehicle licensing frameworks;Standard 16 establishes a minimum of 103.5 hours of instructional training, only 65% of which is practical training spent behind the wheel, far below the minimum of 240 hours called for by industry players and public health road safety experts;Accidents involving commercial truck drivers have been among the deadliest in Canada with investigations frequently implicating the driver’s lack of training; andPreventable commercial truck crashes are on the rise, with Ontario having the highest number of commercial truck accidents ever in 2022 and over one fifth of traffic accident annually across Canada now involving large commercial trucks.We, the undersigned, Citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to amend the National Safety Code’s Standard 16 to enhance mandatory entry level training requirements for commercial truck drivers to require that:1. a minimum of 240 instructional hours be completed to be licensed;2. a minimum of 80% be practical training behind the wheel of a truck; 3. tire chain installation training be mandatory for all commercial truck drivers in all provinces and territories; and 4. training instructors be certified as having completed the national entry level training requirements themselves before instructing others.Driving permitsEducation and trainingHarmonization of standardsTrucking and truckers44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023e-4528e-4528 (Health)DavidGebhartDanAlbasCentral Okanagan—Similkameen—NicolaConservativeBCJuly 18, 2023, at 9:56 a.m. (EDT)September 16, 2023, at 9:56 a.m. (EDT)October 6, 2023November 20, 2023September 18, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:More than 100,000 live with Parkinson’s and 30 are diagnosed every day;Without treatment, symptoms of Parkinson’s will make it hard or impossible to do everyday tasks;Symptoms include but are not limited to: shaking, stiffness and difficulty swallowing;Drugs for Parkinson’s work on the brain’s complex chemistry and need to be taken several times a day;Two critical Parkinson's rescue medications, Movapo and Kynmobi, are being discontinued by their respective distribution companies; andLong wait times, often spanning 6 to 24 months to see movement disorder specialists, pose a serious impediment to optimal patient care.We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Work with the Canadian distribution companies, Palladin and Sunovion, to prevent the discontinuation of Movapo and Kynmobi, as well as consult with Parkinson's Canada on this important matter; and2. Recognize the urgent need for healthcare professionals specializing in Parkinson's disease.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes the importance of ensuring that patients have access to potentially life-saving drugs. As the regulatory authority responsible for authorizing new prescription pharmaceutical drugs, the Health Product and Food Branch (HPFB)’s Pharmaceutical Drugs Directorate’s work in the area of Parkinson’s Disease has involved reviewing submissions for new drugs or clinical trials and in providing advice to various stakeholders regarding what is generally required to support an authorization.Health Canada is aware that Kynmobi (marketed by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.) was discontinued on September 29, 2023 and that Movapo (marketed by Paladin Labs Inc.) will be discontinued on October 31, 2023. The Department is also aware that existing supplies of Kynmobi in Canada are expected to last for months beyond the discontinuation date. In both cases the decision to withdraw the products from the market was made by the market authorization holders. Unless there are safety or efficacy reasons to withdraw a product, the decision to maintain market authorization of a product in Canada rests with the market authorization holder. Ensuring Canadians can get the medicines they need is one of Health Canada’s top priorities. The Food and Drug Regulations require manufacturers of prescription drugs to report and discontinuances within specified timeframes on www.drugshortagescanada.ca. Reporting of discontinuations provides timely, comprehensive and reliable information essential for drug manufacturers, provincial and territorial governments, drug supply stakeholders, health care professionals and patients to prevent or manage the adverse health effects of drug discontinuations, helping to protect the health and safety of Canadians.In the absence of an application from a company, Health Canada cannot authorize the marketing of a pharmaceutical drug, regardless of whether the product is authorized elsewhere. Drugs that have not received marketing approval in Canada are typically only available for research purposes, clinical trials, or through the Department’s Special Access Programme (SAP). Health Canada regularly engages with stakeholders to better understand concerns and values the input of all actors within the health system, including health practitioners and patient groups. The Department understands there is a need for healthcare professionals specializing in Parkinson’s Disease. The Government of Canada oversees the delivery of healthcare professional training and it has set aside $25 billion dedicated to the signing of bilateral agreements with the Provinces and Territories to invest in four key shared health priorities, one of which is supporting health workers.While the provinces and territories are responsible for the delivery of treatment services, the Federal Government plays a role in making sure appropriate and evidence-based treatment options are available for those who need them. HPFB is ready to work with any manufacturer to support an authorization for apomorphine. The Department provides sponsors with an opportunity for early advice on their submissions, including a pre-submission meeting, which typically occurs when they are ready to file. Health Canada also collaborates with the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies (CADTH) in Health such that, at the sponsor’s discretion, reviews can happen concurrently by both agencies, with the intent of shortening time to market by advancing reimbursement recommendation decision times. Lastly, the Department also offers advanced consideration and priority review pathways, which reduce review timelines from 300 days to less than 200 days, depending on the pathway.As part of its national surveillance mandate, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) works with all provinces and territories through the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System (CCDSS) to collect data on diagnosed parkinsonism, including Parkinson Disease, and twenty other chronic conditions. The CCDSS enhances the scope of data on chronic diseases in Canada and supports the planning of health resources and the development of public health policies and programs. Data on diagnosed parkinsonism, including Parkinson Disease, are routinely collected to better understand its prevalence, incidence and all-cause mortality by age group, sex, province and territory, and over time.Through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Government of Canada is supporting research on Parkinson’s disease, including studies on the underlying mechanisms of the disease, prevention, diagnostics, and the discovery of novel treatment approaches. Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, CIHR invested approximately $72.7 million in Parkinson’s research at Canadian universities and research institutions, including $16.9 million in 2020-21 alone.
Caregivers and health care professionalsParkinson's diseasePharmaceuticals
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01750441-01750 (Indigenous affairs)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONOctober 6, 2023November 20, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • Canada has committed harm toward Indigenous people and communities through historical and ongoing genocide;
  • Canadian governments have acted on only 8 of the 94 calls to action in the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC);
  • Call to action 18 asks to acknowledge that the current state of Indigenous health in Canada is a direct result of previous Canadian government policies, including residential schools, and to recognize and implement the health-care rights of Indigenous people as identified in international law, constitutional law, and under the Treaties;
  • Call to action 19 mentions the need to establish, in consultation with Indigenous peoples, measurable goals to identify and close the gaps in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, publish annual progress reports, and assess long-term trends;
  • Such efforts would focus on indicators listed in the TRC;
  • Call to action 20 aims to address the jurisdictional disputes concerning Indigenous people who do not reside on reserves, recognizing, respecting, and addressing the distinct health needs of the Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve Indigenous peoples;
  • Call to action 21 recommends to provide sustainable funding for existing and new Indigenous healing centres to address the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harms caused by residential schools, ensuring priority funding for healing centres in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories; and
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened healthcare discrepancies between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to place implementation of all 94 TRC calls to action at the forefront of the political agenda, starting with calls to action 18 through 21.
Response by the Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern OntarioSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENICA ATWINThe Government of Canada acknowledges that the current state of Indigenous health is the result of shameful colonial activities and policies whose impacts are still felt today. The federal government remains committed to advancing reconciliation and partnerships with Indigenous Peoples, and that includes implementing and delivering on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action. For example, the following are recent actions undertaken by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to fully respond to and implement Calls to Action (CTA) #18 through #21.Regarding Call to Action #18, Indigenous Services Canada is working to address the harmful legacy of past policies by providing and/or funding a range of programs and services, including:
  • Community-based health promotion and disease prevention programs in First Nations and Inuit communities in areas such as children and youth, mental health and addictions, and chronic disease and injury prevention;
  • Primary care services on-reserve in remote and isolated areas where provincial services are not readily available and home and community care services in all First Nation and Inuit communities;
  • Programs to control communicable diseases and address environmental health issues in First Nations and Inuit communities outside the Territories, and initiatives related to environmental health risk assessment and contamination;
  • Non-Insured Health Benefits which provide a range of medically necessary goods and services to status First Nations and eligible Inuit regardless of where they live that supplement benefits provided by private or provincial/territorial programs; and
  • Jordan’s Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative which ensures that First Nations and Inuit children can access the products, services and supports they need, while the federal government works with First Nations and Inuit partners, provinces and territories to develop long-term approaches to help better address the unique needs of First Nations children.
Budget 2022 provided $4 billion over 6 years to ensure First Nations children continue to receive the support they need through Jordan's Principle, and Budget 2023 provided an additional $171 million to ensure that this commitment is fully funded. Jordan's Principle provided more than 2.69 million approved products and services for First Nations children, and the Inuit Child First Initiative has provided 85,280 products and services for Inuit children covered under this initiative. Budget 2023 also reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to invest $2 billion over 10 years through a new Indigenous Health Equity Fund, which will work to achieve and work through the challenges associated with quality and culturally safe health care services for Indigenous people. The recently released Action Plan for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) is a starting point for ongoing collaborative work with Indigenous Peoples on UN Declaration implementation. All measures contained in the Action Plan are to be implemented in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples, with approximately 25% of measures specifically committed to implementation through co-development with Indigenous Peoples. To support Indigenous Peoples’ participation in this work, Budget 2022 provided $37 million in funding over five years to support the core capacity of Indigenous governments, organizations and groups to continue to contribute meaningfully to UNDA implementation. The implementation of the Action Plan will also be supported by a distinctions-based Advisory Committee involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis experts that will be established in the short term, as committed in the Action Plan.ISC engaged with, and received 42 engagement reports from, First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Intersectional partners to understand the potential role federal Indigenous health legislation could have in addressing ongoing health inequities created by settler colonialism. Through this engagement process a national summary report was published What We Heard: Visions for Distinctions-based Indigenous Health Legislation, which, in combination with individual engagement reports received by partners, will provide a basis for the co-development of legislative options or for other new approaches to improve Indigenous health outcomes.Regarding Call to Action #19, ISC is currently collaborating with multiple other government departments and Indigenous partners on developing relevant indicators. A joint initiative between the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network, Statistics Canada, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information resulted in the development of a health inequalities data tool to measure inequalities between distinctions groups. This tool includes 81 new and updated indicators for health outcomes and determinants of health. A report and a supplementary data tool are also being developed by PHAC and the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) on the topic of social determinants of mental health inequities in Canada. Additionally, a report and a suite of complementary assessments on mental wellness inequalities are being developed by ISC, PHAC and FNIGC, and are expected to be completed by 2025. To aid in the development of this report, PHAC has provided $200,000 to the FNIGC.Call to Action #20 – During engagements with Indigenous partners on Indigenous health legislation, partners highlighted jurisdictional issues with living on reserve, the disadvantages associated with accessing health programs and services for on-reserve populations, and the need for government accountability and responsibility to on-status and off-reserve populations. These issues raised by partners will be explored further in the ongoing and future distinctions-based, co-development of legislative options with Indigenous partners. The Indigenous Community Support Fund provided approximately $2.1 billion to Indigenous communities and organizations to address the COVID-19 pandemic, $1.2 billion in direct allocations to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and $851 million in needs-based funding. Of the $851 million in need-based funding, $450 million was provided to urban and off-reserve Indigenous communities and organizations through a call for requests related to the COVID-19 response. Additionally, the Government of Canada invested $1.67 billion in COVID-19 Public Health Funding to First Nations communities and organizations that delivered public health services since the start of the pandemic. Also, funding for Jordan’s Principle, the Inuit Child First Initiative and the Indigenous Health Equity Fund has, and will continue to be, provided to address the concerns and recognize the distinct needs outlined in Call to Action #20.Regarding Call to Action #21, ISC continues to be actively involved with the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated in the construction and ongoing operations of the Nunavut Recovery Centre. To date, approximately $2 million has been provided to the Government of Nunavut to support the design and construction of this facility. The Minister of ISC attended the ‘tundra-turning’ ceremony with Inuit and territorial partners. Construction on the centre is expected to be completed in August 2025.In partnership with the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, ISC has worked to develop and open the Woodland Wellness Centre, which had its grand opening in June 2022 and continues to provide Indigenous-led health and wellness services to Indigenous people in Saskatchewan. ISC has also invested $6.5 million into the construction of the Isuarsivik Regional Recovery Centre, which will provide culturally appropriate substance use treatment services once open. This healing centre, located in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik is scheduled to open in 2023, despite having been delayed because of the pandemic.After Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced that ground-penetrating radar had detected remains of 215 children who died at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, the Government of Canada announced that Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation would receive $12.5 million in federal funding for the construction of a new healing centre for the community.  ISC continues to work with Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation and the First Nations Health Authority to ensure the facility and services reflect the vision of the community.Similarly, to support those impacted by the mass stabbing that took place in Saskatchewan in September 2022, the Prime Minister of Canada announced a $42.5 million over 6 years and $4.5 million ongoing to construct a new wellness centre in James Smith Cree Nation, refurbish the existing treatment centre, and fund wraparound services and transitional supports. ISC continues to work collaboratively with James Smith Cree Nation on this project to ensure that programs best serve the needs of the community.In addition to the funding provided for construction and infrastructure projects, Budget 2021 provided $597.6 million over 3 years to support distinctions-based mental health and wellness strategies (including Trauma-Informed Health and Cultural Support Programs), and Budget 2022 provided $227.6 million over 2 years, to maintain expanded access to trauma-informed, culturally appropriate, Indigenous-led services to improve and support distinctions-based mental wellness.
Health services qualityIndigenous policyTruth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01749441-01749 (Consumer protection)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBOctober 6, 2023November 20, 2023April 25, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is reporting a rise in money laundering and fraud with the set-up of synthetic or false bank accounts where money is being sent from duped seniors' savings accounts and potentially going towards terrorist financing;The Government of BC estimates that $46.7 billion was laundered through the Canadian economy in 2018;FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) states requirements are not sufficient to prevent fraudsters from moving money illegally under the pretense of legitimacy through the wire transfer system in Canada;Our growing retiree population in Canada are increasingly becoming the target of fraud given they have built up wealth over a lifetime to help them support their retirement years and are vulnerable due to lack of controls and protection through the transmission of money within the Canadian banking system; andSeniors are seeing their savings built up over years removed due to the sophistication and disguised deceit and trickery foisted on them by professional fraudsters to exploit them and the current Canadian banking system.We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to undertake a serious and comprehensive review of the current transit system of Canadian citizens' money in this country with the aim of putting more stringent procedures, protocols, and safeguards in place to protect seniors in particular from losing their lifetime savings and wealth to fraud.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada is committed to a strong and comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) Regime. The government continually reviews the Regime to ensure that it is responsive to evolving risks. Since 2019, the government has made investments of over $319.9 million and a number of legislative and regulatory changes to enhance the effectiveness of the Regime.Budget 2023 made legislative amendments to strengthen the investigative, enforcement, and information sharing tools of Canada’s AML/ATF Regime. These amendments complement the government’s Budget 2022 commitment to establish a new Canada Financial Crimes Agency to become the lead enforcement agency against financial crime.On June 6, 2023, a public consultation was launched that will examine ways to improve Canada's AML/ATF Regime, as well as examine how different orders of government can collaborate more closely. This consultation will support the parliamentary review required under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act. Details of these consultations can be found here: Consultation on Strengthening Canada's Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime - Canada.ca.Illicit funds laundered by criminal actors are often generated illegally through fraud, including fraud that targets seniors. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canadians from these types of crimes. One major way it does so is through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which is the central repository for fraud information and intelligence in Canada, and is jointly operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Competition Bureau of Canada. As a National Police Service function, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre gathers intelligence on fraud affecting Canadians, and assists all law enforcement agencies across Canada with fraud prevention and enforcement.The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has a Senior Support Unit entirely supported by volunteers who are dedicated to reducing the impact of fraud across Canada. The Senior Support Unit is a critical component of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, providing advice, education and reassurance to vulnerable Canadians targeted by fraudsters. The Senior Support Unit receives reports referred by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s Intake Unit, after identifying that further assistance for a senior or vulnerable individual is needed.
Banks and bankinge-SecuritySenior citizens
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01748441-01748 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCOctober 6, 2023November 20, 2023September 22, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Indigenous peoples have rights and title to their traditional territories and have been stewards of these lands since time immemorial;
  • The climate crisis requires action by all levels of government and industry;
  • Old-growth forests provide immeasurable benefits, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity, culture, recreation, education, food and more;
  • Valley-bottom high productivity old-growth ecosystems in British Columbia are endangered;
  • Of the remaining 2.7% of original high productivity old-growth forests in British Columbia, 75% are still slated to be logged;
  • Only 9% of the original 360,000 hectares of valley-bottom high productivity old-growth on Vancouver Island remain today, and only 2.6% of those forests are protected in parks;
  • The last unprotected intact old-growth valley on Southern Vancouver Island, Fairy Creek, is slated for logging, along with the upper Walbran Valle and other remaining pockets of old growth; and
  • Most Canadians support sustainable harvesting of second and third growth forests, but do not support logging old-growth trees or destroying their surrounding ecosystems.
We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • 1. Work with the provinces and First Nations to immediately halt logging of endangered old-growth ecosystems;
  • 2. Fund the long-term protection of old-growth ecosystems as a priority for Canada's climate action plan and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples;
  • 3. Support value-added forestry initiatives in partnership with First Nations to ensure Canada's forestry industry is sustainable, and based on the harvesting of second and third growth forests;
  • 4. Ban the export of raw logs and maximize resource use for local jobs; and
  • 5. Ban the use of whole trees for wood pellet biofuel production.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.Canada’s forests provide a wealth of environmental, economic, social and cultural benefits to Canadians. The forestry sector in Canada is governed by provincial legislation, regulations and policies. Through careful monitoring and planning, Canada’s forest sector manages the long-term health of its forests, both safeguarding these benefits in the face of challenges and finding new opportunities in a changing world.Finding solutions also means working with Indigenous communities and leaders so that forest management and conservation practices are informed by Indigenous knowledge systems. Through the Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is providing financial support to Indigenous-led projects and Indigenous-identified priorities in the forest sector. The IFI was recently renewed until 2024-2025 with a $10M contributions budget and a new $3M grants stream. During the renewal process, IFI heard communities’ call for change to support broader priorities in the sector and to support projects that accelerate Indigenous awareness, influence, inclusion, and leadership. With the new grants stream, Indigenous communities can access financial support to prepare for and participate in engagement and consultation activities, such as sustainable forest management planning with industry and government. Other eligible projects that support the sustainability of Canada’s forest industry include gathering, developing, using, and protecting Indigenous knowledge and science, Indigenous leadership and participation in forest stewardship and economic development opportunities. Since 2017, the program has supported 133 Indigenous-led, forest-based economic development projects, invested almost $17M in capital, and helped to create more than 625 jobs and 54 new or expanded businesses.British Columbia’s iconic old growth forests have deep-rooted cultural significance to Indigenous communities and are important to all British Columbians. They are also critical habitats for dozens of species at risk and migratory birds and are important natural stores of carbon.The British Columbia Old Growth Nature Fund established by the Departments of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and NRCan commits $50 million to advance shared objectives regarding urgent protection of vital ecosystems, wildlife habitats and species at risk while also protecting carbon stores in old growth forests. The Old Growth Nature Fund has been established in collaboration with the Province of British Columbia, non-governmental organizations, and Indigenous and local communities.This collaborative work to protect communities and diverse natural habitats, including by advancing Indigenous-led conservation efforts, is also crucial to securing a cleaner, healthier, and greener future for Canadians. The Old Growth Nature Fund further complements the Enhanced Nature Legacy announced in 2021, and the Natural Climate Solutions Fund announced in 2020.Canada boasts the most forest area certified by internationally recognized, third-party systems as being managed in a sustainable way, respecting ecological values and Indigenous rights. Three quarters of Canada’s managed public forests are certified to one or more of three sustainable forest management certification systems: the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Forest Stewardship Council, and the Canadian Standards Association. As with all forest industries in Canada, the wood pellet industry is governed by provincial legislation, regulations and policies that are the basis for sustainable forest management and include protections for old growth forests. Strict monitoring and enforcement measures ensure that Canada’s forests are harvested legally and sustainably.Canadian wood pellets are primarily made from sawmill residues that are by-products of wood product manufacturing. The industry also uses branches and treetops from harvest operations, logs damaged by natural disturbances, or trees that are cut to manage long-term ecological values in the forest. If not used, these additional sources of wood fibre are typically left to decompose into the atmosphere or may be burned onsite.Supporting markets for all material harvested, as part of a sustainable forest management plan, ensures that no part of the harvested tree is wasted, and delivers economic benefits to Canadians.Finally, as part of Budget 2023, Canada announced $368.4 million over three years, starting in 2023-2024 to NRCan to renew and update forest sector support, including for Indigenous leadership in the sector.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuForests provide a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits for people and communities across Canada. They are a major source of income and employment for 300 communities across the country, directly employing 205,000 workers, including over 11,500 Indigenous workers. Canada is committed to Indigenous reconciliation and recognize the importance of natural resources to Indigenous Peoples.With respect to the proposal to ban the export of raw logs, logs are integral to the domestic manufacturing industry for a wide range of forest products including softwood lumber and other products like high value finished veneer panels. Domestic and international trade in logs is important for log harvesters and Canadian trade. The policy and process governing the export of logs harvested in British Columbia contained in Global Affairs Canada’s Notice to Exporters No. 102 form an important part of the Government’s efforts to ensure the right balance between log exports and domestic policy objectives.The Government regularly reviews policies to ensure that Canada’s domestic policy objectives and trade opportunities are maximized and welcomes all ideas and proposals related to its policies, including those associated with the export of raw logs. The Government is committed to continuing to work and collaborate closely with Indigenous Peoples and all stakeholders and partners on this issue to achieve the best possible results for Canada.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTCanada is home to ecosystems that are globally significant in their capacity to absorb carbon, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and protect biodiversity. This includes 24% of the world’s wetlands, 25% of temperate rainforest areas and 28% of remaining boreal forests. In this context, the Government of Canada understands that the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are connected and need to be tackled together.That said, conservation and protection of Canada’s forests, including old growth forests and ecosystems, is a shared responsibility. The vast majority of Canada's forests are located on provincial and territorial Crown lands. In British Columbia (B.C.), approximately 96% of forests are on provincial Crown land, where, under the Constitution Act, 1867, forest management is the jurisdiction of the provincial government. As such, forest management on those lands is within the jurisdiction of the B.C. government. At the same time, there is an important federal role to conserve migratory bird habitat, protect critical habitat of federally listed species at risk, and mitigate climate change.With this in mind, the mandate letters of the Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and Natural Resources include a commitment to help protect old growth forests, notably in B.C., by reaching a Nature Agreement with B.C., establishing a $50 million B.C. Old Growth Nature Fund, and ensuring First Nations, local communities and workers are partners in shaping the path forward for nature protection. This $50 million investment was made through Budget 2022, and a contribution agreement was signed with B.C. in March 2023.The Old Growth Nature Fund will deliver on the Ministers’ mandate letters by providing $50 million to the Government of B.C., to be matched by B.C., to permanently protect and conserve old growth forests in the province. The Fund focuses on protecting at-risk high productivity old growth forests that are of prime biodiversity value identified as important for species at risk, migratory birds, climate mitigation and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Specifically, federal funding supports planning and collaboration with B.C. and Indigenous communities, and provides incentives for third-party funders to permanently protect and conserve large areas of at-risk old growth forests in the province. For example, the 58,000-hectare Incomappleux Valley Conservancy in the B.C. interior was created, in-part, thanks to investments under the Old Growth Nature Fund.The Old Growth Nature Fund will be a key component of the Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation, which was signed on November 3, 2023 in Vancouver between Canada, B.C and the First Nations Leadership Council. The Framework Agreement presents a unique opportunity to collaboratively advance nature conservation, species at risk and climate mitigation objectives in collaboration with provincial and Indigenous partners. With regard to old growth specifically, work together under the Framework Agreement will include efforts to protect the habitat of old growth-associated species such as Marbled Murrelet. In so doing, the Agreement will build on recent announcements from the Government of B.C. concerning moratoria on old growth forest harvesting, and to launch a provincial Conservation Finance Mechanism to protect ecosystems including forests.The Government of Canada appreciates that, in addition to their habitat functions, forests are key to the health of the climate, influencing rainfall, temperature, and other metrics. Temperate old growth forests, like those in B.C., also function as important carbon reservoirs.Appreciating the significance of forests to biodiversity conservation and climate, the federal government has contributed to protecting nearly 400,000 hectares of forest habitat in B.C. This includes conservation projects under programs such as the Target 1 Challenge, Natural Heritage Conservation Program, Ecological Gifts Program, and others.Alongside this work, the federal government has made forests a central part of Canada’s plan to tackle climate change. The Old Growth Nature Fund in particular is expected to contribute directly to the Government of Canada's commitments to achieve Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The old growth temperate rainforests of B.C. are among the largest natural carbon sinks in the world (on a per hectare basis) and are among the most efficient ecosystems at capturing carbon in Canada.Complementing this effort on a broader scale, the Government of Canada has also announced a series of funding initiatives of significance to forest ecosystems and forestry in Canada:
  • Natural Climate Solutions is investing more than $5 billion over ten years to restore, better manage, and conserve Canada’s natural and managed ecosystems. This initiative includes three complementary programs:
    • 2 Billion Trees program, led by Natural Resources Canada;
    • Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF), led by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC); and
    • The Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) program, led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
  • The NSCSF is a $1.4 billion 10-year (2021-2031) fund to reduce 5-7 megatons of GHG emissions annually. Up to $36.9 million in funding has been allocated to support Indigenous communities to deliver projects that build capacity and advance Indigenous-led efforts on natural climate solutions, with a focus on improved management, conservation, and restoration of wetlands, grasslands and forests that result in reduced and captured GHG emissions.
  • Enhanced Nature Legacy provides $2.3 billion in new funding over five years (2021-2026) that will further contribute to the implementation of conservation measures for Canada’s land and freshwater ecosystems and wildlife. This includes the establishment of new federal, provincial and territorial protected areas, other effective area-based conservation measures, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, and additional habitat restoration. It also included the announcement of further investments through the Low Carbon Economy Fund, a $2 billion fund that could, amongst other things, incent provinces to leave timber standing (for example, by creating other revenue streams for forests).
The broader significance of Canada’s forests is also recognized in the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada where forests are identified as a priority sector. Development of a conservation action plan for species at risk is currently underway in collaboration with forest sector partners and stakeholders to advance the protection and recovery of species at risk and enhance sector sustainability.With respect to support for Indigenous community involvement in ecosystem protection and climate action, including in forests and more broadly, it should be noted that under the NSCSF, described above, an Indigenous Partnership (NSCSF-IP) stream was established to provide targeted funding to enable Indigenous peoples to play a meaningful leadership role in natural climate solutions as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to Reconciliation. Through the NSCSF-IP, ECCC supports Indigenous organizations and communities to undertake Indigenous-led capacity building activities and on-the-ground projects for ecological restoration, improved land management, and conservation of wetlands, grasslands, agricultural lands and forests that result in reduced GHG emissions, and that maximize co-benefits for biodiversity, climate resiliency, and human well-being.Beyond this, ECCC has also funded approximately 115 First Nations, Inuit and Métis Guardians initiatives since 2017 with investments totaling over $46 million. Indigenous Guardians initiatives support Indigenous rights and responsibilities in protecting and conserving ecosystems including old-growth forests, developing and maintaining sustainable economies, and continuing the profound connections between the Canadian landscape and Indigenous culture. Indigenous Guardians are Indigenous peoples exercising their cultural responsibilities through on-the-ground stewardship of traditional lands, waters, air, and ice. They act as the “eyes and ears on the ground”.  Indigenous Guardians funding supports on-the-ground activities such as ecological and cultural resource monitoring, restoration, and visitor experience activities, contribution to cultural continuity (e.g., intergenerational knowledge transmission) and implementation of Indigenous conservation practices and Indigenous knowledge.   
Environmental protectionForest policyIndigenous policy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023e-4469e-4469 (Health)LeahTemperJohnAldagCloverdale—Langley CityLiberalBCMay 31, 2023, at 2:34 p.m. (EDT)September 28, 2023, at 2:34 p.m. (EDT)October 6, 2023November 20, 2023September 29, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Climate change represents an unprecedented and existential threat to people in Canada and around the world;The Canadian Government has made international climate commitments to drastically reduce fossil fuel consumption and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, which requires the timely phase-out of fossil fuels;In 1989, Canada restricted tobacco advertising and sponsorship to reduce tobacco use to respond to a public health crisis. The government similarly limits advertising of gambling, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals in recognition of their negative effects;Like tobacco, fossil fuel production and consumption has resulted in a national public health crisis of substantial and pressing concern;Fossil fuel air pollution causes up to 34 000 premature deaths in Canada and over 8 million globally every year and is a major cause of cancer, respiratory illness, adverse pregnancy outcomes, children’s diseases, and cardiovascular symptoms;The deadly consequences of extreme weather events such as the 2021 BC heat dome are already leading to lives lost in Canada, and according to Health Canada, will increase in frequency and magnitude due to climate change; andFossil fuel advertising deploys greenwashing techniques which knowingly mislead the public and fail to disclose the health and environmental harms associated with their use. This impedes informed consumer decision-making, undermines public support for effective climate action and delays the transition to safer, cleaner energy sources.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to legislate a comprehensive ban on advertising, sponsorship, and promotion of fossil fuel companies, products, and services (including gasoline, gas utilities, and internal combustion engine vehicles) to protect public health.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Minister of the Environment and Climate Change recognizes the importance of providing environmental information that promotes and encourages practices and conduct that help to preserve the environment. Environmental literacy is critical to tackling the environmental challenges Canada is facing today and will face tomorrow.By better understanding environmental issues and the solutions that exist, Canadians can make better informed choices that will help reduce their carbon footprint. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) engages with Canadians in promoting sustainable actions and explaining the science of climate change, among many things. ECCC also works with federal partners to ensure sustained public communications about the various programs and incentives available to Canadians to support their environmental actions.The Government of Canada recognizes that the oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. That is why the Government continues to engage with oil and gas companies, provinces and territories, Indigenous organizations, and other stakeholders to develop an emissions cap that will ensure the oil and gas sector's emissions decline on a trajectory needed to meet the shared goal of net zero by 2050.The Government’s plan includes a projected contribution for the oil and gas sector of a 31 per cent reduction from 2005 levels, which is equivalent to 42 per cent from 2019 levels and will guide the Government’s work to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. The Government has also invested more than $2.9 billion in charging infrastructure, providing financial support to make buying zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) more affordable, supporting clean medium- and heavy-duty transportation projects, and developing a regulated sales mandate so that 100 per cent of new passenger vehicles sold in Canada will be zero emission by 2035, with interim targets of at least 20 per cent by 2026, and at least 60 per cent by 2030.Obtaining impactful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will inevitably require large-scale systems changesthat influence, for example, where Canadian energy comes from, how Canadians transport and feed themselves, and how Canadians consume and produce waste. These changes will require widespread adoption of new practices among various actors, both large and small, in addition to the development of new clean technologies. As part of its mandate to engage with Canadians to better communicate the impact of climate changes, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has developed and implemented a number of paid advertising campaigns to increase awareness of actions, programs and incentives among Canadians audiences in an effort to encourage pro-climate behaviour. The Our Healthy Environment & Economy (OHEE) advertising campaign ran from 2021-22, informing Canadians of existing efforts that were underway in the fight against climate change, as well as Government of Canada programs, incentives, and efforts available to accelerate the fight against climate change and further encourage climate action.  The Nature-based Climate Solutions (NBCS) campaign launched in February 2023 focused on increasing awareness and understanding of nature’s role in adapting to and mitigating climate change. ECCC is currently developing a third large-scale advertising campaign that will work toward increasing Canadians’ understanding of climate action, specifically by addressing known barriers and leveraging motivators of pro-climate attitudes and behaviour to ultimately move motivated Canadians from intention to action.   
AdvertisingBanFossil fuels
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01746441-01746 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 6, 2023November 20, 2023September 20, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01745441-01745 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 6, 2023November 20, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01744441-01744 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 6, 2023November 20, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01743441-01743 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCOctober 6, 2023November 20, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01742441-01742 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023January 30, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01741441-01741 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023September 14, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01740441-01740 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01739441-01739 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01738441-01738 (Social affairs and equality)Hon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • In November 2020, the final report of the Prince Edward Island Special Committee on Poverty in PEI recommended that the Government of Prince Edward Island begin immediate negotiations with the Government of Canada to develop and implement a Basic Income Guarantee demonstration program for Prince Edward Island;
  • This report has the support of all political parties in Prince Edward Island; and
  • This demonstration Program will benefit all of Canada, as poverty is the primary social determinant of heath and requires bold and creative approaches to understand and address its root causes and consequences in Canada.
THEREFORE, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to begin immediate negotiations with the Government of Prince Edward Island to develop and implement a Basic Income Guarantee demonstration program in the province of PEI that will be administered, monitored, and evaluated for at least five years.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada is taking crucial steps to help make life more affordable for more Canadians, while investing to grow the economy and create jobs.  Income security is a shared responsibility across all orders of government. The federal Government recognizes the importance of working with provinces and territories to address issues regarding affordability for Canadians.This petition calls for the Government of Canada to negotiate with the Government of Prince Edward Island to develop and implement a Basic Income Guarantee demonstration program for Prince Edward Island. If the province of Prince Edward Island decides to proceed with a basic income pilot, the Government of Canada would be pleased to collaborate and could potentially share federal-level administrative, survey, and tax data that could support program design and evaluation.The Government of Canada has already implemented programs that address some elements of a partial basic income, such as the Canada Child Benefit for families with children, and the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors. These and other initiatives have contributed to progress on lifting Canadians out of poverty. These programs complement provincial and territorial programs, including those that deliver social assistance.In addition, recent budgets introduced several measures that will help to reduce poverty and inequality. For example, Budget 2023 made significant investments to build a healthier Canada and deliver affordable dental care, including $13 billion over five years, and $4.4 billion ongoing, to implement the Canada Dental Care Plan.  The Government is also working with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to build a Canada-wide, community-based early learning child care system. The federal government is providing provinces and territories with significant funding to support substantial reductions to families for the cost of regulated child care spaces.The Government of Canada also undertakes research and analysis on potential basic income programs and other approaches that could positively impact Canada’s economy and society, as part of its efforts to tackle poverty and to ensure that all Canadians have a real and fair opportunity to succeed.
Guaranteed annual incomePrince Edward Island
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01737441-01737 (Animals)LindsayMathyssenLondon—FanshaweNDPONOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Minister of National DefenceWhereas:
  • As part of federal defence department training exercises, over eighteen hundred piglets have been killed after being stabbed, mutilated and exposed to radiation and chemical nerve agents;
  • Inadequately sedated piglets revived during the five-hour training exercise, with one piglet "vocalizing loudly" and another "attempting to jump off the (surgical) table";
  • Since 2005, the people responsible for ensuring that these piglets did not suffer, knew that the piglets were reviving but hid the information from the government and Canadians by altering documents and concealing what actually happened;
  • According to an Abacus poll conducted in January, 2023, only 1 in 10 Canadians support the use of piglets for military trauma training; and
  • 77% of NATO nations no longer use animals for military medical training.
We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of National Defence to end the use of animals in military medical training.
Response by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France LalondeNational Defence uses advanced simulations with life-like mannequins, known as human patient simulators for the majority of its medical training. Live tissue training on an anesthetized pig is used only in circumstances where simulations alone are not feasible, as is the case of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear training for medical providers. In these cases, simulators cannot replace the precision and experience gained with live tissue.During live tissue training, National Defence strictly adheres to the guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) (https://ccac.ca/) which establishes the ethical use and care of animals. Further, the use of animals is governed by Defence Administrative Orders and Directive (DAOD) 8014-0 Animal Use in Research and Training and DAOD 8014-1 Management of Animal Use in Research, Teaching and Testing.  This is in line with CCAC standards as well as assessments and certifications to ensure consistent application of the standards across Canada.  National Defence actively seeks to refine, reduce and where appropriate replace the use of live animals for research by using alternative experimental techniques. For example, in 2022, National Defence invested approximately $129,000 in an advanced simulation mannequin or high-fidelity patient simulator, to evaluate its utility to augment medical training provided to CAF members.The approach of using advanced simulation for the majority of training and live tissue training sparingly offers military medical trainees with the highest calibre medical training possible with the goal of providing premium medical care to CAF members and those they protect, at home or abroad.
Animal rights and welfareHogsMilitary exercises
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023e-4312e-4312 (Animals)Émilie-LuneSauvéElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 15, 2023, at 12:25 p.m. (EDT)May 16, 2023, at 12:25 p.m. (EDT)October 5, 2023November 20, 2023May 17, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Companies around the world have begun developing industrial-scale commercial cephalopod farms, in which tens of thousands of octopus or squid would be bred, raised and slaughtered for human consumption;Octopus are highly intelligent, inquisitive and complex beings who, despite their different physiology, feel and respond to pain in a similar way to mammals;Octopus are solitary, wild animals, who are particularly ill-suited to being raised in captivity and would suffer greatly on industrial farms;There is currently no legislation protecting the welfare of farmed cephalopods in those jurisdictions where octopus farming is being developed;Octopus farming raises significant environmental concerns due to new effluents being produced and subsequently discharged into surrounding ecosystems;Octopus farm escapes also pose a serious risk to local habitats and wild animal populations with a high potential of transmitting on-farm diseases;A substantial increase in the use of fishmeal and fish oil products to feed carnivorous farmed octopus will only contribute to the unsustainable pressure exerted on wild fish populations;Octopus farming also poses serious public health risks, as captive cephalopods could be vectors of multiple unknown pathogens and zoonotic diseases such as cholera; andLarge-scale aquatic farms are a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and therefore contribute to the overuse of antibiotics and the dangerous creation of multidrug-resistant bacteria.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, and supporters of Animal Justice, Humane Canada, Last Chance for Animals, the BC SPCA, the Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals, the Montreal SPCA, the Vancouver Humane Society and the Winnipeg Humane Society, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Ban the importation of farmed cephalopod products into Canada; and2. Prohibit the breeding or raising of cephalopods in captivity on Canadian territory.
Response by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, PC, MPThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is dedicated to safeguarding food, animals and plants, which enhances the health and well-being of Canada's people, environment and economy.All imported foods, including molluscan shellfish products such as cephalopods sold in Canada, must comply with Canada’s food safety and animal health regulations. The CFIA has controls in place to help ensure that imported products do not pose risks to humans or animals. For example, shellfish can only be imported from countries that Canada considers to have an equivalent system of food safety. Under the legislative authority of the Health of Animals Act and Regulations, the CFIA regulates the import and domestic movements of finfish, molluscs and crustaceans to prevent the introduction and spread of regulated aquatic animal diseases to protect Canada’s wild and farmed aquatic animal resources.In terms of domestic culture, there are no federally licensed farmed cephalopod operations in Canada. As it relates to the protection of Canada’s aquatic animal resources, the CFIA implements controls, such as domestic movement permits, to contain certain aquatic animal reportable diseases within areas of Canada where they are known to occur. A permit may be required to move susceptible species of live or raw, fresh or frozen molluscs for various end uses, including culture.Although cephalopods are molluscs, there are currently no species of cephalopods that are on the CFIA’s list of susceptible species of aquatic animals (for more information, please refer to https://inspection.canada.ca/animal-health/aquatic-animals/diseases/declarations/eng/1450126558469/1450126559315).The humane transport of all animals is also under federal jurisdiction. Part XII of the Health of Animals Regulations applies to the transport of all animals entering or leaving Canada or within Canada, including cephalopods, and must be complied with when transporting any animals. The following is a non-exhaustive list of a few examples of how the CFIA may verify compliance with the transport of animals, as specified in Part XII of the Health of Animals Regulations:
  • having the knowledge and skills to transport cephalopods,
  • assessing and monitoring the risk factors related to the transport,
  • animal handling that is appropriate to cephalopods,
  • ensuring protection from inadequate environmental conditions,
  • preventing the exposure to toxic or noxious things; and,
  • appropriate container design and construction.
AquacultureCephalopodsImports
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023e-4376e-4376 (Transportation)GaborLukacsTaylorBachrachSkeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPBCMarch 31, 2023, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)July 29, 2023, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)October 5, 2023November 20, 2023August 2, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canada's air passenger protection regime continues to fall short of the standards set in other jurisdictions, such as the European Union;The Canadian Transportation Agency has a growing backlog of over 42,000 complaints from air passengers as of March 20, 2023;The Minister of Transport has acknowledged that Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations are not sufficiently protecting Canadian air passengers; andBill C-327 was drafted in collaboration with leading consumer advocacy groups, addressing their major legislative recommendations to protect Canadian air passengers.We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately introduce a government bill reflecting the entirety of Bill C-327, the Strengthening Air Passenger Protections Act, and prioritize its swift passage into law.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe creation of the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), which fully came into force in December 2019, provided an important framework of rights for Canadians when air travel does not go as planned, clarifying minimum standards of treatment and compensation that must be provided to passengers based on the level of control an airline has over a flight disruption.These regulations were immediately and severely tested by extraordinary circumstances that occurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a sudden rapid recovery of demand. The lack of clarity in the framework led to a significant and growing backlog of complaints with the Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) and the lessons learned throughout these events provided the Government of Canada with valuable insight, including areas of the regulatory framework that needed to be strengthened.   As a result, legislative amendments were introduced in the Budget Implementation Act, 2023, No.1, which received Royal Assent on June 22, 2023, to strengthen Canada’s air passenger rights regime. This places the onus on air carriers where it is presumed that compensation is payable unless they can demonstrate otherwise, streamlining the processes for administering air travel complaints before the Agency, increasing air carriers’ accountability, and providing the Agency with enhanced enforcement authorities for APPR-related non-compliance.Following these recent legislative amendments to the Canada Transportation Act, the Agency has implemented a more streamlined process for resolving air travel complaints, which took effect on September 30, 2023, and has been designed to increase the Agency’s ability to provide timely dispute resolution services to Canadians for both new and existing complaints in the backlog.The Agency has also undertaken a regulatory process to update the APPR, which includes consultations with Canadians, passenger rights representatives, and air industry stakeholders to inform upcoming changes. The updated regulations are expected to be in place at the earliest opportunity and are intended to ensure that travellers are fairly compensated in all cases where disruptions occur, except in exceptional circumstances that will be specifically defined in regulations.The Government is confident that the recent legislative amendments, as well as the upcoming regulatory changes, will address the issues identified in Bill C-327 and go even beyond by streamlining the processes for administering air travel complaints before the Agency, increasing air carriers’ accountability, and requiring the air carriers to pay the costs of assessing eligible complaints that will be referred to the Agency.Understanding the importance of fair and timely compensation, the legislative amendments to the Act also require airlines to establish a process to deal with passenger complaints within 30 days of receiving them. These changes are a continuation of the Government’s commitment to strengthen air passenger rights. They align with Transport Canada’s core responsibility and commitment to foster an efficient and essential transportation system and implement rules and policies that promote choice and improved service to Canadian travellers. 
Airline passengersC-327, An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act (air passenger protection)Consumers and consumer protection
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01734441-01734 (Civil and human rights)DaveEppChatham-Kent—LeamingtonConservativeONOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023October 3, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Freedom of choice in health care is becoming increasingly curtailed and further threatened by legislation and statutory regulations of the Government of Canada;It is a fundamental right for individuals to be able to choose how to prevent illness or how to address illness or injury in their own bodies;Canadians want the freedom to decide how they will prevent illness or how they will address illness or injury in their own bodies; andCanadians are competent and able to make their own health decisions without State interference.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to guarantee the right of every Canadian to health freedom by enacting the Charter of Health Freedom drafted for the Natural Health Product Protection Association on September 4, 2008.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Civil and human rightsHealth
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01733441-01733 (Culture and heritage)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023June 9, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • In 2018, the National Anthem was amended with gender-neutral language to ensure equity and inclusion;
  • Canada's most notable symbols, the Canadian flag and the National Anthem, fail to represent Indigenous people;
  • First contact between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people was amicable, and Indigenous people showed newcomers how to survive;
  • Several Indigenous people fought with the British during the Seven Years' War and were closely associated with Great Britain before and after the American Revolution;
  • It wasn't until the British betrayed them concerning land rights that the alliance soured;
  • They were not the first or last to be misled, deceived, and coerced into signing fraudulent treaties;
  • Treaties affirmed that Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations were built on peace, friendship, morality, and mutual respect for one another's sovereignty;
  • The Doctrine of Discovery denied Indigenous people's sovereignty and granted Christians the power to impose their ideologies while exploiting and seizing Indigenous Peoples' lands;
  • Colonizers called the territory Terra Nullius, or "nobody's land," to establish state control and declare it their home;
  • Indigenous people agreed to share, not surrender, their land expecting settlers to share resources and only take what they need;
  • Indigenous people's relationship to the land differs from those who claim it today;
  • The nature of this tie is not one of "ownership but of stewardship";
  • The land is a sacred gift from the Creator, which Indigenous people vowed to protect;
  • Indigenous stories, identity, community, traditional knowledge, culture, spirituality, and law illustrate the relationship to the land;
  • The land has provided sustenance and shelter to Indigenous people since time immemorial and is revered for its lifegiving quality that sustains plants, animals, and people;
  • To ensure abundant resources, Indigenous people had a reciprocal relationship with the land characterized by responsibility, balance, and interconnection;
  • Disconnection from the land, water, and sky, caused by displacement and banned ceremonies, harms Indigenous people spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally;
  • Continued extraction and exploitation of land resources have led to today's climate crisis;
  • The lack of resources creates conflict among people, disproportionately affecting the marginalized; and
  • Indigenous people's relationship to the land is constitutionally recognized.
Accordingly, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to refute the Doctrine of Discovery and Terra Nullius by amending the National Anthem's lyrics from Our Home and Native Land to Our Home on Native Land. Canada would thereby honour its moral responsibility and fulfill part of its commitment to the 45th call to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, moving towards reparation by recognizing that Indigenous people occupied, cultivated, and thrived on these lands before Europeans arrived.
Response by the Minister of Canadian Heritage Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Taleeb NoormohamedThe Government of Canada would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their concerns regarding the words to the national anthem of Canada.O Canada” became Canada’s national anthem by virtue of the National Anthem Act, which was passed in 1980.The French words of the anthem were composed in 1880 by Adolphe-Basile Routhier, and have remained unchanged since then.The English lyrics are based on those penned by Robert Stanley Weir in 1908, and subsequently modified by a special joint parliamentary committee on the National and Royal Anthems in 1967-1968. These amended lyrics were the ones adopted in 1980.The English lyrics of the national anthem were further modified to make the lyrics gender neutral, by way of a private member’s bill in the House of Commons, which received royal assent on February 07, 2018.By virtue of the Department of Canadian Heritage Act, Section 4 (1) and Section 4 (2) (h), the Minister of Canadian Heritage has jurisdiction “relating to Canadian identity and values, cultural development and heritage” and “state ceremonial and Canadian symbols”.Thus, the showcasing of emblems such as the national anthem and the National Flag of Canada fall within the purview of the Minister of Canadian Heritage.However, as the lyrics to the national anthem are consigned in law by virtue of the National Anthem Act, any changes or amendments to this Act must result from parliamentary legislation, as was the case when the English lyrics were amended in 2018.The Petition calls on the Government of Canada to modify the English lyrics of “O Canada” specifically as a way to denounce the Doctrine of Discovery and the notion of Indigenous land in Canada as Terra Nullius, and thus fulfill its engagements to the TRC’s Call to Action #45.In December 2020, the government of Canada introduced Bill C-15, an Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The bill was passed by Parliament and received royal assent on June 21, 2021. This act repudiates concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous lands and peoples such as the Doctrine of Discovery and Terra Nullius.The preamble of the Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples reads: “Whereas all doctrines, policies and practices based on or advocating the superiority of peoples or individuals on the basis of national origin or racial, religious, ethnic or cultural differences are racist, scientifically false, legally invalid, morally condemnable and socially unjust”.Additionally, the Vatican, and thus the Papacy and the Catholic Church, on whose authority the Doctrine of Discovery was initiated in the 15th century, also officially denounced the Doctrine of Discovery on March 30, 2023.Changing the English lyrics of “O Canada” would contribute to the fulfillment of part of Calls to Action #45 and #47, as the commitment to these Calls to Action is much broader.It should be noted that the Petition addresses solely the English lyrics of the national anthem of Canada. An equitable and inclusive review of the lyrics of the national anthem, should this come to pass, would do best to address the national anthem in Canada’s two official languages. 
National AnthemReconciliation with indigenous peoples
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01732441-01732 (Civil and human rights)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABOctober 5, 2023November 20, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01731441-01731 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and international engagement.Canada is strongly committed to working with governments, as well as multilateral and non-governmental organizations, to promote inclusive and accountable governance around the world. Canada is consistently a strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values.Canada’s leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention demonstrates its steadfast commitment to upholding universal human rights and the rules-based international order.The Government of Canada maintains an active and open dialogue with the Turkish, Pakistani and Bahraini Governments concerning human rights, as part of Canada’s commitment to promote democracy and uphold human rights and the rule of law globally.Global Affairs Canada officials met with the Turkish families that reported of their arrest in Pakistan and Bahrain and eventual detention in Türkiye, before moving to Canada. Global Affairs Canada officials have also received a submission from these families, requesting sanctions against specific Turkish officials in relation to their previous detention in Türkiye.Canada is judicious when it chooses to deploy sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use, when appropriate. Canada remains committed to playing a leadership role in the preservation and strengthening of an international rules-based order – sanctions are a key component of this approach. We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools for maintaining and restoring international peace and security, combatting corruption, and promoting respect for norms and values, including human rights. Canada carefully considers the bilateral consequences that any sanction measures could have. To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Wherever possible, Canada coordinates closely with likeminded allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01730441-01730 (Public safety)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01729441-01729 (Transportation)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023June 4, 2021Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas, students studying for a commercial pilot's license are currently waiting to be licensed and are unable to finish their training;Whereas, for months, Transport Canada offices have been closed, which has prevented students from being able to take their exams and receive certification;Whereas, across Canada, schools and other buildings have been opened and are operating with relevant precautions; and;Whereas, Transport Canada hasn't put forward a solution so that these students can complete their written exams.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Safely open the Transport Canada offices, or create some other facility or mechanism, so that students can write their exams and be able to receive their commercial pilot's licence.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezTransport Canada acknowledges the challenges faced by students studying for a commercial pilot license over the last few years. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-person examination offices had to temporarily pause examination invigilation, along with many public services which created a backlog.During the pandemic, Transport Canada adopted several temporary measures through exemptions to address medical renewals, extend licence privileges, and respond to the need for written examination for licences, instrument ratings, and flight instructor ratings. To familiarize themselves with these exemptions and other COVID-19 information, pilots and other aviation parties were advised to refer to the Transport Canada website where exemptions were published. For example, a temporary exemption was issued to allow candidates that have not yet written the requisite written examination for a commercial pilot licence, an instrument rating, or any of the flight instructor ratings, to be accepted to attempt the flight test required for the issuance of an instrument rating, any of the flight instructor ratings until August 31, 2022.Another temporary measure allowed all licensing applicants who have applied for a permit, licence, or rating after March 11, 2020, but no later than February 29, 2024, and who have successfully-completed the knowledge requirement, to extend the knowledge requirements by 10 months.Between July 2020 and December 2020, Transport Canada’s National Service Teams resumed examination invigilation in their offices. The resumption of examination invigilation aligned with the regional COVID-19 rules in place during that time. Transport Canada delivered examination on paper and sometimes used different facilities to accommodate a larger number of candidates while maintaining COVID-19 safety protocols, including social distancing. Many mass examination invigilation sessions were also organized, both on and off Transport Canada premises to address backlogs.In addition, Transport Canada expanded the Authorized Exam Invigilator program to include the addition of commercial pilot aeroplane examinations. This expansion was done to swiftly address examination backlog caused by the pandemic. It was implemented with schools that have an established Integrated Training Program as per the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR) 406.75 or, in certain geographical locations, have a Transport Canada accepted Quality Assurance System as per CAR 406.14. It should be noted that further expansion is currently on hold while mitigation efforts are implemented to ensure the security and validity of professional flight crew examinations.All Transport Canada Centres across Canada are currently scheduling examination invigilation by appointment only. Several examination sessions are being held per day/week to accommodate pilots, and there are ample openings in the current booking schedule to meet demand.Transport Canada acknowledges the challenges faced by students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to work with industry partners to facilitate the undertaking of written examinations by students. 
Flight trainingPermits and licencesPilots
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01728441-01728 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023June 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023e-4332e-4332 (Foreign affairs)shahinmoghaddamMelissaLantsmanThornhillConservativeONMarch 21, 2023, at 8:52 a.m. (EDT)April 20, 2023, at 8:52 a.m. (EDT)October 4, 2023November 20, 2023April 20, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:On January 8, 2020, Ukrainian passenger Flight PS752 was shot down by two IRGC missiles, Brutally;The Islamic government, after days of denial, accepted responsibility and blamed this attack on human error;They have refused to cooperate with the investigation and have used delay tactics to cover up facts around this crime;The questions of why this passenger airplane was shot down and who was behind planning and executing this act of terror remain unanswered;On May 20,2021 Ontario Superior Court Ruled: shoot down the Flight was intentional and act of terrorism;The Government of Canada never admitted PS752 atrocity was an intentional Terrorist crime;RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki Officially denied to open criminal Investigation on July7,2021;RCMP must do investigation, in matter of death of any Canadian all around the world in any situation and circumstances;RCMP pointed investigation to Ukraine, which is under Siege by Russia, and Ukraine submitted claim in Ontario superior court by himself; andRCMP investigation will discover the details of how and Why the attack was carried out, and who was behind it.We, the undersigned, concerned citizens and Residents across Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to take the matter of investigating the shooting down of Ukrainian passenger Flight PS752 to the RCMP, and to request an independent "Criminal" investigation immediately.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The downing of Flight PS752 was, and continues to be a national tragedy for Canada. Our top priorities remain transparency, accountability, and justice. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been engaged since the early stages of the international response, and continues to invest significant effort on a number of fronts, including deploying personnel to Ukraine in the early aftermath of the tragedy and continuing to engage with victims’ families in Canada.Prior to the Russia-Ukraine war, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine was leading a criminal investigation into this tragedy, which the RCMP supported through established international legal assistance mechanisms (Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs)). In addition to the investigative efforts being carried out in response to the Ukraine MLAT requests, the RCMP commenced in 2020 an investigation into the complaints of harassment, intimidation and foreign interference by Iran against the families of PS752 victims. This includes physical threats, intimidation by proxy and the potential surveillance of the families’ electronic equipment. The RCMP continues to investigate, respond to, and will level charges as appropriate against criminal instances of harassment, intimidation, and coercion from foreign actors.On May 11, 2021, the Ontario Superior Court (Zarei v Iran, 2021 ONSC 3377) found that, on a balance of probabilities, the missile attacks that downed Flight PS752 were intentional and constituted an act of terrorism. However, it is important to consider that there are significant differences in the standard of proof required for civil proceedings and criminal prosecutions.In May 2023, the RCMP held a call with personnel from Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) currently assigned to the criminal investigation. During that call, the RCMP requested that PGO revisit whether Ukraine legislation would allow for a joint investigation with Canada into the downing of PS752.  PGO indicated they would consider the legal issues and communicate with the RCMP whether there are any legal mechanisms that could be utilized for such joint efforts.To protect the independence and integrity of the investigative efforts underway, no further details can be provided at this time.
Air accidentsCriminal investigations and hearingsIranUkraine International Airlines Flight PS752
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01726441-01726 (Social affairs and equality)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023June 21, 2022Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWHEREAS:The Liberal Party of Canada was elected on a promise to revoke charitable status for pro-life organizations, such as Crisis Pregnancy Centres, which counsel young women and save countless lives every year;Revoking the charitable status of pro-life organizations is a first step towards even more tyrannical measures to eradicate the values and principles of Christian Canadians, meaning churches may be next; andRevoking the charitable status of pro-life organizations will result in an explosion in the number of brutal abortions committed in Canada each year, slaughtering thousands of innocent babies.THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the undersigned do hereby call upon Members of Parliament to do everything in their power to prevent, block, organize against, and vote against any effort by the government to revoke the charitable status of pro-life organizations in Canada.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right.
AbortionCharitable organizations
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023e-4423e-4423 (Justice)JeffDurhamCathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 3, 2023, at 9:43 a.m. (EDT)August 31, 2023, at 9:43 a.m. (EDT)October 4, 2023November 20, 2023September 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;Currently, a woman’s pregnancy is not an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;Addressing this legal void through sentencing that considers the vulnerable state of the pregnant woman is necessary in denouncing such crimes; andHaving appropriate sentences when violent crimes are committed against pregnant women is imperative to protecting their reproductive choice to have a child. The sentence should match the crime.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and the infliction of harm on her child as an aggravating circumstance for sentencing purposes within the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01724441-01724 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023May 15, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • The Government of Canada has announced plans for the mandatory purchase, or confiscation, of legally acquired firearms from law-abiding firearms retailers in Canada;
  • By the Prime Minister's own admission, the confiscation of "assault-style firearms" refers to hunting rifles and shotguns;
  • This program will confiscate firearms from legal gun owners rather than tackle gun smuggling across the Canada-US border and end a catch-and-release bail system that allows repeat violent offenders back on the streets; and
  • Confiscating the property of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples will not reduce violent crime in Canada.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its plans to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples and instead introduce common-sense firearms policies that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Too many Canadians have been affected by senseless acts of gun violence. Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities.To address this our Government is implementing a comprehensive approach to strengthen firearms control and tackle firearm-related violence across Canada, including comprehensive legislative reforms through Bill C-21, and over $1.3 billion in investments to strengthen community-based prevention and law enforcement capacity. This approach prioritizes public safety, reduces access to dangerous firearms, strengthens our border, and supports effective police work and community programming.  As part of this approach, on May 1, 2020, the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited, Restricted or Non-Restricted were amended to reclassify, and prohibit, approximately 1,500 models of firearms and their variants. The prohibition limits access to the most dangerous firearms.An Amnesty Order has been put in place to protect impacted owners from criminal liability, and to provide them with time to come into compliance with the law. Those who remain in possession of these firearms at the end of the amnesty period could be subject to criminal liability for unlawful possession.To support compliance with the law, the Government is committed to implementing a Firearms Buyback Program to ensure that the prohibited firearms are safely removed from our communities. The Government is designing a program that is user-friendly, safe, and efficient while also recognizing the interests of hunters, including Indigenous hunters. Canadians and businesses can expect fair compensation for participation in the Firearms Buyback Program, for use as they see fit, including buying other firearms. Impacted owners, especially Indigenous groups, will continue to be engaged to understand and appreciate their unique interests and ensure they are considered in the design and implementation of the Program.While the prohibition and the Firearms Buyback Program are key elements in the Government’s comprehensive approach, it is only one of a series of measures that the Government is taking to target firearms safety and reduce firearms violence and crime in this country.We are providing significant funding to help communities divert youth away from gang culture through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), to date, the NCPS has invested approximately $565 million in support of 684crime prevention interventions. Through the NCPS, Public Safety Canada invests over $40 million annually in funding to community organizations to deliver culturally specific interventions that address the root causes of violence among youth and young people.Additionally, through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF)we have invested $122.7 million and have supported 47 gang prevention and diversion projects. Further, on March 16, 2022, the Government announced $250 million through the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) which provides direct funding to municipalities and Indigenous communities to strengthen local efforts to counter the social conditions that lead to criminal behaviour. This funding builds on the $358.8 million over five years, allocated by the Government in 2018 under the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence.In addition to providing funding to address the root causes of crime, the Government knows that the cross-border smuggling of firearms also poses a threat to the safety and security of Canadians.Through Budget 2021, our government invested  $656.1 million over five years for the CBSA to modernize our borders, including enhancing our ability to detect contraband and helping protect the integrity of our border infrastructure.In order to enhance our capabilities to trace crime guns we have made an investment of $15 million. This funding will support the RCMP in the development of a new national tracing database; increased outreach to law enforcement agencies on the strategic benefits of tracing to criminal investigation; and the establishment of a national network to detect straw purchasing and promote information sharing between law enforcement partners to counter firearms trafficking and smuggling.The RCMP has also introduced a new mandatory tracing policy that requires all RCMP seized guns to be submitted for tracing, and in March 2023 the CBSA and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows them to share information directly on files/intelligence development and actions/events occurring or expected to occur at the border, in support of efforts to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal efforts to smuggle firearms and their parts.It’s important to note that the cross-border smuggling of firearms are not the only source of firearms that are used for criminal activity. In 2020, 73% of firearms traced by the Canadian Firearms Program recovered in crime scenes or seized by police were deemed to be imported legally or manufactured within Canada. Despite legal acquisition, these firearms have ended up being used in criminal activities.Concurrently, through Bill C-21 our Government is  introducing tougher penalties for trafficking and smuggling offences.Finally, on May 16, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-48 that proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would make targeted changes to the Criminal Code’s bail regime to address serious repeat violent offences with firearms, knives, bear spray and other weapons. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to address the enhanced risks posed by intimate partner violence. The proposed changes seek to improve the safety of people and communities across Canada.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to make our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01723441-01723 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023May 16, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • The Government of Canada has announced plans for the mandatory purchase, or confiscation, of legally acquired firearms from law-abiding firearms retailers in Canada;
  • By the Prime Minister's own admission, the confiscation of "assault-style firearms" refers to hunting rifles and shotguns;
  • This program will confiscate firearms from legal gun owners rather than tackle gun smuggling across the Canada-US border and end a catch-and-release bail system that allows repeat violent offenders back on the streets; and
  • Confiscating the property of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples will not reduce violent crime in Canada.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel its plans to confiscate the firearms of law-abiding farmers, hunters, and Indigenous peoples and instead introduce common-sense firearms policies that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Too many Canadians have been affected by senseless acts of gun violence. Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities.To address this our Government is implementing a comprehensive approach to strengthen firearms control and tackle firearm-related violence across Canada, including comprehensive legislative reforms through Bill C-21, and over $1.3 billion in investments to strengthen community-based prevention and law enforcement capacity. This approach prioritizes public safety, reduces access to dangerous firearms, strengthens our border, and supports effective police work and community programming.  As part of this approach, on May 1, 2020, the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited, Restricted or Non-Restricted were amended to reclassify, and prohibit, approximately 1,500 models of firearms and their variants. The prohibition limits access to the most dangerous firearms.An Amnesty Order has been put in place to protect impacted owners from criminal liability, and to provide them with time to come into compliance with the law. Those who remain in possession of these firearms at the end of the amnesty period could be subject to criminal liability for unlawful possession.To support compliance with the law, the Government is committed to implementing a Firearms Buyback Program to ensure that the prohibited firearms are safely removed from our communities. The Government is designing a program that is user-friendly, safe, and efficient while also recognizing the interests of hunters, including Indigenous hunters. Canadians and businesses can expect fair compensation for participation in the Firearms Buyback Program, for use as they see fit, including buying other firearms. Impacted owners, especially Indigenous groups, will continue to be engaged to understand and appreciate their unique interests and ensure they are considered in the design and implementation of the Program.While the prohibition and the Firearms Buyback Program are key elements in the Government’s comprehensive approach, it is only one of a series of measures that the Government is taking to target firearms safety and reduce firearms violence and crime in this country.We are providing significant funding to help communities divert youth away from gang culture through the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS), to date, the NCPS has invested approximately $565 million in support of 684crime prevention interventions. Through the NCPS, Public Safety Canada invests over $40 million annually in funding to community organizations to deliver culturally specific interventions that address the root causes of violence among youth and young people.Additionally, through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund (YGPF)we have invested $122.7 million and have supported 47 gang prevention and diversion projects. Further, on March 16, 2022, the Government announced $250 million through the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) which provides direct funding to municipalities and Indigenous communities to strengthen local efforts to counter the social conditions that lead to criminal behaviour. This funding builds on the $358.8 million over five years, allocated by the Government in 2018 under the Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence.In addition to providing funding to address the root causes of crime, the Government knows that the cross-border smuggling of firearms also poses a threat to the safety and security of Canadians.Through Budget 2021, our government invested  $656.1 million over five years for the CBSA to modernize our borders, including enhancing our ability to detect contraband and helping protect the integrity of our border infrastructure.In order to enhance our capabilities to trace crime guns we have made an investment of $15 million. This funding will support the RCMP in the development of a new national tracing database; increased outreach to law enforcement agencies on the strategic benefits of tracing to criminal investigation; and the establishment of a national network to detect straw purchasing and promote information sharing between law enforcement partners to counter firearms trafficking and smuggling.The RCMP has also introduced a new mandatory tracing policy that requires all RCMP seized guns to be submitted for tracing, and in March 2023 the CBSA and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that allows them to share information directly on files/intelligence development and actions/events occurring or expected to occur at the border, in support of efforts to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal efforts to smuggle firearms and their parts.It’s important to note that the cross-border smuggling of firearms are not the only source of firearms that are used for criminal activity. In 2020, 73% of firearms traced by the Canadian Firearms Program recovered in crime scenes or seized by police were deemed to be imported legally or manufactured within Canada. Despite legal acquisition, these firearms have ended up being used in criminal activities.Concurrently, through Bill C-21 our Government is  introducing tougher penalties for trafficking and smuggling offences.Finally, on May 16, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-48 that proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would make targeted changes to the Criminal Code’s bail regime to address serious repeat violent offences with firearms, knives, bear spray and other weapons. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to address the enhanced risks posed by intimate partner violence. The proposed changes seek to improve the safety of people and communities across Canada.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to make our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01722441-01722 (Public safety)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01721441-01721 (Health)RobMorrisonKootenay—ColumbiaConservativeBCOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • The emissions from outdoor cannabis farming operations affect its surrounding residence;
  • The gases being released are having negative impacts on people's health; and
  • Health Canada has no regulation on outdoor cannabis emissions.
We, the undersigned, residents of Parsons, British Columbia, and citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to include outdoor grow emissions as part of the 2023 Cannabis Act review and require that Health Canada set rules for emission controls.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Cannabis Act creates a legal framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale, and possession of cannabis in Canada. The framework outlines a shared responsibility between the federal, provincial and territorial governments.In particular, provinces and territories have flexibility to tailor certain rules in their jurisdiction and are responsible for oversight of certain aspects of the legal cannabis industry including but not limited to:
  • Flexibility to establish more stringent controls on access;
  • Authority to enact additional rules to protect public health safety; and,
  • Licence and oversee distribution and retail sales, subject to federal conditions.
Under the Cannabis Regulations, holders of a Health Canada commercial license to cultivate, process or sell cannabis must meet strict requirements in order to be licensed. These include requirements for physical security, and adherence to Good Production Practices. For example, licence holders must ensure all buildings or parts of buildings where cannabis is produced, packaged, labelled and stored need to be equipped with a system that filters air to prevent the escape of odours. The intent of this requirement is to prevent the presence of strong odours near buildings where cannabis is present. Additionally, before submitting an application to Health Canada, applicants for licences to cultivate cannabis must provide written notice to local authorities in the area of the proposed site. Once licensed, all licensed cultivators and processors are expected to obey all relevant federal, provincial, and municipal laws and by-laws, including municipal by-laws governing zoning, location, odour and noise. Provinces and territories and municipalities can implement any limitations on zoning, location, or other controls that they feel are appropriate in their jurisdictions.Outdoor cultivation of cannabis has been available to licence holders since the Act came into force in 2018. Similar to other industries that release odours, these odours may bother those who live or work close to cannabis production areas. Odour from cannabis production is typically limited to the period during the outdoor growing season when the plants flower. To reduce the impact of odours, Health Canada has odour control requirements for the indoor commercial production of cannabis. In May 2022, Health Canada published Cannabis odours and odour control - Canada.ca.  If an individual has a concern about odour, they are encouraged to contact the cannabis licence holder directly. In addition to contacting the licence holder, individuals may contact their local government. They may have laws or bylaws in place or may work with law enforcement as required.  All issues and complaints brought to Health Canada’s attention are taken seriously. When Health Canada receives a complaint about cannabis odour, all information is reviewed to determine whether the submission is within Health Canada’s regulatory authority. If the matter falls within the federal framework, it will be assessed and prioritized for action according to public health and safety risk. After Health Canada makes an assessment, it takes appropriate action to correct any potential non-compliance with the Cannabis Regulations. Individuals can contact Health Canada in writing by using the Cannabis Reporting Form found here.On September 22, 2022, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions launched the legislative review of the Cannabis Act. An Expert Panel is leading the review and will provide independent, expert advice to both ministers on progress made towards achieving the Act’s objectives, and will also help identify priority areas for improving the functioning of the legislation. The Panel’s review will focus on a number of areas including looking at the economic, social and environmental impacts of the Act, including:
  • Impacts on young persons;
  • Progress towards providing adults with access to strictly regulated, lower risk, legal cannabis products; 
  • Progress made in deterring criminal activity and displacing the illicit cannabis market;
  • Impact of legalization and regulation of cannabis on access to cannabis for medical purposes;
  • Impacts on Indigenous persons and communities; and,
  • Trends and impact of home cultivation of cannabis for non-medical purposes.
This includes examining the appropriateness of different regulatory controls addressing issues related to the cultivation, processing and sale of cannabis. The Expert Panel has recently published a What We Heard report, which summarizes the input heard during their extensive stakeholder engagements to date. Health Canada is reviewing the report, and values the Panel's efforts to include all diverse perspectives, particularly those of Indigenous communities and marginalized groups. The Panel’s findings will help to identify priority areas to improve the functioning of the Act and its final report will be tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Health by March 2024. Health Canada looks forward to the Expert Panel’s final report and will carefully review and consider their advice and findings. While the legislative review is underway, Health Canada will continue to examine regulatory measures that could be made more efficient and streamlined, reducing the burden on industry, without compromising public health and public safety.
Air qualityCannabisCrop production
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01720441-01720 (Health)RobMorrisonKootenay—ColumbiaConservativeBCOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and to the Minister of HealthWhereas:
  • Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations;
  • We rely on NHPs, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;
  • If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically. When inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;
  • Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;
  • This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;
  • The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;
  • These are products consumers already pay taxes on;
  • While Health Canada's goal is to promote access to safe, effective, high quality NHPs for Canadians, it already is doing this with current regulation;
  • Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it just makes products more expensive; and
  • In fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada and the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry. New regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023e-4547e-4547 (Foreign affairs)KHURRUMAWANMichaelKramRegina—WascanaConservativeSKAugust 15, 2023, at 1:57 p.m. (EDT)September 14, 2023, at 1:57 p.m. (EDT)October 4, 2023November 20, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Concern is rising among Pakistani Canadians regarding political unrest and socioeconomic turmoil in Pakistan;There is growing concern regarding reports of politically motivated acts of violence and threats against opposition parties and their followers, by members of the Pakistani military and their agents in the run up to general elections in Pakistan later this year; andThere is grave concern about the recent arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, and the steps being taken by the Pakistani military and its agents to limit participation in general elections by the former Prime Minister and Pakistan's largest opposition party.We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Ask the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development to immediately explore the feasibility of imposing Magnitsky sanctions on Pakistani military members responsible for these acts;2. To ask the Government of Canada to use its membership in the International Monetary Fund to require the issuance of new and current loans and the extension of existing loans to the Government of Pakistan to be conditional on Pakistan holding free and fair elections; and3. To require these measures to be continued until free and fair elections are held later this year with the participation of all opposition parties and leaders.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada and Pakistan have a multifaceted bilateral relationship, which dates back to 1947, and is underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties.The Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation, including in the lead up to general elections announced for February 8, 2023. As of November 15, all registered political parties in Pakistan are eligible to participate in the next general elections.Canada considers diplomacy, advocacy, and programming activities to be among the most effective ways of promoting democracy, human rights, and respect for the rule of law in Pakistan. In fact, the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for Canada’s engagement in Pakistan. Canada continues to advance an inclusive approach to democracy, one that allows people to participate in decision-making processes and institutions that impact all areas of their lives.Canada undertakes a variety of efforts to advance these foreign policy priorities. For example, Canadian officials, in Ottawa and at Canada’s High Commission in Islamabad, regularly raise these topics with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Canadian officials engage in a variety of fora with the aim of supporting human rights defenders and standing by civil society organizations at the forefront of protecting democratic principles. Canada also supports civil society in Pakistan through its Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides funding for locally implemented projects. Among the core themes of CFLI projects in Pakistan for 2023 is supporting civil society organizations working to advance inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law. Global Affairs Canada is also funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan, which support women’s political participation and leadership, improve the accountability of democratic processes, and increase the capacity of government institutions, with an investment of $21 million over five years.More broadly, Canada and Pakistan have a multifaceted and constructive bilateral relationship underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties. The two countries remain committed to working together on common interests such as enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade relations, advancing gender equality and promoting regional security and stability. Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic principles. The government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights and free and fair elections, on an ongoing basis.The promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law will remain key priorities for Canada’s engagement around the world.
Economic sanctionsForeign policyPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01718441-01718 (National defence and military operations)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Governments and companies are rapidly developing weapons systems with increasing autonomy using new technology and artificial intelligence;
  • There are serious humanitarian, legal, military, technical, and ethical concerns about autonomous weapons systems that detect and apply force to a target based on sensor inputs, rather than an immediate human command. In these systems the specific object to be attacked, and the exact time and place of the attack, are determined by sensor processing, not by humans; and
  • There is growing consensus internationally that new international law is needed to address the concerns surrounding autonomous weapons systems.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Prohibit the domestic development, importation and use of autonomous weapon systems that do not allow for meaningful human control;
  • Develop national regulations so that other autonomous weapon systems will be used only with meaningful human control; and
  • Take an active leadership role in international negotiations to prohibit autonomous weapons systems through new international law under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly or another inclusive multilateral forum.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has been an active participant and supporter of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) within the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). Through this multilateral forum, Canada has advanced a number of key priorities and interests, such as the importance of compliance with international humanitarian law at all stages of a weapon system’s lifecycle, the need to address the risk of inherent biases in autonomous systems, and the importance of meaningful human control. In November 2023, the CCW will consider a new mandate for the GGE on LAWS, and Canada looks forward to continuing the work in this important forum.  It is our aspiration that the new mandate focus on results and outcomes that build on the previous substance discussed in the GGE.Beyond the GGE on LAWS, Canada was pleased to support the new United Nations General Assembly resolution on LAWS, which will task the United Nations Secretary General with gathering views to compose a report and to have LAWS added as an agenda item at next year’s UNGA. The subject of autonomy in weapon systems was also referenced by the UN Secretary General in the New Agenda for Peace, calling for the conclusion of a legally binding instrument by 2026. Canada takes note of this recommendation, and additional regional efforts being conducted to advance discussions on LAWS.The world is changing at a rapid pace, and there is a need to ensure that the speed of technological advancements in weapon systems does not outpace the speed of balanced policy development. Canada will continue to engage with all stakeholders, including civil society, academia and industry, to ensure a thorough understanding of the challenges and issues at play.
Military weaponsRegulation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01717441-01717 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
  
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01716441-01716 (Foreign affairs)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023December 12, 2022PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01715441-01715 (Environment)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCOctober 4, 2023November 20, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • In 2020, the House of Commons passed Bill C-204, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (final disposal of plastic waste), which would have banned the export of plastic waste for final disposal;
  • A recent report by CBC's The Fifth Estate highlighted how Canadian companies continue to violate international laws on waste exports by shipping plastic waste to developing countries; and
  • In the last 5 years, 123 shipping containers have been returned to Canada, yet only 6 fines have been issued totaling less than $9,000.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to enact stronger penalties for those companies and individuals who violate international laws on waste exports and ban the export of plastic waste for final disposal.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTBill C-204, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (final disposal of plastic waste), was initially introduced in the 43rd Parliament. However, Bill C-204 died on the Order Paper when the Federal Election was called in August 2021.Senator Carignan introduced Bill S-234 on December 16, 2021. Bill S-234 is substantively identical to Bill C-204, as amended by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. It is currently being studied by the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, Environment and Natural Resources.While Bill C-204 and Bill S-234 are substantively the same, the Government assesses each Bill prior to adopting a position. The Government will also take into consideration the outcome of the Bill as it proceeds through the Senate.The Government of Canada recognizes that plastic pollution affects wildlife and habitats, burdens economies, threatens livelihoods, and impacts the spaces Canadians cherish. This is a critical global challenge that requires prompt action. As such, the Government of Canada is committed to working with all levels of government, industry, civil society and others to reduce plastic pollution from land and aquatic sources and transition to circular and sustainable systems where plastics stay in the economy and out of the environment.The government is implementing its comprehensive plan https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/reduce-plastic-waste/canada-action.html through a range of complementary actions spanning the plastics lifecycle to reduce plastic waste, enable a circular plastics economy and protect the environment from plastic pollution. This includes: investing in science and in innovations, banning certain harmful single-use plastics, developing minimum recycled content requirements for plastic items, introducing rules to enhance the labelling of recyclable and compostable plastics and better inform consumers, designing a federal plastics registry that will require producers to report on plastics they place on the Canadian economy to support provincial and territorial extended producer responsibility efforts, and establishing a recycling target for plastic beverage containers.The Government is also working with provinces and territories through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to implement the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste and its associated Action Plan https://ccme.ca/en/current-activities/waste. This includes the publication of a roadmap to manage single-use and disposable plastics as well as guidance to facilitate consistent extended producer responsibility programs for plastics. Additional work is underway to create guidance to inform consumer behaviours and target plastic pollution sources.Internationally, Canada continues to play a leadership role in tackling plastic pollution and is working with other countries and partners, including as an inaugural member of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, to develop an ambitious and effective legally binding international instrument to end plastic pollution. Building on its comprehensive domestic plan and international efforts, the Government of Canada will strive for a comprehensive agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics. In April 2024, Canada will host the fourth session of the international negotiating committee in Ottawa to develop the new agreement.The Government of Canada is a party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. The federal government complies with its international obligations under the Convention through the implementation of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA)https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-15.31/ and the Cross-border Movement of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulationshttps://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2021-25/page-1.html, which control international and interprovincial movements of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable material.All Parties to the Basel Convention (191 Parties), including Canada, have ratified the Basel amendments on plastic waste that were adopted in 2019. The purpose of these amendments is to contribute to a cleaner trade of plastic waste globally by controlling exports of plastic waste to countries that face challenges managing it properly.  The Government of Canada officially accepted (ratified) the Basel amendments on plastic waste in December 2020.  As a result, hazardous plastic waste continues to be controlled under the Convention. The major change is that plastic waste that is not hazardous, yet hard to recycle, or contaminated, is now subject to controls.The Government of Canada has implemented these amendments since January 1, 2021, through its legislative regime and requires the prior informed consent of the importing and transit, if applicable, country before certain waste can be exported. Once this permission is obtained, Environment and Climate Change Canada issues an export permit to the Canadian exporter. In providing its consent, the importing country confirms that it will manage the hazardous waste or hazardous recyclable material in an environmentally sound manner. In instances where consent is not obtained, the export is not allowed.  The exporter of any plastic waste exported from Canada under a permit must confirm that the waste has been disposed of or recycled in an environmentally sound manner in the country of destination.Work to strengthen the regime for the transboundary movement of waste continues. Most recently, on September 30, 2023, proposed amendments to theCross-border Movement of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations were published in Canada Gazette Part I. The proposed amendments would also apply the Prior Informed Consent Procedure to all e-waste shipments, put Canada in a position to ratify the Basel Ban Amendments, as well as clarify certain implementation requirements of the Regulations which will hold exporters accountable for any shipments that are in contravention of CEPA and the Regulations. The Basel Ban Amendment prohibits exports of most hazardous wastes and hazardous recyclable materials from member states of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, such as Canada, to developing countries. Stakeholders, interested parties, and Canadians are invited to review the proposed amendments and provide feedback before November 29, 2023.Illegal traffic is a reality and Environment and Climate Change Canada continues its efforts to address this issue. The department works collaboratively with other departments such as the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) to ensure compliance with the regulations. With CBSA, Environment and Climate Change Canada participated in a worldwide inspection initiative, Operation Demeter VIII with 89 other members of the World Customs Organization (WCO) from around the world including China, Italy, Laos, and Belgium. During this operation, Canada denied export of 10 containers at Canadian ports.Compliance promotion plays a key role in informing the Canadian exporters’ community of the regulatory requirements related to the export of plastic waste. When combined with enforcement actions, they are an effective tool to address illegal exports and influence changes in the industry.   
ExportsPlasticsWaste disposal
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01714441-01714 (Health)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023September 15, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • The overdose crisis in Canada is a public health emergency;
  • More than 26,690 individuals have died of opioid-related deaths and there have been 29,228 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations in Canada since 2016;
  • There is disproportionate representation of Indigenous people affected by the poisoning crisis; and
  • The Canadian Public Health Association, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations, have recommended drug decriminalization.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Declare a public health emergency due to overdose deaths in Canada;
  • Reframe the overdose crisis in Canada as a health issue rather than a criminal issue;
  • Take a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to the overdose crisis, by addressing issues of addiction, poverty, housing, health care, systemic racism, and economic inequality and instability;
  • Listen to and act on recommendations made by social workers, front-line workers, nurses, doctors, drug users, and individuals directly involved in the drug-using community; and
  • Decriminalize drugs in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe toxic drug and overdose crisis is one of the most serious and unprecedented public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. While there are a number of complex factors that contribute to the high rates of overdoses that we are seeing today, four out of every five deaths are caused by opioids that come from the illegal drug supply which has become increasingly more toxic and unpredictable. The cost of substance use-related harms is not limited to the loss of lives alone and, more broadly, impacts health, social well-being, and public safety.The Government of Canada takes this crisis very seriously and is committed to working together with all orders of government, Indigenous Peoples and communities, partners from law enforcement, criminal justice, health and social systems, and people with lived and living experience and other key stakeholders, to take urgent action and leverage every available tool to save lives and work towards an end to this national public health crisis.Provinces and territories have a range of tools and authorities to address the ongoing overdose crisis in their respective jurisdictions. This includes the power to declare a public health emergency which allows a provincial or territorial government to access and exercise extraordinary powers in response to a significant increase in opioid-related deaths as was the case for British Columbia in April 2016 and Alberta in May 2017. More recently, Yukon declared a substance use health emergency in January 2022. In addition to provincial and territorial emergency declarations, some Indigenous communities have also declared emergencies in response to rising substance use-related harms and deaths.Invoking the federal Emergencies Act is intended to serve as a tool of last resort to ensure the safety and security of Canadians in cases of temporary, critical national emergencies that cannot be addressed with existing federal, provincial or territorial laws. As such, the Emergencies Act is not an appropriate mechanism to address the ongoing overdose crisis, which requires a longer-term, sustained, and multi-jurisdictional effort to address the complex, interrelated health, social and economic factors driving substance use-related deaths and harms.The Government of Canada has publicly recognized the overdose crisis is a public health crisis. Canada is committed to continued action using the broad range of powers at its disposal and to take steps to end overdose deaths and substance-use related harms. Canada’s approach to addressing the overdose crisis and substance use-related harms is comprehensive, collaborative, and compassionate, guided by our federal drug strategy – the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS). The CDSS takes a public health-focused approach and lays out our framework for evidence-based actions to reduce the harms associated with substance use in Canada and keep our communities safe. Recognizing the need for comprehensive approaches to save lives, our government supports a full range of integrated, evidence-based services and supports, including improving access to treatment and harm reduction; increasing awareness, prevention and stigma reduction activities; further building the evidence base; and strengthening enforcement to address illegal drug production and trafficking.Since 2017, the federal government has made commitments of more than $1 billion and has taken significant action to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis and substance use-related harms. This includes a Budget 2023 commitment of $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $5.7 million ongoing, to support a renewed CDSS which will continue to guide the government's work to save lives and protect the health and safety of Canadians by :
  • ensuring that harm reduction services are available to Canadians who need them;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation and further risk of harms;
  • continuing to work with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options;
  • continuing to address illegal production and trafficking, with a focus on organized drug crime; and,
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis.
These investments have made a difference in reducing overdose deaths and harms. For example, through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), Health Canada has provided over $500 million to support more than 380 community-based projects focused on innovative treatment, harm reduction, prevention and stigma reduction activities. More than $26 million of this funding was dedicated to expanding Naloxone awareness, training and distribution across Canada. We also  invested $22.8 million in public education through national and targeted advertising, partnerships and experiential marketing on the risks of opioids, overdose awareness, harm reduction and stigma awareness and reduction. In addition, the Government of Canada is supporting policies and approaches for greater access to pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the toxic illegal drug supply – a practice often referred to as safer supply. As of June 2023, Health Canada has supported 31 safer supply pilot projects across Canada through SUAP representing total funding commitments of over $100 million. This includes supporting a range of service delivery projects in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, research/knowledge transfer and exchange projects to help share knowledge amongst stakeholders.These investments have also improved access to treatment. For example, provinces and territories have used federal investments provided through Budget 2018 for the Emergency Treatment Fund to expand existing treatment approaches such as services to support youth with substance use disorder, withdrawal management services appropriate for people who use methamphetamine, Rapid Access Addictions Medicine clinics, and access to opioid dependence treatments, and culturally-appropriate care for Indigenous communities. Funds have also been used to implement innovative approaches to treatment, including ‘wrap-around’ care and the development of telehealth infrastructure to connect clients in remote and rural settings.In addition to these investments, the Government of Canada has supported the expansion of supervised consumption services (SCS) across Canada and also proactively issued exemptions that allow provinces and territories to establish new temporary Urgent Public Health Need Sites – also known as overdose prevention sites – within existing shelters or other temporary sites, as needed. Since January 2016, the number of federally approved SCS has grown from one to 40. Since 2017, they have received over 4.3 million visits, responded to almost 50,000 overdoses, and made 257,000 referrals to health and social services [as of October 2023].We have also made a number of regulatory changes at the federal level to help improve access to medications used in drug treatment and safer supply programs, including:
  • issuing a class exemption (an exemption authorized to a group of people, such as pharmacists, to conduct specific activities with controlled substances) to make it easier for patients to access the medications they need;
  • approving injectable hydromorphone as a treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder;
  • approving injectable diacetylmorphine as a new treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder; as well facilitating the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and diacetylmorphine; and,  
  • authorizing nurses who provide health care services at a community health facility to conduct certain activities with controlled substances.
We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to respond to this crisis and to keep communities safe. Our government works closely with domestic and international partners to address the toxic illegal drug supply that is driving substance use harms and overdose deaths. We continue to equip border agents with the tools necessary to intercept controlled substances. For example, we have made it harder to access chemicals used to make fentanyl by scheduling them under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) and have also amended legislation to allow border officers to open mail of any weight, in order to stop drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from entering Canada illegally through the mail system. Our government also works with private sector partners to address money laundering of the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking in an effort to dismantle the organized crime groups involved in the supply of these toxic illegal drugs.With respect to the call for immediate collaboration with provinces and territories, the Government of Canada continues to lead efforts to facilitate opportunities for collaboration between jurisdictions, health providers, researchers, people with lived and living experience, community-based organizations, and other partners and stakeholders to reduce the harms associated with substance use and support efforts to provide a full range of culturally appropriate, evidence-based, and trauma-informed health and social services and supports to meet the diverse needs of people who use drugs.On February 7, 2023, the Government of Canada announced it will increase health funding to provinces and territories by nearly $200 billion over 10 years, in order to improve Canada’s health care system. This investment includes $25 billion for shared health priorities, including increasing access to mental health and substance use services and supports. These commitments are in addition to existing bilateral agreements with provinces and territories for health priorities, including mental health and substance use, that were put in place in 2017. These investments will set the foundation for long-term, integrated and sustained health care system change that builds on existing, targeted actions to address mental health and substance use challenges.We have also established federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governance tables, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses, the FPT Committee on Substance Use (formerly Problematic Substance Use & Harms), and the FPT Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use to facilitate ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners. In addition, discussions are held with provinces and territories at the Deputy Minister and Ministerial level through meetings of the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health and the Federal, Provincial, Territorial Health Minister’s Meetings.To inform the federal approach, our government also regularly consults with stakeholders and has convened several expert advisory groups, including people directly impacted by substance use. Health Canada established the People with Lived and Living Experience Council, the Expert Advisory Group on Safer Supply and the Expert Task Force on Substance Use as part of this engagement strategy. We recognize that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and trauma, can place individuals at an increased risk of substance use harms and that the approaches to reduce these harms require sustained efforts and supports from diverse systems. We continue to work closely across federal departments so that federal actions on mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, poverty, and reconciliation are coordinated and synergistic. We are also committed to engaging collaboratively with provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and other stakeholders to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.With respect to safer supply, a number of researchers in academic institutions across Canada are studying this emerging approach, contributing to the evidence base that can inform decision-making at local, provincial and federal levels. Safer supply builds on the evidence from medication-assisted approaches to the treatment of substance use disorder, with safer supply services having a number of unique goals and approaches that need to be assessed and evaluated on their own merits.The evidence base around safer supply is still developing, but is growing. Existing studies and evaluations of safer supply programs are showing some promising early outcomes, including:
  • reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations; and
  • client reports of reductions in overdoses and illegal drug use, reduced engagement in criminalized activities, access to health and social services, improved trust in primary care providers among clients who face barriers to care, and other quality of life improvements.
Health Canada is supporting several studies of safer supply. This includes a preliminary assessment of safer supply pilot projects in Ontario, British Columbia and New Brunswick. The federal government, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), is also supporting a study being conducted by a research team from the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse. This four-year evaluation research project focuses on program implementation and the short-term health outcomes of 11 of the government funded safer supply pilot projects. The final results of this study are expected in 2025. Additionally, CIHR has awarded $2 million to the University of Victoria to support a four-year study evaluating the safer supply initiatives in British Columbia in partnership with Indigenous leaders, Elders and system partners.Our government is committed to working to divert people who use drugs away from criminal justice systems and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health services and social supports, when needed. For example, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed into law in May 2017, providing some legal protection from simple drug possession charges for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. Furthermore, Bill C-5, which received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022, made legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Among other measures, the amendments encourage police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures – including diverting individuals to treatment programs – instead of laying a criminal charge or prosecuting individuals for personal drug possession. These amendments also repealed mandatory minimum penalties for certain offences in the CDSA to reflect the Government’s public-health-focused approach to substance use. These measures are consistent with the August 2020 Guidelines issued by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada directing prosecutors that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for the personal possession of drugs, except where public safety concerns arise.In addition, in May 2022, at the request of the Province of British Columbia,  a time-limited exemption was granted under the CDSA so that adults 18 years of age and older in the province will not be subject to criminal charges for the personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. Instead, individuals will be provided with information regarding local health and social services. Upon request, they can also receive assistance to connect with those services. This exemption,  which is in effect from January 31, 2023, to January 31, 2026, is part of a much broader strategy British Columbia and this Government are taking to help people who use drugs access supports and services, rather than face criminal charges. This time-limited exemption is being supported by rigorous monitoring and a third-party evaluation to gather evidence and data on its impacts and outcomes and inform implementation.Canada recognizes that stigma can prevent people who use substances from accessing the health and social services that they need and contributes to negative health outcomes. To help reduce stigma in police interactions with people who use drugs and to avoid causing more harm, Public Safety Canada launched an online training module specifically designed for law enforcement members in September 2020. The training raises awareness of the harms associated with substance use stigma and provides law enforcement members with practical tools to support their interactions with people who use drugs.The items above are some examples of concrete actions taken by the federal government to address the overdose crisis, please visit the following website for a comprehensive list of all the actions taken to date.The Government of Canada remains committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to this tragic and complex public health crisis to help reduce harms and save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.Health Canada will continue working with its partners and stakeholders to advance a comprehensive federal strategy to address substance use in Canada, including the toxic drug and overdose crisis. Canada will continue to support provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to improve access to a full range of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services, in addition to leading efforts to reduce stigma and create national standards for substance use treatment programs. The Government of Canada believes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01713441-01713 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023June 16, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: There are serious concerns regarding the federal government's medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation; The heads of Psychiatry of all of Canada's 17 medical schools have called for a delay to this legislation; andThe federal government has failed to live up to its promise to fund a Canada Mental Health Transfer, leaving Canadians struggling with mental illness behind.Therefore: We, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to not expand medial assistance in dying (MAID) and to focus on funding mental illness assistance and treatment.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01712441-01712 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023April 4, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: There are serious concerns regarding the federal government's medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation;The heads of Psychiatry of all of Canada's 17 medical schools have called for a delay to this legislation; andThe federal government has failed to live up to its promise to fund a Canada Mental Health Transfer, leaving Canadians struggling with mental illness behind.Therefore: We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to delay its expansion of medial assistance in dying (MAID).
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01711441-01711 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023April 11, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: There are serious concerns regarding the federal government's medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation;The heads of Psychiatry of all of Canada's 17 medical schools have called for a delay to this legislation; andThe federal government has failed to live up to its promise to fund a Canada Mental Health Transfer, leaving Canadians struggling with mental illness behind.Therefore: We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to delay its expansion of medial assistance in dying (MAID).
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01710441-01710 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023April 21, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: There are serious concerns regarding the federal government's medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation;The heads of Psychiatry of all of Canada's 17 medical schools have called for a delay to this legislation; andThe federal government has failed to live up to its promise to fund a Canada Mental Health Transfer, leaving Canadians struggling with mental illness behind.Therefore: We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to delay its expansion of medial assistance in dying (MAID).
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01709441-01709 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023April 11, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: There are serious concerns regarding the federal government's medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation; The heads of Psychiatry of all of Canada's 17 medical schools have called for a delay to this legislation; andThe federal government has failed to live up to its promise to fund a Canada Mental Health Transfer, leaving Canadians struggling with mental illness behind.Therefore: We, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to not expand medial assistance in dying (MAID) and to focus on funding mental illness assistance and treatment.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01708441-01708 (Justice)RandyHobackPrince AlbertConservativeSKOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:Whereas: There are serious concerns regarding the federal government's medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation;The heads of Psychiatry of all of Canada's 17 medical schools have called for a delay to this legislation; andThe federal government has failed to live up to its promise to fund a Canada Mental Health Transfer, leaving Canadians struggling with mental illness behind.Therefore: We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to delay its expansion of medial assistance in dying (MAID).
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandThe Government of Canada recognizes that medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal choice and remains committed to supporting eligible individuals in having their MAID request considered in a fair, safe and consistent manner, while supporting efforts to protect those who may be vulnerable.Former Bill C-7, which received Royal Assent on March 17, 2021, included a sunset clause excluding persons with a mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition from seeking MAID until March 17, 2023. On February 2, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced legislation, Bill C-39, to extend – by a year – the exclusion of eligibility for MAID where a person's sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness, until March 17, 2024. Bill C-39 received Royal Assent on March 9, 2023, to allow time for broader dissemination of key resources and tools to support clinicians in administering MAID for complex cases, including for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition.The Government of Canada, in collaboration with experts and provinces and territories, has supported a range of initiatives guided by recommendations from the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness and the Special Joint Committee on MAID. This has included development of a model MAID Practice Standard, as well as an Advice for the Profession document, designed by a group of experts for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians. The Practice Standard is designed for use by regulatory bodies and clinicians in addressing complex requests for MAID, including where mental illness is involved.In addition, on September 13, 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of the Canadian MAID Curriculum developed by the Canadian Association of MAID Assessors and Providers. This Curriculum is the first nationally accredited bilingual MAID education program available to licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and consists of seven modules addressing various topics related to the assessment of provision of MAID, including mental disorders and other complex chronic conditions. The goal of this program is to help achieve a safe and consistent approach to care across the country.Other activities have included:
  • regulatory amendments to the federal MAID monitoring system to enhance data collection and enrich research and analysis and reporting back to Canadians (enacted January 1, 2023, with new data to be reported in 2024);
  • funding a Knowledge Exchange Workshop (June 2023) that included over 40 MAID practitioners, as well as psychiatrists, from across Canada to discuss roles and contributions to the proper assessment and management of MAID where mental disorders are involved, and support local training related to MAID for mental disorders; and,
  • engaging with Indigenous Peoples through both Indigenous- and government-led activities.
Working to improve access to health care services, including mental health services, remains a priority for the Government of Canada.The Government of Canada is investing close to $200 billion to support provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s universal public health system. The Government continues to work closely with provinces and territories on our shared health priorities, including:
  • access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • supported health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • access to mental health and substance use services; and,
  • modernized health systems.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, $25 billion over ten years is being provided by the Government of Canada to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. These bilateral agreements will also include the remaining years of funding from the Government’s previous investment in 2017 of $5 billion over ten years to improve access to mental health and substance use services for Canadians.The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. All action plans will include a description of how funds will be used to support better access to mental health services. As there is no health without mental health, integrated provincial and territorial investments in other priority areas, including family health teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools, will also help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.In addition, through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black and other racialized Canadians. The Government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Mental Health Promotion Innovation Fund (MHP-IF), the Government of Canada is investing $39 million from 2019-2028 to address multiple risk and protective factors to promote mental health for children, youth, young adults, and caregivers. The MHP-IF aims to improve mental health for individuals and communities where interventions are delivered and to reduce systemic barriers for population mental health in Canada. Target populations include First Nations, Inuit, Métis, newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+, and other groups experiencing socio-economic risk factors.Budget 2023 committed $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 988. The introduction of 988 will provide people across Canada with easy-to-remember access to immediate and safe support for suicide prevention and emotional distress. The creation of the 988 service in Canada builds on existing investments received through Budget 2019 for the Pan-Canadian Suicide Prevention Service, where PHAC received $25 million over five years, with $4.2 million per year ongoing. With this funding, the Centre for Addition and Mental Health (CAMH) currently operates Talk Suicide Canada. Talk Suicide Canada provides people across Canada with suicide prevention crisis support from trained responders via phone (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 and text (evenings) to 45645. Residents of Québec can also call 1-866-277-3553, text 535353 or visit suicide.ca for support by text and online chat.Mental health remains a priority for the Government, and we will continue to invest in it and work with Provinces, Territories, and key stakeholders to support the needs of individuals and communities across the country, now and in the future.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01707441-01707 (Environment)LeahTaylor RoyAurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond HillLiberalONOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023September 22, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:
  • Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are considered forever chemicals since they are extremely persistent, very mobile within the environment and many last thousands of years;
  • Many PFAS have the potential for long range transport, evidence by their detection in northern ecosystems and wildlife species;
  • PFAS have been detected in Canadian drinking water, lakes and groundwater sources, leachates from landfills, biosolids and effluent discharges from wastewater treatment and should require a lifecycle consideration;
  • PFAS are used in a wide range of applications including textiles, food contact materials, metal products, ski wax, lubricants, construction products, fire fighting foam, cosmetics, pest control, lubricants and more;
  • The evidence outlined in the federal government's Draft State of PFAS Report (May 2023) demonstrates the ecological toxicity and impacts of PFAS as a class on health;
  • PFAS is detected in 99% of Canadians;
  • PFAS bioaccumulates, are carcinogenic, mutagenic and are linked to a variety of health effects, such as altered immune and thyroid function, liver disease, lipid and insulin dysregulation, kidney disease, adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes;
  • PFAS meets the requirements under Section 64 (a) and 64 (c) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) for developing regulatory measures to address PFAS as a class;
  • CEPA requires a precautionary approach and cumulative effect to be addressed; and
  • Many applications of PFAS have available safer non-PFAS alternatives.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of York Region, Province of Ontario, Canada call upon the House of Commons, to:
  • Adopt a class-based approach to address all PFAS, listing them in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of CEPA for complete prohibition;
  • Consideration of exemptions for prohibition should time limited and be fully substantiated;
  • Adopt stringent drinking water standards for PFAS as a class;
  • Require research to identify PFAS contaminated sites, expedite their remediation and provide public release of research data;
  • Report releases of PFAS to air, water, land and off-site transfer for disposal and processing by facilities through the National Pollutant Release Inventory; and
  • Require research of available alternatives to PFAS for applications used in Canada including identifying non-PFAS or non-chemical replacements.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada published a draft State of PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) Report which proposes to conclude that the class of PFAS are entering or may enter the environment at levels that are harmful or may be harmful to the environment and to human health.The draft State of PFAS Report and Risk Management Scope for PFAS were published on May 20, 2023, for a 60-day public comment period. Comments received on the draft report and Risk Management Scope are being considered in the development of the final report. If the proposed conclusion of the draft State of PFAS Report is confirmed in the final report, a Risk Management Approach, a consultation document outlining proposed risk management actions, will be published for a 60-day public comment period at the same time as the final Report. If the proposed conclusion is confirmed in the final report, the Risk Management Approach would recommend an addition to either Part 1 or Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Additional consultations with stakeholders would continue throughout risk management tool development and public comments received would be considered during the development period.At this stage of the process, the State of PFAS Report is draft. Options for risk management action under consideration are presented in the Risk Management Scope. The Government of Canada is considering:
  • regulatory and/or non-regulatory controls to minimize environmental and human exposure to the class of PFAS from AFFF (Aqueous film-forming foam) firefighting foams;
  • gathering information necessary to identify and prioritize options for reducing environmental and human exposure from the class of PFAS from other sources and products; and,
  • aligning with actions in other jurisdictions, where appropriate.
If the proposed conclusion of the draft State of PFAS Report is confirmed in the final report, a Risk Management Approach would be published for a 60-day public comment period at the same time as the final State of PFAS Report.However, note that the manufacture, use, sale, offer for sale and import of certain sub-groups of PFAS, namely PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), LC-PFCAs (long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids), their salts and precursors, and products that contain them, are prohibited in Canada through the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012, with some exemptions.
  • In May 2022, proposed Regulations proposed (Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2022) that would repeal and replace the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012, were published, which propose to further restrict these groups of substances by removing or providing time-limits for most remaining exemptions. The publication of the final Regulations is expected to take place no earlier than summer 2024 and would come into force six months later.
Health Canada has recently proposed a new objective that will recommend a single treatment-based value for a group of PFAS in drinking water. The proposed drinking water objective represents the lowest concentration that is technically achievable for a larger number (a minimum of 18) of quantifiable PFAS. The purpose of the objective is to reduce exposure (along with potential health risks) while the full guidelines are being re-evaluated. For these reasons, the objective is based on treatment feasibility for drinking water treatment plants and not an assessment of individual health-based values. Health Canada acknowledges that as more toxicity data are published, an increasing number of health effects are being associated with exposure to PFAS, and at lower levels. Health Canada will continue to monitor the science and will incorporate the results of new toxicology studies in the full reassessment of the guidelines for PFAS in drinking water.While validated and standardized analytical methods are currently available for a combined total of 29 PFAS in drinking water, new methods that will measure a greater number of compounds are under development by regulatory authorities and academics in many countries. In addition, Government of Canada research laboratories have been focused on improving analytical detection methods for PFAS in different exposure media, including drinking water. Health Canada is in contact with these laboratories and with the Canadian Association of Laboratory Accreditation. The coming objective for PFAS in drinking water will encourage more laboratories to develop their capacity for measuring PFAS.Health Canada plays a leadership role in science and research on drinking water and derived the objective for PFAS in drinking water in collaboration with the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water. However, setting regulatory standards for drinking water, and the implementation of such standards, is the responsibility of provinces and territories. Health Canada recognizes the challenges of implementing the drinking water objective for PFAS and will continue to support provinces and territories through provision of health guidance, and advice on testing protocols and drinking water treatment strategies moving forward.The priority for clean-up of federal contaminated sites follows an established prioritization process aimed at reducing the environmental and human health risks, and the associated federal financial liabilities. In cases of off-site migration of contaminants, federal departments coordinate with local health services to communicate the risks.The Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) provides funding for the assessment, remediation, and risk management of federal contaminated sites. Funding is provided to departments, agencies and consolidated Crown corporations that have accepted responsibility for the contamination. Please see Funding of federal contaminated sites - Canada.ca for more information. There are federal contaminated sites that are contaminated with PFAS, and available FCSAP funding is provided to custodians to conduct assessment, remediation, and risk management activities at eligible sites based on potential risks to human health and the environment.Information on all known and suspected contaminated sites under the custodianship of federal departments, agencies and consolidated Crown corporations is publicly available online at Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory (tbs-sct.gc.ca). PFAS is currently not a search category; however, a search by keyword such as ‘fire training area’ identifies sites where PFAS is likely to be a contaminant. Each contaminated site record includes information such as the location of the site, the severity of contamination, the contaminated medium, the nature of the contaminant, progress made to date in identifying and addressing contamination, and how much liquid and solid-based media have been treated.Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is considering adding requirements for reporting of releases and transfers of PFAS to the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) beginning with the 2025 reporting year. The consideration of this issue will occur in line with ECCC’s Process for proposing and considering changes to NPRI. The NPRI Multi-Stakeholder Work Group (MSWG) is the primary consultative body for the NPRI. Due to the complexity of considering PFAS for addition to the NPRI, a sub-group has been formed to provide technical advice and support. Members include representatives of civil society organizations, Indigenous governments and organizations, and industry organizations. With the help of experts from the Government of Canada, the sub-group will consider if and how PFAS should be added to the NPRI. When changes to NPRI requirements are consulted on, a notice is published on the Proposed Changes to NPRI webpage.The Government of Canada has begun gathering information necessary to identify and prioritize options for minimizing environmental and human exposure from the class of PFAS, including on uses and alternatives. If the final State of PFAS Report confirms that the class of PFAS is toxic, a Risk Management Approach document outlining and seeking input on the proposed risk management instruments would be published concurrently with the final State of PFAS Report, and additional information gathering and consultation to refine the risk management proposals would take place.Any regulatory measure that would address PFAS would take into consideration the availability of suitable alternatives, including the costs and benefits of switching to those alternatives. This would include non-chemical alternatives. Information gathering to fully understand the availability of alternatives and the costs of transitioning to alternatives would also take place before risk management actions were taken. Additional opportunities for public and stakeholder engagement would be provided during the subsequent development of risk management actions.  
Hazardous substances and hazardous productsPerfluoroalkylated substancesPollution
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01706441-01706 (Business and trade)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCOctober 3, 2023November 20, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Village of Lytton was decimated by fire on June 30th, 2021. The Village remains under an Evacuation Order with homes, and buildings not yet started construction;
  • Since rebuilding has yet to begin, doors cannot open, and businesses have had no revenue for nearly two years; and
  • Already incurring large deficits due to the pandemic, businesses destroyed by the fire will not be in a position to repay the CEBA loan when due December 31, 2023.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to recognize the extraordinary circumstances of businesses in the Lytton area and forgive their amounts owing on Canada Emergency Bank Account loans. Due to the magnitude of disaster and consequential bureaucratic delays, businesses have been unable to rebuild for nearly two years. Forgiveness of the CEBA loan for Lytton businesses would help to empower economic development and restore this destroyed community.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), and the impact the fire in Lytton has had on Lytton businesses.The government launched the CEBA program to provide timely support to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and help support the jobs these businesses provide. The program provided nearly 900,000 small businesses with interest-free, partially forgivable loans of up to $60,000 to cover non-deferrable operating expenses. From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Export Development Canada (EDC), federal government partners and more than 230 Canadian financial institutions worked together to provide support to both exporting and non-exporting companies. This vital support helped small businesses make it through an unprecedented period of time.To further help small businesses, the government has recently extended the flexibilities for CEBA and Regional Relief and Recovery Fund. On September 14, 2023, the government announced further extensions to CEBA repayment and loan forgiveness:
  • The repayment deadline to receive forgiveness (of up to $20,000) for all CEBA loans was extended to January 18, 2024 (previously extended from December 31, 2022, to December 31, 2023). 
  • The repayment deadline to qualify for partial loan forgiveness now includes a refinancing extension until March 28, 2024. 
  • As of January 19, 2024, outstanding loans, including those that are captured by the refinancing extension, will convert to three-year term loans, subject to interest of five percent per annum, with the term loan repayment date extended by an additional year from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2026. This will provide those who are unable to secure refinancing or generate enough cashflow to repay their loans by the forgiveness deadline an additional year to continue repayment at a low borrowing cost.
Export Development Canada is the administrator of the CEBA program on behalf of the Government of Canada and is working with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to put in place systems to collect loans that remain outstanding after December 31, 2026. For those that cannot repay by the deadline, the CRA will work with each business to determine its ability to repay, emphasizing fairness, empathy, and putting people first.The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of helping the people of Lytton rebuild. Pacific Economic Development Canada is offering two new programs to support the rebuilding of Lytton:
  • $6 million for the Lytton Homeowner Resilient Rebuild program to support eligible Lytton homeowners who wish to rebuild their home to fire-resilient or fire-resilient and Net Zero standards; and
  • $7.2 million to create the Lytton Business Restart program to help small- and medium-sized businesses re-establish in the community. This funding will include support for Indigenous businesses and those operated by women, youth, and other underrepresented groups. Application details and launch date coming soon.
The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting Canadians and Canadian businesses and is focusing on growing our economy and building a stronger, more resilient Canada for everyone.
Canada Emergency Business AccountLoansLyttonSmall and medium-sized enterprises
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023e-4457e-4457 (Awards and honours)MarcJohnsonIqraKhalidMississauga—Erin MillsLiberalONMay 30, 2023, at 5:26 p.m. (EDT)June 29, 2023, at 5:26 p.m. (EDT)September 29, 2023November 20, 2023July 10, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canada’s success depends on an innovation economy that is driven by graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars generate solutions to some of the greatest problems facing Canadian society, including creating new treatments for diseases, building equitable societies, improving adaptation and resilience to climate change, finding new uses for artificial intelligence, and much more. Their discoveries improve our well-being and fuel our economy, so we crucially need their talent and innovation to help Canada thrive. Unfortunately, the government has not adequately invested in graduate students and postdoctoral scholars over the last 20 years. Many live in poverty because Tri-agency government scholarships, fellowships and grants do not provide adequate funds to support them. Consequently, many of our brightest minds are being forced to leave Canada for better opportunities or to abandon their dreams of research altogether because they simply cannot afford to pursue them.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Increase the value of Tri-agency graduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships by 50%;2. Increase the number of Tri-agency graduate student scholarships by 50%;3. Increase the number of Tri-agency postdoctoral fellowships by 100%; and4. Increase the Tri-agency research grant budget provided to faculty by at least 10% per year for the next five years, to allow for increased graduate student and postdoctoral pay.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HON. FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNEThe Government of Canada recognizes that investment in research and talent is critical to driving discoveries and innovative breakthroughs that generate social, health, and economic benefits for Canadians, as well as to help train the next generation of diverse research leaders. Since 2016, Canada has committed more than $16 billion to support the valuable contributions that scientists and researchers make to the health, well-being, and prosperity of all Canadians.Through Budget 2021, the government announced a total of $1 billion to strengthen research systems and talent pipelines for biomanufacturing and life sciences, through the Tri-Council Canada Biomedical Research Fund, the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Clinical Trials Fund. Budget 2021 also provided $360 million to launch the National Quantum Strategy to amplify Canada's significant strength in quantum research, grow our quantum-ready technologies and talent, and solidify Canada's leadership in the field.The Government of Canada acknowledges the critical role that federal scholarships and fellowships play in nurturing and sustaining Canada’s top talent through support for career progression and increased financial security and independence. The government also recognizes that a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential for creating innovative impactful research. To this end, the granting agencies are continuing their work to increase opportunities for Black student researchers, using the funding received in Budget 2022 for targeted scholarships and fellowships.More recently, through Budget 2023, the government proposed $813.6 million in 2023-24 to increase Canada Student Grants by 40 percent, providing up to $4,200 for full-time students, to support postsecondary students and make life more affordable. Budget 2023 further proposes to raise the interest-free Canada Student Loan limit from $210 to $300 per week of study, and waive the requirement for mature students, aged 22 years or older, to undergo credit screening in order to qualify for federal student grants and loans for the first time, allowing up to 1,000 additional students to benefit from federal aid in the coming year.Budget 2023 also proposed $197.7 million in 2024-25 to the Student Work Placement Program to continue creating quality work-integrated learning opportunities for students through partnerships between employers and post-secondary institutions. This investment will support students in gaining the necessary skills, education, and real-life work experience to transition successfully into the workforce.Looking forward, the Government of Canada remains committed to supporting a strong federal system that fosters new ideas, breakthroughs, and advancements. In order to cement Canada’s leadership position on the world stage, our research support system must meet the needs of today’s research, which is increasingly complex, collaborative, multi- and inter-disciplinary, and international. To these ends, the government recognizes the importance of continued evaluation of and investment in Canada’s science and research ecosystem. The government welcomes the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System’s report and is carefully reviewing the findings and recommendations, and taking them under consideration as it advances its efforts to support the research ecosystem and Canada’s top talent.
Canadian Institutes of Health ResearchFellowshipsNatural Sciences and Engineering Research CouncilSocial Sciences and Humanities Research CouncilUniversity research
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 20, 2023441-01674441-01674 (Environment)DonDaviesVancouver KingswayNDPBCSeptember 27, 2023November 20, 2023June 7, 2023Petition to the Prime Minister and the Government of CanadaWHEREAS Canada must address the climate emergency.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada to enact just transition legislation that:
  • Reduces emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels, and assists the Global South in cutting emissions by 80%, by 2030;
  • Winds down the fossil fuel industry and related infrastructure, ends fossil fuel subsidies, and transitions to a decarbonized economy;
  • Creates new public economic institutions and expands public ownership of services and utilities across the economy to implement the transition;
  • Creates good green jobs and drives inclusive workforce development, led by and including affected workers and communities, and ensures decent, low-carbon work for all workers;
  • Protects and strengthens human rights and worker rights, respects Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and knowledge by including them in creating and implementing this legislation, ensures migrant justice, and emphasizes support for historically marginalized communities;
  • Expands the social safety net through new income supports, decarbonized public housing, and operational funding for affordable and accessible public transit countrywide; and
  • Pays for the transition by increasing taxes on the wealthiest and corporations and financing through a public national bank.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net-zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our global partners need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance.Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government released policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures that deliver on Canada’s commitment at COP26. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, outlines the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding to establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre, among other things.As committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023. The legislation proposes establishing a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill would also require the Government to:
  • establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures;
  • create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and
  • release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025.
These legislated mechanisms would guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a low-carbon economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables (Regional Tables) are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables are helping to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for implementing joint strategies to leverage energy and resource opportunities to realize each region of Canada’s comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy.To date, the federal government has jointly launched nine Regional Tables across the country, with British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and the four Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador) as well as the Northwest Territories and Yukon. Most recently, the Government of Canada and British Columbia, in collaboration with First Nation partners, released the foundational British Columbia Regional Energy and Resource Table Collaboration Framework, which sets the stage for a shared longer-term vision. On the other side of the country, plans for a similar framework with Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario are not far behind. Other participating provinces and territories are collaborating to finalize proposed priorities, while discussion to establish a Regional Table or other collaboration mechanism continues in the remaining jurisdictions.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada is taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change, while strengthening our economy by fostering the creation of sustainable jobs. This shift towards a low-carbon economy presents significant opportunities across existing and emerging sectors and will require the transformation of Canadian industries and the Canadian labour market. Ensuring Canada has a plan to advance a low-carbon economy and a workforce that can thrive in the low-carbon economy is fundamental to achieving our climate targets.On February 17, 2023, the Government released its Interim Sustainable Jobs Plan. This document is an interim plan for 2023-25 that precedes and sets an initial frame for the Sustainable Jobs Action Plans that will be released every five years starting in 2025 to guide and organize efforts to support workers in the economy of the future. This interim Sustainable Jobs Plan outlines federal measures across 10 key action areas:
  1. Establishing the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat
  2. Creating a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council
  3. Developing economic strategies through the Regional Energy and Resource Tables
  4. Introducing a sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program
  5. Advancing funding for skills development towards sustainable jobs
  6. Promoting Indigenous-led solutions and a National Benefits-Sharing Framework
  7. Improving labour market data collection, tracking and analysis
  8. Motivating investors and draw in industry leadership to support workers
  9. Collaborating and leading on the global stage
  10. Establishing legislation that ensures ongoing engagement and accountability
As part of this Plan, on June 15, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, which aims to facilitate and promote the creation of sustainable jobs and support workers and communities in Canada as the world advances toward a net-zero future. The bill puts workers and communities at the centre of federal policy and decision-making by establishing a framework for accountability, a governance structure and engagement mechanisms to guide effective federal action.This legislation and interim Plan are the product of a comprehensive consultation process that took place over 2021-22, engaging other orders of government alongside Indigenous organizations, key labour and industry partners, stakeholders and the Canadian public.The Government will continue to support the creation of sustainable jobs by leveraging current programming and by working closely with stakeholders to help identify the skill sets needed for a low carbon economy and ensure that Canada’s entire workforce is equipped to succeed. This continues to be important in the current context also characterized by labour shortages, population aging and technological change.The 2022 Fall Economic Statement announced funding for the creation of a Sustainable Jobs Training Fund, also an action area under the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan. The Fund will bring together workers, unions, employers, and training institutions across the country to examine the skills of the labour force today, forecast future skills requirements, and develop curriculum, micro-credentials, and on-site learning to help 15,000 workers upgrade or gain new skills for jobs in a low-carbon economy. The Fund would focus on specific areas in high demand, starting with the sustainable battery industry and low-carbon building and retrofits.In addition, the 2022 FES announced funding for a new Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) sustainable jobs stream under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy. This stream will aim to fund projects that support unions in leading the development of green skills training for workers in the trades. It is expected that 20,000 apprentices and journeypersons would benefit from this investment.Finally, The Government also offers a broad suite of programming to support jobseekers and workers of all ages and from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, as well as employers, unions and training providers. Many of these programs, created in consultation with stakeholders, are already helping to advance sustainable jobs. They include:•     The Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, a program that helps key sectors of the economy implement solutions to address their current and emerging workforce needs, including priority areas such as ‘Building Talent for the Clean Economy’.•     The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, which provides funding to help pre-apprentices, apprentices, employers, unions, and other organizations and tradespeople participate in apprenticeships and succeed in skilled trades careers. This includes recent investments to develop green skills training for workers in the trades under the sustainable jobs initiative.•     The Skills and Partnership Fund, a project-based fund that supports partnerships between Indigenous organizations and industry employers to provide skills training for Indigenous peoples in priority sectors, which include industries that support more efficient use and alternative sources of energy and resources. Through this Fund, Indigenous people are being trained for current and emerging job opportunities in the green economy.•     The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS), a horizontal initiative led by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and delivered in collaboration with 11 other federal departments, agencies and Crown Corporations. The YESS provides funding to organizations to deliver a range of activities that help youth overcome barriers to employment and develop a broad range of skills and knowledge to participate in the current and future labour market. Some YESS programs such as Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Science Horizons Youth Internship Program, Natural Resources Canada’s Science and Technology Internship Program - Green Jobs, and Parks Canada’s Young Canada Works Program focus on connecting young Canadians with careers in the sustainable jobs sector.•     The Foreign Credential Recognition Program, to support the labour market integration of skilled newcomers by funding projects that will make credential recognition processes faster and more efficient, and providing loans (up to $30,000), support services, and employment supports to help skilled newcomers acquire Canadian work experience, including within the low-carbon sector.Canada has a strong social safety net of which the Employment Insurance (EI) program is an important part. Millions of Canadians rely on it each year when they lose their jobs or need to step away from work for illness, childbirth, or taking care of a loved one. The Government’s continues to build an EI program that is responsive to all labour market conditions, whether in high or low unemployment situations, and is accessible, adequate and financially sustainable.Canada also has a comprehensive pension system, the Old Age Security Program and the Canada Pension Plan for all Canadian workers, no matter what type of work they choose. The Old Age Security Program is quasi-universal, with benefits being paid to seniors 65 and over based on years of residence in Canada after age 18. Furthermore, recent studies and modelling suggest that one of the most significant challenges facing the low-carbon economy will not be a shortage of jobs, but instead an abundance of jobs with a shortage of skilled workers required to fill them. Assisting workers to acquire new skills to support continued employment in the low-carbon economy will be key to filling future needs.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTOver the past six years, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. It is clear that accelerated efforts are crucial to reduce emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Canada has invested more than $100 billion to address climate change since 2015 and has recently announced $9.1 billion in new investments that build on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions.In 2021, Canada adopted an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels and passed legislation to enshrine its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. On March 29, 2022, Canada tabled the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy (ERP)in Parliament and released the plan. The 2030 Plan is the Government’s next major step in taking action to achieve Canada’s climate objectives and create good, sustainable jobs in Canada.Achieving Canada's climate goals requires all sectors of the economy to pursue decarbonization in ways that make cleaner initiatives more affordable and create new, sustainable job opportunities for workers. In addition, the 2030 ERP reflects input received from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories, and the Carbon Neutrality Advisory Group.The 2030 ERP builds on significant progress Canada has already made to address climate change, including the actions outlined in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, and Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, released in 2020. With the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada is taking action by:
  • Working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, and others to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Following consultations, the cap will be designed to lower emissions at a pace and scale needed to achieve net zero by 2050, reduce oil and gas methane by at least 75% below 2012 levels by 2030, support clean technologies to further decarbonize the sector, and work to create sustainable jobs;
  • developing a national net-zero by 2050 buildings strategy, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy;
  • investing in nature and natural climate solutions through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions;
  • working with provinces, territories, industry, and other stakeholders on the design of a Clean Electricity Standard to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035;
  • helping industries decarbonize by adopting clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization, and storage strategy; and
  • ensuring that workers and communities are able to benefit from the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents, including by making significant investments in skills training and continuing consultations on the development of Sustainable Jobs and Skills legislation.
The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities across the country work together to reach these targets, Canada will identify and respond to new opportunities.On July 24, 2023, the Government of Canada released the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Self-Review Assessment Framework and the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Guidelines, which were jointly developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Department of Finance Canada. The Guidelines apply to all federal departments and agencies.The Framework and Guidelines fulfill Canada’s domestic, G7, and G20 commitments to phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. Canada is the first country to release a rigorous analytical guide that both fulfills this commitment and transparently supports action. The Guidelines will be used to prevent the creation of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies in the future.
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament229Not certifiedNovember 20, 2023e-4515e-4515 (Social affairs and equality)ImanBukhariGeorgeChahalCalgary SkyviewLiberalABJuly 18, 2023, at 9:56 a.m. (EDT)November 15, 2023, at 9:56 a.m. (EDT)November 20, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Race-based hate is increasing across Canada;Existing nation-wide data on race-based hate incidents in Canada is grievously limited;Limitations of relying on police-reported data is preventing us from getting a full picture of the prevalence of race-based hate;Due to the historical and intergenerational trauma resulting from colonialism and related policies, as well as individual and systemic racism, many Indigenous people face deeply rooted social and economic challenges, and lower levels of confidence in the police and other institutions. Therefore, they often don't report incidents to the police;A recent study, This Act Doesn't Represent Us: A five-year study on Canadian race-based hate incidents collected through English-language media coverage, proves government data is not enough to identify areas of reform; andBased on the research, there is a need for collecting robust and comprehensive race-based data in creating policy changes that address systemic racism.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to hire an independent agency — not Statistics Canada or law enforcement/policing organizations, due to broken trust in racialized communities — to collect national data on race-based hate incidents and their characteristics. As previous initiatives have failed due to government agendas and lack of funding, it is paramount that this work is data-driven and done in partnership with provincial and municipal governments, but without interference from any governments, including law enforcement or the wider justice system. The independent agency must receive adequate, ongoing funding (separate from Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy budget), in order to collect data as trends evolve over time, and a comprehensive understanding of anti-racism pedagogy.Hate crimesInformation collectionRacial equality44th Parliament220CertifiedNovember 20, 2023e-4529e-4529 (Public safety)TravisMcDougallMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJuly 18, 2023, at 1:10 p.m. (EDT)November 15, 2023, at 1:10 p.m. (EDT)November 20, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="271245" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Transport</Addressee>Whereas:In 2020, the Canadian Council of Motor Transportation Administrators, comprised of federal and provincial ministers overseeing transportation, issued Standard 16: Commercial Truck Driver Entry Level Training under the National Safety Code;Provinces and territories are expected to implement these standards within their respective vehicle training, licensing and regulatory frameworks, but only five provinces have yet to do so for Standard 16;In these provinces, training requirements vary widely, and investigations have found unqualified instructors and a lack of oversight and enforcement;A patchwork of driver training requirements across Canada puts all road users at greater risk due to the dangerous size and weight of commercial trucks;Annually, nearly 2,000 Canadians are killed and 10,000 injured in collisions involving commercial trucks, with most victims being occupants of other vehicles; andThe federal government can issue regulations to ensure uniform requirements for road safety and the use of the road by passenger and commercial drivers.We, the undersigned, Citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to: - Establish a uniform, national mandatory entry level training standard for commercial truck drivers by mandating Standard 16 be implemented by all provinces through federal legislation and/or regulation;- Mandate that each province and territory be obligated to ensure their respective training and licensing frameworks comply with the uniform national standard;- Mandate that each province and territory be obligated to oversee and enforce the uniform national standard for all commercial truck drivers using their roads.Driving permitsEducation and trainingHarmonization of standardsTrucking and truckers44th Parliament229Not certifiedNovember 14, 2023e-4499e-4499 (Transportation)JaninePowellMarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONJuly 14, 2023, at 2:19 p.m. (EDT)November 11, 2023, at 2:19 p.m. (EDT)November 14, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:On 5 May, 2023, six cars of a twelve-car CN freight train derailed in central Kingston, Ontario and a rail bridge collapsed;The train traverses the CN Cataraqui Industrial Spur through a conservation area and according to CN, carried adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine used in the production of nylon at the Invista Canada plant;Two of the train cars entered the Little Cataraqui Creek, which is part of the marshland conservation area;To create a causeway to access the site of the derailment, tonnes of gravel were dumped; andAt least two other derailments occurred on March 4 and March 25, 2020 which also disrupted traffic due to the closure of a major thoroughfare in Kingston.We, the undersigned, concerned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to act now to shut down the CN rail line until the completion of an environmental assessment that ensures future safety protocols and maintenance.Canadian National Railway CompanyKingstonRail transport safetyRail transportation and railways44th Parliament220CertifiedNovember 14, 2023e-4622e-4622 (Justice)EliseWiebeHon.EdFastAbbotsfordConservativeBCOctober 13, 2023, at 2:34 p.m. (EDT)November 12, 2023, at 2:34 p.m. (EDT)November 14, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Medical assistance in dying will expand to Canadians with mental illness on March 17, 2024, unless Parliament intervenes;Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that supports are in place for the mental health of everyone in Canada;Vulnerable Canadians must be given suicide prevention instead of suicide assistance;Medical assistance in dying risks normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness; andCanada should focus on increasing mental health supports and improving access to these supports instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those with mental illness.Medical assistance in dyingMental health44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023e-4401e-4401 (Health)SonyaAndersonLeslynLewisHaldimand—NorfolkConservativeONApril 20, 2023, at 3:33 p.m. (EDT)May 20, 2023, at 3:33 p.m. (EDT)September 26, 2023November 9, 2023May 23, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Parliament has neither discussed nor debated Canada’s participation in a proposed World Health Organization (WHO) International Treaty on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (Pandemic Treaty) that is currently being negotiated and due to be signed by May 2024;In parallel to the Pandemic Treaty drafting process, hundreds of amendments have been proposed by 16 member states to the International Health Regulations (IHRs), which govern the conduct of countries and provide the legal framework for the WHO to exercise its powers;Parliament has neither discussed nor debated the amendments to 5 Articles of the IHR that were adopted by the 75th World Health Assembly on May 27, 2022 and states have 18 months to opt out of these amendments;The outcomes of these efforts will give legally binding, “emergency” powers to the WHO, with potential far-reaching impacts on the lives, health and human rights of Canadians; andCanada must be careful not to agree to anything that could give away our sovereignty on health care, even if there is tremendous international pressure to do so for the sake of pandemic preparedness.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to urgently allow Parliament the opportunity to debate and vote on the amendments to the IHRs that have already been adopted by the 75th World Health Assembly and to allow opportunity for parliamentary scrutiny of the proposed amendments currently being negotiated by WHO delegates.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandProtecting the health and safety of all Canadians is a top priority of the Government of Canada. COVID-19 has demonstrated the need to take bold action to ensure we are better prepared for the next pandemic, which is why Canada is working closely with other countries and international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. Canada is working with over 190 other countries to develop a new WHO convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.Canada is a signatory to the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005), which are an important tool to keep Canadians healthy and safe through commitments and obligations that require countries to work together in a global health emergency. At the 75th World Health Assembly in May 2022, Member States adopted a technical amendment to Article 59 that would change the time for entry into force of future IHR amendments from two years to one year. This means that the IHR amendments adopted in 2022 make it so that in the future, States Parties will have one year to accept and implement any new amendments to the IHR. This amendment was agreed to by all States Parties and supports effective implementation of the IHRs and protection against future public health risks. To ensure consistency within the text, four other amendments were made to support this same technical change. No other amendments were agreed to or adopted at the 75th World Health Assembly in 2022.Also at the 75th World Health Assembly in May 2022, Member States, including Canada, agreed by consensus on a forward process to consider possible amendments to the IHR (2005) through the Working Group on Amendments to the IHR (WGIHR), which is led by Member States. Now, Member States are undertaking the process to consider additional amendments to strengthen the IHR. Member States themselves are leading the process and deciding on the content. As the starting point for this process, Member States were invited to submit amendment proposals. Proposed amendments are still under negotiation and none have been finalized or agreed upon.While the outcomes of these efforts are not yet determined, Canada is ensuring that our sovereignty is maintained through any amendments to the IHR. Canada has full jurisdiction for any future domestic decisions about national restrictions or other measures related to health emergencies and pandemics. The role of WHO has been and will continue to be advisory in nature, as WHO does not have jurisdiction in Canada. WHO Member States will continue to lead the process of negotiating amendments to the IHR (2005) and, as Canada engages in it, the federal government will ensure that Canadian priorities and values are upheld. It is expected that amendments to the IHR (2005) will be presented for consideration and potential adoption at the 77th World Health Assembly in May 2024.More information about this process can be found at the website for the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations.
PandemicWorld Health Organization
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01660441-01660 (Civil and human rights)TedFalkProvencherConservativeMBSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023May 16, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01661441-01661 (Environment)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023May 18, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada Whereas:
  • Canadians care deeply about the health of the ocean, and depend on a thriving ocean ecosystem;
  • In 2019, over one million cruise ship passengers travelled off British Columbia on their way to Alaska;
  • These ships generate significant amounts of pollutants that are harmful to human health, aquatic organisms and coastal ecosystems;
  • Canada's regulations under the Canada Shipping Act addressing the discharge of sewage and greywater are much less stringent than those in US Pacific coastal states;
  • Canada permits sewage to be discharged with 18 times greater fecal coliform counts than does Alaska;
  • Canada does not require that ships built before 2013 treat greywater discharges;
  • 22 of the 25 cruise ships sailing off British Columbia in 2019 were built before 2013;
  • The Salish Sea in Washington State is a no-discharge zone prohibiting the discharge of sewage in order to protect public health, water quality, and sensitive marine resources;
  • Canada has zero no-discharge zones off British Columbia;
  • Canada does not require third party independent observers on board cruise ships as is required by Alaska; and
  • Canada's less stringent regulations encourage cruise ships to discharge their waste off British Columbia.
We, the undersigned, concerned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Set standards for cruise ship sewage and greywater discharges equivalent to or stronger than those in Alaska;2. Designate no-discharge zones to stop pollution in marine protected areas, the entirety of the Salish and Great Bear Seas, and in critical habitat for threatened and endangered species; and3. Require regular independent third-party monitoring while ships are underway to ensure discharge requirements are met.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezPart 1: The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians and the environment from the potential risks of marine pollution.On June 23, 2023, Transport Canada announced mandatory environmental measures to address discharges of greywater and sewage from cruise ships, effective immediately, within Canada’s territorial waters. These substances were previously included in voluntary measures, but will now be enforceable under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to provide stronger protection to Canada’s oceans and marine ecosystems. For more information, please refer to Ship Safety Bulletin No. 14/2023. These measures exceed international standards, strengthen Canada’s existing discharge regime, and place Canada amongst the countries with the most stringent requirements for these types of discharges in the world.The announcement of these new mandatory measures for sewage and greywater discharges in Canadian waters is a first step towards strengthening Transport Canada’s environmental regime. The mandatory measures also reflect work undertaken by Transport Canada to address concerns raised by the Canadian public and environmental organizations with respect to vessel-sourced pollution in Canadian waters.Transport Canada is currently working to make these changes permanent through amendments to the Vessel Pollution and Dangerous Chemicals Regulations. Transport Canada will also continue to collaborate with the United States and other like-minded jurisdictions to support the implementation of a strong environmental regime that takes in to account our respective and unique jurisdictions.Part 2: The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians and the environment from the potential risks of marine pollution. This includes working to improve water quality and our marine environments from coast to coast to coast, to build a new world class environmental regime. Strengthening marine environmental protection requires a whole of government approach. Transport Canada is working closely with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada towards this shared objective.On February 8, 2023, the Government of Canada unveiled its 2023 Marine Protected Area Protection Standard, which, among other things, seeks to enhance restrictions on certain vessel discharges that occur within marine protected areas, including those located within the Salish and Great Bear Seas. Subject to further consultations with stakeholders, additional limitations or prohibitions are proposed for: oily engine bilge; sewage (blackwater); greywater; food waste; and scrubber washwater.In compliance with international regulations and law, voluntary measures for these substances, with the addition of garbage (including food wastes) and noxious liquid substances, will be also pursued in the Exclusive Economic Zone, 12–200 nautical miles from shore, where possible.Transport Canada also continues to support the ongoing work at the International Maritime Organization on these and related subjects. Part 3: Transport Canada has a robust marine oversight regime and is responsible for carrying out compliance and enforcement activities in accordance with the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and its regulations. The Department’s compliance and enforcement activities apply to Canadian and foreign vessels in Canadian waters. In instances where deficiencies or non-compliance are suspected or known, Transport Canada inspectors and investigators are authorized to take appropriate action to bring vessels into compliance. This may include directing corrective actions, issuing warnings or Administrative Monetary Penalties and Notices, or pursuing detentions and prosecutions through the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and the courts. Transport Canada compliance and enforcement actions are guided by the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and its regulations. Transport Canada will take into consideration new and/or additional methods to support oversight, as needed, as it continues to develop enhanced measures to strengthen Canada’s discharge requirements.Transport Canada will continue to engage with industry and interested parties to determine how to further strengthen the marine environmental regime, where needed. This would include consideration towards the compliance and enforcement regime.  
British ColumbiaCruise shipsSewage treatment and disposalWater quality
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01662441-01662 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023September 22, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Indigenous peoples have rights and title to their traditional territories and have been stewards of these lands since time immemorial;
  • The climate crisis requires action by all levels of government and industry;
  • Old-growth forests provide immeasurable benefits, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity, culture, recreation, education, food and more;
  • Valley-bottom high productivity old-growth ecosystems in British Columbia are endangered;
  • Of the remaining 2.7% of original high productivity old-growth forests in British Columbia, 75% are still slated to be logged;
  • Only 9% of the original 360,000 hectares of valley-bottom high productivity old-growth on Vancouver Island remain today, and only 2.6% of those forests are protected in parks;
  • The last unprotected intact old-growth valley on Southern Vancouver Island, Fairy Creek, is slated for logging, along with the upper Walbran Valle and other remaining pockets of old growth; and
  • Most Canadians support sustainable harvesting of second and third growth forests, but do not support logging old-growth trees or destroying their surrounding ecosystems.
We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • 1. Work with the provinces and First Nations to immediately halt logging of endangered old-growth ecosystems;
  • 2. Fund the long-term protection of old-growth ecosystems as a priority for Canada's climate action plan and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples;
  • 3. Support value-added forestry initiatives in partnership with First Nations to ensure Canada's forestry industry is sustainable, and based on the harvesting of second and third growth forests;
  • 4. Ban the export of raw logs and maximize resource use for local jobs; and
  • 5. Ban the use of whole trees for wood pellet biofuel production.
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.Canada’s forests provide a wealth of environmental, economic, social and cultural benefits to Canadians. The forestry sector in Canada is governed by provincial legislation, regulations and policies. Through careful monitoring and planning, Canada’s forest sector manages the long-term health of its forests, both safeguarding these benefits in the face of challenges and finding new opportunities in a changing world.Finding solutions also means working with Indigenous communities and leaders so that forest management and conservation practices are informed by Indigenous knowledge systems. Through the Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is providing financial support to Indigenous-led projects and Indigenous-identified priorities in the forest sector. The IFI was recently renewed until 2024-2025 with a $10M contributions budget and a new $3M grants stream. During the renewal process, IFI heard communities’ call for change to support broader priorities in the sector and to support projects that accelerate Indigenous awareness, influence, inclusion, and leadership. With the new grants stream, Indigenous communities can access financial support to prepare for and participate in engagement and consultation activities, such as sustainable forest management planning with industry and government. Other eligible projects that support the sustainability of Canada’s forest industry include gathering, developing, using, and protecting Indigenous knowledge and science, Indigenous leadership and participation in forest stewardship and economic development opportunities. Since 2017, the program has supported 133 Indigenous-led, forest-based economic development projects, invested almost $17M in capital, and helped to create more than 625 jobs and 54 new or expanded businesses.British Columbia’s iconic old growth forests have deep-rooted cultural significance to Indigenous communities and are important to all British Columbians. They are also critical habitats for dozens of species at risk and migratory birds and are important natural stores of carbon.The British Columbia Old Growth Nature Fund established by the Departments of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and NRCan commits $50 million to advance shared objectives regarding urgent protection of vital ecosystems, wildlife habitats and species at risk while also protecting carbon stores in old growth forests. The Old Growth Nature Fund has been established in collaboration with the Province of British Columbia, non-governmental organizations, and Indigenous and local communities.This collaborative work to protect communities and diverse natural habitats, including by advancing Indigenous-led conservation efforts, is also crucial to securing a cleaner, healthier, and greener future for Canadians. The Old Growth Nature Fund further complements the Enhanced Nature Legacy announced in 2021, and the Natural Climate Solutions Fund announced in 2020.Canada boasts the most forest area certified by internationally recognized, third-party systems as being managed in a sustainable way, respecting ecological values and Indigenous rights. Three quarters of Canada’s managed public forests are certified to one or more of three sustainable forest management certification systems: the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Forest Stewardship Council, and the Canadian Standards Association. As with all forest industries in Canada, the wood pellet industry is governed by provincial legislation, regulations and policies that are the basis for sustainable forest management and include protections for old growth forests. Strict monitoring and enforcement measures ensure that Canada’s forests are harvested legally and sustainably.Canadian wood pellets are primarily made from sawmill residues that are by-products of wood product manufacturing. The industry also uses branches and treetops from harvest operations, logs damaged by natural disturbances, or trees that are cut to manage long-term ecological values in the forest. If not used, these additional sources of wood fibre are typically left to decompose into the atmosphere or may be burned onsite.Supporting markets for all material harvested, as part of a sustainable forest management plan, ensures that no part of the harvested tree is wasted, and delivers economic benefits to Canadians.Finally, as part of Budget 2023, Canada announced $368.4 million over three years, starting in 2023-2024 to NRCan to renew and update forest sector support, including for Indigenous leadership in the sector.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuForests provide a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits for people and communities across Canada. They are a major source of income and employment for 300 communities across the country, directly employing 205,000 workers, including over 11,500 Indigenous workers. Canada is committed to Indigenous reconciliation and recognize the importance of natural resources to Indigenous Peoples.With respect to the proposal to ban the export of raw logs, logs are integral to the domestic manufacturing industry for a wide range of forest products including softwood lumber and other products like high value finished veneer panels. Domestic and international trade in logs is important for log harvesters and Canadian trade. The policy and process governing the export of logs harvested in British Columbia contained in Global Affairs Canada’s Notice to Exporters No. 102 form an important part of the Government’s efforts to ensure the right balance between log exports and domestic policy objectives.The Government regularly reviews policies to ensure that Canada’s domestic policy objectives and trade opportunities are maximized and welcomes all ideas and proposals related to its policies, including those associated with the export of raw logs. The Government is committed to continuing to work and collaborate closely with Indigenous Peoples and all stakeholders and partners on this issue to achieve the best possible results for Canada.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTCanada is home to ecosystems that are globally significant in their capacity to absorb carbon, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and protect biodiversity. This includes 24% of the world’s wetlands, 25% of temperate rainforest areas and 28% of remaining boreal forests. In this context, the Government of Canada understands that the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are connected and need to be tackled together.That said, conservation and protection of Canada’s forests, including old-growth forests and ecosystems, is a shared responsibility. The vast majority of Canada's forests are located on provincial and territorial Crown lands. In British Columbia (B.C.), approximately 96% of forests are on provincial Crown land, where, under the Constitution Act, 1867, forest management is the jurisdiction of the provincial government. As such, forest management on those lands is within the jurisdiction of the B.C. government. At the same time, there is an important federal role to conserve migratory bird habitat, protect critical habitat of federally listed species at risk, and mitigate climate change.With this in mind, the mandate letters of the Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and Natural Resources include a commitment to help protect old-growth forests, notably in B.C., by reaching a Nature Agreement with B.C., establishing a $50 million B.C. Old Growth Nature Fund, and ensuring First Nations, local communities and workers are partners in shaping the path forward for nature protection. This $50 million investment was made through Budget 2022, and a contribution agreement was signed with B.C. in March 2023.The Old Growth Nature Fund will deliver on the Ministers’ mandate letters by providing $50 million to the Government of B.C., to be matched by B.C., to permanently protect and conserve old growth forests in the province. The Fund focuses on protecting at-risk high productivity old growth forests that are of prime biodiversity value identified as important for species at risk, migratory birds, climate mitigation and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Specifically, federal funding supports planning and collaboration with B.C. and Indigenous communities, and provides incentives for third-party funders to permanently protect and conserve large areas of at-risk old growth forests in the province. For example, the 58,000-hectare Incomappleux Valley Conservancy in the B.C. interior was created, in-part, thanks to investments under the Old Growth Nature Fund.The Old Growth Nature Fund will be a key component of the B.C. Nature Agreement, which is being co-developed between Canada, B.C and the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC), and presents a unique opportunity to collaboratively advance nature conservation, species at risk and climate mitigation objectives in collaboration with provincial and Indigenous partners.To this end, and in light of recent announcements from the Government of B.C. concerning moratoria on old growth forest harvesting, departmental officials have been working with their provincial colleagues to finalize a tripartite Nature Agreement and to explore additional ways to encourage and support the province in its efforts to protect and restore habitat. This includes protecting the habitat of old growth-associated species such as Spotted Owl and Marbled Murrelet.The Government of Canada appreciates that, in addition to their habitat functions, forests are key to the health of the climate, influencing rainfall, temperature, and other metrics. Temperate old growth forests, like those in B.C., also function as important carbon reservoirs.Appreciating the significance of forests to biodiversity conservation and climate, the federal government has contributed to protecting nearly 400,000 hectares of forest habitat in B.C. This includes conservation projects under programs such as the Target 1 Challenge, Natural Heritage Conservation Program, Ecological Gifts Program, and others.Alongside this work, the federal government has made forests a central part of Canada’s plan to tackle climate change. The Old Growth Nature Fund in particular is expected to contribute directly to the Government of Canada's commitments to achieve Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The old growth temperate rainforests of B.C. are among the largest natural carbon sinks in the world (on a per hectare basis) and are among the most efficient ecosystems at capturing carbon in Canada.Complementing this effort on a broader scale, the Government of Canada has also announced a series of funding initiatives of significance to forest ecosystems and forestry in Canada:
  • Natural Climate Solutions is investing more than $5 billion over ten years to restore, better manage, and conserve Canada’s natural and managed ecosystems. This initiative includes three complementary programs:
    • 2 Billion Trees program, led by Natural Resources Canada;
    • Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF), led by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC); an
    • The Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) program, led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
  • The NSCSF is a $1.4 billion 10-year (2021-2031) fund to reduce 5-7 megatons of GHG emissions annually. Up to $36.9 million in funding has been allocated to support Indigenous communities to deliver projects that build capacity and advance Indigenous-led efforts on natural climate solutions, with a focus on improved management, conservation, and restoration of wetlands, grasslands and forests that result in reduced and captured GHG emissions.
  • Enhanced Nature Legacy provides $2.3 billion in new funding over five years (2021-2026) that will further contribute to the implementation of conservation measures for Canada’s land and freshwater ecosystems and wildlife. This includes the establishment of new federal, provincial and territorial protected areas, other effective area-based conservation measures, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, and additional habitat restoration. It also included the announcement of further investments through the Low Carbon Economy Fund, a $2 billion fund that could, amongst other things, incent provinces to leave timber standing (for example, by creating other revenue streams for forests).
The broader significance of Canada’s forests is also recognized in the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada where forests are identified as a priority sector. Development of a conservation action plan for species at risk is currently underway in collaboration with forest sector partners and stakeholders to advance the protection and recovery of species at risk and enhance sector sustainability.With respect to support for Indigenous community involvement in ecosystem protection and climate action, including in forests and more broadly, it should be noted that under the NSCSF, described above, an Indigenous Partnership (NSCSF-IP) stream was established to provide targeted funding to enable Indigenous peoples to play a meaningful leadership role in natural climate solutions as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to Reconciliation. Through the NSCSF-IP, ECCC supports Indigenous organizations and communities to undertake Indigenous-led capacity building activities and on-the-ground projects for ecological restoration, improved land management, and conservation of wetlands, grasslands, agricultural lands and forests that result in reduced GHG emissions, and that maximize co-benefits for biodiversity, climate resiliency, and human well-being.Beyond this, ECCC has also funded approximately 115 First Nations, Inuit and Métis Guardians initiatives since 2017 with investments totaling over $46 million. Indigenous Guardians initiatives support Indigenous rights and responsibilities in protecting and conserving ecosystems including old-growth forests, developing and maintaining sustainable economies, and continuing the profound connections between the Canadian landscape and Indigenous culture. Indigenous Guardians are Indigenous peoples exercising their cultural responsibilities through on-the-ground stewardship of traditional lands, waters, air, and ice. They act as the “eyes and ears on the ground”.  Indigenous Guardians funding supports on-the-ground activities such as ecological and cultural resource monitoring, restoration, and visitor experience activities, contribution to cultural continuity (e.g., intergenerational knowledge transmission) and implementation of Indigenous conservation practices and Indigenous knowledge.
Environmental protectionForest policyIndigenous policy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01663441-01663 (Civil and human rights)BobZimmerPrince George—Peace River—Northern RockiesConservativeBCSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023May 18, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01664441-01664 (Taxation)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023June 20, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS:
  • The Canada Revenue Agency does not recognize the separation of a couple if the two former partners maintain the same residential address, even if the two are otherwise financially independent of one another, which can affect benefit eligibility; and
  • In today's housing market, Canadians are being forced to be creative when it comes to finding adequate living arrangements, with some having no choice but to reside in their former partner's home.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call on the Minister of National Revenue to direct her department to modernize its definition of a common-law partnership to recognize that some former couples may remain at the same residence due to the high cost of housing.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandEligibility for tax measures and benefits delivered through the tax system, like the Canada Child Benefit and the Goods and Services Tax Credit, depends on different factors, including in many cases whether an individual is married, in a common-law relationship or separated/divorced. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), which is responsible for administering the Income Tax Act (ITA), including the definition of a common-law partner in the ITA, considers that it is possible for separated individuals to live separate and apart for income tax and benefit purposes, while still occupying the same residence. Whether individuals live separate and apart is a question of fact that is determined by the CRA on a case-by-case basis. 
HousingIncome taxSpouses
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01665441-01665 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Free and fair trials, judicial independence, and the rule of law are all cornerstones to Canada's democracy;
  • Since June 2019, protests for democracy, freedom, universal suffrage, and regional autonomy have been occurring in Hong Kong;
  • On many occasions, peaceful protestors of Hong Kong are charged and convicted of penal offences through a judiciary that is neither impartial, fair, or free;
  • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c.27), Section 36 renders foreign nationals who have committed or been convicted of a foreign offence outside Canada inadmissible on grounds of criminality and serious criminality; and
  • Hong Kong people who have been arbitrarily charged and convicted with pro-democracy movement related penal offences for political purposes are at risk of being deemed inadmissible to enter Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Recognize the politicization of the judiciary in Hong Kong and its impact on the legitimacy and validity of criminal convictions; 2. Affirm its commitment to render all National Security Law charges and convictions irrelevant and invalid in relation to Section 36(1)(c); 3. Create a mechanism by which Hong Kong people with pro-democracy movement related convictions may provide an explanation for such convictions, on the basis of which Government officials can grant exemptions to Hong Kong people who are deemed inadmissible under A36(1)(b), (2)(b), and (2)(c) upon examination of the circumstances and determination that the applicant's criminal record is political in nature; and 4. Work with the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other democracies to waive criminal inadmissibility of Hong Kong people convicted for political purposes, who otherwise do not have a criminal record.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has a special relationship with Hong Kong that is rooted in a shared history and extensive commercial, institutional and people-to-people ties.(1) The maintenance of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as expressed through the One Country, Two Systems framework, is a high priority for the Government of Canada. Under this framework, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. Canada remains committed to supporting Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy within the One Country, Two Systems framework, and to working with international partners to advance the goal of a free, stable and prosperous Hong Kong where human rights and fundamental freedoms under the Basic Law are guaranteed. We will continue to monitor developments in Hong Kong closely, including those relating to the territory’s judicial system, and reserve the right to undertake appropriate action in response to future developments.(4) In advance of the imposition of the National Security law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on May 22, 2020, expressing deep concern over proposals to introduce national security legislation in Hong Kong. Another statement was issued with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States on May 28, 2020, reiterating concerns over the anticipated introduction of the National Security Law. On June 17, 2020, Canada joined its G7 partners to release a joint statement urging China to reconsider its decision.Following the imposition and implementation of the National Security Law, Canada has worked in concert with international partners to support the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Hong Kong residents and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy under the Basic Law and the One Country, Two Systems framework. Canada also announced new immigration initiatives for Hong Kong and has sought to complement and align these initiatives with measures taken by our likeminded partners.Subsequently, following the adoption by the National People’s Congress of a package of changes to the electoral system in Hong Kong in March 2021, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union, also released a joint statement expressing grave concerns at the Chinese authorities’ decision. The joint statement made it clear such a decision strongly indicates that the authorities in mainland China are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong, while also stifling political pluralism, contrary to the aim of moving towards universal suffrage as set out in the Basic Law.The wider chilling effects of the National Security Law and the growing restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, which are being felt across civil society is deeply concerning. On December 20, 2021 Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as the Foreign Ministers of the G7, noting the outcome of the Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong, issued separate statements expressing grave concern over the erosion of democratic elements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s electoral system. On February 17, 2022, Canada and 21 other members of the Media Freedom Coalition issued a joint statement expressing their deep concern at the Chinese authorities’ attacks on freedom of the press and their suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong. In September, 2023, Canada co-sponsored an event at the UN in Geneva on the impact of the National Security Law on media freedom in Hong Kong.Canada, along with Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States also all publicly expressed concerns and condemned the Hong Kong authorities’ issuance of arrest warrants and international bounties for eight pro-democracy advocates living overseas. The National Security Law has no jurisdiction in applying the law within our borders and we will not waver in standing up for those who are targeted simply for exercising their rights peacefully.While Canada and its partners share a common interest in Hong Kong’s prosperity and security, each country has its own legislative framework and is responsible for applying its own sovereign rules and procedures, including those related to immigration and admissibility.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada. Inadmissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada.Immigration officers examine foreign charges and convictions to determine if there is an equivalent offence in Canada for the act committed. If there is no equivalent offence, the individual would not be inadmissible for having committed or being convicted of that offence. For example, as there is no equivalent offence in Canada for peaceful protesting, a charge or conviction for having partaken in such activities would not make an individual inadmissible to Canada.Where there are some similarities between the foreign law and Canadian law, a person would only be inadmissible if the underlying action is considered an offence in Canada.Immigration officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific facts presented by the applicant. All inadmissibility decisions are based on evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations or other documents, such as media articles or publicly-available information.Decision-makers are required to follow the rules of procedural fairness throughout the decision-making process. In the event that an immigration officer has concerns over the criminal admissibility of an applicant, the individual is informed and given an opportunity to provide a response to concerns about their application.If an officer determines that an applicant is inadmissible to come to Canada, applicants may be eligible for relief, on a case-by-case basis, using mechanisms available under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. For example, a temporary resident permit may be issued, when justified in the circumstances, to allow an inadmissible foreign national to enter Canada.
Civil and human rightsCriminal recordsForeign policyHong KongImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01666441-01666 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023September 14, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. 
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01667441-01667 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023February 2, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01668441-01668 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01669441-01669 (Taxation)ArpanKhannaOxfordConservativeONSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Liberals imposed carbon tax will continue to drive up the cost of home heating for Canadians;
  • In Canada heating your home in the winter isn't a luxury - it's a necessity;
  • After eight years of this Liberal government Canadians now must decide whether to heat their home or put food on their table;
  • Never before in Canadian history have Canadians paid more in taxes than under this Liberal government; and
  • Inflation has caused massive increases to costs faced by non-profits and registered charities and further compounded by the carbon tax.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Cancel the tripling of the carbon tax on home heating;2) Ensure no new taxes on Canadians;3) Ensure that Canadians are being put first: their family, their paycheques, their home, and their future.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandSince taking office in 2015, the government's focus has been investing in the middle class, growing the economy, strengthening Canada's social safety net, and making life more affordable for Canadians. Key measures include:
  • Reversed the Conservative policy and restored the age of eligibility for Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) to 65, from 67, preventing 100,000 seniors aged 65 and 66 from plunging into severe poverty each year.
  • Increasing support for families and low-income workers through programs such as the Canada Child Benefit and the Canada Workers Benefit, which have helped lift over 1 million Canadians out of poverty since 2015.
  • Across Canada reduction of fees for regulated childcare of 50 percent on average, with six provinces and territories reducing childcare fees to $10 a day or less by April 2, 2023. In Saskatchewan, this amounts to an estimated savings of up to $6,900 per child.
  • Increasing the GIS top up benefit for low-income single seniors, enhancing the GIS earnings exemption, and increasing Old Age Security for approximately 3.3 million Canadians in July 2022.
  • Reducing taxes for the middle class from 22 percent to 20.5 percent, while raising taxes on the wealthiest Canadians. 
  • Increasing the basic personal amount – i.e., the basic amount of income that Canadians can earn before paying federal income tax – to $15,000, while phasing out the benefits of the increased basic personal amount for wealthy individuals.
In addition, the Government of Canada has provided targeted inflation relief to Canadians struggling with the impacts of global inflation, which has made the cost of living a real challenge. This includes direct, tax-free payments of up to $1,300 per child over two years to eligible families to cover dental expenses for their children under 12 and a doubling of the GST credit in the fall of 2022.Furthermore, the new onetime Grocery Rebate provided targeted inflation relief for 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians and families who need it most, with up to an extra $467 for eligible couples with two children; and up to an extra $234 for single Canadians without children. The Grocery Rebate was delivered to eligible Canadians on July 5, 2023, by direct deposit or cheque through the Canada Revenue Agency.Climate action is critical to Canada’s long-term- health and economic prosperity. Pollution pricing is widely recognized as effective and the most efficient means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which is why the Government of Canada has made sure that it is no longer free to pollute in Canada.The federal price on pollution is revenue neutral for the government of Canada; the direct proceeds from the federal pollution pricing system remain in the province or territory where they are collected. Put simply, every dollar collected from the pollution price is returned.In provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, 90 percent of direct proceeds are returned to residents of those provinces through Climate Action Incentive (CAI) payments. Most households receive more in CAI payments than the costs they face from the federal price on pollution, with low- and middle-income households benefitting the most, on average. The other 10 percent is used to support small and medium sized businesses and Indigenous groups.  Proceeds relating specifically to the use of natural gas and propane by farmers are returned directly to farmers via a refundable tax credit.This year, through quarterly payments, a family of four will receive: $1,544 in Alberta, $1,056 in Manitoba, $976 in Ontario, and $1,360 in Saskatchewan. Starting in July 2023 when federal carbon pricing begins to apply in Atlantic Canada, a family of four will receive 3 quarterly payments totaling: $984 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $744 in Nova Scotia, $720 in Price Edward Island, and $552 in New Brunswick (double payment in October). Residents of small and rural communities are entitled to a 10 per cent supplement beyond the base amount. Future years will contain 4 quarterly payments.On October 26, 2023, the government announced its intent to double the CAI rural top-up, from 10 to 20 percent, with increased payments to rural residents starting in April 2024. It also announced a proposed temporary, three-year pause of the fuel charge on deliveries of light fuel oil exclusively for use in providing heat to a home or building until the end of 2026-27.The government will continue to take action to support the middle class and make life more affordable for Canadians.
Carbon tax
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01670441-01670 (Justice)ArpanKhannaOxfordConservativeONSeptember 26, 2023November 9, 2023December 5, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01671441-01671 (Citizenship and immigration)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • An increasing number of small and rural businesses in Lillooet and surrounding areas have had to significantly reduce their services or shut down their doors altogether due to labour shortages;
  • Statistics Canada found that job vacancies surged to an overwhelming one million vacancies, nation-wide last year;
  • Farms greatly benefit annually from the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program to address labour shortages that are both cyclical and industry specific; so too can the hospitality and tourism sectors greatly benefit from a program to fill the gaps in labour needs; and
  • Rural communities, such as Lillooet, B.C., quickly reach capacity due to staffing shortages.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call the Government of Canada to expand the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Project to include Lillooet to address severe labour shortages, boost faltering local economic development, and help communities thrive.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.The Government of Canada is committed to attracting the best talent from around the world to fill skill shortages and drive local economies in rural Canada, for the benefit of all Canadians.Testing a new community-based economic development approach, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) is a Ministerial Instructions (MI) pilot that supports smaller and more remote communities to access the economic and demographic benefits of immigration. These pilots are designed to test innovative approaches to meet specific needs, provide learnings to help shape future immigration programs and policies, and are typically issued for limited periods of time.RNIP communities were selected at the outset of the pilot through an expression of interest process, open to all communities across Canada and that looked into characteristics such as economic vitality and growing economy, economic development plans, support from local stakeholders, existing infrastructure, and settlement and integration capacity. The 11 selected communities required extensive training and onboarding support at the beginning of the pilot.Given the above, and that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act sets a limit of five years on pilots, there are no plans to add additional communities to the pilot at this point.Recognizing that the pilot is set to expire in August 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is reviewing the performance of the RNIP to assess whether it is meeting its objectives of attracting and retaining newcomers to participating communities to support local economic development.The Government of Canada remains focused on supporting immigration strategies that spread the benefits of immigration to communities across the country, including rural and northern communities, to grow their economies and enhance their social and demographic vitality. Specifically, the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) provides provinces and territories, including British Columbia, a means to address their local economic development needs and distributes the benefits of immigration across Canada. The PNP has skilled worker and international graduate streams to fill labour needs at all skill levels and has been proven to be an invaluable tool in filling labour market needs in communities of all sizes.
Immigration and immigrantsLillooetRural and Northern Immigration Pilot
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01672441-01672 (Environment)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023April 3, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas: Children born in 2020 will face on average 2-7 times more extreme weather events than their grandparents;In a 2021 report in The Lancet, 83% of children worldwide reported that they think people have failed to take care of the planet; Those most affected by climate change are the youngest generation, as they will live to see the worst effects of the crisis; Youth discussion has proven crucial to successful climate action and policy creation; However, dozens of climaterelated decisions are made without input from youth; Statistics around the world show that if youth were making these decisions, the representation in Parliament outcome would be different; andChildren under 18 are not legally allowed to vote, and are therefore without legal voice or accurate.Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Require all Members of Parliament, regardless of party lines, to consult with a secondary or elementary school leadership, student council, or environmental youth group of their Riding (i.e. under-18 youth representatives), before Parliament holds the Second Reading of any Bill that directly affects Canada's Greenhouse Gas Emissions; and2. The purpose of the consultation will be to listen to the viewpoints of those directly affected by the specified Bill, but who do not already have representation in Parliament.
Response by the Prime Minister of CanadaSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Kevin LamoureuxThank you for raising this important issue. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting our natural environment, fighting climate change, and making Canada more resilient to the threats posed by extreme weather. Canadians depend on our natural environment for jobs, clean air and water, and for a sense of place in the world. However, the risks to our environment have never been greater. Climate change threatens nature, our communities, and our economy.For these reasons, the Government of Canada has taken significant action to protect the environment, conserve nature and biodiversity, and respond to the threat of climate change. The Government has established a federal pollution pricing system, established the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan that outlines a sector-by-sector roadmap to achieve Canada’s 2030 target of 40-45 per cent reduction in emissions, put Canada on a path to planting two billion trees, released its first National Adaptation Strategy, and has worked with provinces and territories towards a goal of zero plastic waste by 2030.The Government of Canada recognizes that youth have a critical role to play in climate action. They are important agents of change, with innovative ways of thinking. Canada’s Youth Policy and the State of the Youth Report identify Environment and Climate Action as a key priority for youth. The Government of Canada considers the youth perspective as vital to ensuring that the country's transition to a prosperous and low-carbon future is sustainable and inclusive. Established in August 2022, the Environment and Climate Change Youth Council is a group of 10 young Canadians who are passionate about protecting the environment and taking climate action. To date, the Youth Council members have contributed to and participated in UNFCCC COP27 in Egypt and the Convention on Biodiversity COP15 in Montreal, and have advised on policy issues, including the National Adaptation Strategy, climate communications, and on a 2023 Biodiversity Strategy for Canada.Strategic environmental assessments are also a mandatory part of the policy and legislative development process. These assessments help to ensure all public policies and strategic decisions made by the Government of Canada are guided by the potential impact on the environment. In carrying out the assessments, the Government will consider the scope and nature of likely environmental effects, the need for mitigation to reduce or eliminate adverse effects and take into consideration any adverse environmental effects and mitigation that may be required.
Climate change and global warmingPublic consultationYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01673441-01673 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023June 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01675441-01675 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS:Given current ecological, social and economic crises, our collective future depends on all levels of government and Canadians to make informed and responsible decisions regarding environment and sustainability matters;We have entered an age whereby human impact is approaching many ecological system boundaries such as fresh water usage, atmospheric pollution, and extinction of species;The current state of environmental education in Canada is inadequate to address these challenges and empower citizens to understand the complexity of the issues and take effective action; and The government of Canada should provide coherent national leadership in environmental and sustainability education and recognize the importance of Indigenous Knowledges and practices in the education of Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.THEREFORE, your petitioners call on the House of Commons to take a leadership role in enacting a Canadian strategy that supports educators, communicators, community leaders, as well as provincial and municipal governments to take actions that result in healthy, sustainable, and flourishing human and ecological communities.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Minister of the Environment and Climate Change has a mandate to provide Canadians with environmental information in the public interest and promote and encourage practices and conduct that help to preserve the environment, in cooperation with partners such as provincial governments, Indigenous peoples, not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions and others to advance this mission. Last year, the Minister was also mandated by the Prime Minister to engage with Canadians to better communicate the impact of climate change. Environmental education is critical to tackling the environmental challenges Canada is facing today and will face tomorrow. It is also an important part of Canada’s international commitments. Canada is actively engaged in the work of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). ACE emphasizes the importance of education to address the climate crisis and promote sustainability. Its overarching goal is to empower people to engage in climate action through education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation on these issues. It also emphasizes the importance of youth voices in climate change action.These obligations are taken very seriously, and the Department recognizes that more needs to be done to improve access to climate and environmental education. The views expressed in this petition will be taken under consideration.In Canada, provinces and territories are responsible for organizing, delivering, and assessing all levels of education. The Government of Canada contributes to sustainability knowledge and education through various means including by undertaking and funding critical research that provides the foundation for environmental and sustainability education; working with and providing funding and support to diverse partners across Canada in support of this mission, and leading the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.Information, Research and Science The Government of Canada has conducted a national assessment process of how and why Canada’s climate is changing. This assessment discusses the impacts of these changes on communities, environment, and the economy, and details how Canadians are adapting. A series of reports that followed the national assessment raise awareness of the issues facing the country and provide information to Canadians to support sound decisions and actions that address climate change and adapt to its impacts.The Government of Canada is also implementing the Roadmap for Open Science. This will make the scientific research process more inclusive and accessible to scientists and Canadians by making data and publications open and making research understandable and useful. In addition, the Government of Canada is developing a climate data strategy to ensure that the private sector and communities have access to data to inform planning and infrastructure investments.At Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the Canadian Centre for Climate Services provides information to improve Canadians’ understanding of how the climate is changing and how those changes could affect them, as well as guidance and resources to make climate-smart decisions.The Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators program publishes high-quality indicators that provide Canadians with information on Canada's performance on environmental sustainability issues including climate change, water quality and availability, and species at risk.Research shows that Canadians trust scientists. To leverage its scientific resources, ECCC has developed a pilot program, in French and English, which helps its scientists, researchers and science experts to become better science communicators and harness storytelling and presentation techniques to reach and motivate more Canadians to take environmental and climate action. Once trained, these experts are connected to the Canadian public through a network of schools, museums, science centres as well as non-governmental organizations.Working with Partners The Program of Applied Research on Climate Action in Canada (PARCA) https://impact.canada.ca/en/behavioural-science/parca is a multi-year program of research on climate change, running from September 2021 to March 2024. It is a partnership between Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and the Privy Council Office’s Impact and Innovation Unit. PARCA is using behavioural science for an evidenced-based, data-driven approach to understanding what drives choices and behaviours and what barriers stand in the way of greater climate and environmental action. This will help point the way to more impactful interventions by factoring in actual behaviour. Behaviourally informed solutions will be tested online and then in the real world for their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote climate adaptation at the individual and community levels. This work will generate new insights on a rapid timeframe and use them to inform policy development, program design, and communications. A large network of internal and external partners, including partners at multilateral organizations and an advisory committee of subject matter experts, are guiding the research program to help ensure its relevance, rigour, and impact. PARCA data pointed directly to the need for the kinds of partnerships ECCC is developing to build climate literacy.Youth have an important role to play in climate action. Today’s youth and future generations will face the gravest environmental and climate consequences. The youth population is also particularly susceptible to mis- and dis-information. Meaningful youth engagement and education in environment and climate action is essential in building a more sustainable future. That is why the Environment and Climate Change Youth Council (ECCYC) was formed in August 2022. The ECCYC is a group of young Canadians who are passionate about protecting the environment and taking climate action. They have been selected to advise on key environmental and climate issues to inform decisions by the Government of Canada. The ECCYC is engaged on the Government’s climate communication and education initiatives and plays an important role in connecting with diverse community, national and international networks to help mobilize youth for climate action.The Government of Canada also contributes to sustainability knowledge and education by funding research through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.In addition, ECCC’s EcoAction Community Funding Program provides financial support to non-profit and non-government organizations for Canadian communities to take on local action-based projects that produce measurable and positive effects on the environment and to build their capacity to sustain these activities in the future. EcoAction funds projects that lead to tangible environmental results, engage the community to improve the environment, increase environmental awareness and capacity in communities, and result in sustainable outcomes and engagement following project completion.The Environmental Damages Fund (EDF) is a specified purpose account administered by ECCC, on behalf of the Government of Canada, to direct funds received from fines, court orders and voluntary payments to priority projects that will benefit Canada’s natural environment. EDF funding is available for projects that address one or more of the program’s priority areas. Priority is given to projects that restore the natural environment and conserve wildlife, improve environmental quality, undertake research and development on environmental restoration and improve and/or advance education and awareness on issues affecting the health of the natural environment. This could include, for example, promoting education related to environmental damage restoration, including training for the assessment and restoration of damage, or for increased awareness and compliance with environmental regulations.ECCC set up two Grants and Contributions programs with different sources of funding to address the need for better access to environmental education across the country.For fiscal years 2022- 2024, recipients have received or are set to receive funding to advance environmental literacy by 1) supporting teacher training programs, 2) improving access to environmental educational resources, and 3) conducting further research to generate evidence-based solutions for environmental education in Canada.On October 4, 2023, a call for proposals was launched for a new and innovative Environmental Literacy Funding program. ECCC is partnering with philanthropic organizations to support projects that can increase environmental literacy in young Canadians. Strong collaborations with trusted partners in the field can help make long-term gains in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. ECCC’s $12.5 million investment will be bolstered by interested philanthropic organizations wanting to team up on long-term solutions to tackle climate change. A minimum of $2.5 million of the $12.5 million envelope will be dedicated to Indigenous-led initiatives.ECCC has been engaging stakeholders for the past 2 years focusing on environmental learning. Besides setting up two working groups, one for Provinces and Territories and the other for other science-based Government of Canada Departments, the department has also met with national and international experts, NGOs, youth, formal and non-formal education professionals. Three daylong dialogue days bringing together key actors from diverse sectors (youth and children, education, academia, NGOs, government, museums and science centres, etc) were held between December 2022 and August 2023. ECCC also funded a Youth Climate Lab to conduct policy research with youth on environmental literacy. Key conclusions emerging from these consultations were that nearly every aspect of a young person’s future will be affected by climate – their jobs, their homes, energy use, transportation, food, water, health, and more, and that environmental literacy is a key mitigation and adaptation solution to climate change and biodiversity loss. ECCC has drafted a discussion paper to work toward a Pan-Canadian Framework on Environmental Learning that will be posted for consultation on consultation.gc.ca later this year. Indigenous communities and youth will also be consulted. A “What we heard” report will be drafted and presented to key stakeholders to help the drafting of the Framework in 2024.ECCC also works regularly with other federal partners to ensure sustained public communications about the various programs and incentives available to Canadians to support their environmental actions. ECCC is also developing a long-term multi-faceted social marketing campaign that will aim to provide Canadians with clear, consistent, and evidence-informed information about the environment and climate change. This campaign is expected to launch at the end of 2023.Federal Sustainable Development Strategy The Government of Canada provides federal leadership on environmental and sustainability issues through the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, as detailed in the Federal Sustainable Development Act. Key aspects of this work are openness and transparency in providing information about sustainability in Canada. The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy brings the federal government’s sustainable development priorities, goals, targets and actions together in one place and enables parliamentarians and Canadians to track progress.All federal organizations subject to the Federal Sustainable Development Act are also required to develop a Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy every three years and report on its progress. These documents provide specific details on all departments’ plans and actions that advance sustainable development in Canada.As is stated by the Federal Sustainable Development Act, the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of involving Indigenous peoples in developing the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy given their Traditional Knowledge and unique understanding of, and connection to, Canada’s lands and waters. Indigenous youth will inherit the results of Canada’s sustainable development efforts. It is critical that no future generation of Indigenous youth is “left behind”. 
Environmental protectionSustainable communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01676441-01676 (Citizenship and immigration)GregMcLeanCalgary CentreConservativeABSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023May 18, 2023Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipWHEREAS:
  • Sudan is facing a political crisis since the military dissolved the power-sharing government and declared a state of emergency;
  • The pro-democracy movement and the security forces have clashed in mass protests and killings; and
  • Ethnic violence has escalated in some regions over land disputes, leading to hundreds of deaths and a state of emergency.
We, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to:
  • Fast track processing of immigration files of Sudanese residents who wish to immigrate to Canada, in particular those who have family who are Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.Canada continues to call for an end to violence in Sudan and stands with the Sudanese people as they strive for peace.To support Sudanese nationals in Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced Temporary measures for Sudanese nationals, who are currently in Canada and may be unable to return home due to the rapidly deteriorating situation in their country.As of April 30, 2023, Sudanese nationals can apply for an extension of their status in Canada and move between temporary resident streams, allowing them to continue studying, working or visiting family free of charge. This includes applying for open work permits that provide access to the labour market and greater flexibility to support themselves while they are in Canada. These measures will help ensure the continued safety of the Sudanese population already in Canada, keep families together, and give them a safe place to stay.IRCC also introduced Temporary measures to support family members of Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents who have departed Sudan since the violence erupted.Under these measures, eligible foreign nationals, who fled Sudan on or after April 15, 2023 with their Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member(s), may be issued a fee-exempt temporary resident document to facilitate their travel to Canada. Travel must have been completed by July 15, 2023. Once in Canada, they will be eligible to apply for a fee-exempt open work permit or study permit, as well as submit a fee-exempt permanent resident application under the family class. Under these measures, a foreign national is eligible for facilitated travel to Canada if they meet the following requirements:
  1. is the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations – of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023;
  2. is outside of Sudan in a third country; and,
  3. left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023.
Further, to facilitate immigration applications for those still in Sudan so they can travel once it is safe to do so, IRCC is also prioritizing the processing of completed temporary and permanent residence applications already in the system from people still in the country. This includes visitor visa applications for eligible immediate family members of Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents, so they can join their loved ones here in Canada.Canada is also waiving passport and permanent resident travel document fees for citizens and permanent residents of Canada in Sudan who wish to leave.
Immigration and immigrantsSudan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01677441-01677 (Social affairs and equality)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023November 29, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • 1. Re-define affordable housing using an updated formula that better reflects the economic realities faced by millions of Canadians;
  • 2. Create regulations to control excess profiteering by corporate investors and REITs;
  • 3. Close tax evasion and money laundering loopholes and increase regulation of foreign investment in residential real estate;
  • 4. Require restrictive covenants on affordable housing units built with taxpayer subsidies to ensure that those units remain affordable;
  • 5. Create national standards to establish rent and vacancy controls;
  • 6. Create an empty home tax for residential property owners who leave units vacant;
  • 7. Encourage municipalities to create affordable housing zoning to decrease land speculation and lower barriers to development permits for affordable housing; and
  • 8. Prioritize funding for non-profit and cooperative housing.
Response by the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Chris BittleThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners from Kitchener Centre for sharing their concerns about access to a safe, affordable place to call home.Our government believes that all people living in Canada should have access to safe and affordable housing. Launched in 2017, the National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, more than $82-billion plan to give more people living in Canada a place to call home. The NHS is Canada’s largest and most ambitious federal housing program in history and consists of complementary programs and initiatives that aim to address needs across the housing continuum, prioritizing populations most in need.  The NHS sets ambitious targets to ensure that unprecedented investments and new programming deliver results. By 2028, it will help create over 160,000 new housing units and repair another 300,000, reduce or eliminate housing need for 530,000 households, and protect 385,000 households from losing an affordable place to live. The government is making substantial progress toward NHS 2027/28 targets and is considered on track.  The NHS is anchored in the National Housing Strategy Act (NHS Act), which requires the federal government to develop and maintain a national housing strategy with a long-term vision for housing that focuses on improving housing outcomes for those in greatest need. The NHS Act also requires the NHS to take into account the key principles of a human rights-based approach to housing, including the principles of non-discrimination, inclusion, participation, and accountability.The NHS prioritizes the needs of the most vulnerable, including women and children fleeing situations of domestic violence; racialized persons; seniors; Indigenous peoples; persons with disabilities; those dealing with mental health and addiction issues; veterans; and young adults. It promotes diverse communities, supports the creation of housing that is sustainable, accessible, mixed-income, and mixed-use, and located close to transit, work, and public services. Housing affordability?is generally understood from a household’s perspective based on the proportion of?income?going toward their housing costs.? People experiencing homelessness, renters, homebuyers, and existing homeowners all face different and complex housing affordability challenges. Affordability requirements of federal housing programs depend on who the program aims to support, and the housing affordability outcomes the program aims to achieve (e.g. programs to create deeply affordable housing for vulnerable Canadians have different requirements from programs aiming to increase rental housing supply). Similarly, the minimum duration of affordability varies by program. Proponents approved for funding must adhere to minimum requirements and are required to report to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) during the construction of their projects and throughout the affordability period to ensure they are respecting the terms of their agreements. Supporting and growing community housing in Canada is a priority under the NHS. The $4.3 billion Canada Community Housing Initiative is helping to protect and build community-based housing for 330,000 households across the country and another 50,000 units created through an expansion of community housing. The government is also providing $618 million over 10 years under the Federal Community Housing Initiative, which protects tenants and stabilizes the operations of more than 55,000 units in federally administered community housing projects. Moreover, non-profits and co-ops are eligible to apply for funding under NHS supply initiatives. In Budget 2022, the federal government committed to creating a new Co-operative Housing Development Program aimed at expanding co-op housing in Canada. Additional information on this new program should be available in the coming months. Strong partnerships with municipalities, provinces, and territories are essential to increasing housing supply and implementing longer-term solutions for housing affordability. Local governments play an important role in creating the conditions to remove systemic barriers to housing supply in their jurisdiction. The $4-billion Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is designed to drive transformational change within the sphere of control of the local government regarding land use planning and development approvals with the overall objective to accelerate housing supply. The program will provide funding to local governments to implement lasting initiatives that reduce barriers to housing supply and development approvals, and over the long run, make housing more affordable to Canadians. The HAF is helping to fast track at least 100,000 new homes across Canada over the course of the initiative. Real Estate Income Trusts (REITs) are among various players in the rental market. CMHC actively monitors market conditions and works with federal partners to ensure appropriate macro-prudential policies are in place. The government also takes seriously the negative impacts that private ownership of residential properties can have on rents and housing prices.In terms of regulating foreign investment in residential real estate, on January 1, 2023, the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act came into force preventing non-Canadians from buying residential property in Canada for 2 years (certain exceptions apply).  Rest assured our government is working to ensure that everyone living in Canada has a safe and affordable place to call home by expanding Canada’s housing supply and continuing to advance our investments in affordable housing. 
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about the importance of affordable housing.The response from the Department of Finance to part 2), 3) and 6) is as follows:Part 2) The government is committed to ensuring that investor activity is helping, not hurting, housing affordability in Canada. To this end, the government indicated in Budget 2023 that policy changes applicable to all large corporate landlords could be considered to ensure best outcomes on affordability and fair treatment of tenants.Part 3) The Government of Canada continues to make significant investments in new initiatives to strengthen Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) Regime, including specific actions to counter money laundering in real estate from either domestic or foreign sources.For example, regulatory amendments that came into force June 2021 have strengthened AML/ATF obligations for all reporting sectors, including the real estate sector. In particular, real estate agents, brokers and developers are now required to take reasonable measures during certain transactions or activities to collect beneficial ownership information, determine if a client is a politically exposed person, and to take enhanced measures if the client is high-risk.The latter includes specific obligations such as establishing the client’s source of funds and source of wealth, and obtaining senior management review of a transaction of $100,000 or more.More recently, to help further prevent financial crimes in the real estate sector, Budget 2022 announced the government’s intention to extend AML/ATF requirements to all businesses conducting mortgage lending in Canada within the next year.Furthermore, to counter the misuse of anonymous Canadian shell companies for illegal activities, including money laundering, corruption, and tax evasion, the government is accelerating by two years its commitment to amend the Canada Business Corporations Act (CBCA) to implement a free, public and searchable beneficial ownership registry, which will now be accessible before the end of 2023. This registry will cover corporations governed under the Act and be scalable to allow access to the beneficial ownership data held by provinces and territories that agree to participate in a national registry. An initial package of CBCA amendments received royal assent in June 2022, with additional amendments to follow in a subsequent legislative vehicle.In addition, on December 15, 2022, Parliament passed legislation (C-32) to enhance the tax reporting obligations imposed on certain trusts. These measures are intended to improve the collection of beneficial ownership information and encourage tax transparency to help provide authorities with sufficient information in order to determine taxpayers’ tax liabilities and to effectively counter aggressive tax avoidance as well as tax evasion, money laundering and other criminal activities. The new rules will apply to the tax years of trusts that end after December 30, 2023.Finally, the government has taken action to curb foreign investment and speculation in Canadian housing, as committed in Budget 2022. On January 1, 2023, the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act came into force. The Act prohibits people who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents from purchasing residential property in Canada for a period of two years, including preventing non-Canadians from using corporate structures to avoid the prohibition. The Act also establishes penalties for non-Canadians purchasing residential property (and those knowingly assisting them).Part 6) The government announced its intention to introduce such a tax in Budget 2021.The Underused Housing Tax Act, which received royal assent as part of Bill C-8 on June 9, 2022, implements an annual tax of 1% on the value of vacant or underused residential property directly or indirectly owned by non-resident non-Canadians.
Housing
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01678441-01678 (Taxation)MichaelKramRegina—WascanaConservativeSKSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023September 26, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas: The residents of the Gardens Condominium Corporation on Park Street in Regina, Saskatchewan have noticed a substantial increase in their electricity and natural gas bills due to the federal government's carbon tax;The federal government's Climate Action Incentive Payments have been insufficient to cover the cost of the carbon tax; and The carbon tax is set to increase by an additional $105 per tonne (from $65 per tonne to $170 per tonne) by the end of the decade.Therefore: we, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to cancel the carbon tax.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandClimate action is critical to Canada’s long-term health and economic prosperity. Pollution pricing is widely recognized as effective and the most efficient means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which is why the Government of Canada has made sure that it is no longer free to pollute in Canada.The federal price on pollution is revenue neutral for the government of Canada; the direct proceeds from the federal pollution pricing system remain in the province or territory where they are collected. Put simply, every dollar collected from the pollution price is returned.In provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, 90 percent of direct proceeds are returned to residents of those provinces through Climate Action Incentive (CAI) payments. Most households receive more in CAI payments than the costs they face from the federal price on pollution, with low- and middle-income households benefitting the most, on average. The other 10 percent is used to support small and medium-sized businesses and Indigenous groups. Farmers are also receiving proceeds from the price on pollution through a refundable tax credit, meaning an estimated $100M was to be returned to farmers for 2021-22 and $120M will be returned for 2022-23.This year, through quarterly payments, a family of four will receive: $1,544 in Alberta, $1,056 in Manitoba, $976 in Ontario, and $1,360 in Saskatchewan. As of July 2023, when federal pollution pricing began to apply in Atlantic Canada, a family of four will receive 3 quarterly payments totaling: $984 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $744 in Nova Scotia, $720 in Prince Edward Island, and $552 in New Brunswick (double payment in October). Future years will contain 4 quarterly payments.On October 26, 2023, the government announced its intent to double the CAI rural top-up, from 10 to 20 percent, with increased payments to rural residents starting in April 2024. It also announced a proposed temporary, three-year pause of the fuel charge on deliveries of light fuel oil exclusively for use in providing heat to a home or building until the end of 2026-27.The government will continue to take action to support the middle class and make life more affordable for Canadians.
Carbon tax
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01679441-01679 (Taxation)MichaelKramRegina—WascanaConservativeSKSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023September 26, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas: The residents of the Gardens Condominium Corporation on Park Street in Regina, Saskatchewan have noticed a substantial increase in their electricity and natural gas bills due to the federal government's carbon tax; andIt is the federal government's policy to charge GST on top of the carbon tax, which increases their electricity and natural gas bills even further.Therefore: we, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stop charging the GST on top of the carbon tax for electricity and natural gas for residential use.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandClimate action is critical to Canada’s long-term health and economic prosperity. Pollution pricing is widely recognized as effective and the most efficient means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which is why the Government of Canada has made sure that it is no longer free to pollute in Canada. The federal price on pollution is revenue neutral for the government of Canada; the direct proceeds from the federal pollution pricing system remain in the province or territory where they are collected. Put simply, every dollar collected from the pollution price is returned. In provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, 90?percent of direct proceeds are returned to residents of those provinces through Climate Action Incentive (CAI) payments. Most households receive more in CAI payments than the costs they face from the federal price on pollution, with low- and middle-income households benefitting the most, on average. The other 10?percent is used to support small and medium sized businesses and Indigenous groups. Farmers are also receiving proceeds from the price on pollution through a refundable tax credit, meaning an estimated $100M was to be returned to farmers for 2021-22 and $120M will be returned for 2022-23. This year, through quarterly payments, a family of four will receive: $1,544 in Alberta, $1,056 in Manitoba, $976 in Ontario, and $1,360 in Saskatchewan. As of July 2023, when federal pollution pricing began to apply in Atlantic Canada, a family of four will receive 3 quarterly payments totaling: $984 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $744 in Nova Scotia, $720 in Prince Edward Island, and $552 in New Brunswick (double payment in October). Future years will contain 4 quarterly payments. On October 26, 2023, the government announced its intent to double the CAI rural top-up, from 10 to 20 percent, with increased payments to rural residents starting in April 2024. It also announced a proposed temporary, three-year pause of the fuel charge on deliveries of light fuel oil exclusively for use in providing heat to a home or building until the end of 2026-27.The government will continue to take action to support the middle class and make life more affordable for Canadians.
Carbon pricingCarbon taxGoods and services tax
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01680441-01680 (Fisheries)JohnWilliamsonNew Brunswick SouthwestConservativeNBSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023September 19, 2023Petition to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardWhereas:The Grand Manan Wharf project sits incomplete over a contract dispute with the contractor; The large mountains of contaminated material are left entirely blocking our water view at our seasonal restaurant; and This is having an immense negative impact on our small business and general public morale.We, the undersigned, Residents and visitors of Grand Manan, New Brunswick, call upon the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to Remove the dredged material from the site-as promised by Public Works, the DFO and the contractor, Greenfield Construction.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Diane LebouthillierFisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Small Craft Harbours (SCH) program is responsible for operating and maintaining a national system of harbours that provide commercial fish harvesters and other harbour users with safe and accessible facilities. SCH network consists of 949 harbours, of which 691 are considered core harbours that are essential to the commercial fishing industry and 258 non-core harbours, which have low fishing activity and are candidates for divestiture.In its efforts to keep harbours safe and accessible, DFO must carry out construction projects at various harbours that fall under SCH program. One such project was undertaken at North Head harbour, located on Grand Manan Island, in New Brunswick in the spring of 2021.The project at North Head involves dredging, construction of a new marginal wharf, the addition of a boat ramp, as well as improvements to the breakwater located on the far side of the harbour’s basin. The project is significant and will ensure the continued safe operation of North Head harbour and its fleet of approximately 80 commercial fish harvesters.Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is responsible for the administration of the contract  between Canada and the contractor responsible for the project. PSPC is assuming this role on behalf of DFO.As a result of the dredging portion of the project, dredge material has been stored on the construction site. The contractor is responsible for the disposal of the dredged material. A portion of this material will be reused at the site, as part of the construction project. Another portion will be disposed of at the local construction and demolition site, and a third portion will be transported by truck and ferry to an approved disposal site located off of Grand Manan Island.Work at the construction site stopped for a period of time while the contractor was waiting for environmental permits from the government of New Brunswick. These permits, which allow for the disposal of dredge material at the approved local disposal facility have been obtained, and removal of the dredged material has begun.Based on the most recent project schedule provided by the contractor, the construction project at North Head is expected to be completed by the end of May 2024.
Response by the Minister of Public Services and ProcurementSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Charles SousaThe Government of Canada is committed to renewing vital infrastructure, such as small craft harbours, that support the economic growth and development of communities in New Brunswick and across the country.Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) continues to advance the work at North Head in Grand Manan and is aware of delays with the projected timelines for completion. The department understands the concerns that community members have expressed over the delays. PSPC and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are actively working with the contractor to ensure that the remaining work can be completed as quickly as possible.  At the end of August 2023, the contractor obtained the required provincial approvals to move 10,000 cubic metres of dredged material, which is approximately one third of the material currently on site. It will be disposed of at the Grand Manan Construction and Demolition site. This work began the first week of October and is expected to be take approximately 20 working days.Based on the results of ongoing testing, a disposal method for the remaining dredged material will be established. It is anticipated that a portion of the material will be reused on site and a portion will be transported to an approved off-island disposal site.The dredging work is approximately 70% completed, and the contractor is scheduled to finish the dredging by the end of November 2023.
Environmental clean-upPorts and harbours
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01681441-01681 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • There are no laws that require makers, distributers or advertisers of commercial pornographic material to ascertain and document the consent and age of those depicted in the material;
  • Recommendation #2 from the 2021 Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Report on MindGeek states: "That the Government of Canada mandate that contenthosting platforms operating in Canada require affirmation from all persons depicted in pornographic content, before it can be uploaded, that they are 18 years old or older and that they consent to its distribution";
  • Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act adds two offences to the Criminal Code: to create pornographic material for a commercial purpose without verifying the age and consent of the individuals shown, and to distribute pornographic material without verifying the age and consent of those depicted and also removing material if in writing, consent has been withdrawn; and
  • Organizations including Defend Dignity, the National Council of Women of Canada, London Abused Women's Shelter, Montreal Council of Women, Parents Aware and the National Centre on Child Exploitation have all expressed support for Bill C-270.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly adopt Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that all individuals are safe from sexual exploitation, including when they are online. For that reason, the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s December 2021 mandate letter commits to introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content, reflecting feedback from the Government’s 2021 public consultation. In 2022, further engagement included an expert advisory group, a Citizens’ Assembly, Indigenous engagement, which included a sharing circle and one-on-one interviews, and 20 Ministerial roundtables across Canada. Our Government is committed to putting in place a regulatory framework to mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content online. Online services must do their part to make the Internet a safer place for Canadians.Furthermore, the Criminal Code of Canada includes a robust framework that protects against sexual exploitation, including offences that prohibit non-consensual distribution of intimate images (section 162.1), as well as child-specific sexual offences, including child pornography (section 163.1), making sexually explicit material available to a child (section 171.1) and luring a child (section 172.1). Canada’s laws addressing child sexual offending also apply extra-territorially, meaning that prosecutions may occur in Canada for offences allegedly committed by Canadian citizens or permanent residents abroad.An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide Internet service came into force on December 8, 2011. This Act requires a Canadian provider of Internet services to report to police when they have reasonable grounds to believe that their Internet service is being or has been used to commit a child pornography offence, such as making child pornography available, or distributing child pornography. As the designated organization under this Act, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) also receives, and processes, reports of child pornography and child abuse on the Internet from Canadian providers of Internet services. C3P is a non-governmental organization that operates Cybertip.ca, which forwards child sexual exploitation leads to the appropriate authorities. C3P also provides public education and awareness materials, as well as support and referral services. In addition, C3P operates Project Arachnid, an automated web crawler that detects and processes tens of thousands of images per second and sends take down notices to online service providers to remove child sexual abuse material globally.When these service providers are advised of a location on the Internet where child pornography may be made available to the public, the providers are required under this Act to make these reports to C3P.Bill C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material), which was introduced on April 28, 2022, would create two new Criminal Code offences that would prohibit making, distributing or advertising pornographic material for commercial purposes without ensuring that the individuals depicted in that material are 18 years or older and consented to being depicted in that material. This Bill will be debated in accordance with the rules of Parliament governing private member’s business. The Government of Canada will follow the debate on this bill in Parliament.
C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)ConsentLegal agePornography
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01682441-01682 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023March 22, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that various actors in India have advocated, instituted, and enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state, contrary to India's secular and pluralistic foundation, posing grave danger to India's religious minorities;
  • Christians in India are facing targeted attacks by extremists, with 486 incidents of anti-Christian attacks in 2021 according to the United Christian Forum, and over 300 attacks reported as of July 2022, including widespread documentation of Church vandalism, assaults of Church workers, and Christian congregations threatened and humiliated;
  • Crimes against Dalit groups, including Dalit women and girls, are reported every hour according to a 2021 report by the National Crime Records Bureau, with the total cases increasing to 50,900 in 2021 compared with 50,291 in 2020; and
  • Indian Muslims are at risk of genocide according to NGO Genocide Watch, which documented "signs and processes" of genocide in India, further supported by credible reports indicating that growing Muslim minorities are subject to planned and targeted threats, assault, sexual violence and killings.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Formally ensure that all trade deals with India, including the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), are premised on mandatory human rights provisions;2. Initiate targeted sanctions against extremists guilty of inciting violence against religious minorities in India; and3. Promote mutually respectful and mutually beneficial human rights dialogue between Canada and India.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is committed to creating economic opportunities through initiatives such as trade agreements so that more Canadians can engage in, and benefit from, trade, while at the same time advancing broader social, labour, and environmental priorities in Canada, such as inclusive growth and the promotion of human rights. Fostering greater engagement and closer ties with countries through trade agreements is also an effective way of promoting Canadian values, such as human rights, democracy, openness, respect for the rule of law, and rules-based international trade. With respect to trade agreement negotiations, the Government of Canada has paused negotiations with India to further review and reflect. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting exporters to find opportunities to expand into international markets, including in the fast-growing Indo-Pacific Region.The promotion and protection of human rights has long been an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada believes that human rights are the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic values. Canada’s autonomous sanctions regime is one of many tools that support this important work. The government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights, such as freedom of religion or belief and the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minority groups around the world, on an ongoing basis. Canada is also committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief internationally and at home, working with partners to create a climate of inclusion and respect for diversity and against the persecution of minorities on the grounds of religion or belief. No person or group should face restrictions on the freedom to practise their faith or belief, whether in the form of laws, policies, or actions or through harassment or violence. It causes suffering and division and leads to a climate of fear, intolerance, and stigmatization. Canada will continue to stand up for this freedom while promoting diversity and inclusion for all.
Civil and human rightsIndiaInternational tradeReligious minorities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01683441-01683 (Civil and human rights)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01684441-01684 (Public safety)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023November 16, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01685441-01685 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 27, 2023November 9, 2023March 9, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. 
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023e-4508e-4508 (Awards and honours)SandraKlemet-N'GuessanMichelleFerreriPeterborough—KawarthaConservativeONJuly 17, 2023, at 3:03 p.m. (EDT)August 16, 2023, at 3:03 p.m. (EDT)September 28, 2023November 9, 2023August 16, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are Canada’s workforce in research and innovation. Every day they make discoveries in medicine, engineering, the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities that contribute to our society. These discoveries drive our economy, and we need their creativity and innovation more than ever for Canada to remain competitive on a global stage. Unfortunately, Canadian graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are poorly paid because of 20 years of stagnant federal funding to Tri-Agency government scholarships, fellowships and grants. This lack of investment is leading to a rapid loss of talent, in which talented individuals are abandoning their research because they cannot afford to live in poverty, while others are seeking employment in other countries that offer better compensation. Canada’s success depends on retaining and attracting the top graduate students and postdoctoral scholars – they are our leaders of today and tomorrow.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Increase the value of Tri-Agency graduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships by 50% and index them to inflation;2. Increase the number of Tri-Agency graduate student scholarships by 50%;3. Increase the number of Tri-Agency postdoctoral fellowships by 100%; and4. Increase the Tri-Agency research grant budget provided to faculty by at least 10% per year for the next five years, to allow for increased graduate student and postdoctoral pay.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HON. FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNEThe Government of Canada recognizes that investment in research and talent is critical to driving discoveries and innovative breakthroughs that generate social, health, and economic benefits for Canadians, as well as to help train the next generation of diverse research leaders. Since 2016, Canada has committed more than $16 billion to support the valuable contributions that scientists and researchers make to the health, well-being, and prosperity of all Canadians.Through Budget 2021, the government announced a total of $1 billion to strengthen research systems and talent pipelines for biomanufacturing and life sciences, through the Tri-Council Canada Biomedical Research Fund, the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Clinical Trials Fund. Budget 2021 also provided $360 million to launch the National Quantum Strategy to amplify Canada's significant strength in quantum research, grow our quantum-ready technologies and talent, and solidify Canada's leadership in the field.The Government of Canada acknowledges the critical role that federal scholarships and fellowships play in nurturing and sustaining Canada’s top talent through support for career progression and increased financial security and independence. The government also recognizes that a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential for creating innovative impactful research. To this end, the granting agencies are continuing their work to increase opportunities for Black student researchers, using the funding received in Budget 2022 for targeted scholarships and fellowships.More recently, through Budget 2023, the government proposed $813.6 million in 2023-24 to increase Canada Student Grants by 40 percent, providing up to $4,200 for full-time students, to support postsecondary students and make life more affordable. Budget 2023 further proposes to raise the interest-free Canada Student Loan limit from $210 to $300 per week of study, and waive the requirement for mature students, aged 22 years or older, to undergo credit screening in order to qualify for federal student grants and loans for the first time, allowing up to 1,000 additional students to benefit from federal aid in the coming year.Budget 2023 also proposed $197.7 million in 2024-25 to the Student Work Placement Program to continue creating quality work-integrated learning opportunities for students through partnerships between employers and post-secondary institutions. This investment will support students in gaining the necessary skills, education, and real-life work experience to transition successfully into the workforce.Looking forward, the Government of Canada remains committed to supporting a strong federal system that fosters new ideas, breakthroughs, and advancements. In order to cement Canada’s leadership position on the world stage, our research support system must meet the needs of today’s research, which is increasingly complex, collaborative, multi- and inter-disciplinary, and international. To these ends, the government recognizes the importance of continued evaluation of and investment in Canada’s science and research ecosystem. The government welcomes the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System’s report and is carefully reviewing the findings and recommendations, and taking them under consideration as it advances its efforts to support the research ecosystem and Canada’s top talent.
Canadian Institutes of Health ResearchFellowshipsNatural Sciences and Engineering Research CouncilSocial Sciences and Humanities Research CouncilUniversity research
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01687441-01687 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCSeptember 28, 2023November 9, 2023February 8, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • Irresponsible practices by industry and multi-national corporations have led to the destruction and denigration of much of Canada's waterways and watersheds;
  • Current laws do not sufficiently protect Canada's waterways and watersheds from such irresponsible practices; and
  • Protecting waterways and watersheds also protects Canada's forests, fisheries, land, and air.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Update Canada's water laws to ensure that no industry or corporation takes precedence over the health of Canada's waterways and watersheds, and by extension the health of the country's people, species, and land; and
  • Ensure Canada's water laws are updated under the guidance of professionals and specialists in the field of water conservation.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTA clean and safe freshwater supply is essential to the well-being of Canadians, the health and sustainability of the environment, and the economy. Hence, the Government of Canada has committed to:
  • establishing a federal Canada Water Agency to work with the provinces, territories, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders to find the best ways to keep Canada’s water safe, clean, and well-managed;
  • implementing a strengthened Freshwater Action Plan, including a historic investment to provide funding to support monitoring, assessment, and restoration work in the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Lake of the Woods, St. Lawrence River, Fraser River, Saint John River, Mackenzie River, and Lake Simcoe;
  • investing in the Experimental Lakes Area in northern Ontario to support international freshwater science and research; and
  • following the establishment of a Canada Water Agency, advancing the modernization of the Canada Water Act to reflect Canada’s freshwater reality including climate change and Indigenous rights.
To advance these commitments, Budget 2023 proposed to provide:
  • $650 million over ten years, starting in 2023-24, to support monitoring, assessment, and restoration work in the Great Lakes, Lake Winnipeg, Lake of the Woods, St. Lawrence River, Fraser River, Saint John River, Mackenzie River, and Lake Simcoe.
  • $22.6 million over three years, starting in 2023-24, to support better coordination of efforts to protect freshwater across Canada.
  • $85.1 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $0.4 million in remaining amortization and $21 million ongoing thereafter to support the creation of the Canada Water Agency, which will be headquartered in Winnipeg.
Budget 2022 provided:
  • $25.0 million over five years, starting in 2022-2023, for the Experimental Lakes Area in northern Ontario to support international freshwater science and research.
On June 12, 2023, the government created the Canada Water Agency as a branch within Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Agency is the federal focal point for fresh water working in partnership with Indigenous peoples, provinces, territories, and stakeholders to strengthen collaboration on fresh water.Budget 2023 indicated that legislation will be introduced that will fully establish the Canada Water Agency as a standalone entity.To learn more about the Canada Water Agency, please consult the Agency website at https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/water-overview/canada-water-agency.htmlAnother way that the Government of Canada protects and conserves Canada’s water resources is by administering laws that control pollution such as the Fisheries Act.Environment and Climate Change Canada is the lead department responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Fisheries Act pollution prevention provisions (except for their application to aquaculture and the control and eradication of aquatic invasive species and aquatic pests, which are under the responsibility of the Department of Fisheries and Ocean). Subsection 36(3) prohibits the deposit of any deleterious substances in water frequented by fish or to any place where it may enter water frequented by fish, unless authorized by federal regulations. Deleterious substances include any substance that, if added to water, would degrade, alter or form part of a process of degradation or alteration of the quality of water so that it is rendered deleterious to fish or fish habitat or to the use of fish by humans. Any regulations developed under section 36 set strict requirements on deposits to water. These regulations can impose conditions such as limits on the maximum quantities of deleterious substances released into water, and can include environmental effects monitoring and other reporting requirements for facilities. Modern Fisheries Act regulations include the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations, the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations, and the Wastewater Systems Effluent Regulations.Environment and Climate Change Canada is developing proposed regulations to address deposits to water from coal mining and is investigating risk management approaches for tailings ponds from oil sands operations.To learn more about these proposed regulations, as well as upcoming improvements to existing regulations, please consult the Fisheries Act Forward Regulatory Plan 2023-2025 available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/corporate/transparency/acts-regulations/forward-regulatory-plan/2023-2025/fisheries-act.html.Environment and Climate Change Canada enforces the subsection 36(3) prohibition, as well as regulations under the Fisheries Act according to the Compliance and Enforcement Policy for Habitat Protection and Pollution Prevention Provisions of the Fisheries Act: www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-enforcement/publications/compliance-enforcement-policy-fisheries-act.html
Environmental protectionInland watersWatersheds
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01688441-01688 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCSeptember 28, 2023November 9, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01689441-01689 (Health)MelArnoldNorth Okanagan—ShuswapConservativeBCSeptember 28, 2023November 9, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and the Minister of HealthWhereas: Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations; We rely on NHPS, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws;This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford;Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; andIn fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01690441-01690 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 28, 2023November 9, 2023April 28, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01691441-01691 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 28, 2023November 9, 2023March 22, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that various actors in India have advocated, instituted, and enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state, contrary to India's secular and pluralistic foundation, posing grave danger to India's religious minorities;
  • Christians in India are facing targeted attacks by extremists, with 486 incidents of anti-Christian attacks in 2021 according to the United Christian Forum, and over 300 attacks reported as of July 2022, including widespread documentation of Church vandalism, assaults of Church workers, and Christian congregations threatened and humiliated;
  • Crimes against Dalit groups, including Dalit women and girls, are reported every hour according to a 2021 report by the National Crime Records Bureau, with the total cases increasing to 50,900 in 2021 compared with 50,291 in 2020; and
  • Indian Muslims are at risk of genocide according to NGO Genocide Watch, which documented "signs and processes" of genocide in India, further supported by credible reports indicating that growing Muslim minorities are subject to planned and targeted threats, assault, sexual violence and killings.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Formally ensure that all trade deals with India, including the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), are premised on mandatory human rights provisions;2. Initiate targeted sanctions against extremists guilty of inciting violence against religious minorities in India; and3. Promote mutually respectful and mutually beneficial human rights dialogue between Canada and India.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is committed to creating economic opportunities through initiatives such as trade agreements so that more Canadians can engage in, and benefit from, trade, while at the same time advancing broader social, labour, and environmental priorities in Canada, such as inclusive growth and the promotion of human rights. Fostering greater engagement and closer ties with countries through trade agreements is also an effective way of promoting Canadian values, such as human rights, democracy, openness, respect for the rule of law, and rules-based international trade. With respect to trade agreement negotiations, the Government of Canada has paused negotiations with India to further review and reflect. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting exporters to find opportunities to expand into international markets, including in the fast-growing Indo-Pacific Region.The promotion and protection of human rights has long been an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada believes that human rights are the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic values. Canada’s autonomous sanctions regime is one of many tools that support this important work. The government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights, such as freedom of religion or belief and the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minority groups around the world, on an ongoing basis. Canada is also committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief internationally and at home, working with partners to create a climate of inclusion and respect for diversity and against the persecution of minorities on the grounds of religion or belief. No person or group should face restrictions on the freedom to practise their faith or belief, whether in the form of laws, policies, or actions or through harassment or violence. It causes suffering and division and leads to a climate of fear, intolerance, and stigmatization. Canada will continue to stand up for this freedom while promoting diversity and inclusion for all.
Civil and human rightsIndiaInternational tradeReligious minorities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01692441-01692 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONSeptember 28, 2023November 9, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
       
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01694441-01694 (Taxation)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023June 22, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The first carbon tax, including sales tax, will add 41 cents to a litre of gas, the second carbon tax, including sales tax, will add 20 cents to a litre of gas;
  • The combination of carbon tax one and carbon tax two will mean that Canadians pay an extra 61 cents for each litre of gas;
  • Making life more expensive for Canadians in a cost-of-living crisis by implementing a second carbon tax demonstrates how out of touch this Liberal prime minister is; and
  • The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that both carbon taxes will have a net cost of up to $4,000, depending on the province in which they live.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to have the House recognize the failure of carbon tax one and call on the government to immediately cancel carbon tax two (the "Clean Fuel Regulations").
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTImpacts from climate change are wide-ranging and costly, affecting Canadians’ homes, cost of living, infrastructure, health and safety, and economic activity in communities across Canada.Market-based approaches, such as carbon pollution pricing and Clean Fuel Regulations, are widely recognized as the most efficient ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and incentivize innovation and investments in clean technologies.The Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR) require gasoline and diesel primary suppliers to reduce the lifecycle carbon intensity (CI) of the gasoline and diesel they produce and import for use in Canada. The CFR establishes a credit market whereby the annual CI reduction requirement can be met via three main categories of credit-creating actions:(1) projects that reduce the CI of fossil fuel throughout its lifecycle (e.g., carbon capture and storage);(2) supplying low-carbon intensity fuels (e.g., ethanol, biodiesel); and, (3) supplying fuel and energy in advanced vehicle technologies (e.g., electricity for Electric Vehicles). Parties that are not fossil fuel primary suppliers may participate in the credit market as voluntary credit creators by completing certain actions (e.g., low-carbon intensity fuel producers and importers).The CFR also creates opportunities for voluntary parties and supporting industries. The CFR encourages innovation and growth by increasing incentives for the development and adoption of clean fuels and energy-efficient technologies and processes. For example, biofuel producers, which are not regulated under the CFR, will see an increased demand for their product. In turn, biofuel feedstock providers, such as farmers and foresters, will also have an economic opportunity.The Government of Canada expects that the cost to comply with the CFR will be small to begin with and will increase gradually over time. By 2030, according to the Regulatory Impact Assessment Statement (found at https://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2022/2022-07-06/html/sor-dors140-eng.html ), Canadians who drive gasoline-powered vehicles may see an increase in fuel price of $0.06 to $0.13 per litre. However, the final price impacts will depend on refineries. The CFR provides many paths for refineries and importers to clean up the pollution associated with their fuel.The Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report “A Distributional Analysis of the Clean Fuel Regulations” assumed the improbable highest-cost scenario where regulated parties meet compliance solely through credit purchases. The report did not take into consideration the economic and environmental benefits that the CFR will have in addition to not considering an updated social cost of carbon. The Government of Canada published an updated social cost of carbon estimate that, if used to model the CFR, would estimate a positive economic benefit from avoiding 26 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2030.The CFR complements carbon pollution pricing. While carbon pricing creates a broad incentive across the whole economy to use less energy and improve efficiency, the CFR targets transformational changes in how liquid fuels are produced and used in Canada. Actions taken to meet the obligations set by the CFR can also reduce the overall emissions of a refinery, reducing its exposure to federal or provincial carbon pricing systems for industry.Environment and Climate Change Canada recommends against simply adding the projected cost impacts of the fuel charge and CFR. The two measures work very differently. In addition, the impact of the CFR on gasoline prices will depend on decisions made by refineries about how to comply.     
Carbon taxClean Fuel Regulations
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01695441-01695 (Health)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023September 26, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPS) regulations;NHPs include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, and are used daily by Canadians as part of their proactive healthcare;The changes will cause consumer prices to rise significantly, and consumer choice to decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPS at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws; and This will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations and provide less NHP options for Canadians;THEREFORE:We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to on modernizing labelling and adjusting Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be considered once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations are running efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure stable operations and selection of natural health product choices continue for Canadians.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The HonourableHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023, Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01696441-01696 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023April 3, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyrampus marmoratus) is listed as "threatened" under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) since 2003 and is a migratory bird protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act;
  • The federal recovery strategy notes that the Marbled Murrelet is threatened primarily due to ongoing loss of old-growth forest nesting habitat, largely from industrial forestry operations;
  • While all nests are protected under both the federal SARA and Migratory Birds Convention Act, the Marbled Murrelets nests are virtually undetectable, therefore existing protections are insufficient for the protection of this species;
  • The forestry industry has consistently failed to uphold their reporting obligations within proposed cut blocks;
  • In 2021, biologists observed over 300 verified detections of Marbled Murrelets in cut block 8022, tree farm license (TFL) # 46 and observed behaviours of nesting within the forest;
  • Existing small Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs) in TFL #46 only contain 26% suitable nesting habitat as per the 2018 suitable habitat maps; and
  • Old-growth forests meet the definition of a "wide range of biodiversity values" as per the Convention of Biological Diversity definitions.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately protect all critical old growth habitat used by Marbled Murrelets yrampus marmoratus), habitat to which the Migratory Birds Convention Act applies.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada is committed to halting and reversing the loss of this country’s rich biodiversity. In support of this commitment, Environment and Climate Change Canada is leading the development of Canada's 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy. The 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy will establish a shared vision for halting and reversing biodiversity loss in Canada, reflect Canada’s domestic priorities for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, and guide how Canada implements the Global Biodiversity Framework domestically.The Government of Canada recognizes that the environment and the conservation of biodiversity is a shared responsibility in Canada, and that real progress can only be made if all levels of governments share objectives and work in collaboration to achieve them. Species at risk are on the front line of biodiversity loss, and the federal, provincial and territorial governments have been working cooperatively to protect and recover Canada’s imperiled species for close to three decades. The Government of Canada respects provincial and territorial jurisdiction and therefore first looks to them to protect terrestrial species and their habitat as well as migratory birds’ habitat beyond the nest on non-federally administered lands.The statutory scheme protecting migratory birds under both the Species at Risk Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, respects and supports this reality and achieves two principal goals: (1) it ensures the protection of individuals, nests, and eggs of migratory birds, and (2) it complies with the constitutional division of powers and the principles of subsidiarity and cooperative federalism.The Species at Risk Act (SARA) is the Government of Canada's key legislative tool to protect and recover endangered and threatened species and their habitats. SARA provides a legal framework for identifying, listing, and managing at-risk species and mandates the development of recovery strategies and action plans, with the goal of preventing species extinction and promoting their recovery. SARA also includes provisions for critical habitat protection. The Act is based on cooperation between federal, provincial, and territorial governments, intending a coordinated effort to safeguard Canada's diverse wildlife and ecosystems, and supports the Government of Canada’s international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Minister of the Environment is also responsible for the administration of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (MBCA), which provides for the protection of migratory birds through the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, and the Migratory Birds Sanctuary Regulations. The Act prohibits the hunting, possession, and trade of migratory birds, their nests, and eggs without permits. Regulations under the MBCA provide a framework for species-specific protection, hunting seasons, and to focus conservation efforts.  In 2022, the Migratory Bird Regulations were modernized.  The new Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, provide protection to migratory bird nests when they are considered to have a high conservation value for migratory birds. The nests of all migratory bird species are protected when they contain a live bird or a viable egg. This supports conservation benefits as the nests of most migratory birds only have conservation value when they are active.  In general, the Regulations grant authority to federal agencies to enforce these laws, ensuring the sustainability of migratory bird populations. The federal government also works with the provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous nations and various partners to protect migratory bird habitat through the work of North American Waterfowl Management Plan Habitat Joint Ventures, the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Network, Important Bird Areas program, and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas.As a migratory bird and listed on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act, the marbled murrelet is protected under both SARA and the MBCA. The amended final Recovery Strategy for the Marbled Murrelet in Canada was published on the SAR Public Registry in January 2023. This recovery strategy partially identifies critical habitat for the species in Canada where available information in terrestrial and marine habitats was adequate to do so. There are also three multispecies Action Plans that include Marbled Murrelet for lands and waters administered by the Parks Canada Agency.  In March and December 2022, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada issued protection statements pursuant to subsection 58(5.2)(b) of SARA indicating how the critical habitat of certain migratory birds (including Marbled Murrelet), that is habitat to which the MBCA applies, is legally protected. Nests of migratory birds are legally protected through the following Acts of Parliament and relevant provisions: s.33 of SARA, s.5 of the Migratory Birds Regulations, and s.3(2) of the Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations. The protection statement noted that: “For clarity, the language ‘habitat to which that Act [MBCA] applies’ refers to the nest only.” The text of the protection statement can be found on the Species at Risk Public Registry: Protection statement: habitat to which the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 applies for migratory birds listed under the Species at Risk ActIn addition to fulfilling its obligations under SARA and the MBCA for the species, the Government of Canada recognizes that more needs to be done to protect the old-growth forests that support the Marbled Murrelet.Canada’s forests, and in particular British Columbia’s (B.C.) old-growth forests, are rich with biodiversity and provide important habitat for a range of wildlife. In addition to these habitat functions, forests are key to the health of our climate, influencing rainfall, temperature, and other metrics. Temperate old-growth forests, like those in British Columbia, also function as important carbon reservoirs.Forest management is the jurisdiction of provincial governments, and the vast majority of Canada's forests are located on provincial and territorial Crown lands. In British Columbia, approximately 96% of forests are on provincial crown land. At the same time, the federal government is committed to supporting the province’s effort to manage and conserve old-growth forests given their significance for migratory birds, species at risk and their role in mitigating the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems and their associated wildlife.To demonstrate federal support, the 2022 Federal Budget established a $50 million Old Growth Nature Fund, which will focus on protecting at-risk high productivity old-growth forests that are of prime biodiversity value identified as important for species at risk, migratory birds, climate mitigation and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Specifically, federal funding will support planning and collaboration with B.C. and Indigenous communities, and provide incentives for third-party funders, to permanently protect and conserve large areas of at-risk old growth forests in the province. The Old Growth Nature Fund will also contribute directly to the Government of Canada's commitments to achieve Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The old growth temperate rainforests of British Columbia are among the largest natural carbon sinks in the world (on a per hectare basis) and are among the most efficient ecosystems at capturing carbon in Canada. Federal officials are also working with their provincial and Indigenous colleagues and partners to finalize a Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation and to explore additional ways to encourage and support the province in its efforts to protect and restore habitat.The federal government has also contributed to protecting nearly 400,000 hectares of forest habitat in B.C. This includes conservation projects under programs such as the Target 1 Challenge, the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, and the Ecological Gifts Program.The federal government is also working to ensure forests, including old-growth forests, are considered in the context of ongoing species at risk and nature-related engagement with provincial and territorial partners. For example, Environment and Climate Change Canada, provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and stakeholders are engaged in the development of a forest sector action plan that will help guide collaborative efforts to recover species at risk under the Pan Canadian Approach to Species at Risk.   
Endangered speciesHabitat conservationMigratory birdsMigratory Birds Convention Act, 1994
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01697441-01697 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
     
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01698441-01698 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023May 18, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01699441-01699 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023May 17, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01700441-01700 (Civil and human rights)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01701441-01701 (Civil and human rights)DaneLloydSturgeon River—ParklandConservativeABSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023April 28, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01702441-01702 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01703441-01703 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023May 18, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01704441-01704 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 9, 2023441-01705441-01705 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 29, 2023November 9, 2023May 30, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Liberal government's so-called 'feminist international assistance policy' has shown a lack of respect for the cultural values and autonomy of women in the developing world by supporting organizations that violate local laws on abortion and push abortion at the expense of international development priorities like clean water, access to basic nutrition, and economic development;
  • The Liberal's approach to international development for women and girls has recently been criticized by the Auditor General for failing to measure results; and
  • The Muskoka Initiative (launched by the previous Conservative government) involved historic investments in the wellbeing of women and girls around the world. The initiative emphasized value for money and ensured that investments were in priorities identified by local women.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to align international development spending with the approach taken in the Muskoka Initiative, focusing international development dollars on meeting the basic needs of vulnerable women around the world rather than pushing ideological agendas that may conflict with local values in developing countries, and measuring outcomes.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada is a global leader in protecting and advancing the health, rights and well-being of the poorest and most vulnerable, with the empowerment of women and girls at the core of Canada’s international assistance policies and programmes. Canada spearheaded the Muskoka Initiative for Maternal, Newborn, and Child health (MNCH) during its G8 presidency in 2010, and committed $2.85 billion between 2010 and 2015. In 2015, Canada renewed its support for MNCH by committing an additional $3.5 billion over the 2016 to 2020 period. In 2016-2017, Under the Her Voice Her Choice initiative, Canada committed a further $650 million for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programming between 2017 and 2020. The added focus on SRHR was informed by consultations with Canadian and international stakeholders, the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), and research evidence published in the 2018 Guttmacher-Lancet Commission on SRHR. Canada’s current commitment, the 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights (10YC), builds on decades of Canadian leadership in global health. Through this commitment, Canada will reach an average of $1.4 billion annually by 2023 to support women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health around the world, of which $700 million is allocated to SRHR. This is Canada’s longest, largest, and most comprehensive global health commitment to date and is a key vehicle for implementing Canada’s FIAP, strengthening health systems post COVID-19, and supporting the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.Through the 10YC, Canada continues to advance these priorities, while also promoting a complementary emphasis on comprehensive SRHR that supports country-led efforts to advance the health and rights of women and girls and address the socio-economic and cultural barriers that limit their attainment of gender equality. Through the 10YC, Canada is supporting interventions such as school meals programs, water and sanitation programming, micronutrient supplementation, community-based nutrition programs, midwifery training, and enhanced neo-natal care. Canada also continues to support large-scale investments to combat infectious diseases and strengthen health systems with key global health players, including the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ($5.3 billion, 2002-2025) Gavi Vaccine Alliance ($2.3 billion, 2000-2025), and the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents ($630 million, 2015-2025).Canada is committed to ensuring its interventions in developing countries are locally-led. Canada’s work is built on the value it places on local partnerships, and partners are carefully selected to ensure that government, local organizations and women and youth themselves, are central in the design and delivery of international assistance programming. This approach is consistent with the principles outlined in Canada’s Official Development Assistance Accountability Act (ODAAA), which requires that Canada’s aid responds to local perspectives and priorities. Aligned with the FIAP and ODAAA principles, Canada supports local ownership and works to ensure that all initiatives are grounded in local needs, priorities and contexts, which are the basis for deep and relevant engagement with local communities, including being designed and implemented with and by local partners and aligned with national legislation and country priorities. Within Canada’s global health investments, all efforts are made to ensure that, where feasible and appropriate, government, local organizations and beneficiaries, including youth and women’s-rights organizations, are involved throughout the project cycle, from design to evaluation. This ensures that programming remains responsive to local needs, values and priorities.Under the 10YC Accountability Framework, Canada has committed to publishing annual reports on the 10YC implementation progress, including tracking of funding and results achieved. The inaugural 2020-21 Report on the 10-Year Commitment is an example of Canada’s commitment to transparency, dialogue and partnership, moving beyond discussions about money committed and spent to a different conversation about using evidence and experience to improve and drive results and impact for communities around the world. The 2021-2022 Report on the 10-Year Commitment will be published in November 2023.
International development and aidWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 8, 2023441-01658441-01658 (Justice)JohnWilliamsonNew Brunswick SouthwestConservativeNBSeptember 25, 2023November 8, 2023June 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:There are many recent disturbing reports of people accessing euthanasia in Canada due to lack of adequate access to care and support;Legalization of state-administered or supervised killing of those suffering from mental health challenges will undermine suicide prevention efforts;Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended infanticide by expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes."; andInfanticide is always wrong.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada and on Parliament to:1. Repeal Bill C-7 and protect Canadians struggling with mental illness by facilitating treatment and recovery, not death; and2. Reject the expansion of euthanasia to children and infants.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
C-7, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other ActsChildrenHealth care systemMedical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 8, 2023441-01657441-01657 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBSeptember 25, 2023November 8, 2023June 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 8, 2023441-01656441-01656 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONSeptember 25, 2023November 8, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
     
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 8, 2023441-01655441-01655 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCSeptember 25, 2023November 8, 2023March 7, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada Whereas:Opioid crisis is one of the most deadly public health emergencies of our lifetime, with approximately 21 deaths every day and an overall death toll of 30,843 in the past six and one quarter years (January 2016 to March 2022); andThe overdose crisis rages.We, the undersigned, call upon the Government of Canada to declare the overdose crisis a national public health emergency and:Take steps to end overdose deaths and overdose injuries;Immediately collaborate with provinces and territories to develop a comprehensive, pan-Canadian overdose action plan;Ensure that any plan considers reforms that other countries have used, such as legal regulation of drugs to ensure safe supply, decriminalization for personal use, and changes to flawed drug policy and policing; andEnsure this emergency is taken seriously with adequately funded programming and supports.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe toxic drug and overdose crisis is one of the most serious and unprecedented public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. While there are a number of complex factors that contribute to the high rates of overdoses that we are seeing today, four out of every five deaths are caused by opioids that come from the illegal drug supply which has become increasingly more toxic and unpredictable. The cost of substance use-related harms is not limited to the loss of lives alone and, more broadly, impacts health, social well-being, and public safety.The Government of Canada takes this crisis very seriously and is committed to working together with all orders of government, Indigenous Peoples and communities, partners from law enforcement, criminal justice, health and social systems, and people with lived and living experience and other key stakeholders, to take urgent action and leverage every available tool to save lives and work towards an end to this national public health crisis.Provinces and territories have a range of tools and authorities to address the ongoing overdose crisis in their respective jurisdictions. This includes the power to declare a public health emergency which allows a provincial or territorial government to access and exercise extraordinary powers in response to a significant increase in opioid-related deaths as was the case for British Columbia in April 2016 and Alberta in May 2017. More recently, Yukon declared a substance use health emergency in January 2022. In addition to provincial and territorial emergency declarations, some Indigenous communities have also declared emergencies in response to rising substance use-related harms and deaths.Invoking the federal Emergencies Act is intended to serve as a tool of last resort to ensure the safety and security of Canadians in cases of temporary, critical national emergencies that cannot be addressed with existing federal, provincial or territorial laws. As such, the Emergencies Act is not an appropriate mechanism to address the ongoing overdose crisis, which requires a longer-term, sustained, and multi-jurisdictional effort to address the complex, interrelated health, social and economic factors driving substance use-related deaths and harms.The Government of Canada has publicly recognized the overdose crisis is a public health crisis. Canada is committed to continued action using the broad range of powers at its disposal and to take steps to end overdose deaths and substance-use related harms. Canada’s approach to addressing the overdose crisis and substance use-related harms is comprehensive, collaborative, and compassionate, guided by our federal drug strategy – the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS). The CDSS takes a public health-focused approach and lays out our framework for evidence-based actions to reduce the harms associated with substance use in Canada and keep our communities safe. Recognizing the need for comprehensive approaches to save lives, our government supports a full range of integrated, evidence-based services and supports, including improving access to treatment and harm reduction; increasing awareness, prevention and stigma reduction activities; further building the evidence base; and strengthening enforcement to address illegal drug production and trafficking.Since 2017, the federal government has made commitments of more than $1 billion and has taken significant action to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis and substance use-related harms. This includes a Budget 2023 commitment of $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $5.7 million ongoing, to support a renewed CDSS which will continue to guide the government's work to save lives and protect the health and safety of Canadians by :
  • ensuring that harm reduction services are available to Canadians who need them;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation and further risk of harms;
  • continuing to work with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options;
  • continuing to address illegal production and trafficking, with a focus on organized drug crime; and,
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis.
These investments have made a difference in reducing overdose deaths and harms. For example, through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), Health Canada has provided over $500 million to support more than 380 community-based projects focused on innovative treatment, harm reduction, prevention and stigma reduction activities. More than $26 million of this funding was dedicated to expanding Naloxone awareness, training and distribution across Canada. We also  invested $22.8 million in public education through national and targeted advertising, partnerships and experiential marketing on the risks of opioids, overdose awareness, harm reduction and stigma awareness and reduction. In addition, the Government of Canada is supporting policies and approaches for greater access to pharmaceutical-grade alternatives to the toxic illegal drug supply – a practice often referred to as safer supply. As of June 2023, Health Canada has supported 31 safer supply pilot projects across Canada through SUAP representing total funding commitments of over $100 million. This includes supporting a range of service delivery projects in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, research/knowledge transfer and exchange projects to help share knowledge amongst stakeholders.These investments have also improved access to treatment. For example, provinces and territories have used federal investments provided through Budget 2018 for the Emergency Treatment Fund to expand existing treatment approaches such as services to support youth with substance use disorder, withdrawal management services appropriate for people who use methamphetamine, Rapid Access Addictions Medicine clinics, and access to opioid dependence treatments, and culturally-appropriate care for Indigenous communities. Funds have also been used to implement innovative approaches to treatment, including ‘wrap-around’ care and the development of telehealth infrastructure to connect clients in remote and rural settings.In addition to these investments, the Government of Canada has supported the expansion of supervised consumption services (SCS) across Canada and also proactively issued exemptions that allow provinces and territories to establish new temporary Urgent Public Health Need Sites – also known as overdose prevention sites – within existing shelters or other temporary sites, as needed. Since January 2016, the number of federally approved SCS has grown from one to 40. Since 2017, they have received over 4.3 million visits, responded to almost 50,000 overdoses, and made 257,000 referrals to health and social services [as of October 2023].We have also made a number of regulatory changes at the federal level to help improve access to medications used in drug treatment and safer supply programs, including:
  • issuing a class exemption (an exemption authorized to a group of people, such as pharmacists, to conduct specific activities with controlled substances) to make it easier for patients to access the medications they need;
  • approving injectable hydromorphone as a treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder;
  • approving injectable diacetylmorphine as a new treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder; as well facilitating the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and diacetylmorphine; and,  
  • authorizing nurses who provide health care services at a community health facility to conduct certain activities with controlled substances.
We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to respond to this crisis and to keep communities safe. Our government works closely with domestic and international partners to address the toxic illegal drug supply that is driving substance use harms and overdose deaths. We continue to equip border agents with the tools necessary to intercept controlled substances. For example, we have made it harder to access chemicals used to make fentanyl by scheduling them under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) and have also amended legislation to allow border officers to open mail of any weight, in order to stop drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from entering Canada illegally through the mail system. Our government also works with private sector partners to address money laundering of the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking in an effort to dismantle the organized crime groups involved in the supply of these toxic illegal drugs.With respect to the call for immediate collaboration with provinces and territories, the Government of Canada continues to lead efforts to facilitate opportunities for collaboration between jurisdictions, health providers, researchers, people with lived and living experience, community-based organizations, and other partners and stakeholders to reduce the harms associated with substance use and support efforts to provide a full range of culturally appropriate, evidence-based, and trauma-informed health and social services and supports to meet the diverse needs of people who use drugs.On February 7, 2023, the Government of Canada announced it will increase health funding to provinces and territories by nearly $200 billion over 10 years, in order to improve Canada’s health care system. This investment includes $25 billion for shared health priorities, including increasing access to mental health and substance use services and supports. These commitments are in addition to existing bilateral agreements with provinces and territories for health priorities, including mental health and substance use, that were put in place in 2017. These investments will set the foundation for long-term, integrated and sustained health care system change that builds on existing, targeted actions to address mental health and substance use challenges.We have also established federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governance tables, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses, the FPT Committee on Substance Use (formerly Problematic Substance Use & Harms), and the FPT Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use to facilitate ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners. In addition, discussions are held with provinces and territories at the Deputy Minister and Ministerial level through meetings of the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health and the Federal, Provincial, Territorial Health Minister’s Meetings.To inform the federal approach, our government also regularly consults with stakeholders and has convened several expert advisory groups, including people directly impacted by substance use. Health Canada established the People with Lived and Living Experience Council, the Expert Advisory Group on Safer Supply and the Expert Task Force on Substance Use as part of this engagement strategy. We recognize that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and trauma, can place individuals at an increased risk of substance use harms and that the approaches to reduce these harms require sustained efforts and supports from diverse systems. We continue to work closely across federal departments so that federal actions on mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, poverty, and reconciliation are coordinated and synergistic. We are also committed to engaging collaboratively with provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and other stakeholders to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.With respect to safer supply, a number of researchers in academic institutions across Canada are studying this emerging approach, contributing to the evidence base that can inform decision-making at local, provincial and federal levels. Safer supply builds on the evidence from medication-assisted approaches to the treatment of substance use disorder, with safer supply services having a number of unique goals and approaches that need to be assessed and evaluated on their own merits.The evidence base around safer supply is still developing, but is growing. Existing studies and evaluations of safer supply programs are showing some promising early outcomes, including:
  • reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations; and
  • client reports of reductions in overdoses and illegal drug use, reduced engagement in criminalized activities, access to health and social services, improved trust in primary care providers among clients who face barriers to care, and other quality of life improvements.
Health Canada is supporting several studies of safer supply. This includes a preliminary assessment of safer supply pilot projects in Ontario, British Columbia and New Brunswick. The federal government, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), is also supporting a study being conducted by a research team from the Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse. This four-year evaluation research project focuses on program implementation and the short-term health outcomes of 11 of the government funded safer supply pilot projects. The final results of this study are expected in 2025. Additionally, CIHR has awarded $2 million to the University of Victoria to support a four-year study evaluating the safer supply initiatives in British Columbia in partnership with Indigenous leaders, Elders and system partners.Our government is committed to working to divert people who use drugs away from criminal justice systems and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health services and social supports, when needed. For example, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed into law in May 2017, providing some legal protection from simple drug possession charges for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose. Furthermore, Bill C-5, which received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022, made legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Among other measures, the amendments encourage police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures – including diverting individuals to treatment programs – instead of laying a criminal charge or prosecuting individuals for personal drug possession. These amendments also repealed mandatory minimum penalties for certain offences in the CDSA to reflect the Government’s public-health-focused approach to substance use. These measures are consistent with the August 2020 Guidelines issued by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada directing prosecutors that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for the personal possession of drugs, except where public safety concerns arise.In addition, in May 2022, at the request of the Province of British Columbia,  a time-limited exemption was granted under the CDSA so that adults 18 years of age and older in the province will not be subject to criminal charges for the personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. Instead, individuals will be provided with information regarding local health and social services. Upon request, they can also receive assistance to connect with those services. This exemption,  which is in effect from January 31, 2023, to January 31, 2026, is part of a much broader strategy British Columbia and this Government are taking to help people who use drugs access supports and services, rather than face criminal charges. This time-limited exemption is being supported by rigorous monitoring and a third-party evaluation to gather evidence and data on its impacts and outcomes and inform implementation.Canada recognizes that stigma can prevent people who use substances from accessing the health and social services that they need and contributes to negative health outcomes. To help reduce stigma in police interactions with people who use drugs and to avoid causing more harm, Public Safety Canada launched an online training module specifically designed for law enforcement members in September 2020. The training raises awareness of the harms associated with substance use stigma and provides law enforcement members with practical tools to support their interactions with people who use drugs.The items above are some examples of concrete actions taken by the federal government to address the overdose crisis, please visit the following website for a comprehensive list of all the actions taken to date.The Government of Canada remains committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to this tragic and complex public health crisis to help reduce harms and save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.Health Canada will continue working with its partners and stakeholders to advance a comprehensive federal strategy to address substance use in Canada, including the toxic drug and overdose crisis. Canada will continue to support provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to improve access to a full range of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services, in addition to leading efforts to reduce stigma and create national standards for substance use treatment programs. The Government of Canada believes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.
Drug use and abuseHealth emergenciesOpiates and opioidsPublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 8, 2023e-4474e-4474 (Health)BrookeWhitman-RobertsRobMorrisonKootenay—ColumbiaConservativeBCJune 9, 2023, at 9:27 a.m. (EDT)August 8, 2023, at 9:27 a.m. (EDT)September 25, 2023November 8, 2023September 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278906" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Health</Addressee>Whereas:Health Canada is proposing to significantly change natural health product (NHPs) regulations. We rely on NHPs, which include basic everyday products such as supplements, toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics, and mineral SPF, as part of our proactive healthcare;If we don't act immediately, consumer prices will rise significantly, and consumer choice will decline drastically, when inflation is at an all-time high and access to healthcare is at an all-time low;Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture, and sell NHPs at the same time they are implementing new labelling laws; This is unfair, unrealistic, and so costly to industry that it will force many small to medium-sized businesses to shut down Canadian operations;The burden of these costs for those that can afford the changes will be passed down to the consumer, and these are not changes or fees Canadians can afford; Increasing fees and additional labelling does not promote safety for taking NHPs, it makes products more expensive; and In fact, this overregulation will force consumers to seek out products online which could lead people purchasing non-compliant, unregulated NHPs from outside of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to work with the industry to embrace modern labelling and adjust Health Canada's proposed cost recovery rates to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry; and that new regulatory changes should only be implemented once the Self-Care Framework is adjusted and backlogs are cleared, operations run efficiently, and there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the stable operations continue.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandHealth Canada recognizes that natural health products (NHPs) are important to Canadians to help support and maintain their health and is committed to supporting access to natural health products that are safe and of high quality.While NHPs are generally lower risk products, that does not mean they are without risk, especially if products are contaminated, or used improperly.In 2021, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development completed an audit of Health Canada’s NHP program and found both strengths and areas for improvement. Health Canada committed to undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the oversight of these products.In an effort to make natural health products safer for consumers and support Canadians in making informed choices, Health Canada recently introduced two important regulatory and legislative changes:
  • In July 2022, after extensive consultation and feedback from stakeholders, Health Canada introduced new regulatory requirements to make natural health product labels easier for Canadians to read and understand. This includes, for example, increased font size and improved colour contrast.
  • In June 2023,  Parliament passed legislation enabling Health Canada to take more action if a serious risk to health is identified with a natural health product. This legislation allows Health Canada to order recalls or add warnings to labels, if necessary, which the Department could not do before.
Presently, NHPs are the only line of health products where the regulatory activities are fully funded by Canadian taxpayers.Health Canada knows that many NHP companies are small businesses and is committed to supporting them. The Department is considering measures to help alleviate the impact of fees on businesses.  This includes fee reductions of 25% to 50% and a full waiver of pre-market evaluation fees for small businesses marketing their first product.Health Canada is actively reviewing thousands of comments received on its fee proposal, including those relating to the proposed fee reductions for small businesses, as part of an open and transparent consultation process with Canadians and businesses. At this time,  Health Canada is considering how best to adjust the  proposed approach to address concerns raised prior to further engagement with stakeholders.Ultimately, this initiative is about ensuring Canadians have access to natural health products that are safe, effective and of high quality, while supporting small businesses through this process.
Natural health products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 8, 2023441-01653441-01653 (Fisheries)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCSeptember 25, 2023November 8, 2023June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:A public survey done in 2011 found that 70% of British Columbians agree with the statement that, "wild Pacific salmon are as important to British Columbians as the French language is to Quebeckers"; The Fraser River sockeye run unexpectedly collapsed in 2009, with only 1 million of the expected 10 million salmon returning to spawn; This collapse prompted the Government of Canada to launch a comprehensive Federal Commission of Inquiry, headed by the Honourable Bruce Cohen and released in 2012, to investigate the cause of this catastrophic decline; Among the 75 recommendations stemming from Justice Cohen's inquiry were:
  • The Government of Canada should remove from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans mandate the promotion of salmon farming as an industry and farmed salmon as a product,
  • The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should explicitly consider proximity to migrating Fraser River sockeye when siting salmon farms, should consider relocating existing salmon farms that are too close to existing salmon runs, and should consider prohibiting net-pen salmon farming altogether, especially in the Discovery Islands,
  • Department of Fisheries and Oceans should encourage British Columbia to require users of pesticides in forestry and agriculture to record, and report annually to the province, the areas where pesticides were applied and the amounts used, and
  • To improve future sustainability of the Fraser River sockeye, the Government of Canada should champion, within Canada and internationally, reasonable steps to address the causes of warming waters and climate change; and
Years later, the recommendations made by Justice Cohen in the Inquiry have yet to be implemented. THEREFORE, YOUR PETITIONERS call upon the House of Commons to act on the precautionary principle and immediately implement all of the 75 recommendations made by Justice Cohen to save our salmon.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Diane LebouthillierThe Government of Canada recognizes the importance of the Cohen Commission’s recommendations and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), along with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and the Province of British Columbia (BC), have now taken actions to address all 75 of the recommendations.Many of the Cohen recommendations are broad reaching, and consequently, acting on many of the recommendations is an ongoing task. Ongoing work on many of the Cohen recommendations continues, particularly across several key areas, such as salmon stock assessment, health status assessment, habitat protection and restoration, precautionary approach to salmon aquaculture, and fisheries management.Commitment to ongoing action is reflected in the Wild Salmon Policy 2018-2022 Implementation Plan which outlines specific activities and approaches led by DFO over the last five years towards restoring and maintaining healthy and diverse Pacific salmon populations and their habitats. A five-year report of the Implementation Plan was published on September 21, 2023 (www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/annual-annuel/5-year-annee-eng.html).Please see the 2018 Cohen Response Status Update Report and Annex (https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cohen/report-rapport-2018-eng.htm) for more detail on DFO’s actions to date in response to the Cohen Commission recommendations and the Wild Salmon Policy 2018-2022 Implementation Plan (https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/ip-pmo/index-eng.html). Additionally, the third Wild Salmon Policy Annual Report was released on February 4, 2022 (https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/annual-annuel/2020-2021-eng.html).  Further, the Government of Canada recognizes that a bold and targeted response with concrete actions is required to address the historic declines facing Pacific salmon. In response, the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) establishes a more comprehensive and transformative approach to support Pacific salmon rebuilding in both the immediate and longer-term. Working collaboratively with Indigenous groups, partners and stakeholders across British Columbia and the Yukon, the main goal of this initiative is to conserve and restore wild Pacific salmon stocks and their ecosystems, for all that depend on them. The PSSI’s four pillars to achieve this goal are: conservation and stewardship; salmon enhancement; harvest transformation; and integration and collaboration.DFO has addressed the Cohen Commission’s Recommendation 3: “The Government of Canada should remove from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ mandate the promotion of salmon farming as an industry and farmed salmon as a product” as per the ‘Annex to the Cohen Response 2018 Status Update: recommendation response detail’ (http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cohen/annex-annexe-2018-eng.htm).The petition highlights Cohen Commission’s Recommendation 15: “The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should explicitly consider proximity to migrating Fraser River sockeye when siting salmon farms” and Recommendation 17: “The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should apply revised siting criteria to all licensed salmon farm sites. Farms that no longer comply with siting criteria should be promptly removed or relocated to sites that comply with current siting criteria.” It is also important to note Recommendation 19 in consideration of responses to Recommendations 15 and 17: “ On September 30, 2020, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans should prohibit net-pen salmon farming in the Discovery Islands (fish health sub-zone 3-2) unless he or she is satisfied that such farms pose at most a minimal risk of serious harm to the health of migrating Fraser River sockeye salmon. The Minister’s decision should summarize the information relied on and include detailed reasons. The decision should be published on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ website.”In response to Recommendation 19, the Department looked at the overall risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon from pathogens that can be found at Atlantic salmon farms, which was important in assessing whether current siting criteria are sufficient in the protection of wild salmon stocks, including migrating Fraser River sockeye. The Department completed risk assessments on nine known pathogens, assessing the risk of these pathogens coming from aquaculture operations in the Discovery Islands area to Fraser River sockeye. It was concluded that each pathogen posed no more than a minimal risk to Fraser River sockeye salmon abundance and diversity under the current fish health management practices (https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/cohen/recherche-aquaculture-research-eng.html). DFO continues to update its understanding of pathogens and pests and adapt its management in response. Siting of aquaculture operations is a shared and harmonized process in BC, requiring a provincial crown tenure, a federal navigable waters permit, and a federal aquaculture licence. Aquaculture applications are submitted through a single portal, where the Government of BC considers siting through the lens of granting leases for provincial crown lands, Transport Canada considers siting related to safe navigation, and DFO considers siting relating to potential impacts to fish and fish habitat, potential impacts to existing fisheries, and fish health and wild-farmed interactions, which includes consideration of the proximity to wild salmon migration routes.Siting guidelines inform a proponent and the public on how a new or amendment application will be assessed.  Licence conditions for aquaculture set out the specific operational and reporting requirements to which licence holders must adhere in order to operate legally and be in compliance with the Fisheries Act and associated regulations. They also contain provisions to ensure that aquaculture sites are operated in an environmentally sustainable manner that minimizes the risk to wild fish stocks and the marine resource.In fall 2020, the Department consulted with First Nations in the Discovery Islands to hear their views and concerns with respect to the aquaculture sites in the area. These perspectives informed the former Minister Bernadette Jordan’s decision in December 2020 to phase out Atlantic salmon aquaculture in the area by June 2022. While the Federal Court ultimately struck down that decision, former Minister Joyce Murray decided in June 2022 not to reissue Atlantic salmon aquaculture licences in the Discovery Islands, and to consult with First Nations and industry on the future of licensing in the area. In February 2023, following six months of extensive consultations, former Minister Murray announced her decision not to reissue 15 Atlantic salmon open-net pen licences in the Discovery Islands. Industry and some of the First Nations in the area filed a judicial review in Federal Court in March 2023 which is still a matter before the courts.The Government is moving forward on the development of the Open-Net Pen Transition Plan for salmon aquaculture in B.C. We are committed to developing a responsible transition plan that protects wild Pacific salmon, the environment, and the economy. The Transition Plan will ensure that salmon marine finfish aquaculture is conducted in a manner that progressively minimizes or eliminates interactions between cultured and wild salmon.In developing the Transition Plan, DFO will rely on input from the Province of British Columbia, First Nations, industry, local governments, stakeholders, and British Columbians. The Government is committed to ensuring that the transition from open-net pen aquaculture is done in a manner that respects the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples.In July 2022, DFO released a discussion framework, which outlines the vision for open-net pen transition in BC. Members of the public were invited to participate by completing an online survey, which was available until October 27, 2022; details about this process are available on the aquaculture engagement webpage. Other activities included Ministerial roundtables with Indigenous leaders, key stakeholders, and conservation organizations; as well as bilateral meetings and engagement sessions with First Nations; local and provincial governments; industry, academics, conservation organizations; and other stakeholder groups. In May 2023, a What We Heard Report summarizing Phases 1 and 2 of engagement was released.  In July 2023, in response to requests from First Nations and others, the time period for consultation on the Transition Plan was extended. The feedback and input received during this engagement will be instrumental in the development of the final transition plan.In relation to the Cohen Commission’s Recommendation 54: “The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should encourage the Province of British Columbia: to require users of pesticides in forestry and agriculture to record, and report annually to the province, the areas where pesticides were applied and the amounts used to develop and maintain a pesticide-use database (that includes information on location, volume / concentration, and timing of use) and make that information publicly available”, BC has a system in place to monitor, report, and disseminate information on pesticide use across sectors (aquaculture, agriculture, forestry). The province requires users to report pesticide use, and has the ability to provide information on total use. Standards of use are consistent with Health Canada requirements. As part of the Fisheries Protection Program, DFO will continue to coordinate and work with the Province of BC on areas of common interest. Specific to pesticides used for aquaculture purposes, under the authority of the Aquaculture Activities Regulations, DFO collects all information regarding the deposit of deleterious substances, including both drugs and pesticides. Any use of registered pesticides, including Hydrogen Peroxide are reported to DFO through a 72 hour notification requirement, and a quarterly report include dates and amounts of product used.Both ECCC and DFO have taken action in response the Cohen Commission’s Recommendation 74: “To improve future sustainability of the Fraser River sockeye, the Government of Canada should champion, within Canada and internationally, reasonable steps to address the causes of warming waters and climate change.” DFO works to address climate change impacts in aquatic ecosystems as a part of an ECCC-led, whole-of-government effort. Through this work, the department conducts vulnerability assessments on Pacific species, including salmon, to warming waters and continues to monitor trends in sea surface temperature, oxygen levels, and ocean acidification in freshwater and marine areas. These monitoring data are important to understanding the causes of change and are used by DFO in studies to quantify the rate of change in freshwaters and marine waters inhabited by Pacific salmon.
Cohen CommissionFisheries policyFisheries stocksFraser RiverPacific fisheriesSockeye salmon
44th Parliament229Not certifiedNovember 8, 2023e-4510e-4510 (Taxation)IanWoodwardDanAlbasCentral Okanagan—Similkameen—NicolaConservativeBCJuly 11, 2023, at 8:40 a.m. (EDT)November 8, 2023, at 8:40 a.m. (EDT)November 8, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Many Canadians are compelled to make instalment payments by the Canada Revenue Agency due to fluctuating circumstances that makes it difficult to anticipate how much income a taxpayer may or may not receive in a given year;Despite paying their taxes on time, these taxpayers are often subject to penalties for not paying instalments as prescribed by the Canada Revenue Agency; andThis is an unfair and arbitrary standard that must be changed.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to amend the Income Tax Act and regulations to eliminate the unfair charging of interest on taxpayers who pay their tax on time.Interest paymentsPersonal income taxTax policy44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 6, 2023441-01647441-01647 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 21, 2023November 6, 2023February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 6, 2023441-01648441-01648 (Foreign affairs)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBSeptember 21, 2023November 6, 2023March 23, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Russian Federation has launched an unprovoked and an unjust war against the people of Ukraine;
  • The Russian Federation has committed multiple war crimes against the people of Ukraine, including crimes against peace and crimes against humanity;
  • Russian President Putin has threatened all other nations, including Canada, that are assisting the people of Ukraine in their valiant defence of their country;
  • Tens of thousands of children, moms, and others are leaving Ukraine every day to escape the horrors of war;
  • The Russian Federation's aerial attack is devastating Ukraine as President Zelenskyy and others are calling for an international no-fly zone over Ukraine;
  • Russian President Putin has put nuclear deterrent forces on alert, which is an unprecedented and dangerous escalation; and
  • Russian President Putin is posing a great and immediate risk to Ukraine and her allies.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately provide on-going further lethal weapons and supplies to the defence of Ukraine; 2. Take immediate action to enable the fastest way possible for displaced persons from Ukraine to be able to get to Canada;3. Take on-going actions to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine; and4. Immediately urge NATO allies and Ukraine-friendly countries to seriously consider supporting and enforcing an international no-fly zone over Ukraine.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.Canada remains steadfast in its support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.On March 17, 2022, as part of the federal response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Government launched the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET). The CUAET was a special, accelerated pathway to help ensure that Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members of any nationality who were fleeing the conflict were able to quickly come to Canada to seek temporary safe haven. This initiative offered options to visit, work, or study during their three-year stay. The CUAET was the fastest, safest, and most efficient way for Ukrainians and their immediate family members to come to Canada and eliminated many of the normal visa requirements. There was no charge for immigration documents under this pathway, and its benefits also extended to Ukrainians and their immediate family members who were already here in Canada when the initiative launched, but could not safely go home. Applications under the CUAET were normally processed within 14 days (upon receipt of a complete, non-complex application), and there was no limit to the number of individuals who could apply. CUAET clients also benefit from in-Canada supports including transitional financial assistance, temporary accommodations, and settlement services.As the situation in Ukraine has evolved, IRCC has monitored developments and adjusted its immigration response to ensure we continue to best support Ukrainians in need. On July 15, 2023, the Government closed overseas CUAET intake, after receiving over 1,191,000 applications. All applications received will be processed to completion. Ukrainians holding a CUAET visa will have until March 31, 2024 to travel to Canada under the special measures. CUAET visa holders will continue to benefit from all elements of the CUAET initiative (i.e., transitional financial assistance, temporary accommodations, extended stay options, and open work permits) through March 31, 2024, with settlement services until March 31, 2025.Today, Ukrainians can still apply for a temporary resident visa to come to Canada, per regular requirements and fees. Once in Canada, Ukrainian temporary residents can apply before March 31, 2024 for an extended stay of up to three years, as well as study and open work permits. New Ukrainian arrivals continue to have access to settlement services, such as language training and employment support. However, access to temporary accommodations and transitional financial assistance are not available to clients who did not come to Canada with a CUAET visa.On October 23, 2023, a new family reunification pathway was launched for those who wish to stay in Canada as permanent residents. To qualify, Ukrainian nationals must be in Canada with temporary resident status, and have a Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member in Canada. Those who are eligible include Ukrainian spouses, common-law partners, parents, grandparents, siblings, children or grandchildren of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. 
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada condemns Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. The war is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and a threat to global peace and security. President Putin’s war of choice is a war on freedom, democracy, and the rights of Ukrainians, and all people, to determine their own future.Canada and its like-minded partners have been coordinating closely on responsive measures to enhance support for the people and government of Ukraine and to impose costs on Russian leadership. The Government of Canada’s support to Ukraine has been comprehensive. With a long relationship dating back to the end of the Cold War, Canada drew on a strong foundation of bilateral assistance and diplomatic ties when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.Since 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $9.5 billion in multifaceted assistance to Ukraine. Assistance is diverse and all-encompassing, including military, development, humanitarian, security and stabilization and financial assistance. Support through financial assistance, expertise, sanctions, and diplomacy also addresses vitally important challenges such as constraining Russia's ability to finance its war, holding Russia to account for massive violations of international law, countering Russian disinformation, and addressing the global impact of the war on food security and energy.Diplomatically, Canada has played a central role in supporting the four UNGA resolutions denouncing the war as illegal and issuing statements and other actions across multiple multilateral organizations to hold Russia to account. Canada has also played a key leadership role across G7, G20, NATO, and other groupings, leading to an unsurpassed level of collective action and coordination.Specifically, in terms of humanitarian assistance, Canada has committed over $352 million since January 2022, in response to the humanitarian impacts of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Of this, $330 million has been allocated to UN organizations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and non-governmental organizations. These funds support gender-responsive programming aligned with the UN’s Humanitarian Response Plan in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, including emergency health interventions, protection services, and other urgent assistance such as food, water, and shelter. Targeted allocations also allowed Canada to respond to urgent needs as they arose, such as funding for winterization initiatives and the Kakhovka dam crisis. Programming also integrates components addressing child protection, mental health, and psychosocial support, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) needs.As part of its early response, Canada also provided additional support to aid the rapid scale-up of humanitarian operations shortly after the escalation of conflict in February 2022. This includes over 377,000 essential relief items from Canada’s National Emergency Strategic Stockpile and Canada’s humanitarian stockpiles managed in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross. These items were specifically requested by partners and have been dispatched to Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Canada’s early support also enabled the deployment of humanitarian and logistics experts to the UN agencies to surge capacity.In April 2022, the Prime Minister of Canada co-convened the Stand Up for Ukraine pledging event with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, with the participation of the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, in a worldwide show of solidarity with Ukraine, and in partnership with international advocacy organization Global Citizen. The campaign raised over $12.4 billion in pledges from around the world to support Ukrainian refugees and address the humanitarian crisis.Humanitarian allocations for 2024 are currently being determined, based on a variety of factors. Canada’s assistance will continue to be aligned with the UN’s Humanitarian Response Plan and include support for previously mentioned areas. Programming will also continue to integrate components addressing child protection, mental health, psychosocial support, and SGBV needs. The support will have a geographical focus on the frontline, particularly in eastern and southern oblasts where possible.During President Zelenskyy’s visit to Canada in September 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada announced that “Canada is shifting our approach to provide multi-year assistance and ensure Ukraine has the predictable support it needs for long-term success.” As part of this new multi-year approach, and to continue Canada’s military support for Ukraine, the Government of Canada has recently introduced a new investment of $650 million over three years to supply Ukraine with 50 armoured vehicles. Additionally, Canada has launched a discussion with Ukraine on long-term bilateral commitments, in line with the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine. This will aim to build on existing Canadian and Ukrainian efforts on a range of priorities and will enhance and guide bilateral cooperation for years to come.Canada is committed to continuing support for both Ukraine’s immediate needs along with essential recovery and reconstruction priorities identified by the Government of Ukraine’s Plan. Canada’s increased focus on multi-year assistance, including multi-year military support and international assistance, is helping to ensure Ukraine has the predictable support it needs for the long-term beyond humanitarian assistance towards sustainable growth and is working in coordination with other donors.Canada and Ukraine are in constant contact about Ukraine’s security needs and priorities, which include Ukraine’s efforts to restore and secure Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders, including its territorial waters, and advance its progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration. Canada also supports Ukraine’s current initiative for a just and sustainable peace based on its sovereignty and territorial integrity and commends the key principles of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula. A peace settlement must defend the UN Charter, be based on international law, and preserve Ukraine’s territorial integrity.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Government of Canada has provided multifaceted assistance to support Ukraine’s security and defence. Canada has committed over $2.4 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) and associated munitions from the US, air defence missiles, armoured combat support vehicles (ACSVs), commercial pattern armoured vehicles to allow for the safe transport of personnel and equipment, M-777 artillery guns and spare parts, 155 mm ammunition, small arms and ammunition, anti-armour weapons and ammunition, high-resolution cameras, de-mining equipment, and satellite imagery and communications. Canada has also supplied Ukraine with eight Leopard 2 main battle tanks from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) inventory and contributed $30 million to the Leopard 2 Maintenance and Service Centre in Poland. The Maintenance and Service Centre will help repair and sustain Ukraine’s fleet of Leopard 2 main battle tanks. Canada has also provided non-lethal military equipment such as helmets, body armour, gas masks, night vision gear, winter clothing, etc. Canada will also contribute to multinational efforts to train pilots, technicians, and support staff to operate and maintain Ukraine’s F-16s, leveraging Canadian expertise in these areas.Ukraine and its civilians have consistently been the victims of appalling atrocities by Russian armed forces, which Canada has condemned. The attacks on civilian infrastructure and civilians constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law. Canada will not spare any effort to ensure that violations of international law in Ukraine are investigated, evidence is gathered, and perpetrators are held to account.These brutal attacks, including Russian airstrikes, have caused immense suffering for civilians. Any establishment and enforcement of a no-fly zone outside the UN Security Council, which is not a viable option given Russia’s veto power, could risk triggering a larger international conflict with Russia. Canada and its NATO Allies have a responsibility to prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine, which would be even more dangerous and devastating to civilian populations.The Government of Canada is focusing on providing Ukraine with effective military support that will impact their defence against Russian forces. Canada will sustain its political, financial, humanitarian, and military support to Ukraine for the long term – individually and through international cooperation within the G7, NATO, the United Nations, and any other forum where Canada can bring its weight to bear in order to build and sustain support and solidarity for Ukraine.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France LalondeAs of 18 October2023Canada is making critical contributions to support Ukraine’s military, through the provision of non-lethal and lethal military aid, and transport of Canadian and Allied equipment to Ukraine.Since February 2022, Canada has committed more than $2.4 billion in military aid to Ukraine. This includes the Prime Minister’s recent announcement of $650 million in funding for Canadian-made armoured vehicles for Ukraine. To date our donations include armoured combat support vehicles, Leopard 2 main battle tanks, an armoured recovery vehicle, M777 howitzers and associated ammunition, armoured vehicles, winter clothing and equipment, small arms and ammunition, demining equipment, high-resolution cameras for drones, and satellite imagery.The Canadian Armed Forces is also assisting with the delivery of aid within Europe and has transported over 14 million pounds of military donations on behalf of our allies and partners. In September 2022, Canada increased its contribution in this area, with a third aircraft deployed to Europe and additional personnel added to the Prestwick hub in Scotland.Canada will continue to work with key allies and partners—including the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the G7, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the United Nations, the European Union, and the international community—to support Ukraine and ensure they receive the lethal military aid and supplies they need.The Minister of National Defence remains in close contact with Ukraine’s Minister of Defence to discuss Ukraine’s most pressing security needs and how Canada can best continue to help.For more information on Canada’s comprehensive military aid to Ukraine, please visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/campaigns/canadian-military-support-to-ukraine.html.
Air defenceHumanitarian assistance and workersMilitary weaponsPassports and visasRussiaUkraineWar
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01652441-01652 (Health)ValerieBradfordKitchener South—HespelerLiberalONSeptember 21, 2023November 3, 2023September 15, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:
  • A mandatory psychotropic drugs safety waiver should be signed when a patient in Canada is given a psychotropic drug they have never taken before;
  • These drugs are powerful and mind-altering;
  • There is no scientific way of knowing how a patient will respond; and
  • A safety waiver would ensure that at least one caregiver is notified so they can help monitor the patient for adverse reactions such as suicidal ideation until such a time that it's deemed safe for the patient to take the drug.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to work with the provinces and territories to make it mandatory that healthcare professionals having a patient that is being prescribed a psychotropic drug they have never taken before sign a safety waiver, which will ensure a caregiver will be contacted and counselled to help monitor for adverse side effects until such a time as it's deemed safe for the patient to take the psychotropic drug.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandThe health and safety of Canadians is Health Canada’s top priority. The Department's mandate as the regulator of health products involves administering the Food and Drugs Act (FDA) and the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) to help Canadians maintain and improve their health.Before a health product is approved in Canada, the Department conducts a rigorous scientific review of its safety, efficacy and quality. An authorization is only issued when the benefits of the product outweigh the risks of its use as intended based on the information available at the time.Health Canada continues to monitor the safety of authorized health products available on the Canadian market through the Canada Vigilance Program (CVP) to ensure the benefits of the product continue to outweigh its risks. The CVP is Health Canada’s post-market surveillance program that collects and assesses reports of suspected adverse reactions to health products. Adverse reaction reports are submitted by healthcare professionals and consumers on a voluntary basis, whereas hospitals, manufacturers and distributors are required to report by law. The CVP provides a variety of tools to support adverse reaction reporting, which can be done online, by phone or by submitting the Side Effect Reporting Form by fax or mail. To search the Canada Vigilance Adverse Reaction Online Database, please visit the following website. When new safety issues are identified, Health Canada takes action, which could include communicating new safety information to Canadians and healthcare professionals, changing the recommended use of the health product, or, if warranted removing the health product from the Canadian market.Health Canada works closely with manufacturers to implement risk mitigation measures for risks associated with the use of authorized health products. The Department uses several tools to inform and educate patients on these risks including, but not limited to, product labelling, and distribution of patient education and counselling materials. In addition, Health Canada encourages manufacturers to engage with physicians and pharmacists to ensure the appropriate implementation of these measures. The options considered should fit the clinical situation and also take into account patient confidentiality and access to medications.The safe use of a medication is a shared responsibility. While Health Canada evaluates the overall benefits and risks of a health product and communicates those risks to help the public make informed decisions, individual benefits and risks are considered by the treating healthcare professional. The prescribing of drugs and patient counseling are part of the ‘practice of medicine’ or ‘practice of pharmacy’ and are regulated provincially and territorially by the various professional colleges.Health Canada also funds the Canadian Medication Incident Reporting and Prevention System (CMIRPS). Under CMIRPS, hospitals report medication errors to the National System for Incident Reporting (NSIR); community pharmacies report medication errors to the National Incident Data Repository for Community Pharmacies, and individual practitioners and consumers can report medication errors to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada). Reports of medication errors, as well as near misses and other reports of concern are collected and analyzed for shared learning in an effort to prevent medication errors. Further, amendments to the Food and Drug Act through the Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act (also known as Vanessa’s Law) have strengthened the regulation of therapeutic products and improve the reporting of adverse reactions by healthcare institutions.Detailed information, including side effects associated with a marketed health product, is provided in its official Canadian Product Monograph (CPM), which is updated to reflect new safety information as required and can be accessed using the Drug Product Database. This information helps to ensure that both prescribers and patients have access to information to guide their decisions about whether or not to use a particular product. Suicidal ideation is a  known risk for various psychotropic medications. The Canadian product monographsfor these medications note the potential risk for suicidal ideation associated with their use in the Warning and Precautions section, and in the patient counselling information section.In addition, the federal government focuses its efforts, through its funding for Healthcare Excellence Canada (formerly the Canadian Patient Safety Institute) on collaborative work with all jurisdictions and system stakeholders to support the different legal, regulatory, and care delivery processes that can be used to reduce the occurrence of unintentional harm. One example of this work is the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics collaborative, which has leveraged a person-centered approach to care as a means to deprescribing antipsychotics that no longer benefit and potentially cause harm for people living with dementia. This approach can improve the person’s quality of life and safety, providers’ work–life balance, and family and care partners’ satisfaction.Health Canada will continue to monitor the safety of health products available on the Canadian market, including psychotropic medications to identify and assess potential harms. Health Canada will take appropriate and timely action should any new health risk, or changes in known risks, be identified.
Adverse drug reactionsCaregivers and health care professionalsPsychotropic drugs
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01651441-01651 (Foreign affairs)JamieSchmaleHaliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockConservativeONSeptember 21, 2023November 3, 2023February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01650441-01650 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONSeptember 21, 2023November 3, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
   
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01649441-01649 (Foreign affairs)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONSeptember 21, 2023November 3, 2023November 4, 2022PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01646441-01646 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 21, 2023November 3, 2023December 20, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01645441-01645 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 21, 2023November 3, 2023May 16, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023e-4470e-4470 (Employment and labour)WesleyLesoskyTaylorBachrachSkeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPBCJune 6, 2023, at 3:11 p.m. (EDT)July 6, 2023, at 3:11 p.m. (EDT)September 21, 2023November 3, 2023July 10, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Flight attendants in Canada perform duties that are essential to the safety and comfort of air passengers; and whereas flight attendants are not paid for many of these duties including but not limited to boarding, pre-flight safety checks, ground delays, or are paid only half their hourly rate for Transport Canada-mandated training;and whereas, according to a survey conducted by the Canadian Union of Public Employees of over 9,000 flight attendants, flight attendants in Canada work unpaid for 35 hours per month, on average; andand whereas the Government of Canada, through the Canada Labour Code, currently provides flexibility to employers in Canada to define work and what is to be paid, including training, time at the worksite waiting to be assigned work, and time spent on break but remaining at the employer’s disposal.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to fix the relevant legislation and regulations so that any employee who is performing training required by their employer, or the federal government or regulator; who is required to be at the worksite waiting to be assigned work; or who is at the worksite remaining at their employer’s disposal, is being paid at the employee’s contractual rate of pay, and no less than federal minimum wage, so that an employee who is at work, in uniform, performing work duties is being paid for their time from the moment work duties begin.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Government of Canada recognizes that more than 17,000 petitioners have expressed their concerns over the working conditions and pay of federally regulated flight attendants. We understand that these citizens and residents of Canada have called upon the Government of Canada to make legislative and regulatory changes to ensure that an employee who is at work, in uniform, performing work duties is being paid for their time from the moment work duties begin. This is an issue the Labour Program is aware of and continues to monitor. The Labour Program will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that working conditions of employees are respected in all federally regulated workplaces.Part III of the Canada Labour Code (the Code) establishes employment conditions such as hours of work, payment of wages including the minimum wage, overtime pay, general holidays, protected leaves and rights on termination of employment for employees under federal jurisdiction. The provisions of the Code set the minimum labour standards for all federally regulated workplaces.Under Part III, employers must pay employees no less than the minimum wage for all hours of work performed. While the Code leaves some scope for employment contracts to define what constitutes paid work in certain circumstances, the Labour Program’s interpretations, policies and guidelines related to hours of work provides a general interpretation of work, which includes any trial periods, training required by the employer, time spent at the employer’s disposal at the worksite waiting to be assigned work, and time spent while on break but remaining at the employer’s disposal.Collective agreements also govern a wide range of employment-related matters, including wages, working hours, benefits, and dispute resolution processes. The provisions of the Code merely set the floor for what the minimum allowable labour standards are. Collective agreements can provide different benefits and rights if they are equal or more favourable to the employees than what they would be entitled to under the Code.For flight attendants – approximately 90% of whom are unionized – the definition of work and what work is to be paid for is negotiated between employers and bargaining agents. The terms and conditions of employment agreed to during collective bargaining, including hours of work and compensation, are then prescribed in their respective collective agreements.All employees in federally regulated workplaces, regardless if they are unionized, who believe that their employer has contravened the provisions of the Code, have a right to file a complaint with the Labour Program. Unionized workers who experience challenging working conditions should also follow the recourse options available in their collective agreement and seek recourse through the grievance process. If a complaint is filed with the Labour Program, all allegations will be rigorously analyzed and investigations will be conducted. The Labour Program will assess whether the collective agreement provides for entitlements that meet the minimum standards of the Code. If an employer has contravened the Code, the compliance continuum will be followed and enforcement measures applied, if necessary. The compliance continuum includes education sessions, issuing payment orders for any wages and other amounts owed, compliance orders, and the potential use of administrative monetary penalties.The Government of Canada will continue to work closely with Parliamentarians, stakeholders, employers, and unions to strengthen Canada’s federally regulated workplaces and is committed to fairer and safer working conditions for everyone across the country.
Income and wagesWorking hours, terms and conditions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01643441-01643 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief. This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01642441-01642 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023September 14, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. 
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01641441-01641 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023December 20, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01640441-01640 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023May 2, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01639441-01639 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023June 1, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action. 
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01638441-01638 (Animals)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023December 13, 2022Petition to the Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of HealthWhereas:Uncontrolled Richardson's ground squirrels' populations can potentially expose Canadians to the risk of harm or injury in rural areas;Uncontrolled Richardson's ground squirrels' populations can pose serious threats to the Canadian agricultural industry and can result in serious injuries to livestock;Strychnine, when used properly, is the most effective and efficient measure to control populations of Richardson's ground squirrels;There are currently no viable alternatives to strychnine to control populations of Richardson's ground squirrels;Health Canada's decision to ban the use of strychnine will have unintended negative consequences for the Canadian economy and, particularly, the economies of the prairie provinces; andThe Governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta have stated their opposition to Health Canada's decision, citing the limited environmental effects of the product when used properly.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon Health Canada and the Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, to reverse their decision to ban the sale and use of strychnine under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, and to conduct research to study potential alternatives to strychnine which would serve to control the populations of Richardson's ground squirrels that are comparable to strychnine in effectiveness, efficiency, and costs.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandIn Canada, the regulation of pesticides is shared among all levels of government. Federally, pesticides are regulated under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), which is administered by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). The Agency’s number one priority is to protect the health and safety of Canadians and the environment.Before a pesticide is allowed to be used or sold in Canada, it must undergo a rigorous scientific assessment process that provides reasonable certainty that no harm to human health and the environment will occur when pesticides are used according to label directions. Depending on the type of pesticide being evaluated, results from numerous scientific studies (in some cases hundreds of studies) are reviewed to determine whether the pesticide would have any negative effect on people, animals (including birds, beneficial insects such as pollinators, mammals, and other wildlife), or plants, including organisms in the soil and water. This assessment also takes into consideration sensitive populations, such as pregnant and nursing women, infants, children and seniors.Health Canada also periodically re-evaluates pesticides that are on the market to determine whether they continue to meet the Department’s health and environmental standards and hence whether they should continue to be registered and permitted for use in Canada.As outlined in Re-evaluation Decision RVD2020-06, Strychnine and Its Associated End-use Products (Richardson’s Ground Squirrels) published on March 4, 2020, Health Canada concluded that the environmental risks associated with the use of strychnine for the control of Richardson’s Ground Squirrels (RGS) (also known as gophers) were not shown to be acceptable when used according to label directions and that no further feasible mitigation measures could be implemented by users of the product. Consequently, the registration of products containing strychnine used to control RGS was cancelled with a 3-year phase-out period, which ended on March 4, 2023.In its decision, Health Canada recognized the value of strychnine because it is easy to use, cost effective and manages RGS in a single feeding. However, there are alternatives to strychnine registered to control RGS available to users: chlorophacinone, diphacinone, zinc phosphide, and aluminum phosphide. While these alternatives may have some limitations compared to strychnine, they were found to be efficacious against the target pest during the scientific review that led to their registration.Efforts to identify new products and to conduct additional research into RGS control should involve grower groups, registrants and manufacturers of potential alternative products, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and/or provincial representatives. Health Canada will continue to be available to provide information and guidance regarding the registration process, and information on currently registered alternative products.
Pest Control Products ActPesticidesResearch and researchersRichardson ground squirrelsStrychnine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023e-4368e-4368 (Environment)RorySaweczkoMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONMarch 29, 2023, at 2:32 p.m. (EDT)July 27, 2023, at 2:32 p.m. (EDT)September 20, 2023November 3, 2023August 2, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:We are in a climate crisis;Canada spends at least 4.8 billion a year on fossil fuel subsidies;By subsidizing fossil fuels, we are making it cheaper to produce and consume more fossil fuels;The extraction, creation, and use of fossil fuels contributes significantly to climate change; andCanada needs to drastically reduce it’s pollution levels.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately end all fossil fuel subsidies, including subsidies internationally and domestically, to all corporations, buyers, sellers, and users of fossil fuels.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTIn 2009, Canada and other G20 countries committed “to phase out and rationalize over the medium-term inefficient fossil fuel subsidies (IFFS) while providing targeted support for the poorest.” At the North American Leaders’ Summit on June 29, 2016, Canada, the United States, and Mexico, publicly committed to phase out IFFS by 2025. In June 2021, G7 leaders reaffirmed the commitment to phase out IFFS by 2025. Canada has since committed to accelerate this commitment to 2023.On December 8, 2022, the Government of Canada published policy guidelines to implement its commitment to the Statement on International Public Support for the Clean Energy Transition (Glasgow Statement), which committed to ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector. Canada signed onto the Glasgow Statement at the Conference of the Parties (COP26) (November 2021) alongside 38 other countries and institutions and was one of only two net exporters of energy to do so. These guidelines have been in effect since January 1, 2023, and will ensure that Canada meets – and in some cases exceeds – the ambition outlined at COP26.In support of Canada’s commitment to phase out or rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector have been, or are in the process of being, phased out or rationalized, including:
  • Rationalizing the tax treatment of expenses for successful oil and gas exploratory drilling (announced in Budget 2017);
  • Phasing out a tax preference that allows small oil and gas companies to reclassify certain development expenses as more favorably treated exploration expenses (announced in Budget 2017); and
  • Phasing out flow-through shares for oil, gas, and coal activities (announced in Budget 2022).
On July 24, 2023, the Government of Canada released the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Self-Review Assessment Framework and the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Guidelines, which were jointly developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Department of Finance Canada. The Guidelines apply to all federal departments and agencies.The Guidelines will be used to prevent the creation of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies in the future. Moving forward, fossil fuel subsidies will not be provided unless they meet one or more of the following six criteria:
  1. Enable significant net greenhouse gas emissions reductions in Canada or internationally in alignment with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
  2. Support clean energy, clean technology, or renewable energy.
  3. Provide essential energy service to a remote community.
  4. Provide short-term support for emergency response.
  5. Support Indigenous economic participation in fossil fuel activities.
  6. Support abated production processes, such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage, or projects that have a credible plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.
The framework and guidelines fulfill our domestic, G7 and G20 commitments to phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. Canada is the first country to release a rigorous analytical guide that both fulfils its commitment to phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and transparently supports action. Inefficient fossil fuel subsidies enable and support the wasteful use and production of unabated fossil fuels, impeding the transition toward a net-zero economy. By eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, the Government of Canada is providing greater support for clean growth and accelerating efforts to decarbonize important Canadian industries, including the oil and gas sector, which continues to play an important role in the Canadian economy.Canada is also committed to phasing out public financing of the fossil fuel sector domestically. The Government’s work will identify current public financing by 2024 and announce by fall 2024 the implementation plan to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector. Taken together, these federal policies will align government programs and spending that support the fossil fuel sector with Canada’s ambitious climate goals.  
Climate change and global warmingFossil fuels
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01636441-01636 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023April 25, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab. The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions. The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022 and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries agreed to remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.  In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.  Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have raised Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts.  The former Minister of Transport?pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyoti Aditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.?Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions. On March 3, 2023, these Ministers met and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interest in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).  Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory.  The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion and Economic Development also spoke with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023, regarding this issue. The former Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.  With respect to services operated by European airlines, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01635441-01635 (Justice)BlaineCalkinsRed Deer—LacombeConservativeABSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023November 4, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01634441-01634 (Animals)JeremyPatzerCypress Hills—GrasslandsConservativeSKSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of HealthWhereas:Uncontrolled Richardson's ground squirrels' populations can potentially expose Canadians to the risk of harm or injury in rural areas;Uncontrolled Richardson's ground squirrels' populations can pose serious threats to the Canadian agricultural industry and can result in serious injuries to livestock;Strychnine, when used properly, is the most effective and efficient measure to control populations of Richardson's ground squirrels;There are currently no viable alternatives to strychnine to control populations of Richardson's ground squirrels;Health Canada's decision to ban the use of strychnine will have unintended negative consequences for the Canadian economy and, particularly, the economies of the prairie provinces; andThe Governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta have stated their opposition to Health Canada's decision, citing the limited environmental effects of the product when used properly.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon Health Canada and the Hon. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, to reverse their decision to ban the sale and use of strychnine under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act, and to conduct research to study potential alternatives to strychnine which would serve to control the populations of Richardson's ground squirrels that are comparable to strychnine in effectiveness, efficiency, and costs.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Minister Mark HollandIn Canada, the regulation of pesticides is shared among all levels of government. Federally, pesticides are regulated under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), which is administered by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). The Agency’s number one priority is to protect the health and safety of Canadians and the environment.Before a pesticide is allowed to be used or sold in Canada, it must undergo a rigorous scientific assessment process that provides reasonable certainty that no harm to human health and the environment will occur when pesticides are used according to label directions. Depending on the type of pesticide being evaluated, results from numerous scientific studies (in some cases hundreds of studies) are reviewed to determine whether the pesticide would have any negative effect on people, animals (including birds, beneficial insects such as pollinators, mammals, and other wildlife), or plants, including organisms in the soil and water. This assessment also takes into consideration sensitive populations, such as pregnant and nursing women, infants, children and seniors.Health Canada also periodically re-evaluates pesticides that are on the market to determine whether they continue to meet the Department’s health and environmental standards and hence whether they should continue to be registered and permitted for use in Canada.As outlined in Re-evaluation Decision RVD2020-06, Strychnine and Its Associated End-use Products (Richardson’s Ground Squirrels) published on March 4, 2020, Health Canada concluded that the environmental risks associated with the use of strychnine for the control of Richardson’s Ground Squirrels (RGS) (also known as gophers) were not shown to be acceptable when used according to label directions and that no further feasible mitigation measures could be implemented by users of the product. Consequently, the registration of products containing strychnine used to control RGS was cancelled with a 3-year phase-out period, which ended on March 4, 2023.In its decision, Health Canada recognized the value of strychnine because it is easy to use, cost effective and manages RGS in a single feeding. However, there are alternatives to strychnine registered to control RGS available to users: chlorophacinone, diphacinone, zinc phosphide, and aluminum phosphide. While these alternatives may have some limitations compared to strychnine, they were found to be efficacious against the target pest during the scientific review that led to their registration.Efforts to identify new products and to conduct additional research into RGS control should involve grower groups, registrants and manufacturers of potential alternative products, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and/or provincial representatives. Health Canada will continue to be available to provide information and guidance regarding the registration process, and information on currently registered alternative products.
Pest Control Products ActPesticidesResearch and researchersRichardson ground squirrelsStrychnine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01633441-01633 (Justice)KarenVecchioElgin—Middlesex—LondonConservativeONSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023November 4, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01632441-01632 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen (Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis) is a Blue-listed species that can only grow in nutrient-rich high, elevation old growth yellow and red cedar forests;
  • The Species at Risk Act (SARA) lists Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen as a species of "special concern" found only in British Columbia (BC), and the species has been identified as threatened due to the threat of industrial logging;
  • The goal of SARA is to uphold the protection of species at risk, and under both federal and provincial governments, no action has been taken to protect these fragile and irreplaceable old growth ecosystems;
  • The BC's Conservation Data Centre, lists only 52 documented extant populations of Oldgrowth Specklebelly in existence in BC, some being extirpated, while the BC Management Plan goal for Oldgrowth Specklebelly is: "to maintain all known extant populations."; and
  • In 2021, the largest population of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen discovered in BC, consisting of over 600 individuals in the Granite Creek watershed near Port Renfrew (Tree Farm Licence 46 cut block 8022) was clear cut, and in August 2022, a population of five individuals were found within Tree Farm Licence 46 cut block 4733, a section of old growth forest bisected by a new logging road located in the Bugaboo Creek watershed near Port Renfrew, and is slated for logging.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately protect all extant populations of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen (Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis,) and to immediately require British Columbia to uphold and enforce protections for this species across all Crown lands.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada is committed to halting and reversing the loss of our country’s rich biodiversity. In support of this commitment, Environment and Climate is leading the development of Canada's 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy. The 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy will establish a shared vision for halting and reversing biodiversity loss in Canada, reflect Canada’s domestic priorities for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, and guide how Canada implements the Global Biodiversity Framework domestically.The Government of Canada recognizes that the environment and the conservation of biodiversity is a shared responsibility in Canada, and that real progress can only be made if all levels of governments share objectives and work in collaboration to achieve them.Species at risk are on the front line of biodiversity loss, and the federal, provincial and territorial governments have been working cooperatively to protect and recover Canada’s imperiled species for close to three decades. The Government of Canada respects provincial and territorial jurisdiction and therefore first looks to them to protect terrestrial species and their habitat on non-federally administered lands.Federally, the Species at Risk Act (SARA) is the Government of Canada's key legislative tool to protect and recover endangered and threatened species and their habitats. SARA provides a legal framework for identifying, listing, and recovering species at risk. The legislation mandates the development and implementation of recovery strategies and action plans, with the goal of preventing species extinction and promoting their recovery. SARA also includes provisions for critical habitat protection and cooperation between federal, provincial, and territorial governments, intending a coordinated effort to safeguard Canada's diverse wildlife and ecosystems, and supports the Government of Canada’s international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity.Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen is listed as a species of Special Concern on Schedule 1 of SARA andis identified as a Blue listed species by the British Columbia provincial government. The distribution of Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen overlaps with that of several other federally listed species at risk within old-growth forests throughout coastal British Columbia including Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii.As required under SARA, a Management plan for the oldgrowth speclebelly lichen (Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis) https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.833290/publication.html was published in 2017; in addition, measures to achieve the management objective for the species have been set out in the Multi-species action plan for Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and 2 other sites www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/action-plans/gwaii-haanas-national-park-reserve.htmlIn addition to fulfilling its obligations under SARA for the species, the Government of Canada recognizes that more needs to be done to protect the old-growth forests that support the Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen.Canada’s forests, and in particular British Columbias’s old-growth forests, are rich with biodiversity and provide important habitat for a range of wildlife. In addition to these habitat functions, forests are key to the health of our climate, influencing rainfall, temperature, and other metrics. Temperate old-growth forests, like those in British Columbia also function as important carbon reservoirs.Forest management is the jurisdiction of provincial governments, and the vast majority of Canada's forests are located on provincial and territorial Crown lands. In British Columbia, approximately 96% of forests are on provincial crown land. At the same time, the federal government is committed to supporting the province’s effort to manage and conserve old-growth forests given their significance for migratory birds, species at risk and their role in mitigating the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems and their associated wildlife.To demonstrate federal support, the 2022 federal Budget established a $50 million Old Growth Nature Fund, which will focus on protecting at-risk, high productivity old-growth forests that are of prime biodiversity value and identified as important for species at risk, migratory birds, climate mitigation and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Specifically, federal funding will support planning and collaboration with British Columbia and Indigenous communities, and provide incentives for third-party funders, to permanently protect and conserve large areas of at-risk old growth forests in the province. The Old Growth Nature Fund will also contribute directly to the Government of Canada's commitments to achieving Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The old growth temperate rainforests of British Columbia are among the largest natural carbon sinks in the world (on a per hectare basis) and are among the most efficient ecosystems at capturing carbon in Canada. High productivity old-growth supports critical habitat for SARA-listed species such as the Oldgrowth Specklebelly Lichen, Marbled Murrelet and Northern Spotted Owl.Federal officials are also working with their provincial and Indigenous colleagues and partners both to finalize a Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation and to explore additional ways to encourage and support the province in its efforts to protect and restore habitat.The federal government has also contributed to protecting nearly 400,000 ha of forest habitat in British Columbia. This includes conservation projects under programs such as the Target 1 Challenge, the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, and the Ecological Gifts Program.The federal government is also working to ensure forests, including old-growth forests, are considered in the context of ongoing species at risk and nature-related engagement with provincial and territorial partners. For example, Environment and Climate Change Canada, provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and stakeholders are engaged in the development of a forest sector action plan that will help guide collaborative efforts to recover species at risk under the Pan Canadian Approach to Species at Risk.   
Endangered speciesSpecies at Risk Act
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023e-4349e-4349 (Health)LannaLastiwkaBonitaZarrilloPort Moody—CoquitlamNDPBCMarch 29, 2023, at 2:20 p.m. (EDT)July 27, 2023, at 2:20 p.m. (EDT)September 20, 2023November 3, 2023August 2, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>We, the undersigned, citizens of canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to offer state-funded paid leave (3-5 days a month) for people who suffer from painful periods.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Government of Canada recognizes that citizens of Canada have petitioned the House of Commons to offer three to five days a month of state-funded paid leave for people who suffer from painful periods.The Government of Canada acknowledges that no one should have to choose between staying home when they are suffering from health issues or paying their bills. This is why the Government of Canada delivered on its commitment to provide medical leave with pay for employees in federally regulated workplaces.Since December 1, 2022, the Canada Labour Code (Code) gives employees in federally regulated workplaces the right to earn and take up to ten days of medical leave with pay per year. These days are paid for by the employer. Access to medical leave with pay empowers employees to prioritize their health and improves working conditions for the nearly one million employees in the federally regulated private sector.In addition to these leaves, there are other protections that exist under the Code that could support an employee experiencing painful periods. These include:•           Unpaid breaks for medical reasons if needed during the working day, subject to obtaining a medical  certificate from a health care practitioner;•           The right to an unpaid break of 30 minutes for every five hours of work; and•           A right to request flexible work arrangements for employees with six months of continuous employment. This right allows employees to request a change to their hours of work, work schedules or location of work.Furthermore, for Canadian employed and self-employed workers, on December 18, 2022, Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits were permanently extended from 15 weeks to 26 weeks. The change to EI sickness benefits will provide approximately 169,000 Canadians per year with additional time and flexibility to recover so they can return to work after an illness, injury or quarantine. EI sickness benefits are paid at 55% of the applicant’s average weekly insurable earnings, up to a maximum entitlement of $650 for 2023.To align with this permanent extension of EI sickness benefits, the maximum length of unpaid medical leave available to federally regulated private-sector employees was also increased from 17 to 27 weeks under the Code.Individuals unable to work due to painful periods can access this leave. They may also qualify for the sickness benefit if, among other things, their weekly earnings from work are decreased by more than 40% for at least one week. Information for eligibility to EI sickness benefits is available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-sickness/qualify.htmlThe Government of Canada will continue to work closely with Parliamentarians, stakeholders, employers and unions to strengthen Canada’s federally regulated workplaces and is committed to fairer and safer working conditions for everyone across the country. The Government of Canada will continue to encourage the provinces and territories to introduce or expand paid sick leave legislation for employees in their respective jurisdictions. This would benefit employees covered under provincial and territorial employment standards and who need to access paid leave for any personal health issue or injury, including those suffering from painful periods. 
Pain and chronic painReproductive healthSick leave
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01630441-01630 (Justice)MichaelCooperSt. Albert—EdmontonConservativeABSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023November 4, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 3, 2023441-01629441-01629 (Foreign affairs)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCSeptember 20, 2023November 3, 2023May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WHEREAS:
  • Worldwide there are nearly half a million recipients of a United Kingdom (UK) state pension that is “frozen” at the same amount as when it is first received – i.e. a pension lacking an annual cost of living increase;
  • The UK is the only OECD country in the world to discriminate based on country of residence for providing annual inflationary increases to pension payments;
  • This policy is discriminatory and unevenly applied: recipients residing in the United States of America (numbering approximately 127,000) receive “unfrozen” pensions, while the pensions of recipients in Canada (approx. 128,000) are “frozen.”;
  • The Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners have long advocated for unfreezing UK state pension payments;
  • The Government of Canada is not proactively addressing this matter, with the former Minister for Seniors stating, “Canada remains prepared to engage with UK officials should they choose to reconsider their non-indexation policy,” April 2021. The Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA) came into force on April 1, 2021 - required following Brexit, the Canada-UK TCA primarily rolls-over of the Canada-Europe Trade Agreement, and a new agreement is expected; and
  • Any future Canada-UK trade agreement must include a reciprocal social service section with an “unfrozen” pension policy ensuring ex-patriot British pensioners have 'equal rights' and are not discriminated against.
THEREFORE: We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to ensure any future Canada-UK trade agreement unfreeze UK state pensions paid to Canadian recipients, and that the relevant Ministers provide regular updates on these efforts to the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanUnder UK law, UK State Pensions are paid anywhere in the world. For many UK pensioners living in countries outside the UK, including in Canada, pensions are not adjusted for increases in the cost of living. Pensions are paid at the same rate as when pensioners became entitled, or the date they left the UK if they were already pensioners.Over the years, the Government of Canada has sought to address this issue with the UK, including by proposing that the two countries negotiate a comprehensive social security agreement (SSA) that would provide for the indexation of UK pensions. To date, the UK has maintained its long-standing position that it cannot consider the indexation of UK pensions paid into Canada.The UK policy of non-indexation is codified in UK domestic law. A bilateral agreement with Canada is not required if the UK chooses to pay indexed pensions into Canada.In 2020, the British Secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Frozen British Pensions launched an inquiry regarding the impact of the UK Government’s approach to UK State Pensions paid to UK pensioners living abroad. The final report was released in December 2020. The Government of Canada presented a submission on the issue regarding the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada, for the APPG’s consideration. The submission is consistent with Canada’s position of support for UK pensioners living in Canada.In November 2020, Employment and Social Development Canada officials wrote to the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions, seeking their interest in concluding a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK. UK officials declined the request, but noted they would continue to consider this matter carefully.In March 2021, motions were presented in both the House of Commons in Canada and the UK regarding the UK’s non-indexation policy, urging the UK to negotiate a SSA with Canada that would allow for the indexation of pensions. This showcases the continued support to resolve this long-standing issue.In June 2021, the Minister of Seniors, in her capacity as the Minister responsible for concluding SSAs on behalf of the Government of Canada, sent a letter to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, to formally request the conclusion of a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK, which would provide for the indexation of UK pensions. No response was received from the UK Government.In April 2022, the Minister of Seniors met with the British High Commissioner to Canada, to reiterate Canada’s longstanding position that UK pensioners who live in Canada should be recognized for the contributions they have made to society and should be treated equally, regardless of where they live. The British High Commissioner re-confirmed that the UK Government had no plans to change its current policy.In June and October 2022, the Minister of Seniors wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions to reiterate Canada’s request to conclude a comprehensive bilateral SSA that would provide for the eligibility of benefits and the payment of indexed UK pensions. The UK Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion responded to the letter of June 2022, re-confirming that the UK Government had no plans to change its current policy. No response was received from the UK Government to the letter of October 2022.In April 2023, the Minister of Labour, met with the UK Minister for Employment. The Minister of Labour raised the issue of the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada. The UK Minister for Employment noted the concern of the Minister, however, he re-confirmed that the UK Government has no plans to change its current policy.Also in April 2023, the Minister of Seniors together with the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade, requesting her assistance in encouraging the UK government to resolve this issue. To date, no response has been received from the UK GovernmentNegotiations towards a comprehensive Canada-UK Free Trade Agreement are focused on advancing specific trade-related issues. Canada’s negotiating objectives were tabled in Parliament in 2022 and were informed by extensive public consultations across Canada.The Government of Canada will continue to raise this issue with the UK through various channels, where appropriate.
Response by the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Maninder SidhuUnder UK law, UK State Pensions are paid anywhere in the world. For many UK pensioners living in countries outside the UK, including in Canada, pensions are not adjusted for increases in the cost of living. Pensions are paid at the same rate as when pensioners became entitled, or the date they left the UK if they were already pensioners.Over the years, the Government of Canada has sought to address this issue with the UK, including by proposing that the two countries negotiate a comprehensive social security agreement (SSA) that would provide for the indexation of UK pensions. To date, the UK has maintained its long-standing position that it cannot consider the indexation of UK pensions paid into Canada.The UK policy of non-indexation is codified in UK domestic law. A bilateral agreement with Canada is not required if the UK chooses to pay indexed pensions into Canada.In 2020, the British Secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Frozen British Pensions launched an inquiry regarding the impact of the UK Government’s approach to UK State Pensions paid to UK pensioners living abroad. The final report was released in December 2020. The Government of Canada presented a submission on the issue regarding the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada, for the APPG’s consideration. The submission is consistent with Canada’s position of support for UK pensioners living in Canada.In November 2020, Employment and Social Development Canada officials wrote to the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions, seeking their interest in concluding a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK. UK officials declined the request, but noted they would continue to consider this matter carefully.In March 2021, motions were presented in both the House of Commons in Canada and the UK regarding the UK’s non-indexation policy, urging the UK to negotiate a SSA with Canada that would allow for the indexation of pensions. This showcases the continued support to resolve this long-standing issue.In June 2021, the Minister of Seniors, in her capacity as the Minister responsible for concluding SSAs on behalf of the Government of Canada, sent a letter to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, to formally request the conclusion of a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK, which would provide for the indexation of UK pensions. No response was received from the UK Government.In April 2022, the Minister of Seniors met with the British High Commissioner to Canada, to reiterate Canada’s longstanding position that UK pensioners who live in Canada should be recognized for the contributions they have made to society and should be treated equally, regardless of where they live. The British High Commissioner re-confirmed that the UK Government had no plans to change its current policy.In June and October 2022, the Minister of Seniors wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions to reiterate Canada’s request to conclude a comprehensive bilateral SSA that would provide for the eligibility of benefits and the payment of indexed UK pensions. The UK Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion responded to the letter of June 2022, re-confirming that the UK Government had no plans to change its current policy. No response was received from the UK Government to the letter of October 2022.In April 2023, the Minister of Labour, met with the UK Minister for Employment. The Minister of Labour raised the issue of the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada. The UK Minister for Employment noted the concern of the Minister, however, he re-confirmed that the UK Government has no plans to change its current policy.Also in April 2023, the Minister of Seniors together with the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade, requesting her assistance in encouraging the UK government to resolve this issue. To date, no response has been received from the UK Government.Negotiations towards a comprehensive Canada-UK Free Trade Agreement are focused on advancing specific trade-related issues. Canada’s negotiating objectives were tabled in Parliament in 2022 and were informed by extensive public consultations across Canada.The Government of Canada will continue to raise this issue with the UK through various channels, where appropriate.
International relationsPension indexationReciprocal social security agreementsUnited Kingdom
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01628441-01628 (Health)LarryMaguireBrandon—SourisConservativeMBSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023June 16, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:The incidence of gender dysphoria has been increasing rapidly in Canada, particularly in youth and young adults without a prior history of gender dysphoria in childhood;The gender affirming model of treatment which is currently being followed in Canada is not evidence based as it has never been validated by a systematic review; andThe health authorities in Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, which have conducted all systematic reviews, have found that the evidence in support of the gender affirming model is low quality and have adopted guidelines which make exploratory psychotherapy the first line of treatment.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to commission the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care to conduct its own systematic review and to then develop evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of gender dysphoria of children, adolescents, and young adults.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandThe Minister of Health has a responsibility to protect and promote the health of all Canadians, including of trans and non-binary people in Canada. Our Government is committed to working towards a more equitable, diverse and inclusive country, where everyone is free to be themselves and participate fully in society.Everyone, regardless of their gender identity, has the right to be their authentic self, which includes having access to the care that they need to lead a happy and healthy life.Gender dysphoria refers to the distress that trans and non-binary people experience resulting from a difference between a person’s gender identity and the person’s assigned sex at birth, associated gender role, and/or primary and secondary sex characteristics.Gender-affirming care refers to culturally competent health care that is provided to an individual across their lifespan in support of their gender identity, which may include medical, surgical, social and/or psychological services and refrains from directing a person towards any particular identity. It is important to note that the provision of transition-related care, such as medical gender affirmation via hormones or surgery, does not alone ensure that the care provided is gender-affirming.Standards and guidelines are set by disciplinary professional associations and are based on the best available evidence at the time. There are several widely accepted practice guidelines/position statements on gender-affirming care that have been produced by a range of clinical organizations to provide information and support to their members (e.g., An affirming approach to caring for transgender and gender-diverse youth | Canadian Paediatric Society (cps.ca) and Canadian Psychological Association 2023 Position Statement on Promotion of Gender Diversity and Expression and Prevention of Gender-Related Hate and Harm).The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) offers guidelines called “Standards of Care” (SOC) to provide clinical guidance for health professionals to assist transgender and gender diverse children, youth, and adults with safe and effective pathways to care. WPATH’s eighth edition of the Standards of Care (SOC8) were released in September 2022. WPATH outlines how the guidelines were developed, and that the process followed recommendations on clinical practice guideline development from the World Health Organization and the US’s National Academies of Medicine. Notably, a team of independent researchers at Johns Hopkins University conducted the systematic reviews of research evidence that underpin the WPATH guidelines.There is a lack of data available to confirm if there has been an increase in numbers of people experiencing gender dysphoria in Canada. However, younger people may be more willing to disclose their gender identity to organizations such as Statistics Canada. This may be due, in part, to improvements in the social supports, greater acceptance and visibility, increasing human rights protections, and other forms of supportive legislation for transgender, non-binary and other 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada.The?Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care?was established by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) as an independent and arms-length group to develop?clinical practice guidelines?that support primary care providers in delivering preventive health care. The mandate of the Task Force is to develop and disseminate evidence-based guidelines that can be used to improve clinical preventive interventions, such as screening for certain cancers, in primary care practice in Canada. Given the Task Force operates at arm’s length, PHAC and Health Canada do not assign topics for its consideration. The Task Force is an independent body of 15 primary care and prevention experts from across Canada who recognize and support the need for evidence-informed preventive activities in primary care.The Government of Canada stands firm against misinformation and disinformation regarding the care of trans people and reiterates the importance of shared decision-making between the patient and their health provider based on the best evidence available and the unique needs of individuals.
ChildrenGender identity and gender expressionMedical techniques and procedures
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01627441-01627 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023December 5, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01626441-01626 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023May 30, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The Liberal government's so-called 'feminist international assistance policy' has shown a lack of respect for the cultural values and autonomy of women in the developing world by supporting organizations that violate local laws on abortion and push abortion at the expense of international development priorities like clean water, access to basic nutrition, and economic development;
  • The Liberal's approach to international development for women and girls has recently been criticized by the Auditor General for failing to measure results; and
  • The Muskoka Initiative (launched by the previous Conservative government) involved historic investments in the wellbeing of women and girls around the world. The initiative emphasized value for money and ensured that investments were in priorities identified by local women.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to align international development spending with the approach taken in the Muskoka Initiative, focusing international development dollars on meeting the basic needs of vulnerable women around the world rather than pushing ideological agendas that may conflict with local values in developing countries, and measuring outcomes.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada is a global leader in protecting and advancing the health, rights and well-being of the poorest and most vulnerable, with the empowerment of women and girls at the core of Canada’s international assistance policies and programmes. Canada spearheaded the Muskoka Initiative for Maternal, Newborn, and Child health (MNCH) during its G8 presidency in 2010, and committed $2.85 billion between 2010 and 2015. In 2015, Canada renewed its support for MNCH by committing an additional $3.5 billion over the 2016 to 2020 period. In 2016-2017, Under the Her Voice Her Choice initiative, Canada committed a further $650 million for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programming between 2017 and 2020. The added focus on SRHR was informed by consultations with Canadian and international stakeholders, the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), and research evidence published in the 2018 Guttmacher-Lancet Commission on SRHR. Canada’s current commitment, the 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights (10YC), builds on decades of Canadian leadership in global health. Through this commitment, Canada will reach an average of $1.4 billion annually by 2023 to support women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health around the world, of which $700 million is allocated to SRHR. This is Canada’s longest, largest, and most comprehensive global health commitment to date and is a key vehicle for implementing Canada’s FIAP, strengthening health systems post COVID-19, and supporting the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.Through the 10YC, Canada continues to advance these priorities, while also promoting a complementary emphasis on comprehensive SRHR that supports country-led efforts to advance the health and rights of women and girls and address the socio-economic and cultural barriers that limit their attainment of gender equality. Through the 10YC, Canada is supporting interventions such as school meals programs, water and sanitation programming, micronutrient supplementation, community-based nutrition programs, midwifery training, and enhanced neo-natal care. Canada also continues to support large-scale investments to combat infectious diseases and strengthen health systems with key global health players, including the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ($5.3 billion, 2002-2025) Gavi Vaccine Alliance ($2.3 billion, 2000-2025), and the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents ($630 million, 2015-2025).Canada is committed to ensuring its interventions in developing countries are locally-led. Canada’s work is built on the value it places on local partnerships, and partners are carefully selected to ensure that government, local organizations and women and youth themselves, are central in the design and delivery of international assistance programming. This approach is consistent with the principles outlined in Canada’s Official Development Assistance Accountability Act (ODAAA), which requires that Canada’s aid responds to local perspectives and priorities. Aligned with the FIAP and ODAAA principles, Canada supports local ownership and works to ensure that all initiatives are grounded in local needs, priorities and contexts, which are the basis for deep and relevant engagement with local communities, including being designed and implemented with and by local partners and aligned with national legislation and country priorities. Within Canada’s global health investments, all efforts are made to ensure that, where feasible and appropriate, government, local organizations and beneficiaries, including youth and women’s-rights organizations, are involved throughout the project cycle, from design to evaluation. This ensures that programming remains responsive to local needs, values and priorities.Under the 10YC Accountability Framework, Canada has committed to publishing annual reports on the 10YC implementation progress, including tracking of funding and results achieved. The inaugural 2020-21 Report on the 10-Year Commitment is an example of Canada’s commitment to transparency, dialogue and partnership, moving beyond discussions about money committed and spent to a different conversation about using evidence and experience to improve and drive results and impact for communities around the world. The 2021-2022 Report on the 10-Year Commitment will be published in November 2023.
International development and aidWomen
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01625441-01625 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023June 16, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The illegitimate military junta in Burma continues to indiscriminately kill, torture, rape, imprison and displace civilians, particularly through air strikes, causing an increased need for vital humanitarian assistance;
  • Communications infrastructure within the country, often used to warn civilians of imminent attack, has been destroyed by the military;
  • The state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises (MOGE) accounts for the majority of funding the military receives to commit human rights atrocities; and
  • Canada has outlined its own obligation to aid in the Myanmar crisis as reported in "Canada's strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises (2021 to 2024)" as well our commitment under the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to:
  • Call on the military junta in Burma to immediately cease all executions, atrocities and human rights abuses against civilians;
  • Increase humanitarian aid into Burma, especially via local civil society organizations working cross-border from neighbouring countries, to more adequately address the needs of vulnerable communities;
  • Provide the technological and logistical support for communication infrastructure to establish early-warning systems and air defence systems to warn and protect civilians from aerial attacks, to save lives and prevent human rights abuses;
  • Call on insurance companies to stop providing insurance cover for deliveries of aviation fuel to Burma;
  • Impose sanctions against MOGE, including blocking direct and indirect oil and gas purchases that support the Burmese regime;
  • Swiftly implement the objectives set out in the aforementioned strategy and uphold our international obligation of R2P;
  • Refuse to engage or recognize the junta's State Administration Council (SAC) in any regional or international fora;
  • Promote ongoing dialogue among pro-democracy groups and diaspora groups, with a view to helping the Burmese people to develop an inclusive democracy with full recognition and representation of all ethnic minority communities, including Rohingya; and
  • Provide assistance to Burma's politicians and citizens to support the development of a federal democratic system and power sharing that would provide a solution for the country of multiethnic people who have been living together before the country could be called Burma.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has unequivocally condemned the February 2021 military coup against the democratically elected government of Myanmar, and supports the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations in the face of brutality and egregious international human rights and humanitarian law violations. Canada continues to call for the cessation of violence and armed conflict; the release of all who are unjustly detained; immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access; and a halt on sales and transfer of arms, military equipment and technical support which fuel the conflict and undermine stability in the country and the region. Canada is concerned by a growing humanitarian crisis, democratic and economic reversals, worsening violations of international law and what the UN Commissioner referred to as the systematic negation of human rights, human life and human dignity, and the potential for growing instability and insecurity in Myanmar, with implications for the region and diminished prospects for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return for Rohingya currently in Bangladesh. Canada condemns escalating attacks against civilians, including airstrikes of populated and civilian areas with heavy weaponry, and the arbitrary detention, and deaths of civilians, all of which have deepened the humanitarian crisis.Canada is also concerned by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) findings of far-reaching violations of freedom of association and forced labour, and by the politicization of the judiciary and the precipitous decline in human rights protections and media freedoms. The erosion of the right to free, fair and impartial trials, and the resumption of capital punishment after a 30-year de facto moratorium is of particular concern. Canada opposes the death penalty at all times, everywhere. Canada, along with international partners, condemned the execution of pro-democracy opposition leaders and supporters in 2022, underscoring that these actions exemplify the regime’s efforts to silence political opposition and exemplify blatant disregard for the upholding of human rights and the rule of law.Canada supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) and its resolute efforts to address this crisis through the ASEAN Five-Point-Consensus, while remaining increasingly concerned by lack of progress on this agreement’s implementation in the face of the regime’s intransigence. Full and timely implementation of the Five-Point-Consensus remains critical as is ASEAN’s continued downgrading of Myanmar representation at ASEAN high-level meetings and fora.Responding to the interlinked Myanmar and Rohingya crises remains a priority for Canada. On June 20, 2022, Canada announced the second phase of its Strategy to respond to the Myanmar and Rohingya crises, dedicating $288.3 million over three years (2021-2024) to address the medium- and longer-term needs and human rights of Rohingya refugees and other conflict-affected populations in Myanmar. Of this amount, $83 million supports development programming in Myanmar; $145 million for development programming for Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh; and $24 million for Peace and Stabilization Operations programming. The Strategy supports at-risk and affected populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh, particularly Rohingya refugees, internally displaced persons, and impacted host communities; intensifies efforts to advance an inclusive and sustainable peace in Myanmar; supports efforts to advance a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Myanmar, including engagement with pro-democracy stakeholders; and, increases pressure on malign actors, including through continued pursuit of accountability for human rights violations and targeted sanctions efforts.While ensuring that no funding or support is going to the regime, Canada continues to provide development and humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable, working through UN and civil society organizations, including local networks and alliance-based partners. Canada continues to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance for crisis-affected populations, in accordance with needs on the ground. For example, in 2022, Canada has contributed $10.3 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to address the needs of crisis-affected people in Myanmar, including support to the Rohingya population. Canada has also contributed $15.3 million in humanitarian assistance in Bangladesh, to help address the needs of Rohingya refugees. In addition, on June 1, 2023, Canada announced $4 million in additional humanitarian assistance funding in Myanmar, and $1 million in funding for Bangladesh in response to Cyclone Mocha. Cross-border in Bangladesh, Canada continues to play a leading role in marshalling the response to the refugee crisis, leveraging a strong position on accountability and credibility as a top international donor.Canada has a legacy of support for democracy and federalism globally and in Myanmar, continuing to support the democratic aspirations of the Myanmar people and those who work peacefully to advance an inclusive democratic future. Canada engages with the range of pro-democracy stakeholders advancing and modelling a democratic peaceful and inclusive vision for Myanmar, including with high-level engagement such as the recent meeting between Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a senior appointed representative of the National Unity Government of Myanmar. Canada is a steadfast supporter of the need to address the root causes in Myanmar that led to the violent expulsion of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh, the coup, and decades of conflict with ethnic minority armed groups. The Government of Canada’s current Strategy and commitments are centred on the meaningful participation and diverse representation, including Rohingya, women and youth.Canada prioritizes ending impunity and ensuring accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations in Myanmar and justice for survivors, including Rohingya. Canada does this through support to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), and our announced intention to intervene, with the Netherlands, in The Gambia’s case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. Canada strongly supported the historic United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2669 – Security Council Demands Immediate End of Violence in Myanmar, Urges Restraint, Release of Arbitrary Detained Prisoners (December 2022), and co-sponsored the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/52/L.19 - Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar (April 2023). At the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Prosecutor’s investigation into allegations of forced deportation as a crime against humanity has presented an opportunity for accountability, although Canada continues to call for the UNSC to refer the situation to the ICC, so that the commission of all serious international crimes under the Rome Statute can be investigated.Canada, in close coordination with international partners, has imposed seven rounds of sanctions since the coup as part of Canada’s commitment to support democracy and ending impunity in Myanmar, most recently January 31, 2023. Canada’s sanctions are in direct response to the regime’s continued disregard for the human rights of the people of Myanmar and target senior members of the regime who are using their respective roles to abuse the rule of law and remove political opposition, thus contributing to a grave breach of international peace and the deteriorating security situation. Through these sanctions, Canada has also targeted arms and aviation fuel procurement, and was the first country to impose a prohibition on aviation fuel in respond to the regime’s continued targeting of civilians in violation of international law. Canada, alongside its international partners, will continue to respond to actions that constitute a grave breach of international peace and security, threaten stability in the region, and subvert the rights and dignity of Myanmar people. Canada will continue to monitor the situation, assessing the effectiveness of additional policy measures, taking further actions in coordination with our partners as the situation evolves.There is no immediate solution to this protracted crisis, and Canada acknowledges that an effective ongoing response requires sustained effort, attention, commitment, and leadership on the part of Canada; the meaningful participation of Myanmar people, including Rohingya; and sustained coordination and engagement with key national, regional and international allies and partners. In this regard, we strongly welcome the petition and its calls for continued and strengthened engagement on the part of the Government of Canada.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyMyanmar
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01624441-01624 (Culture and heritage)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023May 18, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The current Canadian passport contains images significant to Canadian heritage, including the Fathers of Confederation, the Vimy Memorial, and Terry Fox; andThe government plans to erase these images from the Canadian passport.Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government to reverse their plans to erase these symbols of national heritage & identity from the Canadian passport.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAUL CHIANG, M.P.The passport is a secure travel document with the primary purpose of facilitating Canadians’ travel, preventing counterfeiting to maintain its credibility and ensuring it is recognized at global border crossings.The new passport has been redesigned from cover to cover with state-of-the-art security features and new artwork, maintaining its status as one of the most secure and universally accepted travel documents in the world for all Canadians.When the previous version of the Canadian passport was launched in 2013, it was part of the first generation of passports that introduced an illustrative theme as part of the interior pages. Document security enhancements since 2013 have allowed countries to move to the second generation of thematic imagery using enhanced techniques aimed at improving the security of the document. The techniques Canada adopted are aligned with our counterparts across the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Belgium and Sweden.Public surveys were conducted annually between 2016 and 2018 to consult Canadians on possible themes for the new passport. Consultations were also done with the Government of Canada’s forensic specialists, Canadian Heritage, and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.Industry standards and best practice are to refresh passport booklet design and security features every five years. This aligns with the recommendations set forth by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Changing the theme and the design of our passport is an important step in preventing counterfeiting by integrating new and more advanced security features and design techniques. The change also ensures that there is a clear distinction of imagery between each passport (old and new series), which ensures ease of validation of the travel document and security features by border services agencies globally. Given the advances in terms of document security, Canada will be continuing with the new passport as designed. As the Department embarks on the conceptualization of the subsequent passport, Canadians will be consulted on the new thematic. 
Cultural symbolsPassports and visas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01623441-01623 (Citizenship and immigration)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023May 9, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • As the illegal, unprovoked full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is still ongoing, the Ukrainian newcomers in Canada are in need of support from the Canadian Government;
  • The Ukrainians who fled to Canada on the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) are unable to apply for the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program that provides youth aged 15-30 in Canada with paid work experiences that will help prepare them for when they are ready to enter the workforce; and
  • The youth from Ukraine are facing unique barriers and need the Government of Canada's assistance in developing and improving their skills so that they can be confident and contributing members of our communities.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to allow Ukrainian youth under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) to apply for jobs under the CSJ program.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada is steadfast in its commitment to help Ukrainians and their family members seeking a safe haven in Canada. Since the introduction of the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) in March 2022, Canada has welcomed over 181,000 individuals under this program. The Government of Canada has implemented a number of support measures to help these individuals settle in Canada, including providing temporary accommodations for up to 14 nights to eligible clients, offering one-time transitional financial assistance to help eligible CUAET holders meet their immediate needs, as well as extending access to federally-funded settlement services to all Ukrainian temporary residents. In 2022, three federally-organized charter flights helped nearly 1,000 Ukrainians and their family members travel to Canada. In addition, CUAET holders are eligible for a free open work permit or study permit, which allows them to take a job with almost any Canadian employer or enroll in an education program in Canada.Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has also supported the Government’s efforts for Ukraine by establishing Jobs for Ukraine, a dedicated channel on the Job Bank website for Canadian employers who wish to provide jobs to Ukrainian nationals in Canada. It has also supported those arriving to obtain a Social Insurance Number to work in Canada.The Government supports labour market programs that foster greater inclusion of underrepresented groups, such as youth, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people, Black Canadians and other racialized groups. The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) provides flexible and holistic services to help all young Canadians to develop the skills and gain paid work experience to successfully transition into the labour market. Canada Summer Jobs is a program under YESS that provides wage subsidies to employers from not-for-profit organizations, the public sector, and private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees, to create quality summer job placements for young people aged 15 to 30 years. Canada Summer Jobs is currently oversubscribed as domestic need continues to exceed available resources in the context of helping young Canadians transition into the labour market. As such, eligibility under the Terms and Conditions of the program remains focused on Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or those granted refugee status in Canada. While this does not include temporary residents, recent immigrants are eligible if they are Canadian Citizens or permanent residents.The Department continues to work closely with Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada, one of 12 YESS federal partners, in delivering programs that help reduce systemic barriers for equity-deserving youth, including recent immigrants and newcomers, to gain the skills, abilities, and experience they need to enter the Canadian labour market.
Canada Summer JobsPassports and visasUkraineWork permits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01622441-01622 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023February 9, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01621441-01621 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023December 12, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians are committed to upholding the protection of international human rights;Canadians recognize that ethnic, religious, and other minority groups are routinely targeted around the world by human rights violators; andBill C-281, the International Human Rights Act, seeks to add additional protection against human rights violations and promote a stronger role for Parliament in that fight.Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to quickly adopt Bill C-281, the International Human Rights Act.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada is consistently a strong voice for the promotion and protection of human rights which is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. Human rights are indivisible, universal and interdependent; they are inherent to everyone regardless of their race, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnicity, religion or other identifying factors.Canada works with a range of partners, bilaterally and multilaterally, to support other countries in upholding their human rights commitments and advance accountability for human rights violations. Canada also continuously strives to further promote and protect human rights at home, in keeping with fundamental commitments contained in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and its many international obligations.The fight against all forms of systemic racism and discrimination requires ongoing commitment and cooperation. The engagement from members of all parties during the study of Bill C-281 by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development is a positive sign in that respect. The Government looks forward to continuing to monitor the progress of the bill which has passed through the House of Commons and is, at this present time, in its second reading in the Senate.
C-281, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), the Broadcasting Act and the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions ActCivil and human rights
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01620441-01620 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023May 17, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01619441-01619 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The HonourableThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
 
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01618441-01618 (Foreign affairs)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023November 4, 2022PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01617441-01617 (Transportation)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023September 18, 2023PETITION TO THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTWhereas:
  • Hobbyists in Canada flying radio-controlled model airplanes are separate and distinct from those flying drones;
  • The flying of radio-controlled model airplanes is a separate and distinct mode of flight from that of drones;
  • The Model Aeronautics Association of Canada includes over 13,000 members and hundreds of model airplane flying clubs across Canada;
  • Prior to 2023, radio-controlled model airplane pilots were long exempt from Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems rules and regulations under the Canadian Aviation Regulations;
  • In 2023, Transport Canada and NAV CANADA amended the rules regarding the flying of model airplanes and drones that unified the regulations applicable to both, effectively regulating them as the same mode of flying; and
  • This action has resulted in new, additional, unnecessary paperwork requirements and burden to be imposed onto hobbyists flying radio-controlled model airplanes.
We, the undersigned, call upon the Minister of Transport to:
  • Separate regulations applicable to radio-controlled model airplanes from regulations applicable to drones; and
  • Remove all unnecessary paperwork and regulatory burdens imposed onto hobbyists flying radio-controlled model airplanes by reestablishing an exemption from the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems rules and regulations.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Pablo RodriguezIn 2019, with the coming into force of Part IX – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems of the Canadian Aviation Regulations,Transport Canada issued an Exemption to the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada that allowed its members to operate model aircraft between 250 grams and 35 kilograms while abiding by all applicable safety guidelines and conditions set out in the Exemption. The decision to issue an exemption to the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada was based on an assessment of their safety policies and procedures, which were assessed as providing an acceptable level of safety to Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, which sets out registration, pilot licensing, and operational requirements for remotely piloted aircraft system in Canada. The Exemption included several conditions designed to further mitigate potential safety risks, including that it would no longer be valid should any of the conditions be breached.On February 3, 2023, Model Aeronautics Association of Canada was notified that the Exemption was rendered invalid due to a breach of Condition #3, which read that “Prior to sanctioning a field in Class C, D, E, F, or any other type of restricted airspace,  Model Aeronautics Association of Canada shall obtain an authorization through a written agreement from the appropriate controlling agency or user agency for the area, [and] shall include operational boundaries, maximum altitudes, and communication protocols to facilitate the safe operation of remotely piloted aircraft system at the field”. Since the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada did not receive written authorization from the controlling agency (NAV CANADA) prior to sanctioning some fields in controlled airspace, the Exemption is no longer valid. As such, members of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canadaare now required to follow the rules set out in Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations.Canadian Aviation Regulations 101.01(1) defines a remotely piloted aircraft as “a navigable aircraft, other than a balloon, rocket, or kite that is operated by a pilot who is not on board.” This includes drones and model aircraft.All Canadian pilots of remotely piloted aircraft systems, including recreational operators, must understand that they are sharing the skies with other aircraft and follow the rules set out in Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations. They are encouraged to consult Transport Canada’s safety resources to ensure their operations are safe, legal, and avoid harming others.In parallel, in June 2023 Transport Canada pre-published proposed amendments to Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, which would allow for routine beyond visual line-of-sight operations with remotely piloted aircraft systems up to 150 kg away from populated areas in uncontrolled airspace at low altitudes and includes routine visual line-of-sightoperations with remotely piloted aircraft systems up to 150 kilograms. Although distinct from the cancellation of the Exemption, Transport Canada has received substantial feedback from the Canadian model aircraft community that will be taken into consideration as it navigates next steps.  Transport Canada will continue to work with Model Aeronautics Association of Canada and the broader model aircraft community to determine appropriate next steps and facilitate the safe and legal use of Canadian airspace by its members. To date, no replacement application has been received from Model Aeronautics Association of Canada. Anyone may apply for an exemption at any time if they can demonstrate that their proposed operation is in the public interest and would not negatively affect aviation safety. For more information, please send an email to ExemptionsAviation@tc.gc.ca.   
BureaucracyRemotely piloted aircraft
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023e-4484e-4484 (Health)BiancaMammarellaFrancescoSorbaraVaughan—WoodbridgeLiberalONJune 16, 2023, at 8:35 a.m. (EDT)August 15, 2023, at 8:35 a.m. (EDT)September 19, 2023November 2, 2023August 15, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:In recent years, use of e-cigarettes (popularly referred to as “vapes”) among youth has increased across Canada. Flavours of these vapes have been known to entice youth to begin vaping;While many individuals may choose to use vapes because of a misconception of them being harmless, their use carries many short and long-term consequences. Evidence is also accumulating that second-hand vapour from e-cigarettes can have adverse consequences, highlighting the problem that these products pose for public health;While some wish to use e-cigarettes as a tool for smoking cessation, this objective can still be achieved without the use of flavours;The federal government has proposed regulations that would ban all vape flavours apart from tobacco and mint/menthol, however this progress has been stalled. Additionally, these regulations exclude mint/menthol, which are two of the most popular flavours among youth; andBy introducing such regulations on these flavours, not only would the federal government be supporting provinces/territories who have already taken this step to help curb youth e-cigarette use, but would be also supporting efforts to prevent young Canadians from beginning a harmful addiction, while still ensuring that e-cigarettes remain accessible to adult smokers looking to quit smoking.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to expand the regulations on vape flavours that were included in Canada Gazette 1 on a pressing basis to include both mint and menthol in Canada Gazette 2.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada is committed to preventing youth vaping and has taken a number of measures to that effect. The Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) prohibits the sale of vaping products to young persons and bans advertising that could be appealing to young persons. The TVPA also contains certain restrictions with regard to flavours to help protect young persons from enticement to use vaping products. Confectionery, dessert, cannabis, soft drink and energy drink are flavours that cannot be promoted or sold in relation to vaping products.The proposed Order Amending Schedules 2 and 3 of the Tobacco and Vaping Products Act and the proposed Standards for Vaping Products’ Sensory Attributes Regulations were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 155, Number 25 on June 19, 2021. The proposed Order and Regulations would restrict the promotion of flavours in vaping products to tobacco, mint and menthol, prescribe a sensory attribute standard to prevent sensory perception other than ones typical of tobacco or mint/menthol and prohibit sugars, sweeteners and most flavouring ingredients in vaping products. The consultation period for the proposed Order closed on September 2, 2021. Health Canada received over 25,000 submissions and continues to assess the input it received. The proposed regulations are included on Health Canada’s published 2023-2025 Forward Regulatory Plan.The Government of Canada has adopted four sets of vaping-related regulations to address high rates of youth vaping that came into effect between 2020 and 2023: the Vaping Product Labelling and Packaging Regulations, the Nicotine Concentration in Vaping Products Regulations, the Vaping Products Promotion Regulations and the Vaping Products Reporting Regulations. The Vaping Product Labelling and Packaging Regulations require a standardized nicotine concentration statement and a health warning about the addictiveness of nicotine as well as a toxicity warning. The Nicotine Concentration in Vaping Products Regulations cap nicotine at 20 mg/mL. The Vaping Products Promotion Regulations prohibit advertising and display of vaping products at retail locations, including online, that can be seen by youth. Finally, the Vaping Products Reporting Regulations require manufacturers and importers to report on their sales of vaping products and the ingredients used in them.Health Canada continues its efforts to improve compliance with TVPA provisions on youth access to vaping products and promotions. In fiscal year 2022-2023, for example, these efforts included: a) inspecting 1,180 vaping product retailers and seizing non-compliant products at 177 establishments; b) inspecting 80 vaping manufacturers and seizing non-compliant products at 23; and, c) conducting inspections of 255 online vaping product retailers.With respect to public education, Health Canada has invested more than $14 million in its “Consider the Consequences of Vaping” campaign. The campaign has included several waves of online advertising in locations such as cinema, transit and malls with over 938 million impressions, as well as an interactive learning tour in schools and community venues or virtually, reaching 158,000 youth in over 968 schools. In addition, vaping awareness kits were provided to all middle and high schools, and resources sent to health care professionals. Since spring 2023, a self-led module is available for youth and teachers, which includes risks associated with vaping cannabis.A new federal excise duty on vaping products came into effect on October 1, 2022.
Vaping products
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023e-4501e-4501 (Justice)GurmeetToorSukhDhaliwalSurrey—NewtonLiberalBCJuly 4, 2023, at 9:45 a.m. (EDT)August 3, 2023, at 9:45 a.m. (EDT)September 19, 2023November 2, 2023August 3, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:On June 18, 2023, a prominent member of the Canadian Sikh community, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was shot dead outside Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Surrey, BC;Nijjar was an upright, god fearing, law abiding and peaceful member of the Canadian Sikh community with no involvement in any criminal activity, he served his community with dedication and tirelessly as President of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara and Chief Coordinator of Canadian Chapter of Global Khalistan Referendum;Nijjar's assassination has not only caused irreparable loss to the Sikh community but it has also raised serious concerns which warrant immediate and utmost attention of the Canadian Government at the highest level; andThis matter needs to be investigated thoroughly in order to ensure the safety of all Canadians.We, the undersigned, members of Canadian Sikh community of British Columbia, call upon the Government of Canada to launch an investigation to get to the bottom of Nijjar's murder, to unveil the real motive and hands behind this gruesome murder, and to address the very serious allegation reported by the Toronto Star and the Vancouver Sun, which comes just a few weeks after the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister described India as one of the top sources of the foreign interference targeting Canadians.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Prime Minister was unequivocal that any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of Canadian sovereignty.The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is committed to safeguarding Canada and Canadians from foreign interference, including from state-backed and state-directed threat and criminal actors targeting Canadians. The RCMP has an active and ongoing investigation into the homicide of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, BC, therefore, no further comment on the investigation will be provided. This investigation remains a priority for the Integrated Homicide Investigative Team. They have and will continue to work closely with local, provincial and national police agencies and partners to advance this investigation.The RCMP actively leverages all tools at its disposal to combat foreign interference. The RCMP has strong relationships with security and intelligence communities and law enforcement agencies domestically and around the world and, work closely with Five Eyes partners to respond to and maintain situational awareness of all threats to national security.The RCMP wants to assure the Canadian Sikh community and all Canadians that this Government has taken measures to ensure that Canada is clear with respect to its expectations on the rule of law, and the protection of its citizens. 
Foreign influenced activitiesHomicideIndiaInquiries and public inquiries
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01614441-01614 (Justice)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • The U.S. Department of State's 20th Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report indicates that Canada "meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking";
  • The TIP Report notes that Canadian governments "did not provide comprehensive data” on investigations, prosecutions, convictions, or victims' services;
  • The range, quality, and timely delivery of trafficking-specific services varies across Canada, including persistent funding shortages;
  • Coordination between the federal and provincial governments on anti-trafficking measures is poor; and
  • The TIP Report urges Canadian governments to increase the use of proactive law enforcement techniques, increase training for prosecutors and judges, and increase partnerships with the private sector to prevent human trafficking.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: Strengthen the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act to address Canada's shortcomings as mentioned in the TIP Report so that Canada exceeds the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; and Cooperate and coordinate more closely with the provinces, the private sector, and other stakeholders to combat human trafficking in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.The Government of Canada takes the issue of human trafficking seriously and is committed to the protection of children, women, girls, and other vulnerable members of society from all forms of exploitation and abuse, including sexual exploitation and labour trafficking in Canada and abroad.The protection of victims of human trafficking is a shared responsibility among all levels of government. Provinces and territories provide services such as health and social services, emergency housing, and legal aid to victims and survivors and in some cases have established their own local strategies and action plans to address human trafficking in their jurisdictions. Similarly, civil society and other non-governmental actors play a critical role in Canada’s response to this crime. The Government of Canada recognizes that human trafficking is a multifaceted issue which requires cooperation with the provinces and territories, the private sector and civil society actors.In 2019, the Government of Canada launched the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (National Strategy), which brings together federal efforts under one strategic framework, and is supported by an investment of $57.22 million over five years and $10.28 million ongoing. The National Strategy includes measures aligned with the internationally recognized pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships. Expanding on these pillars, the National Strategy includes empowerment as a fifth pillar to enhance supports and services to victims of human trafficking. As a whole-of-government approach, the National Strategy sets out a comprehensive way forward to address human trafficking and brings together all federal efforts that aim to address human trafficking under one strategic plan to ensure a collaborative and coordinated national response.Under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, the Federal Government has developed an enhanced governance structure to enable a more coordinated response to human trafficking. The Human Trafficking Taskforce (HTT), comprised of all relevant federal departments, was established to ensure effective coordination, implementation and management of existing and enhanced efforts to address human trafficking in Canada and abroad. Further, the HTT serves to support the alignment of anti-human trafficking initiatives with other federal government priorities (i.e. Gender-Based Violence and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls). Public Safety Canada has also established robust mechanisms to bolster existing governance through the federal HTT, these include an Assistant Deputy Ministers meeting, and a Director-General Steering Committee on Human Trafficking which provide oversight of the horizontal initiative.Collaboration and information sharing with federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments through the Public Safety Canada-led FPT Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Working Group remains central to the Government’s efforts. The Government of Canada also hosts a Justice Canada led-FPT Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials on Human Trafficking. These meetings facilitate information sharing and collaboration, and the sharing of best practices and lessons learned to inform policy and program development.Furthermore, under the National Strategy, the Government of Canada committed to hosting stakeholder engagements to ensure ongoing outreach and information sharing and to address emerging trends. The purpose of these engagements is to bring together experts, civils society organizations, service providers and other external stakeholders to enhance knowledge and information sharing; better understand stakeholder concerns and priority issues; and, inform forward looking policy and program development. These meetings also provide Public Safety Canada and federal partners with an opportunity to strengthen key relationships and establish new ones as well as identify opportunities for new partnerships.In addition, Public Safety Canada launched a Human Trafficking public awareness campaign targeting Canadian youth (16-19) and young adults (20-25), including Indigenous peoples, as well as parents/ caregivers of youth. The goal of this campaign is to increase awareness of human trafficking, address public misconceptions of the crime, and raise awareness of warning signs and ways to report suspected incidences. The Government of Canada is committed to combating human trafficking and will continue to work diligently to better understand gaps in Canada’s collective response to this crime to build stronger and safer communities across Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe 2022 Annual Report on Trafficking in Persons, prepared by the US Government, recognizes that Canada, as a Tier 1 country, fully meets the standards outlined in the report to combat trafficking in persons and that Canada continues to demonstrate sustained and serious efforts. Combating trafficking in persons in Canada requires concerted action by all levels of government and a broad range of stakeholders.The Government of Canada continues to demonstrate national leadership and is committed to ensuring a whole-of-government approach and comprehensive way forward to address human trafficking. The Criminal Code provides a robust framework for human trafficking with six specific human trafficking offences, including trafficking in adults, child trafficking, materially benefitting from human trafficking and withholding or destroying identity documents to facilitate this crime, with maximum penalties of up to life imprisonment. Additionally, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act includes a human trafficking-specific offence, which applies where victims are brought into Canada. This offence has a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Justice Canada provides training to law enforcement through the Human Trafficking Investigators Course, offered regularly through the Canadian Police College.The federal government works closely with provinces and territories to support victims of crime, including victims of human trafficking. Specifically, the Justice Canada Victims Fund makes grants and contributions funding available to provincial and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other eligible recipients for the creation and enhancement of services for victims of crime and to enhance the knowledge and capacity of those who work with victims of crime so that these professionals and volunteers can better meet victims’ needs.In support of the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking led by Public Safety Canada, Justice Canada makes $1 million per year available through the Victims Fund to NGOs to develop or enhance services for victims of human trafficking. In particular, Justice Canada is providing funding to nine projects in fiscal year 2022-2023 through the Victims Fund. These projects include the establishment or enhancement of services for victims of human trafficking, as well as the development and delivery of training for law enforcement officers and frontline service providers. A total of $1,164,157 in funding was committed in fiscal year 2022-2023 to support victims of human trafficking.
Human traffickingProtection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 2, 2023441-01613441-01613 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCSeptember 19, 2023November 2, 2023May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Thermal coal, the kind burned to make electricity, is the world's dirtiest fossil fuel;
  • Thermal coal creates half of the world's carbon emissions and the pollution it creates kills more than 800,000 people every year;
  • The government has a plan to phase out thermal coal exports, but it is outdated and insufficient;
  • The world needs to move rapidly away from thermal coal to have any chance of limiting global warming to the Paris target of 1.5 degrees Celsius;
  • The physical effects of climate change pose serious risks for Canadians, Canada's wildlife and the Canadian economy including permafrost melt, droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, floods, sea level rise, increased vector-borne diseases, disruptions to supply chains, destruction of infrastructure and damage to key industries including agriculture and forestry; and
  • Canada's greenhouse gas emissions have increased since the Paris Agreement was signed, making it the worst performing of all G7 nations since the 2015 Conference of the Parties in Paris, France.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • 1. Add thermal coal to the Priority Substances List of the Canadian Environment Protection Act (CEPA), and, as soon thereafter as possible, to the Toxic Substances List of CEPA; and
  • 2. Regulate the mining, use, export, and import of thermal coal in Canada in accordance with our international commitments to reduce carbon emissions at home and abroad.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTPhasing out coal use in our electricity sector is another critical component of Canadian and global efforts to tackle climate change. The clean energy transition will not only cut greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), it will also protect our air, our water and our health.In December 2018, Canada published regulations to phase out conventional coal-fired electricity by 2030. This is expected to result in cumulative GHG reductions of 94 million tonnes over the 2019 to 2055 period, including 12.8 million tonnes in 2030.At the 26th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties, the Canadian Prime Minister stated Canada’s goal of establishing a net-zero emissions electricity grid by 2035. This commitment was reflected in the mandate letter for the Minister of the Environment in December 2021. Achieving that goal will be transformational, and will require multiple measures and all levels of government working together. At the federal level, the new Clean Electricity Standard is being complemented by numerous investment programs for the electricity sector administered by Natural Resources Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and Infrastructure Canada, including those announced in Budget 2022. These measures are intended to help ensure that Canada achieves a clean, reliable and affordable electricity system. For further information regarding the development of the Clean Electricity Standard, please see A clean electricity standard in support of a net-zero electricity sector: discussion paperwww.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/canadian-environmental-protection-act-registry/achieving-net-zero-emissions-electricity-generation-discussion-paper.htmlThe Government of Canada is also addressing GHG emissions from electricity generation globally. Burning thermal coal is the single largest contributor to climate change globally and a major source of toxic pollution that harms human health. In 2019, Export Development Canada committed to no new financing for international coal-fired power plants, thermal coal mines or dedicated thermal coal-related infrastructure. In May 2021, all G7 countries, following Canada’s leadership, also agreed to take concrete steps to end government investment for unabated thermal coal power generation projects. In the aforementioned mandate letter of December 2021, the Minister of Environment was also mandated to work with the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development to continue Canada’s leadership on the global effort to phase out coal-powered electricity and the mining of thermal coal and ban thermal coal exports from and through Canada as swiftly as possible, and no later than 2030.    
Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999CoalEnvironmental protectionInternational tradeMining industry
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01612441-01612 (Public safety)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023November 12, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned Citizens and Residents of Canada draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • That highly damaging noise levels repeatedly reach the ears of firearm users despite the use of traditional hearing protection;
  • That section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognises an individual's right to personal health and safety;
  • That sound moderators are the only universally recognised health and safety device that has a criminal prohibition in Canada;
  • That, as affirmed in Bedford v. Canada at the Supreme Court of Canada, one cannot be prevented from taking reasonable steps to improve personal safety in a hazardous situation;
  • That the majority of G7 nations and many others have recognised the health and safety benefits involved, and allow the legal use of sound moderators by hunters and sport shooters;
  • That sound moderators reduce noise pollution and noise complaints in communities with shooting ranges, in rural and farm communities, and in areas used for recreational activities where hunting and target shooting is legal;
  • That sound moderators facilitate significantly increased humane husbandry of game animals, livestock, and pets as hunting companions;
  • That hearing damage is a significant quality of life and public health issue costing taxpayers millions annually.
THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Take a stand and empower Canadians to be responsible for their own health and safety by removing the prohibition of sound moderators from the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Allow the legal acquisition, possession, and use of sound moderators on firearms by all licensed firearms users in Canada;
  • Call upon the provinces and territories to amend provincial and territorial prohibitions and allow the use of sound moderators while engaged in all legal hunting and sport shooting activities.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government believes in implementing effective measures with respect to firearms that prioritize public safety, while remaining mindful of the impact of such measures on firearms owners and businesses.Any device or contrivance designed or intended to muffle or stop the sound or report of a firearm has been unlawful in Canada since the early 1900s. These items are prescribed as prohibited devices in the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted. Sound reduction or elimination diminishes the public’s ability to react to gun shots and makes it difficult for law enforcement to become aware of a possible criminal incident.         Firearms owners can make use of other forms of hearing protection that are commonly available and that do not adversely impact public safety.
Gun controlHearing health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01610441-01610 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023March 8, 2022Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWHEREAS:The Liberal Party of Canada was elected on a promise to revoke charitable status for pro-life organizations, such as Crisis Pregnancy Centres, which counsel young women and save countless lives every year;Revoking the charitable status of pro-life organizations is a first step towards even more tyrannical measures to eradicate the values and principles of Christian Canadians, meaning churches may be next; andRevoking the charitable status of pro-life organizations will result in an explosion in the number of brutal abortions committed in Canada each year, slaughtering thousands of innocent babies.THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the undersigned do hereby call upon Members of Parliament to do everything in their power to prevent, block, organize against, and vote against any effort by the government to revoke the charitable status of pro-life organizations in Canada.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right.
AbortionCharitable organizations
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01609441-01609 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • There are no laws that require makers, distributers or advertisers of commercial pornographic material to ascertain and document the consent and age of those depicted in the material;
  • Recommendation #2 from the 2021 Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Report on MindGeek states: "That the Government of Canada mandate that contenthosting platforms operating in Canada require affirmation from all persons depicted in pornographic content, before it can be uploaded, that they are 18 years old or older and that they consent to its distribution";
  • Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act adds two offences to the Criminal Code: to create pornographic material for a commercial purpose without verifying the age and consent of the individuals shown, and to distribute pornographic material without verifying the age and consent of those depicted and also removing material if in writing, consent has been withdrawn; and
  • Organizations including Defend Dignity, the National Council of Women of Canada, London Abused Women's Shelter, Montreal Council of Women, Parents Aware and the National Centre on Child Exploitation have all expressed support for Bill C-270.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to swiftly adopt Bill C-270, The Stopping Internet Exploitation Act.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThere is no room in Canada for sexual exploitation. Our Government is committed to ensuring that all individuals are safe from sexual exploitation, including online. It is for this exact reason that the Minister of Canadian Heritage’s December 2021 mandate letter commits to introducing legislation to combat serious forms of harmful online content, taking into consideration the feedback received from the Canadian public in 2021.In 2022, we took it a step further, which included an expert advisory group, a Citizens’ Assembly, Indigenous engagement, which involved a sharing circle and one-on-one interviews, and 20 Ministerial roundtables across Canada. Our Government is committed to putting in place a regulatory framework to reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content online. Online services have a role to play to make the Internet a safer place for all users in Canada.Furthermore, the Criminal Code includes a strong and comprehensive approach that protects against sexual exploitation, including offences that prohibit non-consensual distribution of intimate images (section 162.1), as well as child-specific sexual offences, including child pornography (section 163.1), making sexually explicit material available to a child (section 171.1) and luring a child (section 172.1). Canada’s laws addressing child sexual offending also apply extra-territorially, which means that prosecutions can happen in Canada for crimes allegedly committed by Canadian citizens or permanent residents abroad.An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide Internet service came into force on December 8, 2011. This Act requires a Canadian provider of Internet services to report to police when they have reasonable grounds to believe that their Internet service is being or has been used to commit a child pornography offence, such as making child pornography available, or distributing child pornography. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) is responsible under the Act for another measure to protect the Canadian public. It receives, and processes, reports of child pornography and child abuse on the Internet from Canadian providers of Internet services. C3P is a registered charitable organization that operates Cybertip.ca, which receives and processes tips from the public about potentially illegal material online related to child sexual exploitation and then refers any potentially actionable reports to the appropriate authorities. C3P also provides public education and awareness materials, as well as support and referral services for those who need it. In addition, C3P operates Project Arachnid, an automated web crawler, which scans the internet and automatically detects and processes tens of thousands of images per second and sends take down notices to online service providers to remove child sexual abuse material globally. When service providers, subject to the Act, are advised of a location on the Internet where child pornography may be made available to the public, the providers are required under this Act to report to C3P. All of these efforts together make C3P an effective organization that provides tools to protect children and combat child sexual exploitation.
C-270, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material)ConsentLegal agePornography
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01608441-01608 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023May 15, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that various actors in India have advocated, instituted, and enforced sectarian policies seeking to establish India as an overtly Hindu state, contrary to India's secular and pluralistic foundation, posing grave danger to India's religious minorities;
  • Christians in India are facing targeted attacks by extremists, with 486 incidents of anti-Christian attacks in 2021 according to the United Christian Forum, and over 300 attacks reported as of July 2022, including widespread documentation of Church vandalism, assaults of Church workers, and Christian congregations threatened and humiliated;
  • Crimes against Dalit groups, including Dalit women and girls, are reported every hour according to a 2021 report by the National Crime Records Bureau, with the total cases increasing to 50,900 in 2021 compared with 50,291 in 2020; and
  • Indian Muslims are at risk of genocide according to NGO Genocide Watch, which documented "signs and processes" of genocide in India, further supported by credible reports indicating that growing Muslim minorities are subject to planned and targeted threats, assault, sexual violence and killings.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Formally ensure that all trade deals with India, including the Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA), Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), are premised on mandatory human rights provisions;2. Initiate targeted sanctions against extremists guilty of inciting violence against religious minorities in India; and3. Promote mutually respectful and mutually beneficial human rights dialogue between Canada and India.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is committed to creating economic opportunities through initiatives such as trade agreements so that more Canadians can engage in, and benefit from, trade, while at the same time advancing broader social, labour, and environmental priorities in Canada, such as inclusive growth and the promotion of human rights. Fostering greater engagement and closer ties with countries through trade agreements is also an effective way of promoting Canadian values, such as human rights, democracy, openness, respect for the rule of law, and rules-based international trade. With respect to trade agreement negotiations, the Government of Canada has paused negotiations with India to further review and reflect. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting exporters to find opportunities to expand into international markets, including in the fast-growing Indo-Pacific Region. The promotion and protection of human rights has long been an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy. Canada believes that human rights are the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world. Canada remains a firm and consistent voice, speaking up for the protection and promotion of human rights and the advancement of democratic values. Canada’s autonomous sanctions regime is one of many tools that support this important work. The government remains committed to monitoring issues of human rights, such as freedom of religion or belief and the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minority groups around the world, on an ongoing basis. Canada is also committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief internationally and at home, working with partners to create a climate of inclusion and respect for diversity and against the persecution of minorities on the grounds of religion or belief. No person or group should face restrictions on the freedom to practise their faith or belief, whether in the form of laws, policies, or actions or through harassment or violence. It causes suffering and division and leads to a climate of fear, intolerance, and stigmatization. Canada will continue to stand up for this freedom while promoting diversity and inclusion for all.
Civil and human rightsIndiaInternational tradeReligious minorities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01607441-01607 (Environment)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023June 14, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS:
  • Over 1,600 wildfires burned over 860,000 hectares in the province of BC during the 2021 season, including the Lytton Creek Fire which devastated the Lytton First Nation and the Village of Lytton; and
  • The November 2021 "atmospheric river" weather events causing extreme flooding and landslides across southern British Columbia have resulted in:
    • The deaths of four individuals;
    • The forced evacuation of tens of thousands of residents;
    • The deaths of over half a million farm animals;
    • The blockade of every major highway and rail line into the Lower Mainland;
    • Damage to pipelines and the implementation of corresponding gas rationing measures;
    • Severe impacts to port operations and constraints on imports and exports;
    • The identification of gaps in BC's Emergency Management, especially relating to Indigenous citizens;
    • The destruction of critical infrastructure, of businesses, of agricultural operations, and of residences estimated to cost in the billions of dollars.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to recognize the essential role the affected regions play in Canada's food security and to financially partner with the province of BC, and affected Indigenous and local governments to provide all the support necessary in the immediate term for emergency recovery measures, and in the medium-to-long term for the large-scale rebuilding efforts that is required to address the damage incurred by multiple natural disasters.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): SHERRY ROMANADO, M.PThe Government of Canada recognizes the significant loss and hardship residents of British Columbia have suffered due to the 2021 atmospheric river storm and wildfires which caused widespread damage. We remain committed to ensuring that the people of British Columbia, including those in remote and Indigenous communities have the support and resources they need to deal with these challenging situations.Following a natural disaster, provinces and territories are responsible for the design and delivery of financial assistance to those who are affected. In turn, Public Safety Canada administers the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program on behalf of the Government of Canada. The DFAA program is intended to assist provinces and territories with response and recovery costs that exceed what they might reasonably be expected to bear on their own.All decisions regarding financial assistance to individuals, small businesses, and local governments affected by a natural disaster are taken by the affected province or territory, and the DFAA sets out which costs will be eligible for cost-sharing with the federal government.British Columbia submitted requests for financial assistance under the DFAA for the 2021 atmospheric river and fire disasters. To date, the Government of Canada has contributed over $1 billion to British Columbia to support their recovery efforts.Furthermore, the Government of Canada joined the Government of British Columbia in matching donations to the Canadian Red Cross to support disaster relief and recovery efforts. Through this initiative, the Government of Canada has committed $33,251,399.29 towards 2021 British Columbia Floods Recovery and $4,635,385 towards 2021 British Columbia Wildfires Appeal.In recognition of the fact that disasters are increasing in frequency and severity across Canada, the Government of Canada recently completed a review of the DFAA to ensure there is an updated, comprehensive system available to provinces and territories for disaster recovery and to support the safety and well-being of Canadians. The modernized DFAA program, set to launch in 2025, will increase focus in improving recovery outcomes, mitigating risk, and building resilience to future disasters in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern OntarioSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENICA ATWINThe Minister of Indigenous Services would like to thank the petitioners for expressing their interest in emergency recovery and rebuilding in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, and Indigenous and local governments.Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) supports First Nations who have experienced emergencies directly through the Emergency Management Assistance Program, and provides other services in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, and the First Nations’ Emergency Services Society.Many First Nations communities in British Columbia were significantly impacted by the atmospheric river event in 2021. ISC is providing financial support to these communities for recovery including $27.7 million in funding to date to assess flood risks and mitigate future flooding impacts.ISC has also worked closely with Lytton First Nation to support recovery efforts following devastating wildfires in 2021. The department has provided over $55 million to date towards recovery projects including recovery staffing, interim community buildings, environmental remediation, and debris removal. All community members who lost homes in Lytton First Nation are in interim housing in their community, while ISC works with the community on plans to rebuild permanent housing.
Response by the President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of CanadaSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sherry RomanadoAs the effect of climate change is impacting Canadians, the Government of Canada is committed to effective and efficient responses to wildfire and flooding events to ensure the safety and security of Canadians and is aware of the many issues that can arise from these disasters and disruptions.Through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA), program administered by Public Safety Canada, the Government of Canada helps the provinces and territories with response and recovery costs that exceed their ability to bear on their own in the face of disasters. Due to the increasing costs, and increasing numbers of extreme weather events cause by Climate Changes the Government of Canada recently completed a review of the DFAA. This review aims to ensure there is an updated, comprehensive system available to provinces and territories for disaster recovery and to support the safety and well-being of Canadians.To address food security issues resulting from natural disasters, the AgriRecovery framework aims to help agricultural producers recover from natural disasters, including wildfire, flooding, and drought. The AgriRecovery framework is part of a suite of federal-provincial-territorial business risk management tools designed to help producers deal with the income and production losses they experience when disasters occur. The AgriRecovery framework aims to mitigate the impact of a disaster and resume production and farming operations as quickly as possible after a natural disaster.In February 2022, the Governments of British Columbia and Canada announced $228 million in funding through the Canada-BC Flood Recovery Program for Food Security to help farmers return to production and support British Columbia’s food security and agricultural communities following historic flooding in the region. Additionally, in October 2023, after an intense summer of wildfires and drought, the Government of British Columbia launched the 2023 Canada-British Columbia Wildfire and Drought AgriRecovery Initiative that offers as much as $71 million in joint federal-provincial funding to help producers throughout the province return to full operation.Since 2021, communities in British Columbia (BC) have dealt with successive severe fire and flooding seasons. To help the Province, the Government of Canada has announced over $1.2 billion in DFAA payments to B.C. for both their 2021 flooding and wildfire recovery work so far, and a total of $5 billion was set aside in 2021’s Fall Economic Statement.The Government of Canada approaches emergency recovery measures considering the needs of people, and the need to mitigate damage from future severe events. The Lytton Creek Fire is an example of an event that was particularly devastating. To help the community rebuild, Minister Sajjan, now Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan) announced over $77 million to support homeowners and business impacted by the wildfires. This included :•           $64 million, through Infrastructure Canada, to support the rebuilding of Lytton through the construction of net-zero, fire-resistant public buildings,•           $6 million for the Lytton Homeowner Resilient Rebuild program to support insured homeowners who will rebuild within net-zero and fire-resistant standards•           And $7.2 million to create the Lytton Business Restart program, delivered by PacifiCan, to help small- and medium-sized businesses get back on their feet including Indigenous-owned businesses, and those operated by women, youth and other underrepresented groups.These programs are designed to promote community resilience as fire-resistant and net-zero homes are more resilient to future fire seasons, highly energy efficient, significantly reduce heating and cooling costs for homeowners, and improve indoor air quality. In addition, these programs aim to promote job creation and local trade.As the cost of climate change will grow over the years, with more severe fire, flooding, and drought the Government of Canada is committed in reducing emissions. Emissions have decreased by over 8% since 2005 and the Federal Government is committed in achieving net-zero by 2050The federal government is committed to working with its provincial and local government counterparts to help communities recover and mitigate damage from disasters when they occur. The Government of Canada is further committed to learning and improving preparedness, response, and recovery efforts as Canadians are increasingly faced with wildfires, floods, and other natural hazard events. One only needs to look to this year and the events experienced across the country with flooding, wildfires, and drought as examples of the importance of this continued effort.Any loss of life from severe weather events and disasters is a tragedy that is mourned by many Canadians. The Government of Canada is committed to help Canadians prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. The above programs and initiatives are a few of the ways that the Government of Canada continues to learn and apply the lessons of adapting to climate change, severe weather events, and to respond to the needs of communities to prevent further loss of life and destruction.
British ColumbiaEmergency response and emergency respondersNatural disasters
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01606441-01606 (Justice)LarryBrockBrantford—BrantConservativeONSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023November 4, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023e-4514e-4514 (Social affairs and equality)JeffreySalisburyMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJuly 12, 2023, at 8:40 a.m. (EDT)September 10, 2023, at 8:40 a.m. (EDT)September 18, 2023November 1, 2023September 13, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:People with disabilities often face barriers to employment along with higher costs associated with health care and housing;The Canada Disability Benefit was delayed for over two years as the first attempt to pass the law establishing the benefit, known as Bill C-35, was postponed due to the call of the 2021 election;The Canada Disability Benefit will provide much-needed financial support for people with disabilities, many of whom live in poverty;Implementing the Canada Disability Benefit is expected to take a minimum of 18 months following the passage of Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, in June 2023; andDuring this time there is currently no program in place to provide interim financial support to people with disabilities while the Canada Disability Benefit regulations are being created.We, the undersigned, cItizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to create and implement a disability emergency relief benefit to provide immediate support to people with disabilities while awaiting the implementation of the Canada Disability Benefit.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Sameer ZuberiThe Government is committed to reducing poverty and supporting the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities. Bill C-22, the Canada Disability Benefit Act, was introduced in the House of Commons on June 2, 2022, and received Royal Assent on June 22, 2023.The Act is framework legislation, establishing the benefit and providing the legal authorities to detail the benefit’s design in future regulations. Regulations made under the Act will prescribe benefit amounts, eligibility criteria and other design and administrative elements. This approach, in the spirit of “Nothing Without Us,” will allow the Government to continue to engage with Canadians with disabilities, other stakeholders and provincial and territorial governments to inform the benefit’s design. Support for this approach was voiced by a number of witnesses to the parliamentary study of Bill C-22. They mentioned that the use of framework legislation deeply aligned with the principle of “Nothing Without Us,” by providing persons with disabilities inclusive and accessible opportunities to participate in the design and detail of a benefit specifically targeted to them.The Government is very aware of the fact that many Canadians with disabilities need the additional financial support that the Canada Disability Benefit will provide. The intent, therefore, is to move forward quickly with the regulatory development process. To that end, the 2023 federal budget committed $21.5 million in 2023-24 to continue work on the future delivery of the benefit, including engagement on the regulations. This work will build on engagement activities, including roundtables and an on-line public survey, that took place in 2021 and 2022, as well as community-led consultations which continue into 2023.Since August 2023, the Government has started a new phase of engagement with persons with disabilities and stakeholder organizations excited to provide input to the development of the benefit’s regulations. This new engagement has been through roundtables, bilateral meetings and the future launch of an online engagement tool. As well, engagement will continue with the provinces and territories, who play a central role in providing supports and services for persons with disabilities.An interim measure would require a new program to be established including potential additional legislation to be passed by Parliament, as well as establishment of administrative processes and procedures. Given limited resources, this could have the effect of delaying the development and implementation of the Canada Disability Benefit. The Government is focusing its resources on implementing the benefit as soon as possible, while ensuring the meaningful involvement of persons with disabilities in the development of the regulations.
Disability benefitsPersons with disabilities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01604441-01604 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023June 7, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, our Government announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): JENNIFER O’CONNELL, M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. In 2022, our Government announced $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) helping municipalities and Indigenous communities to bolster gang-prevention programing to counter the social conditions that lead to criminality. In the Spring 2023, we announced $390 million in programs to provinces and territories under the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $640 Million from 2022-2028. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of provincial/territorial initiatives, including support for prevention programs and law enforcement. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.In the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01603441-01603 (Justice)MichaelCooperSt. Albert—EdmontonConservativeABSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023November 4, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary James MaloneyThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023441-01602441-01602 (Environment)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONSeptember 18, 2023November 1, 2023September 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring 'widespread devastation and extreme weather';
  • We are certainly feeling these impacts in Canada, today, with increased flooding, wildfires, and extreme temperatures;
  • Addressing this climate crisis requires a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The oil and gas sector is the largest and fastest growing source of emissions; and
  • In 2021, the federal government committed to 'cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050'.
We, the undersigned, residents of Kingston and the Islands, call upon the Government of Canada to move forward, immediately, with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy. It is also Canada's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and, as such, has a critical role to play in meeting the country's climate objectives.As indicated in the 2030 Emission Reduction Plan (ERP), published in March 2022, a key element of the Government of Canada’s climate plan is to cap and cut GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector at a pace and scale necessary to contribute to Canada’s 2030 climate goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.On July 18, 2022, the Government of Canada published a discussion paper to launch formal engagement on two potential regulatory options to cap and reduce oil and gas sector GHG emissions and has subsequently engaged with provinces, territories, industry, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to inform the approach. The Government of Canada expects to publish a framework on the design of the oil and gas emissions cap before the end of the year.The emissions cap will build upon other significant actions the Government is taking to reduce GHG emissions from the oil and gas sector, including:
  • Canada’s Methane Strategy, which includes new requirements for the oil and gas sector to achieve methane reductions of at least 75% by 2030 from 2012 levels.
  • Carbon pollution pricing, which covers approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Canada, including from oil and gas. Currently, the minimum carbon pollution price is $65/tonne of GHG emissions, rising $15 per year to $170 in 2030.
  • Clean Fuels Regulations, finalized in 2022, will reduce emissions from liquid fossil fuels across the lifecycle—from extraction, through processing, distribution and end-use and incent low-carbon fuels and technologies.
  
Greenhouse gasesOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledNovember 1, 2023e-4415e-4415 (Citizenship and immigration)GerardWamaraTomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABApril 27, 2023, at 9:56 a.m. (EDT)July 26, 2023, at 9:56 a.m. (EDT)September 18, 2023November 1, 2023August 1, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Hema civilians in the Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), are facing extreme daily violence from armed groups, forcing about 2 million people to flee their homes.Various armed groups, including Codeco-Lendu, FRPI-Ngiti, FPIC-Chini ya Kilima-Bira, and ADF Nalu terrorist groups are attacking villages in the area;Despite being guarded by UN Peacekeepers, safety is still not guaranteed for many in IDP camps;Continued violence in the eastern part of the DRC has forced approximately 6 million people to flee their homes, one of the largest IDP groups globally;Approximately 60,000 people were killed in Ituri from 1998-2006, and thousands more since 2017;UNHCR and its partners in Ituri are providing emergency aid, but it is not enough to meet the growing needs of the population, including food, medical care, and shelter;Canada has welcomed many Afghan and Syrian refugees through their respective programs; andThe situation in Ituri is comparable to other humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and Syria and requires urgent action.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Create a time-limited commitment to resettle Hema refugees in Canada due to the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;2. Ask the United Nations Security Council to create a special court for the Ituri Province to prosecute the perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed against the Hema community since 2017; and3. Fulfill international obligations, in accordance with the UNCHR 1951 Refugee Convention, and prioritize the Hema refugees in Uganda due to the dangerous situation the Hema community is experiencing.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is deeply troubled by the current security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in the province of Ituri. Canada is closely monitoring the security situation and human rights violations perpetrated against all civilians, including the Hema people. The promotion and protection of human rights, peace and security, and the rule of law remain fundamental elements of Canadian foreign policy. Canada regularly expresses its concerns with governments and organizations in the region, including the United Nations.Through its substantial humanitarian assistance to the DRC, Canada supports trusted partners, international organizations and non-governmental organizations that provide vital assistance to meet the needs of vulnerable and conflict-affected populations. Canada is committed to helping vulnerable populations through its international assistance to the DRC, which totalled $168.3 million in 2021-22, making the DRC Canada’s fifth largest recipient of international assistance. Canada’s initiatives aim to uphold the rights of women and girls, promote their sexual and reproductive health rights, and address sexual and gender-based violence. Canada also supports child protection and education for women and girls living in fragile, crisis and conflict-affected settings. This response targets the most vulnerable regardless of their social or religious affiliation.In 2022, Canada also allocated more than $46 million to the DRC as part of its annual humanitarian funding process. The funding included $1 million to help the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) defend the rights of refugees living in the DRC and meet their immediate needs. Canada’s funding is not earmarked, allowing the UNHCR to prioritize the most urgent needs based on their own assessments.At the request of the UN, Canada has been deploying a team of up to 25 Canadian police officers since 2021, primarily to Goma in the eastern DRC, to support the DRC and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO). As part of the Canadian mission, a specialized police team (SPT) on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) supports the Congolese National Police through training on best practices in investigating SGBV cases and bringing cases to justice. The SPT also offers mentoring and awareness-raising sessions in communities to promote the reporting of SGBV to the authorities.Canada intends to continue its engagement with the Congolese authorities, the United Nations, the international community, and civil society, to promote a rules-based international order, human rights, democracy, peace and security, and to prevent and effectively address corruption.Canada will continue to reaffirm its support for regional dialogue mechanisms, such as the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes, to put an end to violence in the region. The Government of Canada will continue to closely monitor the situation regarding ethnic violence in the DRC and the Great Lakes region.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul Chiang, M.P.The Government of Canada takes the protection of human rights seriously and is concerned with the violence that has affected civilians, including Hema civilians in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We condemn the attacks against these communities and offer our condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.Internationally, the protection of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is the responsibility of the state in which they reside. The Government of Canada supports IDPs through humanitarian assistance programming, particularly through development programs. In Canada, a legal framework enabling the systematic and ongoing resettlement of IDPs does not presently exist under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).Canada has been a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Convention) and its 1967 Protocol since 1969. The 1951 Convention is a key international agreement that is foundational to Canada’s humanitarian responsibility to refugee protection, and is also central to work of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The 1951 Convention establishes the internationally recognized definition of a refugee, and outlines the legal protection, rights and supports refugees are entitled to. Canada’s continued international efforts in support of these agreements has positioned it as a leader in providing resettlement options for refugees with the purpose of protecting those seeking asylum and supporting integration.Canada’s Resettlement Program is aligned with international practices on refugee protection. By definition, in international and domestic law, a refugee must be outside of their country of nationality. Refugees have been forced to flee their homes and have crossed an international border to find safety in another country and are unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin for reasons of being persecuted by reason of race, religion, nationality or membership of a particular group or political opinion.Canada works very closely with the UNHCR to identify refugees around the world and, from this caseload, give priority to resettling to Canada those who are the most vulnerable and at risk, mainly through the Government-AssistedRefugees Program. The UNHCR also has the ability to refer a small number of individuals through Canada’s Urgent Protection Program. This program is for those who, if not protected, are likely to be: killed, subjected to violence, torture, sexual assault, arbitrary imprisonment or returned to their country of former nationality or former residence. The Government of Canada acknowledges that these are very difficult decisions to make, given the threatening circumstances many around the world sadly live in, and that millions of refugees are forced to wait each year for durable solutions.Refugees can also be resettled to Canada by a group of people or an organization through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. Private sponsors can identify and sponsor individuals through the program who either meet the Convention Refugee Abroad Class requirements or the Country of Asylum Class requirements as set out in the IRPAand the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, whereby a person must be outside of their home country or a country they would normally live, and have a well-founded fear of persecution or have been seriously affected by civil war or armed conflict, or have been denied basic human rights on an ongoing basis.Canada is committed to maintaining its humanitarian tradition with respect to the Convention refugees and to affirming its commitment to international efforts to assist those in need of protection and resettlement. This includes continuing its efforts in resettling refugees from Africa, including Uganda, and monitoring the situation faced by Hema refugees. Canada also recognizes the imperative to respect the human rights of all refugees and asylum-seekers. The protection and promotion of human rights domestically and abroad is a priority for Canada and the facilitation of refugee resettlement will continue.
AsylumDemocratic Republic of the CongoForeign policy
44th Parliament229Not certifiedNovember 1, 2023e-4500e-4500 (Information and privacy)peterdevitaBrianMasseWindsor WestNDPONJuly 4, 2023, at 9:48 a.m. (EDT)November 1, 2023, at 9:48 a.m. (EDT)November 1, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The parliamentary report on cyber security and national security concerns, made public in February 2023;Such concerns are partly addressed in Bill C-26, dealing with cyber systems security, now before the House of Commons;Cyber security will inevitably require international agreements that the federal government is in a better position than the provinces to negotiate;Such international agreements will be better informed by having a cyber system security licensing body to directly advise the federal government; and,Canada must act to address these cyber concerns to ensure that we have a trustworthy and competent workforce of cyber professionals who can protect our national infrastructure and national interests, including those of public safety;The recent royal assent given to the Immigration Consultants Act establishes a precedent for creating a professional licensing organization covering federal government jurisdiction; and, recognizing that cyber security is part of communications, a federal responsibility;Professional self-governance is unique to Canada with well-established long-standing principles; andIt is therefore appropriate for the federal government to create such a federal licensing body for cyber system security professional in Canada;We, the undersigned, concerned citizens of Canada,, call upon the Government of Canada to create a licensing body for cyber system security professionals with delegated authority from the federal government to regulate Canadian cyber security practices.e-SecurityOversight mechanism44th Parliament229Not certifiedOctober 26, 2023e-4403e-4403 (National defence and military operations)RachelDunleavyHeatherMcPhersonEdmonton StrathconaNDPABJune 28, 2023, at 2:05 p.m. (EDT)October 26, 2023, at 2:05 p.m. (EDT)October 26, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="263831" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Finance</Addressee>Whereas:The Canadian military family is the "strength behind the uniform";Civilian spouses/partners of military members are enlisted through their relationship to support combat operations and are the strength behind the uniformed family;Approximately 85% of civilian spouses/partners of Regular Forces members are female;Relationship difficulties is the most common reason to seek assistance at a Military Family Resource Centre;Intimate partner violence is higher within military populations than among non-military;Separation and divorce are higher among ill and injured military members;On average, military members experience between one to more than 10 relocation postings, every one to four years, during their career;Military relocations are paid for at government expense, which includes the cost of relocating civilian dependents of the military members;An estimated 18,500 military members are relocated in annual postings, impacting 10,000 families, resulting in civilian spouses/partners experiencing social, occupational, and spiritual consequences;At government expense, a military member is entitled to a final move upon retirement/release from service and upon the dissolution of civilian-military marriage/common-law relationships, when the couple is posted outside of Canada, the civilian spouse/partner is returned to Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Canada; andThere is currently no government support to relocated the civilian spouse/partner to their desired residence upon the dissolution of civilian-military marriage/common-law relationships.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to provide the civilian spouse/partner a final relocation within Canada, upon the dissolution of a civilian-military marriage/common-law relationship, at government expense.Canadian ForcesMoving and storage servicesSpouses44th Parliament229Not certifiedOctober 23, 2023e-4555e-4555 (Science and technology)MatiasRaskiBonitaZarrilloPort Moody—CoquitlamNDPBCAugust 23, 2023, at 10:36 a.m. (EDT)October 22, 2023, at 10:36 a.m. (EDT)October 23, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems present both significant benefits and serious risks;Biased algorithms, misuse of intellectual property, and fake media already jeopardize our information spaces;Job disruption due to AI and weaponization of AI are growing threats to economic security and public safety;Resources within the AI industry are focused on advancing AI capabilities, such as creating ‘artificial general intelligence’ (AGI)—a theoretical yet widely considered achievable AI system that outperforms human capabilities at most tasks;Experts like Canadian Turing Award winners Dr. Geoffrey Hinton and Dr. Yoshua Bengio, and CEOs of leading AI companies, including OpenAI, warn that it is not yet known how to control and prevent misuse of this unprecedentedly powerful technology, resulting in a real possibility of catastrophic harm. Unfortunately, ethics and safety efforts receive little funding;The UK government has committed an initial £100M into their AI safety initiative, the Foundation Models Taskforce; andGoverning the development of AI, preventing harmful applications of AI, and fostering international cooperation on AI are challenging issues that befall world leaders like the Government of Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to guide the development of AI to protect Canadians, including investing substantially in AI ethics and safety research, establishing an AI observatory to monitor real-time developments, conducting public consultations to inform policy decisions, sending a strong delegation to the UK’s 2023 Global AI Safety Summit, and making global cooperation on AGI development among Canada’s top foreign policy priorities.Artificial intelligenceEthics and ethical issues44th Parliament223Government response tabledOctober 19, 2023441-01600441-01600 (Foreign affairs)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABSeptember 18, 2023October 19, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • Various media outlets reported that the Communist Party of China (CCP) took efforts to interfere in Canada's federal elections;
  • Classified reports from the CSIS claim that a former CCP consular official in Canada celebrated and took credit for the defeat of two parliamentarians;
  • The Prime Minister's National Security Adviser, Jody Thomas, informed MPs that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was routinely briefed about election interference attempts by Beijing;
  • The Trudeau Foundation board of directors and CEO have resigned after a $200,000 donation from a businessman linked to the CCP was made to the organization;
  • The parliamentary committee investigating foreign interference voted to establish a public inquiry into foreign interference;
  • The Liberal government continues to block the creation of a public inquiry and denying its immediate necessity;
  • The Special Rapporteur appointed by the Prime Minister is in a hopeless conflict of interest having served as a member of the Trudeau Foundation, and is a personal friend of the Prime Minister;
  • The CCP engages in relationships with Canada as a strategic adversary such as hostage diplomacy with the unjust jailing of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig;
  • The CCP has used this adversarial stance to conduct economic warfare on Canadian exports like agricultural products of grain and oil seeds that puts Canadian producers at risk; and
  • Canadians deserve democratic institutions they can trust that serve Canadians, and without interference from foreign agents.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:conduct a full open, independent, public inquiry into Beijing's election interference to give Canadians the transparency they need in order to restore the trust in Canada's civic and parliamentary institutions.
Response by the Prime Minister of CanadaSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Jennifer O'ConnellThe Government of Canada is committed to protecting and continuously strengthening Canada’s democracy, including its institutions and processes, in the face of evolving threats. This is why, in the summer of 2023, the Prime Minister asked the then Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities to work to determine a way forward to shine light into the matter of foreign interference in Canada’s elections, and to determine who may be best suited to lead this public work.Following extensive consultations with all recognized parties in the House of Commons, the now Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs on September 7, 2023, announced that a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada’s federal electoral processes and democratic institutions would be established under the Inquiries Act. All parties have agreed to the Terms of Reference and the appointment of the Commissioner.The Honourable Marie-Josée Hogue, puisne judge of the Quebec Court of Appeal, has been appointed as the Commissioner to lead the public inquiry. Her mandate began on September 18, 2023. Appointed under the Inquiries Act, the Commissioner operates independently from the government and has a full range of powers, including the power to compel witnesses and testimony on matters within federal jurisdiction, and broad access to classified and unclassified documents.The Commissioner is mandated to examine and assess interference by China, Russia and other foreign states or nonstate actors, including any potential impacts, to confirm the integrity of, and any impacts on, the 43rd and 44th federal general elections at the national and electoral district levels.The Commissioner is also mandated to assess the capacity of federal entities to detect, deter and counter foreign interference targeting Canada’s democratic processes, and to make any recommendations she deems appropriate to better protect Canada’s democratic processes from foreign interference, including in relation to the creation and dissemination of intelligence, relevant supports and protections for members of diasporas, and the mechanisms that were in place to protect the integrity of 43rd and 44th elections.The Commissioner is directed to submit her first report no later than February 29, 2024, and her second report no later than December 31, 2024. As outlined in the Terms of Reference (https://www.canada.ca/en/democratic-institutions/general/terms-reference.html), to foster transparency and a better understanding of the findings, leaders of all parties recognized in the House of Commons with appropriate clearance will be invited to review classified versions of the Commissioner’s reports. The Government of Canada looks forward to receiving the Commissioner’s reports and any recommendations contained therein.The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) each have ongoing, parallel, reviews to assess the state of foreign interference in Canada’s federal electoral processes and the flow of information from national security agencies to decision makers during the 43rd and 44th general elections. The Government of Canada looks forward to receiving NSICOP’s and NSIRA’s findings and reports.The Government of Canada also continues to reinforce its efforts to counter any form of foreign interference in our electoral processes and to strengthen trust in Canada’s democratic institutions.  On March 6, 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada announced measures to further these objectives. This included the establishment of a National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator at Public Safety Canada to coordinate efforts to combat foreign interference; the development of a plan to address recommendations from NSICOP and from the independent assessments of the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol by Mr. Morris Rosenberg and Mr. James Judd, and the investment of $5.5 million to strengthen the capacity of civil society partners to counter disinformation.Following the Prime Minister’s announcements, the Government released its report, Countering an evolving threat: Update on recommendations to counter foreign interference in Canada’s democratic institutions, which outlines the recommendations made in the reports to protect Canadian democratic institutions and processes; summarizes the actions that have been taken or are in progress to address the recommendations; and proposes further steps for consideration to bolster Canada’s response to foreign interference threats.These efforts demonstrate the Government’s continued efforts to protect our democratic institutions, including our electoral processes, from any possible threats, and to ensure Canada’s democracy remains one of the strongest in the world. Thank you for taking the time to submit this important petition and for being an active and engaged participant in our democracy.
ChinaForeign influenced activitiesInquiries and public inquiries
44th Parliament220CertifiedOctober 16, 2023e-4485e-4485 (Democratic process)HilaryLloydDanielBlaikieElmwood—TransconaNDPMBJune 15, 2023, at 9:42 a.m. (EDT)October 13, 2023, at 9:42 a.m. (EDT)October 16, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Young people under 30 are one of the largest voting blocs in Canada, but vote less than previous generations when they were the same age;Many youth do not vote because of obligations related to everyday life, according to a 2021 Elections Canada survey;Weekend voting would enable youth to work and participate in the election;58% of youth under 30 would be more likely to vote if election day was held over the weekend, according to recent polling;Most democracies hold elections on a weekend including: Australia, Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Columbia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Japan, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, amongst others;Voting on both Saturday and Sunday would accommodate different religions and faiths.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to hold federal elections over the weekend on both Saturday and Sunday.Federal elections44th Parliament229Not certifiedOctober 16, 2023e-4472e-4472 (Natural resources and energy)EricFroeseCharlieAngusTimmins—James BayNDPONJune 14, 2023, at 8:44 a.m. (EDT)October 12, 2023, at 8:44 a.m. (EDT)October 16, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The Government of Canada has failed to follow through on their promise of clean water on every Indigenous reserve by 2021;Clean and accessible water is essential for rural communities to reach their full economic and social potential; andAdequate freshwater conservation and monitoring policies are not being maintained.We, the undersigned, concerned residents, call upon the House of Commons to please take immediate action to address this issue by:1. Implementing strong freshwater conservation and monitoring policies that prioritize the health and well-being of Indigenous communities and their environment;2. Regulating wastewater discharge into freshwater sources and holding corporations accountable for any violations; and3. Taking steps to limit the exploitation of water resources by big corporations and ensuring that rural and marginalized communities have control over their water resources.Drinking waterIndigenous policyWater resources44th Parliament223Government response tabledOctober 5, 2023441-01611441-01611 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABSeptember 18, 2023October 5, 2023November 29, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to infants under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for infants.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament220CertifiedOctober 4, 2023e-4248e-4248 (Health)JustinSingerDonDaviesVancouver KingswayNDPBCJune 2, 2023, at 5:05 p.m. (EDT)September 30, 2023, at 5:05 p.m. (EDT)October 4, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The COVID-19 pandemic continues to put an unsustainable level of strain on Canada’s public health system;First-generation mRNA vaccines do not entirely eliminate the danger of post-acute sequelae from COVID-19 infections; andLeading WHO officials have suggested that we may be well-positioned to end the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023. They emphasize, however, that this will require vigilance and effort.We, the undersigned, concerned citizens and residents of Canada, members of the scientific and public health communities, and advocates for evidence-based public policy, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Bring provincial health care systems into compliance with the criteria of public administration, comprehensiveness, universality, portability, and accessibility, as outlined in the Canada Health Act;2. Provide a large boost of funding and other necessary resources to accelerate the roll-out of variant-proof, pan-sarbecovirus, pan-betacoronavirus, and nasally-administered COVID-19 vaccines, and to facilitate the development of new post-infection therapeutics;3. Enforce air quality standards for all public buildings, and provide funding for the resources needed to maintain these standards, such as HEPA air purifiers and carbon dioxide monitors. Incorporate air quality standards into existing workplace health and safety regulations;4. Institute universal mandatory paid sick leave of at least two weeks;5. Reinstate mask mandates in all indoor public spaces. Emphasize the goal of limiting the spread of infections in order to buy time until the widespread implementation of air quality improvement measures is achieved in indoor public spaces, and more effective vaccines and therapeutics become available;6. Implement a permanent, nation-wide vaccine campaign in order to counteract the influence of anti-vaccine misinformation and habituate the public toward stay up-to-date of COVID-19 vaccines; and7. Get Canada’s international partners on board with a coordinated “final push.”COVID-19Health care systemPandemicPublic health44th Parliament229Not certifiedSeptember 29, 2023e-4437e-4437 (Citizenship and immigration)AndreiShmatkovMarkStrahlChilliwack—HopeConservativeBCJune 1, 2023, at 10:04 a.m. (EDT)September 29, 2023, at 10:04 a.m. (EDT)September 29, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The current process for legalizing public documents for use abroad in Canada can be time-consuming, costly, and create barriers for individuals who need to present these documents in a timely manner, such as for employment, education, or legal matters;Joining the Hague Apostille Convention of 5 October 1961 would simplify the process of authenticating public documents for use abroad, reduce the time, cost, and administrative burden associated with legalizing public documents, and enhance Canada's reputation as a reliable and efficient partner in the global economy;Canada welcomes hundreds of thousands of new immigrants each year, and many of these individuals may need to present personal documents for use in their new country of residence; andJoining the Convention would also simplify the process for Canadian businesses that operate internationally and need to present legal documents in foreign countries.We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to prioritize accession to the Hague Apostille Convention of 5 October 1961, which aims to abolish the requirement of legalization for foreign public documents. We further call upon the Government of Canada to take the necessary steps to implement the Convention in Canada, in order to provide a fast and simple system for legalizing personal documents for newcomers, Canadian businesses, and other individuals who need to present these documents abroad.Agreements and contractsApostilleHague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents44th Parliament229Not certifiedSeptember 29, 2023e-4462e-4462 (Culture and heritage)JoshLeslieKevinVuongSpadina—Fort YorkIndependentONJune 1, 2023, at 12:18 p.m. (EDT)September 29, 2023, at 12:18 p.m. (EDT)September 29, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Poutine can be found in restaurants of all sizes and genres from coast-to-coast-to-coast within Canada;No matter what gender, ethnic origin, creed, geographic region, community, culture, linguistic community, political party or ideology Canadians identify with, there are lovers of poutine in their midst;Poutine can serve as a vehicle to bridge differences between us and unite Canadians in conversation over a dish we can generally agree is delicious;Maple syrup is not a dish (but is an ingredient that can be used in gravy, or a topping in some other variations of poutine that have come to exist over the past 7 decades);Poutine was served at the March 10, 2016, state dinner when the U.S. president hosted Canada's Prime Minister for the first time in 19 years;Poutine is a quintessential Canadian comfort food that has even been integrated into large U.S. chain restaurant locations in Canada, or other U.S.-based businesses such as wholesale retailers that also serve hot food; andThere are numerous annual poutine festivals and events that serve to bring Canadians of all backgrounds together with one another.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada who also self-identify as poutine enthusiasts and/or lovers of poutine, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to ensure, through an Act of Parliament, that the dish commonly known as poutine is hereby recognized and declared to be the national dish of Canada while simultaneously honouring its origins in the Province of Québec.Cultural symbolsFood and drink44th Parliament229Not certifiedSeptember 25, 2023e-4430e-4430 (Foreign affairs)NorbertDCostaHon.HedyFryVancouver CentreLiberalBCMay 26, 2023, at 2:23 p.m. (EDT)September 23, 2023, at 2:23 p.m. (EDT)September 25, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The global cost of preparing for war ($2T per year) plus added rebuilding costs following wars and armed conflicts are unsustainable. This money is urgently needed to address shared global challenges in climate change, sustainable development and poverty reduction. IPCC warns we only have limited time to prevent an irreversible crisis;A United Nations Emergency Peace Service (UNEPS) has been proposed. UNEPS would be a ‘911 first responder’ ensuring rapid and reliable UN responses preventing armed conflict, protecting civilians at risk, addressing human needs in complex emergencies and encouraging military builddown and wider disarmament. It complements existing arrangements, with a gender-equitable composition of civilian, police and military personnel recruited world-wide;With the immediate availability of a dedicated UN service, there would be lower incidence of armed conflict and related crimes. With a capacity to intervene promptly, the UN could stem the escalation and spread of violent conflict, reducing need for later, larger, longer and costlier UN peace operations; andAs a UN service for diverse crises, the proposed UNEPS includes teams to provide an array of useful services to help, which are more appealing to people in trouble, and more relevant and cost-effective for the UN and its Member States.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to build a coalition of countries supporting the formation of UNEPS, raise the issue at the UN General Assembly and other relevant UN bodies, and ensure the proposed UNEPS is a Canadian priority for both the new UN Agenda for Peace and the 2024 UN Summit of the Future.Peacekeeping and peacemakingUnited Nations44th Parliament229Not certifiedSeptember 21, 2023e-4498e-4498 (Justice)LAELLUNAMEricMelilloKenoraConservativeONJune 23, 2023, at 10:05 a.m. (EDT)September 21, 2023, at 10:05 a.m. (EDT)September 21, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Approximately 1 in 5 Canadians will meet the criteria for addiction in their lifetime, which constitutes 20% of the population;Access to mental health and addiction services are extremely limited, not available in a timely manner when they are available, and virtually nonexistent in small and rural communities;Homeless encampments are on the rise; Mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes have been repealed; andSince 2015, violent crime has increased by an astonishing 32% and gang-related murders have doubled.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to take action to address community safety concerns in communities across Canada including:1. Policies and opportunities for people struggling with addiction to get into recovery rather than spending a night in a cell, only to be released and continue the devastating cycle over and over again;2. Greater federal support for detox and addiction treatment programs; and3. Greater consequences for drug dealers preying on the vulnerable and for repeat violent offenders.Drug addiction treatmentDrug trafficking and drug seizure44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01591441-01591 (Justice)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 21, 2023September 18, 2023May 29, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Legal rifles and guns are almost exclusively used by hunters and sporting enthusiasts;Taking legal firearms, obtained after a strict vetting process will not stop the importation of illegal guns, typically used by gangs to commit crimes; andThe Trudeau Liberal government has refused to replace bail with jail for violent offenders, including those committing crimes with illegally obtained guns.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to reject the proposed federal Gun Grab.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses. 
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023e-4447e-4447 (Foreign affairs)SarahRohlederLindsayMathyssenLondon—FanshaweNDPONMay 15, 2023, at 3:11 p.m. (EDT)June 14, 2023, at 3:11 p.m. (EDT)June 21, 2023September 18, 2023June 15, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The nuclear threat is the highest it has ever been as the Doomsday Clock has been set at 90 seconds to midnight, due in part to the continuing war in Ukraine and the threats to use nuclear weapons;An intentional or accidental detonation of a single nuclear weapon would be disastrous, leading to the deaths of millions of people and contaminating the land, water and air with cancer-causing radiation;Nuclear weapons states are modernizing their arsenals, for example, the U.S. is spending $1.5 trillion over 30 years to rebuild its nuclear triad;The F-35 is part of this triad. Canada has just bought a fleet of F-35s, which are dual-capable fighter jets designed to carry the B61-12 thermonuclear bomb;The continued reliance on nuclear deterrence by nations like Canada through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allows the threat to persist;This nuclear peril to humanity necessitates the total elimination of nuclear weapons as required by the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW);The TPNW has been ratified by 68 countries and signed by 95 countries, but not yet by Canada; andCanada is in part accountable for creating and proliferating nuclear weapons, having sold uranium to the U.S. and United Kingdom.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Sign and commit to ratifying the TPNW; and 2. Send an official delegation to observe the Second Meeting of States Parties of the TPNW from 27 November to 1 December 2023 at the UN in New York.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mélanie JolyCanada is deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and has long been committed to achieving a world free from nuclear weapons.Canada recognizes that the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) reflects well-founded concerns about the slow pace of nuclear disarmament – concerns that Canada very much shares.While not a party to the TPNW, Canada has common ground with Treaty states and shares the ultimate goal of a world free from nuclear weapons. For this reason, Canada remains steadfast in advancing implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) across its three mutually re-enforcing pillars (non-proliferation, disarmament, peaceful uses of nuclear energy).Canada is deeply disappointed that Russia blocked consensus at the August 2022 NPT Review Conference, and that it has failed to accept responsibility for the grave situation around Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. However, NPT states parties largely reaffirmed the validity and integrity of the Treaty.In this new review cycle (culminating in the 11th NPT Review Conference in 2026), Canada will work tirelessly to strengthen and uphold the Treaty and advance its implementation. To this end, Canada has presented concrete ideas, in the form of a public working paper, to advance these objectives and foster more transparency, accountability and inclusion. Further, cross-regional groups to which Canada belongs – such as the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament and the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative – have also put forward pragmatic proposals on disarmament, risk reduction, transparency, and reporting, and other measures which garner widespread support amongst NPT State Parties.Canada’s focus is on initiatives that bring together nuclear and non-nuclear armed states. These include notably: commencing long overdue negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, advocating the entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, building global capacity for disarmament verification, and promoting a more inclusive approach to disarmament and non-proliferation.
DisarmamentNuclear weaponsUnited Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01585441-01585 (Taxation)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCJune 21, 2023September 18, 2023June 16, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The first carbon tax, including sales tax, will add 41 cents to a litre of gas, the second carbon tax, including sales tax, will add 20 cents to a litre of gas;
  • The combination of carbon tax one and carbon tax two will mean that Canadians pay an extra 61 cents for each litre of gas;
  • Making life more expensive for Canadians in a cost-of-living crisis by implementing a second carbon tax demonstrates how out of touch this Liberal prime minister is; and
  • The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that both carbon taxes will have a net cost of up to $4,000, depending on the province in which they live.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to have the House recognize the failure of carbon tax one and call on the government to immediately cancel carbon tax two (the "Clean Fuel Regulations").
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Steven GuilbeaultThe Clean Fuel Regulations (CFR) require gasoline and diesel primary suppliers to reduce the carbon intensity (CI) of the gasoline and diesel they produce and import for use in Canada. The CFR establish a credit market whereby the annual CI reduction requirement could be met via three main categories of credit-creating actions: (1) projects that reduce the CI of fossil fuel throughout its lifecycle (e.g., carbon capture and storage)(2) supplying low-carbon intensity fuels (e.g., ethanol, biodiesel), and (3) supplying fuel and energy in advanced vehicle technologies (e.g., electricity for EVs). Parties that are not fossil fuel primary suppliers may participate in the credit market as voluntary credit creators by completing certain actions (e.g. low-carbon intensity fuel producers and importers).The CFR will also create opportunities for voluntary parties and supporting industries. The CFR encourages innovation and growth by increasing incentives for the development and adoption of clean fuels and energy efficient technologies and processes. For example, biofuel producers, which are not regulated under the CFR, will see an increased demand for their product. In turn, biofuel feedstock providers, like farmers and foresters, will also have an economic opportunity.The Government of Canada expects that impacts on fuel prices from the CFR will be minimal for the next few years, and will increase gradually over time. By 2030, according to the Regulatory Impact Assessment Statement (found at  https://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2022/2022-07-06/html/sor-dors140-eng.html ), Canadians who drive gasoline-powered vehicles may see between an increase in fuel price of $0.06 to $0.13 per litre. However, the final price impacts will depend on refineries. The CFR provides many paths to refineries and importers to clean up the pollution associated with their fuel.The Parliamentary Budget Officer’s report “A Distributional Analysis of the Clean Fuel Regulations” focused assumed the improbable highest cost scenario where regulated parties meet compliance solely through credit purchases. The report did not take into consideration the economic and environmental benefits that the CFR will have in addition to not considering an updated social cost of carbon. The Government of Canada published an updated social cost of carbon estimate that, if used to model the CFR, would estimate a positive economic benefit from avoiding 26 Mt of greenhouse gas emissions in 2030.The CFR complements carbon pricing. While carbon pricing creates a broad incentive across the whole economy to use less energy and improve efficiency, the CFR targets transformational changes in how liquid fuels are produced and used in Canada. Actions taken to meet the obligations set by the CFR can also reduce the overall emissions of a refinery, reducing its exposure to federal or provincial carbon pricing systems for industry.ECCC recommends against simply adding the projected cost impacts of the fuel charge and CFR. The two measures work very differently. In addition, the impact of the CFR on gasoline prices will depend on decisions made by refineries about how to comply.
Carbon taxClean Fuel Regulations
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01582441-01582 (Foreign affairs)LucBertholdMégantic—L'ÉrableConservativeQCJune 21, 2023September 18, 2023June 12, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • The Russian Federation has launched an unprovoked war against the people of Ukraine;
  • The Russian Federation has committed numerous war crimes against the people of Ukraine;
  • The Russian Federation and its forces have repeatedly engaged in violent, indiscriminate attacks on civilian centres in Ukraine, including preschools and kindergartens, hospitals, and apartment complexes;
  • The Russian Federation deliberately targets Ukraine's energy system with its missile strikes to shut down the power grid and cause a humanitarian disaster during the winter;
  • The European Parliament, the PACE, and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly have declared the Russian Federation to be sponsoring acts of terrorism in Ukraine;
  • Canada's House of Commons has unanimously recognized that Russia's acts in Ukraine amount to genocide; and
  • Canada is committed to upholding the principles of international law and international humanitarian law.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately and publicly designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mélanie JolyCanada remains unwavering in its commitment to employ all appropriate means to hold Russia to account for its actions, including war crimes committed in Ukraine.Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, Canada has used a broad range of tools to respond to Russia’s illegitimate and illegal actions. Canada has imposed an unprecedented number of severe and hard-hitting sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Under the Special Economic Measures Act, and since 2014, Canada has sanctioned over 2,600 individuals and entities in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova. In addition, numerous measures have been imposed to increase economic pressure on the Putin regime and its allies. These measures include import and export prohibitions on a variety of goods and services, denying Russian ships access to Canadian waters and ports, removing Most Favoured Nation Status, and denying access to Canadian airspace to aircraft operated by or for the benefit of persons connected with the Russian Federation or Belarus.As part of a wider effort to hold Russia accountable for its atrocities and crimes Canada has advocated for international and domestic Ukraine accountability efforts and provided tangible support to the latter. This includes the investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Commission of Inquiry established by the UN Human Rights Council, and expert investigations under the OSCE Moscow Mechanism. Canada increased the number of RCMP deployments to 10 officers to support the ICC’s investigations, and is providing $2 million to an ICC Trust Fund to increase the Court’s capacity to investigate sexual and gender-based crimes and crimes against children. Canada has also allocated $9.7 million to improve accountability for human rights violations in Ukraine, with a particular emphasis on cases of sexual and gender-based violence.On July 4, 2023, Canada and the Netherlands filed joint written observations on the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in Ukraine’s case against Russia, in which Ukraine seeks to establish that Russia has no lawful basis to take military action in Ukraine on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations of genocide. This filing follows the joint declaration of intervention put forth by Canada and the Netherlands in this case in December 2022, which the Court decided was admissible in its order dated June 5, 2023.In addition, Canada recently joined the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine (ACA) alongside the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union. The ACA will directly support the efforts of the War Crimes Units of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine to document, preserve, and analyze evidence of war crimes and other atrocities committed in Ukraine.Regarding state supporters of terrorism, the State Immunity Act, is a narrowly defined legal instrument. A state may be considered for listing if there are reasonable grounds to believe the state has provided “support” to a terrorist entity listed under the Criminal Code. “Support” is defined as an act or omission committed in relation to a listed terrorist entity that, had it been committed in Canada, would be punishable under specific counterterrorism provisions of the Criminal Code. This legislation, together with the Justice of Victims of Terrorism Act, lifts state immunity to allow victims of terrorism, who have substantial connection to Canada, to sue for loss or damages resulting from an act of terrorism by the listed state. The legal criteria for listing do not cover acts of human rights abuses by a military. Atrocity crimes are covered by other Canadian legislation, such as the Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes Act.Canada was the first G7 country to adopt new authorities to allow the government to seize and forfeit the assets of sanctioned individuals or entities in Canada. Proceeds of forfeiture may be used to restore international peace and security, to compensate victims of human rights abuses, or to reconstruct states that have been adversely impacted by a grave breach of international peace and security. Canada will make full use of these new authorities with a view to support the victims of Russia’s unprovoked aggression.The Minister of Foreign Affairs has stated that events in Ukraine constitute war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, and has regularly rebutted Russia’s false claims.Canada will continue to work with its allies to hold Russia accountable for its actions and to support the people of Ukraine.
RussiaSupporters of terrorismUkraineWar
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01561441-01561 (Justice)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 14, 2023September 18, 2023November 29, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Increasing concerns about international trafficking in human organs removed from victims without consent have not yet led to a legal prohibition on Canadians travelling abroad to acquire or receive such organs;International investigations concluded that the Chinese communist regime has been committing mass killings of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience for their organs, which are sold for profit and many to international organ tourists. Legal experts say crimes against humanity have occurred; andThere is currently Bill S-223 before Parliament proposing to impede the trafficking of human organs obtained without consent or as a result of a financial transaction.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Parliament of Canada to move quickly on the proposed legislation so as to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to prohibit Canadians from travelling abroad to acquire human organs removed without consent or as a result of a financial transaction and to render inadmissible to Canada any and all permanent residents or foreign nationals who have participated in this abhorrent trade in human organs.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government was pleased to support Senate Public Bill S-223, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking in human organs), which received royal assent and came into force on December 15, 2022.In Canada, organ transplantation and donation is governed by a comprehensive legislative framework at both the federal and provincial/territorial level, encompassing health and criminal law. Bill S-223 strengthens that framework.
Human organs and other body parts traffickingMedical tourismMedical transplantationOrgans
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01553441-01553 (Environment)LloydLongfieldGuelphLiberalONJune 14, 2023September 18, 2023November 30, 2022Petition to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The urgency for climate action to a low-carbon economy is accelerating;
  • Those most affected by the climate crisis have generally contributed least to the problem;
  • Canada is one of the highest greenhouse gas emitters per capita;
  • Fossil fuel burning is the major emissions source;
  • Canada is second-largest public financier for fossil fuels in the world, second only to Japan and bigger than China and the United States; and
  • The imperative to shift to a low-carbon economy will strand new fossil fuel investments.
We, the undersigned citizens of Guelph, Ontario, call upon the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and upon the Government of Canada to: 1. stop fossil fuel extraction expansion; 2. accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy; and 3. offer much more help for the poor and most vulnerable countries.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Steven GuilbeaultOn December 8, 2022, the Government of Canada published policy guidelines to implement its commitment to the Statement on International Public Support for the Clean Energy Transition, which Canada signed at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) (November 2021) alongside 38 other countries and institutions and was one of only two net-exporters of energy to sign.These guidelines will ensure that Canada meets — and in some cases exceeds — the ambition announced at COP26.  The guidelines will:
  • End new, direct public support for international unabated fossil fuel energy projects via federal departments, agencies, and Crown corporations, and federal support programs;
  • Guide Canada’s voting on the boards of multilateral development banks; and
  • Inform Canada’s positions in multilateral forums such as the G7, G20, and The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada has met its commitments under the Glasgow Statement and will ensure its investments abroad are coherent with its domestic and international climate and development goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.Decarbonisation is an economic opportunity for Canada that will also provide co-benefits such as improved health outcomes, improved energy security and price stability, and green job creation.The federal government made investments in clean energy in Budget 2023 such as $16.4 billion in tax credits for clean technology manufacturing, clean electricity, and hydrogen over the next five years and $500 million over ten years to the Strategic Innovation Fund to support the development and application of clean technologies in Canada. The federal government also made investments aimed at speeding the energy transition (e.g., 2023 investment for Volkswagen to build a battery plant in St. Thomas, Ontario, and the 2021 investment to phase out coal-fired processes at Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario).On July 24, 2023, the Government of Canada released the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Self Review Assessment Framework and the Inefficient Fossil Fuel Subsidies Government of Canada Guidelines, which were jointly developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Department of Finance Canada. Eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and redoubling our focus on clean energy is a key step in building Canada’s net-zero economy by 2050 and supporting good-paying jobs for Canadians for generations to come.The Government of Canada’s commitment to eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies signals both greater support for clean technology as well as emission reductions across the economy from traditional sectors. This will help create and secure middle-class jobs from coast to coast to coast while protecting the environment.The Assessment Framework builds on Canada’s commitment under the 2021 Glasgow statement to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector. Putting the Assessment Framework and Guidelines into force will ensure any government supports for the sector will not delay the transition to renewables, are in compliance with the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit warming to 1.5 °C, and account for the availability of credible alternative energy sources.Canada is also committed to phasing out public financing of the fossil fuel sector. This refers to financing beyond the scope of today’s fossil fuel subsidies commitment. The Government’s work will identify current public financing by 2024 and announce by fall 2024 the implementation plan to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector.Canada is the only G20 country to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies ahead of the 2025 deadline. It is the first country to release a rigorous analytical guide that both fulfills its commitment and transparently supports action. By eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, the Government of Canada is enabling greater support for clean technology, clean growth, and accelerated efforts to decarbonize important Canadian industries, including the oil and gas sector, which continues to play an important role in the Canadian economy.
Fossil fuelsGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01545441-01545 (Justice)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 14, 2023September 18, 2023May 29, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Legal rifles and guns are almost exclusively used by hunters and sporting enthusiasts;Taking legal firearms, obtained after a strict vetting process will not stop the importation of illegal guns, typically used by gangs to commit crimes; andThe Trudeau Liberal government has refused to replace bail with jail for violent offenders, including those committing crimes with illegally obtained guns.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to reject the proposed federal Gun Grab.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history. Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture. Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing.Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country. With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01542441-01542 (Justice)TakoVan PoptaLangley—AldergroveConservativeBCJune 13, 2023September 18, 2023June 7, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:Whereas:There is no consensus among health experts regarding what constitutes irremediability of a mental illness;The Canadian government is bound by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to advance and protect the life, liberty, and security of its citizens; Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that adequate supports are in place for the mental health of Canadians; and Parliament considers that vulnerable Canadians should receive suicide prevention counselling rather than access to medical assistance in dying.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Publicly and unequivocally support Private Member's Bill C-314, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying).
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniMedical assistance in dying (MAID) is a deeply personal and complex choice that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. Our Government is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, protect those who may be vulnerable, and support autonomy and freedom of choice.For this reason, we tabled former Bill C-39, to extend the temporary exclusion of eligibility for MAID for persons suffering solely from a serious mental disorder. Former Bill C-39 was passed in Parliament on March 9, 2023, and as a result, persons suffering solely from a serious mental disorder and who meet all other eligibility criteria will now be eligible for MAID in Canada as of March 17, 2024. This extension will allow additional time to complete and disseminate key resources currently under development for clinicians and other health care system partners to address these more complex MAID requests. The extension will also provide more time to consider the parliamentary Special Joint Committee on MAID’s interim and final reports.On March 27, 2023 the Government released the Model Practice Standard for MAID to provide clear guidance to clinicians and health professional regulators to help protect those who may be vulnerable, including those whose sole underlying medical condition is a serious mental disorder., and to ensure safety. Our Government will continue to work with all partners to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable populations in this deeply personal issue is prioritized.Bill C-314 will follow the legislative process, and will be studied and debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members’ Bills.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Mark HollandMedical assistance in dying (MAID) is a complex and deeply personal matter that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. The Government of Canada believes that Canadians deserve to live in comfort and dignity, with access to care, including end-of-life care, that is appropriate to their needs and that respects their wishes. It also recognizes that MAID is a deeply personal choice and is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, support their autonomy and freedom of choice, and protect those who are vulnerable.Supporting the mental health and well-being of everyone in Canada is a priority for the Government of Canada.On February 7, 2023, the federal government announced it will increase health funding to provinces and territories by close to $200 billion over 10 years. The Government of Canada intends to work collaboratively with provinces and territories on four shared health priorities to improve integrated health care for Canadians:
  • Expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas;
  • Supporting our health workers and reducing backlogs;
  • Improving access to quality mental health and substance use services; and
  • Modernizing health systems with standardized health data and digital tools.
These investments, on top of already significant funding, will further help provide Canadians with health care that includes access to timely, equitable and quality mental health, substance use and addictions services to support their well-being.As part of the investments, the Government of Canada announced that it would provide $25 billion over ten years to provinces and territories to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements. The Government of Canada recognizes that provinces and territories have their own unique circumstances. As such, the bilateral agreements are intended to be flexible and tailored, so that provinces and territories can address the unique needs of their populations and geography. As part of these agreements, provincial and territorial governments are asked to develop action plans that will describe how funds will be spent (incremental to existing spending) and how progress will be measured. As there is no health without mental health, an integrated, inclusive approach to investments in health service teams, the health workforce, and data and digital tools will help to meet the health and mental health needs of Canadians.This builds on the government’s previous investment of $5 billion over ten years to improve Canadians’ access to mental health and substance use services. The investment is being provided directly to provinces and territories via negotiated bilateral agreements to help them expand access to community-based mental health and addiction services.Through Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is providing $100 million to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including youth, older adults, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and Black and other racialized Canadians. The government is also providing $50 million to support projects that address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma in health care workers, front-line and other essential workers and others affected by the pandemic.The Government of Canada also recognizes the importance for all Canadians to have access to critical suicide prevention services.Budget 2023 provides $158.4 million over three years to support the launch and implementation of 9-8-8, a three-digit number for suicide prevention and emotional distress. This funding will help ensure that 9-8-8 has the quality and capacity to meet the demand, connecting people to effective crisis support when they need it most. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), with the support of PHAC, will lead the coordination of 9-8-8 service delivery, building on its experience delivering Talk Suicide Canada. This 9-8-8 funding includes the reallocation of $5 million per year in funding for the pan-Canadian suicide prevention service (Talk Suicide Canada), originally announced in Budget 2019.  Talk Suicide Canada currently provides suicide crisis support in English and French to people across Canada over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week and by text in the evenings.The Government of Canada is also leading the development of the National Suicide Prevention Action Plan aimed at reducing suicide rates and improving mental well-being based on best practices and innovations in suicide prevention and life promotion.Private Member’s Bill C-314 will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-314, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying)Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01536441-01536 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 13, 2023September 18, 2023May 16, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01535441-01535 (Civil and human rights)DanMuysFlamborough—GlanbrookConservativeONJune 13, 2023September 18, 2023April 28, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01533441-01533 (Civil and human rights)MarcDaltonPitt Meadows—Maple RidgeConservativeBCJune 13, 2023September 18, 2023April 27, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01531441-01531 (Civil and human rights)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKJune 13, 2023September 18, 2023April 25, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01530441-01530 (Civil and human rights)TedFalkProvencherConservativeMBJune 13, 2023September 18, 2023April 26, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01519441-01519 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBJune 8, 2023September 18, 2023May 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. Our Government recently announced an additional $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) that will help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling root causes of crime. We had previously announced $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $500 Million. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of initiatives, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada recently met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE DOMINIC LEBLANC, P.C, K.C., M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.The MCC was established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, as an independent public inquiry tasked to examine the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020. On May 31, 2023, the federal Minister of Public Safety, and Nova Scotia Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the appointment of Linda Lee Oland as Founding Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee. In addition to this appointment, the Government of Canada is carefully reviewing the recommendations of the MCC final report, recognizing that the findings and recommendations are applicable to all Canadian jurisdictions.Furthermore, in the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01513441-01513 (Civil and human rights)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABJune 5, 2023September 18, 2023May 16, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01509441-01509 (Civil and human rights)WarrenSteinleyRegina—LewvanConservativeSKJune 5, 2023September 18, 2023May 16, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01506441-01506 (Civil and human rights)PhilipLawrenceNorthumberland—Peterborough SouthConservativeONJune 5, 2023September 18, 2023May 16, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01504441-01504 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBJune 5, 2023September 18, 2023May 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. Our Government recently announced an additional $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) that will help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling root causes of crime. We had previously announced $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $500 Million. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of initiatives, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada recently met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE DOMINIC LEBLANC, P.C, K.C., M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.The MCC was established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, as an independent public inquiry tasked to examine the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020. On May 31, 2023, the federal Minister of Public Safety, and Nova Scotia Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the appointment of Linda Lee Oland as Founding Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee. In addition to this appointment, the Government of Canada is carefully reviewing the recommendations of the MCC final report, recognizing that the findings and recommendations are applicable to all Canadian jurisdictions.Furthermore, in the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01502441-01502 (Civil and human rights)DanAlbasCentral Okanagan—Similkameen—NicolaConservativeBCJune 5, 2023September 18, 2023May 3, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01495441-01495 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBJune 1, 2023September 18, 2023May 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. Our Government recently announced an additional $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) that will help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling root causes of crime. We had previously announced $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $500 Million. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of initiatives, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada recently met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE DOMINIC LEBLANC, P.C, K.C., M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.The MCC was established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, as an independent public inquiry tasked to examine the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020. On May 31, 2023, the federal Minister of Public Safety, and Nova Scotia Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the appointment of Linda Lee Oland as Founding Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee. In addition to this appointment, the Government of Canada is carefully reviewing the recommendations of the MCC final report, recognizing that the findings and recommendations are applicable to all Canadian jurisdictions.Furthermore, in the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01493441-01493 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBMay 31, 2023September 18, 2023May 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. Our Government recently announced an additional $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) that will help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling root causes of crime. We had previously announced $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $500 Million. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of initiatives, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada recently met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.The MCC was established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, as an independent public inquiry tasked to examine the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020. On May 31, 2023, the federal Minister of Public Safety, and Nova Scotia Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the appointment of Linda Lee Oland as Founding Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee. In addition to this appointment, the Government of Canada is carefully reviewing the recommendations of the MCC final report, recognizing that the findings and recommendations are applicable to all Canadian jurisdictions.Furthermore, in the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action. 
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01487441-01487 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 30, 2023September 18, 2023May 4, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, a woman's pregnancy is not an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Addressing this legal void through sentencing that considers the vulnerable state of the pregnant woman is necessary in denouncing such crimes; and
  • The majority of Canadians support access to abortion. Having appropriate sentences when violent crimes are committed against pregnant women is imperative to protecting her reproductive choice to have her child. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on her child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01486441-01486 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 30, 2023September 18, 2023May 15, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, a woman's pregnancy is not an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Addressing this legal void through sentencing that considers the vulnerable state of the pregnant woman is necessary in denouncing such crimes; and
  • The majority of Canadians support access to abortion. Having appropriate sentences when violent crimes are committed against pregnant women is imperative to protecting her reproductive choice to have her child. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on her child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01485441-01485 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 30, 2023September 18, 2023May 15, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, a woman's pregnancy is not an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Addressing this legal void through sentencing that considers the vulnerable state of the pregnant woman is necessary in denouncing such crimes; and
  • The majority of Canadians support access to abortion. Having appropriate sentences when violent crimes are committed against pregnant women is imperative to protecting her reproductive choice to have her child. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on her child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01484441-01484 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 30, 2023September 18, 2023May 16, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01483441-01483 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 30, 2023September 18, 2023May 16, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01482441-01482 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 30, 2023September 18, 2023May 16, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01481441-01481 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 30, 2023September 18, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01480441-01480 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBMay 30, 2023September 18, 2023May 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. Our Government recently announced an additional $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) that will help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling root causes of crime. We had previously announced $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $500 Million. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of initiatives, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada recently met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.The MCC was established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, as an independent public inquiry tasked to examine the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020. On May 31, 2023, the federal Minister of Public Safety, and Nova Scotia Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the appointment of Linda Lee Oland as Founding Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee. In addition to this appointment, the Government of Canada is carefully reviewing the recommendations of the MCC final report, recognizing that the findings and recommendations are applicable to all Canadian jurisdictions.Furthermore, in the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01477441-01477 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABMay 29, 2023September 18, 2023January 25, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposed aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, was being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The Bill was defeated at second reading in the House of Commons on June 14, 2023. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she was trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would have actually made pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would have only applied where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could have unintentionally resulted in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation was inconsistent with its stated purpose and we had concerns that it was yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01474441-01474 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBMay 29, 2023September 18, 2023May 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. Our Government recently announced an additional $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) that will help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling root causes of crime. We had previously announced $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $500 Million. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of initiatives, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada recently met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.The MCC was established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, as an independent public inquiry tasked to examine the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020. On May 31, 2023, the federal Minister of Public Safety, and Nova Scotia Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the appointment of Linda Lee Oland as Founding Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee. In addition to this appointment, the Government of Canada is carefully reviewing the recommendations of the MCC final report, recognizing that the findings and recommendations are applicable to all Canadian jurisdictions.Furthermore, in the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01459441-01459 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBMay 16, 2023September 18, 2023May 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. Our Government recently announced an additional $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) that will help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling root causes of crime. We had previously announced $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $500 Million. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of initiatives, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada recently met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.The MCC was established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, as an independent public inquiry tasked to examine the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020. On May 31, 2023, the federal Minister of Public Safety, and Nova Scotia Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the appointment of Linda Lee Oland as Founding Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee. In addition to this appointment, the Government of Canada is carefully reviewing the recommendations of the MCC final report, recognizing that the findings and recommendations are applicable to all Canadian jurisdictions.Furthermore, in the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023e-4226e-4226 (Justice)Elsjede BoerElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCJanuary 26, 2023, at 9:31 a.m. (EDT)April 26, 2023, at 9:31 a.m. (EDT)May 16, 2023September 18, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Justice</Addressee>Whereas:There are more than 2.5 million victims of violent crime in Canada every year; victims of crime cannot get protection because: The Victims Rights Act of 2015 states: S. 28: No case of action or right to damages arises from an infringement or denial of a right under this Act, S. 29: No appeal lies from any decision or order solely on the grounds that a right under this Act has beeninfringed or denied, but: S. 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that: 15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination; andThe Victims Rights Act is unconstitutional. It deprives victims of crime of the right to equal protection, and equal access to the benefit of the law. Victims of violent crime cannot get protection. There is no opportunity for a victim or a victim’s lawyer to defend their rights or question the statements of the accused or of defense counsel.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Justice to: 1. Amend the Victim Rights Act of 2015 to conform to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; and 2. Create an opportunity for victims or their lawyer to defend the rights of the victim throughout the police investigation and in court, including in custody disputes where domestic violence is an issue.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniOur Government is committed to ensuring that Canada’s criminal justice system shows compassion to victims, holds offenders to account and upholds the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Healing looks different for every victim and survivor. It is a priority for our Government to ensure that in every case, victims are treated with dignity and respect in the criminal justice process and our government is taking action.The Canadian Victims Bill of Rights, 2015 does not draw any distinction or difference, among victims, based on enumerated or analogous grounds contained in section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.Budget 2021 provided $48.75 million over five years, to support a national program for independent legal advice and independent legal representation for victims of sexual assault, as well as to support piloting these programs for victims of intimate partner violence.Through the Victims Fund, more than $28 million is made available annually to provincial and territorial governments and non-governmental organizations to increase awareness and knowledge of victim issues, legislation, and services available.Our Government’s way forward will always be guided by the experiences and views of victims and survivors of crime, recognizing and respecting that the needs and concerns of victims—and their pathways to justice—remain varied and multi-faceted.We recognize the unique challenges faced by victims and survivors of crime and remain committed to providing greater support for them with the goal of keeping them safe.
Canadian Victims Bill of RightsVictims of crime
44th Parliament223Government response tabledSeptember 18, 2023441-01448441-01448 (Justice)DanMazierDauphin—Swan River—NeepawaConservativeMBMay 15, 2023September 18, 2023May 12, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The crime rate in Swan River and surrounding area continues to rise and pose a significant threat to public safety, community wellbeing, and economic success;
  • Since 2015, violent crime has increased by 32%, gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, violent, repeat offenders are obtaining bail much more easily, and increasing daily acts of crime and violence are putting Canadians at risk;
  • Swan River's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — increased by over 50% from five years prior; and
  • Local businesses should not have to accept the financial and economic consequences of the government's lack of action in addressing crime.
We, the undersigned, residents of Swan River and area, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Deliver a detailed plan to specifically address the rising rate of crime in rural Canada; and
  • Repeal soft-on-crime and catch-and-release policies that have directly contributed to the rising rate of crime in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Arif ViraniEveryone deserves to live in a society where they are safe and feel safe, and to have confidence that the criminal justice system will protect them and work as intended. This principle applies whether they reside in rural, remote, and northern areas or in cities. The Government of Canada is working closely with its provincial and territorial partners to identify ways to better address rural crime and its unique challenges, and recognizes the challenges that victims and survivors of rural crime can face.Our Government is working to improve the experience of victims and survivors of crime in the criminal justice system and to increase access to justice for victims and survivors, including victims of rural crime. The Federal Victims Strategy, which is led by Justice Canada, has designed and delivered a wide range of policy and programmatic initiatives to improve access to justice for victims and survivors of crime across the country, as well as specific actions focused on rural and remote communities and northern Canada. Federal Victims Strategy resources will continue to be used to build partnerships within the criminal justice system, across sectors, and across jurisdictions, as well as to increase and enhance access to services.Our Government is also adding significant resources to fight crime and prevent violence from happening in the first place. Our Government recently announced an additional $250 million to the Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF) that will help municipalities and Indigenous communities prevent gun and gang violence by tackling root causes of crime. We had previously announced $390 million in programs to help stop gun crime and gang violence before it starts, bringing our global total to over $500 Million. Our Government will provide this funding, including a $23,120,649 allocation to Manitoba, over the next five years to support a variety of initiatives, including support for law enforcement and prevention programs. This funding builds on the success of the initial Initiative to Take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence, announced in 2017.Our Government also introduced Bill C-48, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bail reform), which proposes changes to the Criminal Code’s bail provisions designed to focus on violent repeat offenders, gun and knife violence, as well as intimate partner violence. It aims to promote community safety and reinforce public confidence in the administration of justice. Bill C-48 would enact new reverse onuses at bail to address repeat violent offending involving weapons, including firearms, knives and bear spray, as well as make additional firearms offences subject to a reverse onus. Bill C-48 also proposes changes at the bail stage to broaden the law’s response to intimate partner violence.This Bill is the product of collaboration with the provinces and territories. Canada’s bail system is the joint responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial governments. The proposed changes in Bill C-48 are the result of ongoing cooperation and collaboration with the provinces and territories who play a critical role in administering the bail system and in ensuring it operates as intended. The proposed reforms are also informed by engagement with other partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement and Indigenous partners. While law reform is an important part of maintaining and enhancing public safety, programs, policies and investments are also critical in fostering safer communities. Everyone in Canada expects the government to tackle crime, as well as the causes of crime. Bill C-48 is part of our broader strategy to ensure the safety of all Canadians and an example of what we can achieve when we work together.The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada recently met with the Mayor of Swan River to discuss Bill C-48. The discussion highlighted several considerations, including: the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, the role of the provinces in the administration of bail hearings and the enforcement of bail conditions, the need for increased social supports to lessen involvement in the criminal justice system, and the importance of robust and systematic data gathering and sharing to objectively ensure that the bail system is working as intended.The Government will continue to create conditions for safer communities by building on past and present investments.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, P.C, K.C., M.P.Crime in rural and remote communities, including small towns, farming or fishing communities, and Indigenous communities, is a significant and growing concern for many Canadians across the country. This is why, federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for justice and public safety, at their January 2020 meeting, committed to examining and addressing the impact of rural crime and ways to reduce it. To undertake this work, and reflective of the shared responsibility of the federal, provincial, and territorial justice and public safety systems, a Pan-Canadian Strategic Framework on Rural Crime (the Framework) was developed to reflect the diverse and unique regional circumstances of the provinces and territories in Canada.The Framework represents the first comprehensive FPT strategy to better understand, address and combat rural crime to ensure that people in Canada living in rural and remote areas feel safe, secure and protected in their communities. It is designed to be wide in scope. It identifies a combination of objectives and strategies seeking to address both immediate actions that can achieve distinct short-term outcomes, as well as medium-to-long term activities to address complex issues and underlying root causes of crime that require greater levels of resources, time, or consideration. Combined, these objectives and their associated activities seek to result in long-term changes that reduce the incidence of criminal activity in rural and remote communities, including farming, fishing, and Indigenous communities and the northern territories in Canada, and improve the overall safety and well-being of the community.Strategic activities, such as the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative and the Juristat on Police-reported crime in rural and urban areas in the Canadian provinces, 2021, have been identified, with officials across the country, for inclusion in the Framework to reflect the diverse nature of rural crime. Those activities are centered around the following seven key strategic areas of focus: Knowledge Development, Prevention, Drug Interdiction, Addressing Victim Needs, Offender Management, Criminal Process Reform, and Enhanced Enforcement Practices.The Framework is a living document developed under the guidance and expertise of justice and public safety officials across the country, and co-exists with a number of other key federal, and/or provincial and territorial initiatives and priorities designed to specifically target and address key issues highlighted in this Framework. These strategies include the Government of Canada’s Gender-Based Violence Strategy, the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People National Action Plan. This is reflective of the diverse nature, impacts and causes of rural crime, and the complex, comprehensive measures necessary to combat it.The seriousness of the issue surrounding crimes in rural and remote communities has recently been highlighted by the publication of the final report of the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC), Turning the Tide Together, on March 30, 2023. This report presents relevant findings for rural and remote communities, such as the existence of urban bias in policy making and service delivery contributing to inadequate public infrastructure and services in rural communities.The MCC was established by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia, as an independent public inquiry tasked to examine the tragedy that took place in Nova Scotia on April 18 and 19, 2020. On May 31, 2023, the federal Minister of Public Safety, and Nova Scotia Attorney General and Minister of Justice, announced the appointment of Linda Lee Oland as Founding Chair of the Progress Monitoring Committee. In addition to this appointment, the Government of Canada is carefully reviewing the recommendations of the MCC final report, recognizing that the findings and recommendations are applicable to all Canadian jurisdictions.Furthermore, in the coming years, FPT officials and Stakeholders will report on the progress of the Framework to FPT Deputy Ministers and Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety to inform further action.
Crime and criminalityRural communities
44th Parliament220CertifiedSeptember 18, 2023e-4506e-4506 (Citizenship and immigration)ScottCrichtonHeatherMcPhersonEdmonton StrathconaNDPABJuly 18, 2023, at 9:55 a.m. (EDT)September 16, 2023, at 9:55 a.m. (EDT)September 18, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Thousands of Ukrainians have chosen to make Canada their new home to escape the war in Ukraine;Canada will need thousands of qualified people to fill vacant positions in the skilled trades; andUkrainians in Canada under the CUAET Visa working through an apprenticeship program cannot apply for permanent residency.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to change the government policy on permanent residency to allow Ukrainians working in an apprenticeship program to qualify for permanent residency.Passports and visasPermanent resident statusUkraine44th Parliament229Not certifiedSeptember 15, 2023e-4411e-4411 (Economy and finance)LindseyMorrillHon.ErinO'TooleDurhamConservativeONMay 17, 2023, at 10:01 a.m. (EDT)September 14, 2023, at 10:01 a.m. (EDT)September 15, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Increased housing and food costs have severely impacted the ability to afford these basic human needs. Food and shelter are necessities, not luxuries;Wages do not fall in line with current costs of living, making it impossible to afford food or shelter;ODSP does not pay enough in today's economy; andFood banks are not receiving enough support.We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Make every effort to further decrease housing costs;2. Freeze rent increases for the next 3-5 years, giving Canadians a chance to financially recover from the current costs;3. Ban price gouging throughout grocery stores to assist with the prevention of costs increasing further;4. Increase the one time grocery relief payment to Canadian families. $467 is not enough;5. Increase minimum wage to fall in line with cost of living. For example, an increase of $1.00 in minimum wage would lead to close to 36,876 fewer visits to food banks, annually in Toronto;6. A $15.00 per month increase in Ontario Disability Support Program could potentially decrease annual food bank visits in Toronto by 53,652;7. Food banks are finding it increasingly difficult to provide food to Canadians seeking help. As costs rise, food bank visits increase and their resources deplete quickly; and 8. Make every effort to offer further support to food banks, by way of further and easily obtainable grants. Offer food banks a one time relief payment to assist with the cost of groceries.Cost of living44th Parliament220CertifiedSeptember 13, 2023e-4489e-4489 (Justice)MarianneMurrayMelissaLantsmanThornhillConservativeONJuly 14, 2023, at 2:19 p.m. (EDT)September 12, 2023, at 2:19 p.m. (EDT)September 13, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The shocking recent transfer of Canada's most notorious criminal Paul Bernardo, from maximum to medium security imprisonment, shines a light clearly onto ineffective legislation of the Dangerous Offenders Designation in Canada;The Constitutional Act, 1867 provides the federal government exclusive lawmaking power over criminal law and criminal process; andIt is the government's responsibility to ensure that Canadians are safe from dangerous criminals.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to review Dangerous Offenders Designation Law for the following reasons:- Dangerous Offenders Designation is reserved for Canada's most violent criminals and sexual predators;- Current Criminal Code legislation lays out the terms for application of Dangerous Offenders application, by the courts, at or shortly after convictions on serious criminal charges;- Current legislation does not provide terms for having Dangerous Offenders Designation removed or a court ordered termination;- Current legislation does not consider parole applications or applications for corrections services privileges, prior to the removal of judge ordered Dangerous Offenders Designations, resulting in offenders applying for parole and/or privileges under the Correctional Services Canada on the original offences, without judicial review of the Dangerous Offenders Designation, in order to show it is warranted;- Dangerous Offenders Designation should supersede the original offences and convictions, and as such corrections and parole board should have secondary discretion to the jurisdiction of the courts; and- For the safety of Canadians, consideration should also be given to ensure that dangerous offenders are sentenced to imprisonment in maximum security institutions until such time as the dangerous order is judicially removed.Criminal lawDangerous offendersViolent crime44th Parliament229Not certifiedSeptember 13, 2023e-4482e-4482 (Civil and human rights)EvelynBattellRandallGarrisonEsquimalt—Saanich—SookeNDPBCJune 15, 2023, at 9:42 a.m. (EDT)September 13, 2023, at 9:42 a.m. (EDT)September 13, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Whereas Canada needs to respond to the rising tide of hatred and violence directed against the queer and trans communities at home and abroad.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to be visible and outspoken in defence of the 2SLGBTQI+ community at home and abroad and to respond directly to the vitriolic attacks on the queer and trans community by: 1. Putting in place new funding to address hate and misinformation targeting queer, transgender and non-binary communities;2. Appointing a special envoy with the status of ambassador to promote 2SLGBTQI+ equity in Canada's foreign policy and through our participation in international organizations;3. Creating a path to safety in Canada for LGBTQI+ refugees whose lives are at imminent risk and provide trauma informed and culturally appropriate settlement services in Canada;4. Providing resources for capacity building for trans and two-spirit communities and organizations to enable their voices to be heard and to allow them to respond to the victims of violence and hatred in their communities more effectively.Foreign policyRefugeesSexual and gender minorities44th Parliament229Not certifiedSeptember 11, 2023e-4505e-4505 (Economy and finance)AdamSaleHon.EdFastAbbotsfordConservativeBCJuly 10, 2023, at 11:29 a.m. (EDT)September 8, 2023, at 11:29 a.m. (EDT)September 11, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Bank of Canada's rate increases are causing lower income families, and middle class, to tap into their safety-savings to support their housing needs unless government intervenes and caps interest rate hikes;The Canadian Government did little to warn Canadians of how high interest rates could rise. Instead, they continued to issue bonds to keep rates at artificially low levels for longer than what was needed, further exacerbating the rate increases and the war on inflation; andThe Bank of Canada's rate increases have caused mortgage payments to increase far above the stress-test of 5.25%, used by the banks in 2022.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to put a cap on the Bank of Canada's rate increases to provide homeowners with some relief and certainty regarding their future mortgage payments.Bank of CanadaInterest ratesMortgages44th Parliament220CertifiedSeptember 11, 2023e-4445e-4445 (Justice)MeganJohnstonLaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCMay 12, 2023, at 4:16 p.m. (EDT)September 9, 2023, at 4:16 p.m. (EDT)September 11, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women) creates an “aggravating circumstance” clause in the Criminal Code to allow for greater penalties when a pregnant person is attacked;Abortion Rights Coalition Canada wrote an opposition paper where they argue that Bill C-311 is an anti-abortion bill, their arguments are as follows;The bill is redundant as other clauses in that Criminal Code can cover pregnant victims;Judges already have the discretion to apply greater penalties for aggravating circumstances;Judges are not required to apply these clauses, only consider them;The government can do better things to address gender-based violence than pass a criminal law;No anti-violence group has expressed support for this bill, it is supported only by anti-choice groups and individuals;The bill was introduced by MP Cathay Wagantall;She introduced two defeated anti-abortion bills C- 233 and C- 225;MP Wagantall’s website has both pro-choice and “pro-life” petitions in favour of this bill;Both petitions mention abortion but the “pro-life” petition also uses language like “preborn children”; andAnti-choice groups have been promoting Bill C-311 as a means to recognize two victims, this is a route to establish fetal personhood in law and if this bill passes, it would be leveraged for that purpose.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to protect abortion rights in Canada and vote in opposition of Bill C-311.AbortionC-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women)44th Parliament229Not certifiedSeptember 11, 2023e-4439e-4439 (Animals)AudreyWeissHon.MichelleRempel GarnerCalgary Nose HillConservativeABMay 12, 2023, at 10:56 a.m. (EDT)September 9, 2023, at 10:56 a.m. (EDT)September 11, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Recently, the media has reported about the horrible condition in which dogs were sold via an online auction house in Manitoba. This case has raised concerns for Canadians;The federal government's website states "The Criminal Code of Canada prohibits anyone from willfully causing animals to suffer from neglect, pain or injury";Provinces and territories also have responsibility for a number of issues related to animal welfare;The CFIA has scope over regulating the humane transportation of animals, and they also work with provinces, territories and stakeholders on related issues;Canadian farmers and animal owners across the country make important efforts every day to keep their animals and livestock safe; andCanadians believe instances of potential animal abuse and neglect must be addressed.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to always ensure they uphold their federal mandate with respect to animal welfare issues, and work with provinces, territories and stakeholders when needed on these issues.Animal rights and welfare44th Parliament220CertifiedSeptember 11, 2023e-4431e-4431 (Culture and heritage)Shawna AngelaPoyGordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 12, 2023, at 12:37 p.m. (EDT)September 9, 2023, at 12:37 p.m. (EDT)September 11, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The National Anthem was amended with gender-neutral language to ensure equity and inclusion;Canada's most notable symbols, the Canadian flag, and the National Anthem, fail to represent Indigenous people;The land has provided sustenance and shelter to Indigenous people since time immemorial and is revered for its life-giving quality that sustains plants, animals, and people;Indigenous stories, traditional knowledge, culture, spirituality, and law illustrate the relationship to the land;To ensure abundant resources, Indigenous people had a reciprocal relationship with the land characterized by responsibility, balance, and connection;The nature of this tie is not one of "ownership but stewardship.";The land is a sacred gift from the Creator, and Indigenous people vowed to protect it;Disconnection from the land, water, and sky, caused by displacement and banning ceremonies, harmed Indigenous people spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally;Indigenous peoples helped newcomers survive on the land by teaching them how to hunt and find shelter;Treaties declared that Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations were built on peace, friendship, and mutual respect for one another's sovereignty; andIndigenous people's relationship to the land is constitutionally recognized.We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to Refute the Doctrine of Discovery and terra nullius by amending the National Anthem's lyrics from Our Home and Native Land to Our Home on Native Land. Canada would thereby symbolically uphold its commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 45th call to action, moving towards re-establishing a nation-to-nation relationship by recognizing that Indigenous people occupied, cultivated and thrived on these lands before Europeans arrived.National AnthemReconciliation with indigenous peoples44th Parliament220CertifiedSeptember 5, 2023e-4496e-4496 (Foreign affairs)OleksiyMykhaylichenkoPeterJulianNew Westminster—BurnabyNDPBCJuly 17, 2023, at 3:38 p.m. (EDT)August 16, 2023, at 3:38 p.m. (EDT)September 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The federal government of Canada has recognized the Russian Federation as a foreign state supporting terrorism; andThe federal government of Canada has issued sanctions against the Russian Federation and various Russian Federation officials, yet it continues to extend state immunity to the Russian Federation, thereby preventing Canadian nationals and residents from seeking remedies against the Russian Federation in Canadian courts.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to issue an order adding the Russian Federation to the list of foreign states that support terrorism, pursuant to S. 6.1(1) and (2) of the State Immunity Act R.S.C., 1985, c. S-18.RussiaSupporters of terrorismUkraineWar44th Parliament229Not certifiedAugust 23, 2023e-4398e-4398 (Consumer protection)MercedesCepedaElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCApril 24, 2023, at 11:19 a.m. (EDT)August 22, 2023, at 11:19 a.m. (EDT)August 23, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canadian financial institutions commonly charge a non-sufficient fund (NSF) fee when an account becomes overdrawn;Canada's Big Six banks typically charge between $45 to $48 for each instance while also rejecting payment requests;NSF fees overwhelmingly and disproportionally affect Canadian families that are already struggling financially;NSF fees can be equated to a tax on poverty; and,High NSF fees are not justifiable based on the administrative burden on the banks.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to protect financially vulnerable Canadians by taking immediate action to regulate the amount Canadian financial institutions can charge in non-sufficient fund fees and to regulate bank policies and procedures regarding overdrawn accounts.Banks and bankingFees44th Parliament229Not certifiedAugust 18, 2023e-4406e-4406 (Public safety)TavisSettlesHon.MichelleRempel GarnerCalgary Nose HillConservativeABApril 19, 2023, at 11:37 a.m. (EDT)August 17, 2023, at 11:37 a.m. (EDT)August 18, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Reports indicate that one in four Canadians do not feel safe using public transit alone;As many as 3,000 assaults on public transit occur annually;More and more Canadians are feeling unsafe in their cities as violent crime increases;We have seen many cases where violent criminals have committed crimes while released on bail;Recent polls indicate that 57% of Canadians feel that the government is not doing enough to tackle the issue of crime;This government has failed to meaningfully address issues like addictions and mental health support, which are lacking in Canada;Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities and the Liberal government must act.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Work with Canada’s premiers, victim advocacy groups and affected Canadians to ensure safety in our communities and eliminate crime on public transit; and2. Keep the most dangerous criminals behind bars.Public transitSafetyViolent crime44th Parliament229Not certifiedAugust 18, 2023e-4384e-4384 (Justice)GinaKremlBradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCApril 19, 2023, at 9:50 a.m. (EDT)August 17, 2023, at 9:50 a.m. (EDT)August 18, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:In a backgrounder released on December 7, 2021, the day Bill C-5 : An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act was tabled, the Department of Justice stated that the intention of the bill was to remove mandatory minimum sentences that led to the disproportionate representation of Black and Indigenous Canadians in our prisons;Subsection 14(2) of Bill C-5 repealed sections 742.1(e) and 742.1(e) and 742.1(f) of the Criminal Code to remove two limitations on the availability of conditional sentencing, the second of which removed the prohibition on conditional sentencing for a series of offenses, including: Kidnapping; Sexual assault; and Human trafficking.Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu tabled an amendment that would have removed these offenses from the list, however his amendment was ultimately rejected;In 2021, 34,242 sexual assaults were reported to police in Canada, representing 1 report for every 1000 Canadians, and this amendment to the Criminal Code improves the lives of offenders while corroding the life of those impacted by the sexual offender as well as everyday Canadians; andVictims of sexual assault, kidnapping and human trafficking deserve justice as they must live with the trauma for the rest of their lives.We, the undersigned, Citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to re-instate the prohibition of conditional sentencing for those convicted of sexual assault, kidnapping and/or human trafficking.AbductionC-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances ActHuman traffickingSentencingSexual assault44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4199e-4199 (Health)JaneCoatesHon.MichelleRempel GarnerCalgary Nose HillConservativeABNovember 18, 2022, at 10:15 a.m. (EDT)March 18, 2023, at 10:15 a.m. (EDT)June 21, 2023August 16, 2023March 21, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:As children interact with each other after COVID restrictions were lifted, children's hospitals and emergency rooms across the country are facing significant surges in visits due to pediatric respiratory viruses;The federal government failed to anticipate a related foreseeable surge in demand for certain pediatric medication, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen products, and there is now a shortage affecting countless families across Canada;Reports indicate that some Canadian parents are even crossing the border to find fever and pain medications for their children in the United States, where there is no shortage;The federal government should be doing all that it can to ensure the healthcare system is equipped to manage a surge in pediatric viruses; andParents should not have to worry about whether their children will have access to basic medications and whether hospitals will be able to help their kids when they are sick.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately get pediatric medication to every child that needs it;2. Take action to address the root causes of pediatric drug shortages; and 3. Support the provinces in addressing emergency surge capacity at children's hospitals across the country.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam Van KoeverdenThe health of Canadians, and in particular our children, is a top priority for the Government of Canada. Health Canada is committed to ensuring that parents and caregivers can access the products they need, and does everything within its power to prevent shortages, when possible, and to mitigate their impacts when they occur.In the fall of 2022, the co-circulation of seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 placed high demands on local healthcare systems and already strained pediatric hospitals, pushing many beyond capacity. This situation created a higher-than-normal demand for pediatric analgesics. As a result, the supply of certain acetaminophen and ibuprofen products for children was constrained starting in August 2022. By March 2023 the supply of acetaminophen and ibuprofen products for infants and children in pharmacies and retail locations across Canada began to significantly improve. In April 2023, products were available and the shortage ended. Upon hearing about possible supply constraints, Health Canada took immediate action using all tools at its disposal to address this shortage and played a leadership role in mobilizing provinces and territories as well as key stakeholders in the supply chain and healthcare system.Between November 2022 and May 2023, over 4.4 million units of children's pain and fever medications were imported into Canada for hospitals, community pharmacies and retail outlets as a result of regulatory action taken by Health Canada. This helped to supplement the increased domestic production of Canadian supply to meet demand, which was at record levels for months. Between November 2022 and May 2023, Canadian manufacturers released 13.9 million units of children's pain and fever medications onto the Canadian market in addition to the 4.4. million units imported from abroad. Health Canada continues to monitor the situation and will take further action if necessary.Over the past decade, the Government of Canada has made significant progress on broader initiatives that will help to strengthen access to drugs for people in Canada and we will continue our efforts to improve access to medicines for children in Canada.  In particular, we developed the Pediatric Drug Action Plan. Under this plan, Canada continues to work to improve access to pediatric medicines and formulations, increase the development of pediatric medicines and formulations, and provide more information to people in Canada on pediatric activities and data.  With input from the pediatric medical community and through public consultations, Health Canada is also developing a National Priority List of Pediatric Drugs (NPLPD) to help address unmet medical needs within Canada’s pediatric population. This builds on other initiatives involving drug shortage regulations to support accessibility.In November 2022, Health Canada created a Drug Shortages Task Force to develop medium- to longer-term options on new tools, measures and approaches to improve access to drugs and other health products in Canada. On June 5, 2023, Health Canada launched a 60-day public consultation to hear from the people of Canada.  The Government will build on the work it has done to date to improve access to drugs and other health products, informed by the input received through this consultation process. The Government of Canada also recognizes that improving children’s health requires system-wide solutions across all levels of government to ensure the best possible outcomes for children’s health.  This is why our government provided the provinces and territories with close to $200 billion over 10 years to improve health care services for Canadians. This investment includes $2 billion to address immediate pressures on the health care system, especially in pediatric hospitals, emergency rooms and long wait times for surgeries. The Government will continue to work closely with provinces and territories as part of its Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians plan.
ChildrenDrug supplyHealth care system
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01598441-01598 (Foreign affairs)MichaelKramRegina—WascanaConservativeSKJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 14, 2023PETITION TO THE PARLIAMENT OF CANADAWhereas: The people of Pakistan and Pakistani Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about reports of political turmoil and uncertainty in that country; andThere is particular concern about reports of members of the Pakistani military carrying out politically-motivated acts of violence and threats of violence against opposition parties and their supporters in the lead up to general elections in that country later this year.Therefore: we, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Parliament of Canada's House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development to immediately begin a study of the feasibility of imposing Magnitsky sanctions on those members of the Pakistani military who are responsible for these acts.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation. The promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for our engagement with Pakistan.Canada undertakes a variety of efforts in support of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan. Canadian officials in Ottawa, and at our High Commission in Islamabad, regularly raise these issues with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Canadian officials also engage in a variety of fora with the aim of advancing media freedom, supporting human rights defenders and standing by civil society organizations at the forefront of protecting democratic principles.Canada also helps develop the capacity of civil society actors in Pakistan. For example, Canada is funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan, which support women’s political participation and leadership, improve the accountability of democratic processes and increase the capacity of government institutions, with an investment of $21 million over five years. Canada’s High Commission in Islamabad also delivers projects as part of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides funding for locally-implemented projects. Among the core themes for CFLI projects in 2023 is supporting civil society organizations working to advance inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law.More broadly, Canada and Pakistan have a multifaceted and constructive bilateral relationship underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties. Our two countries remain committed to working together on common interests such as enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade relations, advancing gender equality, and promoting regional security and stability. In 2022-2023, Canada provided $36 million in bilateral development assistance to Pakistan in support of flood recovery, women’s political participation and economic empowerment, girls’ access to education, women’s and girls’ reproductive health and rights, and polio eradication.Finally, Pakistan is an integral part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which puts forward an ambitious, comprehensive and integrated policy framework for Canadian engagement across the Indo-Pacific region, including support for democracy, inclusivity, accountable governance and sustained economic growth.Rest assured that Canada will continue to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Government of Pakistan and that the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law will remain key priorities for Canada’s engagement around the world.
Economic sanctionsForeign policyPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01597441-01597 (Foreign affairs)MichaelKramRegina—WascanaConservativeSKJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 14, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas: The people of Pakistan and Pakistani Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about reports of political turmoil and uncertainty in that country; andPakistani Canadians living in Canada are particularly concerned about reports of retribution against family members living in Pakistan as a result of social media posts made in Canada that are critical of the Pakistani regime.Therefore: we, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Foreign Affairs to immediately meet with the Pakistani High Commissioner and inform him in no uncertain terms that it is completely unacceptable for the Government of Pakistan to intimidate people in that country as a result of the actions of family members in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation. The promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for our engagement with Pakistan.Canada undertakes a variety of efforts in support of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan. Canadian officials in Ottawa, and at our High Commission in Islamabad, regularly raise these issues with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Canadian officials also engage in a variety of fora with the aim of advancing media freedom, supporting human rights defenders and standing by civil society organizations at the forefront of protecting democratic principles.Canada also helps develop the capacity of civil society actors in Pakistan. For example, Canada is funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan, which support women’s political participation and leadership, improve the accountability of democratic processes and increase the capacity of government institutions, with an investment of $21 million over five years. Canada’s High Commission in Islamabad also delivers projects as part of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides funding for locally-implemented projects. Among the core themes for CFLI projects in 2023 is supporting civil society organizations working to advance inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law.More broadly, Canada and Pakistan have a multifaceted and constructive bilateral relationship underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties. Our two countries remain committed to working together on common interests such as enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade relations, advancing gender equality, and promoting regional security and stability. In 2022-2023, Canada provided $36 million in bilateral development assistance to Pakistan in support of flood recovery, women’s political participation and economic empowerment, girls’ access to education, women’s and girls’ reproductive health and rights, and polio eradication.Finally, Pakistan is an integral part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which puts forward an ambitious, comprehensive and integrated policy framework for Canadian engagement across the Indo-Pacific region, including support for democracy, inclusivity, accountable governance and sustained economic growth.Rest assured that Canada will continue to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Government of Pakistan and that the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law will remain key priorities for Canada’s engagement around the world.
Foreign policyIntimidationPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01596441-01596 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 12, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The illegitimate military junta in Burma continues to indiscriminately kill, torture, rape, imprison and displace civilians, particularly through air strikes, causing an increased need for vital humanitarian assistance;
  • Communications infrastructure within the country, often used to warn civilians of imminent attack, has been destroyed by the military;
  • The state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises (MOGE) accounts for the majority of funding the military receives to commit human rights atrocities; and
  • Canada has outlined its own obligation to aid in the Myanmar crisis as reported in "Canada's strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises (2021 to 2024)" as well our commitment under the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to:
  • Call on the military junta in Burma to immediately cease all executions, atrocities and human rights abuses against civilians;
  • Increase humanitarian aid into Burma, especially via local civil society organizations working cross-border from neighbouring countries, to more adequately address the needs of vulnerable communities;
  • Provide the technological and logistical support for communication infrastructure to establish early-warning systems and air defence systems to warn and protect civilians from aerial attacks, to save lives and prevent human rights abuses;
  • Call on insurance companies to stop providing insurance cover for deliveries of aviation fuel to Burma;
  • Impose sanctions against MOGE, including blocking direct and indirect oil and gas purchases that support the Burmese regime;
  • Swiftly implement the objectives set out in the aforementioned strategy and uphold our international obligation of R2P;
  • Refuse to engage or recognize the junta's State Administration Council (SAC) in any regional or international fora;
  • Promote ongoing dialogue among pro-democracy groups and diaspora groups, with a view to helping the Burmese people to develop an inclusive democracy with full recognition and representation of all ethnic minority communities, including Rohingya; and
  • Provide assistance to Burma's politicians and citizens to support the development of a federal democratic system and power sharing that would provide a solution for the country of multiethnic people who have been living together before the country could be called Burma.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has unequivocally condemned the February 2021 military coup against the democratically-elected government of Myanmar, and supports the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations in the face of brutality and egregious international human rights and humanitarian law violations. Canada continues to call for the cessation of violence and armed conflict; the release of all who are unjustly detained; immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access; and a halt on sales and transfer of arms, military equipment and technical support, which fuel the conflict and undermine stability in the country and the region. Canada is concerned by a growing humanitarian crisis, democratic and economic reversals, reports of egregious human rights and humanitarian law violations, and the potential for growing instability and insecurity in Myanmar, with implications for the region and diminished prospects for the safe, voluntary and dignified return for Rohingya currently in Bangladesh. Canada condemns escalating attacks against civilians, including airstrikes of populated and civilian areas with heavy weaponry, and the arbitrary detention, and deaths of civilians, all of which have deepened the humanitarian crisis.Canada is also concerned by the politicization of the judiciary and the precipitous decline in human rights protections and media freedoms. The erosion of the right to free, fair and impartial trials, and the resumption of capital punishment after a 30-year de-facto moratorium is of particular concern. Canada opposes the death penalty at all times, everywhere. Canada, along with international partners, condemned the execution of pro-democracy opposition leaders and supporters in 2022, underscoring that these actions exemplify the regime’s efforts to silence political opposition and exemplify blatant disregard for the upholding of human rights and the rule of law.Canada supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) and its resolute efforts to address this crisis through the ASEAN Five-Point-Consensus, while remaining increasingly concerned by lack of progress on this agreement’s implementation in the face of the regime’s intransigence. Full and timely implementation of the Five-Point-Consensus remains critical as is ASEAN’s continued downgrading of Myanmar representation at ASEAN high-level meetings and fora.Responding to the interlinked Myanmar and Rohingya crises remains a priority for Canada. On June 20, 2022, Canada announced the second phase of its Strategy to respond to the Myanmar and Rohingya crises, dedicating $288.3 million over three years (2021-2024) to address the medium- and longer-term needs and human rights of Rohingya refugees and other conflict-affected populations in Myanmar. Of this amount, $83 million supports development programming in Myanmar; $145 million for development programming for Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh; and $24 million for Peace and Stabilization Operations programming. The Strategy supports at-risk and affected populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh, particularly Rohingya refugees, internally displaced persons, and impacted host communities; intensifies efforts to advance an inclusive and sustainable peace in Myanmar; supports efforts to advance a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Myanmar, including engagement with pro-democracy stakeholders; and, increases pressure on malign actors, including through continued pursuit of accountability for human rights violations and targeted sanctions efforts.While ensuring that no funding or support is going to the regime, Canada continues to provide development and humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable, working through UN and civil society organizations, including local networks and alliance-based partners. Canada continues to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance for crisis-affected populations, in accordance with needs on the ground. For example, in 2022, Canada has contributed $10.3 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to address the needs of crisis-affected people in Myanmar, including support to the Rohingya population. Canada has also contributed $15.3 million in humanitarian assistance in Bangladesh, to help address the needs of Rohingya refugees. More recently, on June 1st, 2023 Canada announced $4 million in additional humanitarian assistance funding in Myanmar, and $1 million in funding for Bangladesh in response to Cyclone Mocha. Cross-border in Bangladesh, Canada continues to play a leading role in marshalling the response to the refugee crisis, leveraging a strong position on accountability and credibility as a top international donor.Canada has a legacy of support for democracy and federalism globally and in Myanmar, continuing to support the democratic aspirations of the Myanmar people and those who work peacefully to advance an inclusive democratic future. Canada engages with the range of pro-democracy stakeholders advancing and modeling a democratic peaceful and inclusive vision for Myanmar, including with high-level engagement such as the recent meeting between Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a senior appointed representative of the National Unity Government of Myanmar. Canada is a steadfast supporter of the need to address the root causes in Myanmar that led to the violent expulsion of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh, the coup, and decades of conflict with ethnic minority armed groups. The Government of Canada’s current Strategy and commitments are centred on the meaningful participation and diverse representation, including Rohingya, women and youth.Canada prioritizes ending impunity and ensuring accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations in Myanmar and justice for survivors, including Rohingya. Canada does this through support to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), and our announced intention to intervene, with the Netherlands, in The Gambia’s case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. Canada strongly supported the historic United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2669 – Security Council Demands Immediate End of Violence in Myanmar, Urges Restraint, Release of Arbitrary Detained Prisoners (December 2022), and co-sponsored the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/52/L.19 - Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar (April 2023). At the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Prosecutor’s investigation into allegations of forced deportation as a crime against humanity has presented an opportunity for accountability, although Canada continues to call for the UNSC to refer the situation to the ICC, so that the commission of all serious international crimes under the Rome Statute can be investigated.Canada, in close coordination with international partners, has imposed seven rounds of sanctions since the coup as part of Canada’s commitment to support democracy and ending impunity in Myanmar, with the most recent on January 31, 2023. Canada’s sanctions are in direct response to the regime’s continued disregard for the human rights of the people of Myanmar and target senior members of the regime who are using their respective roles to abuse the rule of law and remove political opposition, thus contributing to a grave breach of international peace and the deteriorating security situation. Through these sanctions, Canada has also targeted arms and aviation fuel procurement, and was the first country to impose a prohibition on aviation fuel in respond to the regime’s continued targeting of civilians in violation of international law. Canada, alongside its international partners, will continue to respond to actions that constitute a grave breach of international peace and security, threaten stability in the region, and subvert the rights and dignity of Myanmar people. Canada will continue to monitor the situation, assessing the effectiveness of additional policy measures, taking further actions in coordination with our partners as the situation evolves.There is no immediate solution to this protracted crisis, and Canada acknowledges that an effective on-going response requires sustained effort, attention, commitment, and leadership on the part of Canada; the meaningful participation of Myanmar people, including Rohingya; and sustained coordination and engagement with key national, regional and international allies and partners. In this regard, we strongly welcome the petition and its calls for continued and strengthened engagement on the part of the Government of Canada.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyMyanmar
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01592441-01592 (Taxation)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Heating and transportation costs are already too expensive for many Canadians;Putting a federal tax on carbon will cost the average Canadian family over $847 after the so-called rebates each year; andThe Trudeau Liberal government has already announced that they will triple these taxes on hard-working Canadians.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to scrap the federal carbon tax.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandClimate action is critical to Canada’s long-term health and economic prosperity. Pollution pricing is widely recognized as an effective and the most efficient means of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, which is why the Government of Canada has made sure that it is no longer free to pollute in Canada.The federal price on pollution is revenue neutral for the government of Canada; the direct proceeds from the federal pollution pricing system remain in the province or territory where they are collected. Put simply, every dollar collected from the pollution price is returned.In provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, 90 percent of direct proceeds are returned to residents of those provinces through Climate Action Incentive (CAI) payments. Most households receive more in CAI payments than the costs they face from the federal price on pollution, with low- and middle-income households benefitting the most, on average. The other 10 percent is used to support small and medium sized businesses and Indigenous groups. Farmers are also receiving a portion of proceeds from the price on pollution through a refundable tax credit, meaning an estimated $100M was to be returned to farmers for 2021-22 and $120M will be returned for 2022-23.This year, through quarterly payments, a family of four will receive: $1,544 in Alberta, $1,056 in Manitoba, $976 in Ontario, and $1,360 in Saskatchewan. Starting in July 2023 when federal pollution pricing begins to apply in Atlantic Canada, a family of four will receive 3 quarterly payments totaling: $984 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $744 in Nova Scotia, $720 in Price Edward Island, and $552 in New Brunswick (double payment in October). Future years will contain four quarterly payments.Residents of small and rural communities are entitled to a 10 percent supplement beyond the base amount. 
Carbon tax
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01590441-01590 (Employment and labour)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS: Parents who experience the loss of a child are often left without financial support or job security while they are grieving;Motion 110 (42-1) called on the Government of Canada to improve the compassion and support offered to grieving parents by the federal government;The House of Commons passed Motion 110 (42-1) unanimously;The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities undertook a study on Motion 110 (42-1);The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities tabled a report entitled Supporting Families After the Loss of a Child, which contained seven key recommendations to improve the compassion and support offered to grieving parents by the federal government;The signatories of this petition recognize the announcement by the Government of Canada their intention to implement some of these recommendations in the 2023 Federal Budget; andThe Government of Canada has still not implemented all of the recommendations in the report.THEREFORE, we, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1- Implement a bereavement benefit for all grieving parents of pregnancy and infant loss; and2- Implement all seven of the recommendations contained within the report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities entitled Supporting Families After the Loss of a Child.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to implement a bereavement benefit for all grieving parents of pregnancy and infant loss and to implement all seven of the recommendations contained within the report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities entitled Supporting Families After the Loss of a Child.The Government welcomed the recommendations of the committee and responded along the key themes of:
  1. enhancing information and services for grieving families in a compassionate way;
  2. reducing financial hardships and supporting flexible return-to-work for parents who suffered the loss of a child; and,
  3. conducting policy analysis regarding supports for parents who have suffered the loss of a child.
For the full Government response to the committee, please visit: ourcommons.ca/content/Committee/421/HUMA/GovResponse/RP10555719/421_HUMA_Rpt14_GR/421_HUMA_Rpt14_GR-e.pdf.The Government acknowledges that grieving the loss of a child is difficult and that these events can have implications for Canadians’ mental and physical health, and that this can make it difficult to return to work. The Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits are available to eligible parents who need to step away from work due to the emotional or psychological distress caused by the loss of a loved one, including a child. On December 18, 2022, the Government announced an extension of EI sickness benefits from 15 weeks to 26 weeks for new claims beginning on or after this date.In addition, in the tragic event that the infant dies during the 15-week period surrounding childbirth, a parent who has established an EI maternity claim will continue to be eligible to receive benefits to support their recovery from pregnancy and childbirth. Maternity benefits are also payable to eligible parents in the event of a pregnancy loss (e.g., a stillbirth) that occurs during or after the 20th week of pregnancy.Part III of the Canada Labour Code (the Code) includes leave provisions to ensure that federally regulated private sector employees (about 6% of all Canadian employees) have job-protected leave while claiming an EI special benefit, including maternity and sickness benefits. Job protection is a federal-provincial/territorial responsibility and leave provisions included in PT labour standard legislation generally align with those from the Code.Since 2019, several changes have been made to the Code that can support grieving parents. These changes include:
  • the enhancement of bereavement leave, from three days with pay, immediately following the death of an immediate family member, to ten working days (including three days with pay) that can be taken up to six weeks after the funeral, memorial service or burial. An Act to Amend the Criminal Code of Canada and the Canada Labour Code (Bill C-3), which received Royal Assent in December 2021, includes amendments to bereavement leave that will provide up to eight weeks of unpaid leave for employees who experience a stillbirth or the death of a child. An order of the Governor in Council will be necessary to bring these provisions into force;
  • the addition of a new personal leave of five days (including three days with pay) that can be used by parents to attend to any urgent matter concerning their family members, including following the death of their child or a pregnancy loss;
  • the enhancement of medical leave without pay from 17 weeks to 27 weeks to align with the extension of EI sickness benefits, and entitling employees to earn and take up to 10 days of medical leave with pay per year; and,
  • the introduction of a right to request flexible work arrangements, which can help employees to cope with the death of their child by allowing them to formally request a change to the terms and conditions of their employment related to the number of hours they work, their work schedule, and the location of their work.
In addition, as announced in Budget 2023, the Government is committed to amend the Code to create a new stand-alone leave for employees who experience a pregnancy loss. This new leave will provide employees with time to begin their physical and emotional recovery without risk of losing their job or forfeiting income security.Building a modernized EI program remains an important part of the Government’s commitment to support workers. Work is underway to modernize the program, informed by the feedback received from individuals and stakeholders through substantive consultations held through 2021 and 2022, as well as changing economic conditions so that Canadians continue to be supported.Once again, the Government wishes to thank the petitioners.  Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
Deaths and funeralsEmployment insuranceInfantsLeave from work
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01588441-01588 (Foreign affairs)KevinWaughSaskatoon—GrasswoodConservativeSKJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:
  • Bangladesh government has abolished the caretaker government system from the constitution and conducted two general elections (2014 & 2018) in which they rigged ballots;
  • Law-enforcement agencies and the ruling government's party men filled ballot boxes the night before the 2018 general election to stay in power without people's mandate;
  • Four general elections (1991, 1996, 2001 & 2008) held under the caretaker government were free, fair, and credible;
  • With the absence of the Election Commission's independence and administrative power, a free and fair election can ever be held under the ruling government;
  • Thousands of forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture in remand, the crackdown on civil society and media, attacks on political opposition and minority people, and peaceful protesters, including students, continue even after USA sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB);
  • Police have arrested thousands of opposition political party activists, including many top political leaders while they were doing peaceful demonstrations demanding the restoration of caretaker government;
  • During the last few months, police killed at least a dozen political activists, including a former Member of Parliament; and
  • The ruling government has established its control over all the fundamental institutions, including the judiciary system to infringe on the citizens' human, democratic, and voting rights further.
THEREFORE: We, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to take all possible measures to help Bangladesh restore its human rights and democracy, and ensure a free, fair, and credible next general election.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada attaches great importance to protecting and promoting human rights and democracy, including respect for diversity, inclusive and accountable governance, and the rule of law. Canada recognizes the critical need to continue to strengthen human rights and democratic norms around the world, which is reflected in Canadian engagement with all international partners. As these values remain a priority for Canada’s engagement at home and abroad, they will also continue to be a core component of Canada’s engagement with the Government of Bangladesh.Canada was among the first countries to recognize Bangladesh’s independence and has continued to work in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh since then. In that period, Bangladesh has made remarkable strides in economic and social development. Additionally, during this period, Bangladeshis have demonstrated that they share many of the same values that are important to Canadians, including human rights, democracy and good governance.The Government of Canada, as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review in 2018, recommended that the Government of Bangladesh ensure freedom of assembly and expression for all people, media, civil society and political parties. For the upcoming Universal Periodic Review process for Bangladesh in 2023, Canada will again take the opportunity to advocate for core human rights.As it was with its economic and social development, Bangladeshis should be and will continue to be the most important actors in determining the progress of democracy, and human rights within Bangladesh. As with other bilateral partners, the Government of Canada will continue to engage the Government of Bangladesh on shared interests and issues in-line with these democratic principles in bilateral and multilateral fora.
BangladeshCivil and human rightsElectoral systemForeign policy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01587441-01587 (Foreign affairs)SameerZuberiPierrefonds—DollardLiberalQCJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 14, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The illegitimate military junta in Burma continues to indiscriminately kill, torture, rape, imprison and displace civilians, particularly through air strikes, causing an increased need for vital humanitarian assistance;
  • Communications infrastructure within the country, often used to warn civilians of imminent attack, has been destroyed by the military;
  • The state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises (MOGE) accounts for the majority of funding the military receives to commit human rights atrocities; and
  • Canada has outlined its own obligation to aid in the Myanmar crisis as reported in "Canada's strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises (2021 to 2024)" as well our commitment under the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to:
  • Call on the military junta in Burma to immediately cease all executions, atrocities and human rights abuses against civilians;
  • Increase humanitarian aid into Burma, especially via local civil society organizations working cross-border from neighbouring countries, to more adequately address the needs of vulnerable communities;
  • Provide the technological and logistical support for communication infrastructure to establish early-warning systems and air defence systems to warn and protect civilians from aerial attacks, to save lives and prevent human rights abuses;
  • Call on insurance companies to stop providing insurance cover for deliveries of aviation fuel to Burma;
  • Impose sanctions against MOGE, including blocking direct and indirect oil and gas purchases that support the Burmese regime;
  • Swiftly implement the objectives set out in the aforementioned strategy and uphold our international obligation of R2P;
  • Refuse to engage or recognize the junta's State Administration Council (SAC) in any regional or international fora;
  • Promote ongoing dialogue among pro-democracy groups and diaspora groups, with a view to helping the Burmese people to develop an inclusive democracy with full recognition and representation of all ethnic minority communities, including Rohingya; and
  • Provide assistance to Burma's politicians and citizens to support the development of a federal democratic system and power sharing that would provide a solution for the country of multiethnic people who have been living together before the country could be called Burma.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has unequivocally condemned the February 2021 military coup against the democratically-elected government of Myanmar, and supports the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations in the face of brutality and egregious international human rights and humanitarian law violations. Canada continues to call for the cessation of violence and armed conflict; the release of all who are unjustly detained; immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access; and a halt on sales and transfer of arms, military equipment and technical support, which fuel the conflict and undermine stability in the country and the region. Canada is concerned by a growing humanitarian crisis, democratic and economic reversals, reports of egregious human rights and humanitarian law violations, and the potential for growing instability and insecurity in Myanmar, with implications for the region and diminished prospects for the safe, voluntary and dignified return for Rohingya currently in Bangladesh. Canada condemns escalating attacks against civilians, including airstrikes of populated and civilian areas with heavy weaponry, and the arbitrary detention, and deaths of civilians, all of which have deepened the humanitarian crisis.Canada is also concerned by the politicization of the judiciary and the precipitous decline in human rights protections and media freedoms. The erosion of the right to free, fair and impartial trials, and the resumption of capital punishment after a 30-year de-facto moratorium is of particular concern. Canada opposes the death penalty at all times, everywhere. Canada, along with international partners, condemned the execution of pro-democracy opposition leaders and supporters in 2022, underscoring that these actions exemplify the regime’s efforts to silence political opposition and exemplify blatant disregard for the upholding of human rights and the rule of law.Canada supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) and its resolute efforts to address this crisis through the ASEAN Five-Point-Consensus, while remaining increasingly concerned by lack of progress on this agreement’s implementation in the face of the regime’s intransigence. Full and timely implementation of the Five-Point-Consensus remains critical as is ASEAN’s continued downgrading of Myanmar representation at ASEAN high-level meetings and fora.Responding to the interlinked Myanmar and Rohingya crises remains a priority for Canada. On June 20, 2022, Canada announced the second phase of its Strategy to respond to the Myanmar and Rohingya crises, dedicating $288.3 million over three years (2021-2024) to address the medium- and longer-term needs and human rights of Rohingya refugees and other conflict-affected populations in Myanmar. Of this amount, $83 million supports development programming in Myanmar; $145 million for development programming for Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh; and $24 million for Peace and Stabilization Operations programming. The Strategy supports at-risk and affected populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh, particularly Rohingya refugees, internally displaced persons, and impacted host communities; intensifies efforts to advance an inclusive and sustainable peace in Myanmar; supports efforts to advance a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Myanmar, including engagement with pro-democracy stakeholders; and, increases pressure on malign actors, including through continued pursuit of accountability for human rights violations and targeted sanctions efforts.While ensuring that no funding or support is going to the regime, Canada continues to provide development and humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable, working through UN and civil society organizations, including local networks and alliance-based partners. Canada continues to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance for crisis-affected populations, in accordance with needs on the ground. For example, in 2022, Canada has contributed $10.3 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to address the needs of crisis-affected people in Myanmar, including support to the Rohingya population. Canada has also contributed $15.3 million in humanitarian assistance in Bangladesh, to help address the needs of Rohingya refugees. More recently, on June 1st, 2023 Canada announced $4 million in additional humanitarian assistance funding in Myanmar, and $1 million in funding for Bangladesh in response to Cyclone Mocha. Cross-border in Bangladesh, Canada continues to play a leading role in marshalling the response to the refugee crisis, leveraging a strong position on accountability and credibility as a top international donor.Canada has a legacy of support for democracy and federalism globally and in Myanmar, continuing to support the democratic aspirations of the Myanmar people and those who work peacefully to advance an inclusive democratic future. Canada engages with the range of pro-democracy stakeholders advancing and modeling a democratic peaceful and inclusive vision for Myanmar, including with high-level engagement such as the recent meeting between Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a senior appointed representative of the National Unity Government of Myanmar. Canada is a steadfast supporter of the need to address the root causes in Myanmar that led to the violent expulsion of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh, the coup, and decades of conflict with ethnic minority armed groups. The Government of Canada’s current Strategy and commitments are centred on the meaningful participation and diverse representation, including Rohingya, women and youth.Canada prioritizes ending impunity and ensuring accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations in Myanmar and justice for survivors, including Rohingya. Canada does this through support to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), and our announced intention to intervene, with the Netherlands, in The Gambia’s case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. Canada strongly supported the historic United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2669 – Security Council Demands Immediate End of Violence in Myanmar, Urges Restraint, Release of Arbitrary Detained Prisoners (December 2022), and co-sponsored the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/52/L.19 - Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar (April 2023). At the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Prosecutor’s investigation into allegations of forced deportation as a crime against humanity has presented an opportunity for accountability, although Canada continues to call for the UNSC to refer the situation to the ICC, so that the commission of all serious international crimes under the Rome Statute can be investigated.Canada, in close coordination with international partners, has imposed seven rounds of sanctions since the coup as part of Canada’s commitment to support democracy and ending impunity in Myanmar, with the most recent on January 31, 2023. Canada’s sanctions are in direct response to the regime’s continued disregard for the human rights of the people of Myanmar and target senior members of the regime who are using their respective roles to abuse the rule of law and remove political opposition, thus contributing to a grave breach of international peace and the deteriorating security situation. Through these sanctions, Canada has also targeted arms and aviation fuel procurement, and was the first country to impose a prohibition on aviation fuel in respond to the regime’s continued targeting of civilians in violation of international law. Canada, alongside its international partners, will continue to respond to actions that constitute a grave breach of international peace and security, threaten stability in the region, and subvert the rights and dignity of Myanmar people. Canada will continue to monitor the situation, assessing the effectiveness of additional policy measures, taking further actions in coordination with our partners as the situation evolves.There is no immediate solution to this protracted crisis, and Canada acknowledges that an effective on-going response requires sustained effort, attention, commitment, and leadership on the part of Canada; the meaningful participation of Myanmar people, including Rohingya; and sustained coordination and engagement with key national, regional and international allies and partners. In this regard, we strongly welcome the petition and its calls for continued and strengthened engagement on the part of the Government of Canada.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyMyanmar
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4271e-4271 (Health)CatherineConnellyLoriIdloutNunavutNDPNUJanuary 31, 2023, at 3:14 p.m. (EDT)May 31, 2023, at 3:14 p.m. (EDT)June 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 1, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>We, the undersigned, residents of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, residents from surrounding communities, and people who support equal access to quality health care draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following: That midwifery and maternal childcare in Rankin Inlet is unsustainable and almost absent, and that it is the right of all Canadians to have equal access to quality health care; Midwives play a critical role in supporting reproductive rights and health promotion for persons across the life span. In addition, midwives provide comprehensive care during pregnancy and delivery care for low-risk pregnancies;Without a consistent midwifery presence many more pregnancies will be high risk; It is the right of all Canadians to have equal access to quality health care. Devaluing the midwifery program in Rankin Inlet causes both Indigenous health and women's health to be devalued, which must not be allowed to occur; andWomen and families in Rankin Inlet deserve to have stable, consistent midwives in their own community, who will support women in all aspects of their reproductive health.Therefore, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to support consistent, equitable, sustainable, Inuit-led, comprehensive midwifery services in Rankin Inlet.
Response by the Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern OntarioSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): VANCE BADAWEYAll Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples who live in the North, must have fair and equitable access to quality and culturally safe healthcare services, from any health professional, anywhere they are and any time they need it. While the territorial government is responsible for the delivery of health care in Nunavut, and would be best placed to speak to midwifery services in Nunavut, I can speak to the federal initiatives currently underway and support provided by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). Since 2015, ISC, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, has provided over $968.6 million in Grants and Contributions funding to support the provision of health care for Inuit and First Nations residents of Nunavut.In 2021, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $126.7 million over three years for ISC and Health Canada to take action to foster health systems free from racism and discrimination where Indigenous Peoples are respected and safe. Implementation of this funding, alongside ongoing discussions with provinces, territories, Indigenous partners, and health systems partners over the following two years, were intended to develop a more comprehensive, longer-term and national approach to address anti-Indigenous racism in health systems and develop options by 2023-24.The funding was distributed to the Inuit Land Claim Organizations as per the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Board of Directors approved general funding allocation formula. ISC has flowed a total of $2,680,851 over three years, starting in 2021-22, to Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated as a result of Budget 2017 and Budget 2021 to support the expansion of midwifery and doula services, including the staffing of a midwifery policy analyst as part of the anti-Indigenous racism initiative. This will enable Inuit-led research and engagement of partners  and subject matter experts on the creation of a new legislative, regulatory, and training framework to support the restoration of traditional birthing and pathways to re-establishing an Inuit midwifery training program in Nunavut.In addition, work is well underway in Nunavut for the co-development of the distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation. ISC provided funding to Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated to conduct their engagement process with their members. Throughout this phase, Inuit partners raised a number of priority areas for Indigenous health legislation to address, one of which was midwifery and reproductive health.ISC then moved into the co-development phase for the Indigenous Health Legislation initiative. This phase is now wrapping up. Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the four Inuit regions, and Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada created an Indigenous Health Legislation sub-working group stemming from the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee that met bi-weekly. The Inuit table focused on thematic discussions, including on Inuit midwifery and reproductive health, and was guided by the “Inuit-Crown Co-development Principles”.Although co-development discussions are wrapping up, there are various upcoming opportunities to inform the proposed legislation should you be interested. We will be looking to share proposed legislative key elements with Indigenous partners in late summer for feedback, followed by consultation drafts in late fall/early winter. It is anticipated that the bill will be tabled in winter 2024. ISC will continue to work very closely with partners on this very important initiative.While progress is being made, please be assured that we recognize that gaps remain and that more help is needed. We continue to be committed to working with Indigenous leaders, partners and organizations to improve First Nations, Inuit, and Métis community health and wellness, including through enhancing access to culturally-relevant programs and services.I appreciate you taking the time to raise your concerns and advocate for the needs of Nunavummiut.
Health care systemInuitMidwifery and midwives
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01584441-01584 (Transportation)MarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 16, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • Free parking for the disabled should be harmonized across Canada;
  • Canada has federal and provincial continuity in most matters concerning rights and accessibility rights;
  • The matter of free parking for the disabled is not addressed in current law uniformly, and that it is one very important area of accessibility;
  • The cost and effort of parking for the disabled and mobility challenged presents a barrier to accessibility;
  • Not having free APP (Accessibility Parking Pass) parking, and continuity with it, is a significant challenge for those with mobility issues that travel to new areas, cities, and provinces;
  • It can be even harder for those traveling here from other countries, ones that have addressed this challenge;
  • Caregivers and families need this continuity when they are called upon to help with transport;
  • Several Canadian cities, including Toronto, Mississauga, Burlington, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Hamilton, St Catharines, Windsor, Sarnia, Sault Ste Marie, Cornwall, London, Brampton, Halifax, and Quebec City, allow for free parking for APP holders; and
  • Several countries, including Switzerland, Turkey, Cost Rica, Iceland, Argentina, Australia, Great Britain, the Entire EU, and more, all allow APP free parking, even for disabled who are visiting from other countries, and we should as well.
Therefore, we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to work with the provinces and territories to make parking free for all Accessibility Parking Pass holders, nationally.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Annie KoutrakisWhile Transport Canada has a mandate to ensure that the federal transportation network is without barriers for persons with disabilities, in Canada, policies for accessible parking (including accessible parking permits) fall under provincial and territorial government authority. The responsibility for enacting and enforcing bylaws on parking permits and the use of designated accessible parking spaces is then delegated to cities and municipalities. This means that there is variation of policies from one province or territory to another.The Government of Canada has a Mutual Recognition of Parking Badges Agreement for Persons with Disabilities (https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/policies/mutual-recognition-parking-badges-agreement-persons-disabilities), which was first established in 1978 at the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) Council of Ministers, and later updated in 1997. All ECMT Member Countries, as well as ECMT Associated Countries have the right to the same parking concessions as nationals in all ECMT countries, with the only condition being that the vehicle must display a valid badge showing the international wheelchair symbol.Transport Canada remains committed in ensuring an accessible transportation system for all Canadians and will continue to work with other government departments, and provinces and territories towards that goal. 
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada is committed to identifying, removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and improving financial security for persons with disabilities.The Accessible Canada Act (ACA), which came into force in 2019, requires regulated entities to proactively identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility in seven (7) priority areas. While transportation is one of the priority areas set out in the ACA, the issuance of accessible parking passes, including applicable fees, is a provincial/territorial matter.In addition, municipal governments are responsible for setting parking regulations, including whether accessible parking pass holders must pay for parking. Recognizing the importance of creating seamless experiences for persons with disabilities, harmonization of accessible parking requirements and/or fees may be an area for future multi-jurisdictional collaboration.The Government of Canada understands that there are many extra costs associated with having a disability. These costs can be a significant hardship for Canadians with disabilities who are already living on a low income. According to the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability, working age Canadians with disabilities experience poverty at nearly twice the rate of working age Canadians without disabilities (23% vs 12%).To better support persons with disabilities, the Government released its first-ever Disability Inclusion Action Plan?a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to disability inclusion. A cornerstone of the Action Plan is the Canada Disability Benefit initiative. The Canada Disability Benefit Act (Bill C-22) received Royal Assent on June 22, 2023. The Act is framework legislation that establishes the Canada Disability Benefit to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities. 
Permits and licencesPersons with disabilitiesRoads and road transportation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4397e-4397 (Transportation)StanisSmithBonitaZarrilloPort Moody—CoquitlamNDPBCApril 18, 2023, at 10:55 a.m. (EDT)June 17, 2023, at 10:55 a.m. (EDT)June 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="271245" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Transport</Addressee>Whereas:Transport Canada establishes the regulatory framework for NAV CANADA;That regulatory framework includes minimizing the impact of aircraft noise and emissions on communities; andNAV CANADA is proposing to change the flightpaths over the Greater Vancouver region in ways that will increase noise and emissions in many residential areas currently unaffected by flightpaths.We, the undersigned, residents of the Greater Vancouver region, call upon the Minister of Transport to prepare an independent environmental assessment of the noise and emissions impacts of the proposed flightpaths, including recommendations for minimizing such impacts, prior to the proposed changes taking place. This environmental assessment should be based on the latest global research and recommendations for noise and emissions limits, should be independent of NAV CANADA, and should be made public when completed.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Annie Koutrakis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of TransportNAV CANADA is undertaking the Vancouver Airspace Modernization Project to modernize the airspace over the Greater Vancouver Region and Southern Vancouver Island to enhance aviation safety by introducing new procedures based on current design standards and modern satellite-based navigation technologies, while reducing the industry’s environmental impacts. This project is to ensure the modernized airspace can safely and efficiently support long-term demand for air travel, which is a key driver for the local and Canadian economy.  NAV CANADA is a private, arm's length corporation responsible for the provision of air navigation services in Canada. This responsibility was transferred from Transport Canada to NAV CANADA in 1996 in accordance with the Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act. Transport Canada provides safety oversight for these services and the focus is on the safety and security of the civil aviation system, which is regulated through the Aeronautics Act and Canadian Aviation Regulations.  Redesigning airspace to accommodate the increasing demands for passenger, cargo, flight training and recreational operations with a wide range of aircraft types, in an area with many airports,  in the mountainous terrain and coastal region weather in the Vancouver Lower Mainland  is a complex matter. The project involves detailed analyses that assess the safety and efficiency of the flight paths within the context of changing technology and safety requirements, all while considering the impact of noise and emissions in the communities in the vicinity of an airport. Aircraft noise is a complicated and often difficult issue faced by airport authorities and communities around the world and it is essential that the public has the opportunity to provide their feedback on potential changes.  That is why the Government of Canada put forward Bill C-52, which if passed, would create a process for airports to notify and consult the public on changes to airport design that could affect aircraft noise.Some aircraft, like cars, can be noisier than others due to age, model, modifications, and how close they are to public and private spaces. However, Canadian aircraft must meet noise standards outlined in the Canadian Aviation Regulations at the time of certification. Further information can be found here: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/operating-airports-aerodromes/managing-noise-aircraft   In the matter of authority to require an environmental assessment of the potential airspace change, such authority is vested with Environment and Climate Change Canada. This department has confirmed that airspace changes are not included in the Physical Activity Regulations that would trigger an assessment under the Impact Assessment Act. Inquiries regarding activities that are outside of the Physical Activity Regulations can be made by email at: enviroinfo@ec.gc.caTransport Canada previously worked with Canadian airports and NAV CANADA to develop a voluntary protocol for the aviation industry entitled Airspace Change Communications and Consultation Protocol that was published in 2015. This protocol amplified the aviation industry’s commitment to include environmental considerations to communicate and consult with communities. More information can be found here: https://www.navcanada.ca/en/aviation-industry-airspace-change-communications-and-consultation-protocol-en.pdf  NAV CANADA is already following this voluntary protocol for the Vancouver Airspace Modernization Project to assess noise and emissions impacts. NAV CANADA has also been communicating and consulting with stakeholders and the public and they will continue until all recommendations are formalized. Reports on the Vancouver Airspace Modernization Project are anticipated to be released in late August or early September 2023. The Reports will be made public and additional discussions will occur early this Fall. Noise related issues and suggestions for airport operating restrictions are discussions that would be best addressed with Vancouver International Airport’s management. Contact details for their executive team can be found here: https://www.yvr.ca/en/about-yvr/leadership-and-accountability/the-executive-committee. 
Air trafficEnvironmental assessmentNoise and noise pollutionVancouver
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01581441-01581 (Environment)PeterFragiskatosLondon North CentreLiberalONJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023March 3, 2023Petition to the Prime Minister and the Government of CanadaWHEREAS Canada must address the climate emergency.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada to enact just transition legislation that:
  • Reduces emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels by 2030, and makes significant contributions to emissions reductions in countries in the Global South;
  • Winds down the fossil fuel industry and related infrastructure, ends fossil fuel subsidies, and transitions to a decarbonized economy;
  • Creates new public economic institutions and expands public ownership of services and utilities across the economy to implement the transition;
  • Creates good green jobs and drives inclusive workforce development, led by and including affected workers and communities, and ensures decent, low-carbon work for all workers;
  • Protects and strengthens human rights and worker rights, respects Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and knowledge by including them in creating and implementing this legislation, ensures migrant justice, and emphasizes support for historically marginalized communities;
  • Expands the social safety net through new income supports, decarbonized public housing, and operational funding for affordable and accessible public transit countrywide; and
  • Pays for the transition by increasing taxes on the wealthiest and corporations and financing through a public national bank.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTSince 2015, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. It understands that accelerated efforts are crucial to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rapidly by 2030, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.In 2021, Canada adopted an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels and passed legislation to enshrine its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. On March 29, 2022, Canada tabled the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy (2030 ERP) in Parliament. The 2030 ERP is the Government’s most recent, major step to take action to meet Canada’s climate objectives, and create good, sustainable jobs in Canada.Achieving Canada's climate goals requires all sectors of the economy to pursue decarbonization in ways that make cleaner initiatives more affordable and create new, sustainable job opportunities for workers. In addition, the 2030 ERP reflects input received from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories, and the Net Zero Advisory Body.Investments in Indigenous-led climate action are critical to enabling Indigenous peoples to advance their self-determined priorities. Since the release of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, in December 2020, the federal government has committed more than $2 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities, including initiatives to facilitate the transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience and adaptation, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects, among others. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF), as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients. In the 2030 ERP and Budget 2022, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to co-develop and implement a model of climate partnership that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous science and knowledge systems in national climate policy. The 2030 ERP builds on significant progress Canada has already made to address climate change, including the actions outlined in the PCF and Canada’s strengthened climate plan. With the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada is taking action by:
  • working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, and others to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Following consultations, the cap will be designed to lower emissions at a pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, reduce oil and gas methane by at least 75% below 2012 levels by 2030, support clean technologies to further decarbonize the sector, and work to create sustainable jobs;
  • developing a national net-zero by 2050 buildings strategy, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy;
  • investing in nature and natural climate solutions through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions;
  • working with provinces, territories, industry, and other stakeholders on the design of a clean electricity standard to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035;
  • helping industries decarbonize by adopting clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage strategy; and
  • ensuring that workers and communities are able to benefit from the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents, including by making significant investments in skills training and continuing consultations on the development of sustainable jobs and skills legislation.
The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities across the country work together to reach these targets, Canada will identify and respond to new opportunities.Canada has also committed to phase out or rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. It has already taken actions to phase out or rationalize eight tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector. Addressing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies supports Canada’s efforts to take action on climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy.Canada also contributes to emissions reduction in developing countries through its climate finance. Initiatives under Canada’s previous $2.65 billion climate finance commitment led to significant emissions reduced or avoided. In addition, its current $5.3 billion commitment (2021-2026) features Clean Energy Transition and Coal Phase-Out as a focus area.Under this focus area, Canada supports efforts to reduce GHG emissions in developing countries by investing in initiatives that phase out coal-powered emissions, foster equitable access to clean energy solutions, promote energy-efficient technologies, and support the clean energy sector enabling environment in key coal-dependent regions. In line with this, Canada has recently dedicated $43 million to energy transition programming, including a $5 million contribution to the South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership, and an $8 million contribution to the International Energy Agency’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme. With G7 partners, Canada is also providing support to new Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) with countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam, including through its $1 billion commitment to the Climate Investment Funds Accelerating Coal Transitions Program among other sources of support. JETPs are a new model of international energy, climate, and economic assistance for emerging and developing countries to accelerate their transitions to cleaner, more climate resilient economies, while also including the perspectives and needs of workers and communities.This priority complements Canada’s leadership through the Powering Past Coal Alliance. This initiative, which Canada co-leads with the United Kingdom, works to increase global ambition on coal phase-out and supports developing countries by sharing expertise and best practices. Canada’s public climate finance also helps mobilize private capital, which is a key component of climate action, including for clean energy transition.        
Response by the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our allies need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in recently announced investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government announced the implementation of this commitment with the release of the policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures set out in this commitment. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, describes the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Furthermore, as committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan released in early 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023, which will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill will require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables were created to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada so that each can realize its comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy. The federal government has jointly launched nine such Regional Tables already, with British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the Fall Economic Statement announced funding to create a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program, and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykOn June 15, 2023, the Government of Canada introduced a bill entitled An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy (Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act). The legislation will put workers and communities at the centre of policy and decision-making by establishing a federal framework for accountability, a governance structure and engagement mechanisms — all guided by the principles of equity, fairness and inclusion. These include:
  • creating a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide the government, through a process of ongoing social dialogue and engagement, with independent advice on the most effective measures to encourage sustainable job creation and to support workers and communities in the transition to a low-carbon economy;
  • publishing a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years, beginning in 2025, to put in place measures to invest in the net-zero emissions economy and support the workers in accessing the skills they need to participate in this economy; and,
  • establishing a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat to support the implementation of the proposed Act, support the Council, and coordinate work across Government departments.
The Act will hold future governments to account with respect to supporting Canada’s workers in a changing global economy. Similar to the Net-Zero Accountability Act, it will put into place structures, guidelines and accountability mechanisms to help Canadians judge the performance of this and future governments in this space.On February 17, the Government released the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan 2023-2025, which included 10 concrete actions being taken to support the creation of sustainable jobs and help workers in every part of Canada.This interim plan and the Act are informed by over two years of consultations and conversations with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, workers and unions, industry, environmental and civil society organizations and interested Canadians. This interim plan defines the federal government’s commitment to make progress on implementing the 10 key action areas, including a high-level summary of the approach to moving forward with sustainable jobs legislation.The Government of Canada has also been working to move forward on a path to a net-zero emissions economy for several years. Since 2015, the Government has earmarked $120 billion to help achieve climate and environment objectives, accelerate economic growth, and support the creation of sustainable jobs.For example, Budget 2021 announced a new Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program(SWSP), to support key sectors of the economy, including those linked to the clean economy, to implement solutions to address current and emerging workforce needs. The program will help employers and connect Canadians with the training they need to access good jobs in sectors where employers are looking for skilled workers, such as the renewable energy sector. It will also place priority on supporting equity-deserving groups and promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce.The Government of Canada has also announced in Budget 2021 a new Community Workforce Development Program that will fund projects at a national and regional level to:
  • Support community workforce planning by bringing together organizations from across public, private, labour and not-for-profit sectors to match local sources of labour with employer demand;
  • Train displaced workers to acquire the skills, knowledge and experience that would enable them to meet employers’ on-the-job expectations; and
  • Employ workers in new jobs contributing to stimulating economic growth.
Budget 2022 proposed to provide $2.5 million in 2022-23 for Employment and Social Development Canada to launch a new union-led advisory table to advise the Government on priorities for helping workers navigate the changing labour market.The 2022 Fall Economic Statement (FES) further proposes to provide $250 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to help ensure Canadian workers can thrive in a changing global economy. Specific measures include: a Sustainable Jobs Training Centre, a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and a new Sustainable Jobs Secretariat.The Sustainable Jobs Training Centre will bring together workers, unions, employers, and training institutions across the country to examine the skills of the labour force today, forecast future skills requirements, and develop curriculum, micro-credentials, and on-site learning to help 15,000 workers upgrade or gain new skills for jobs in a low-carbon economy. The Centre would focus on specific areas in high demand, starting with the sustainable battery industry and low-carbon building and retrofits.The FES also proposes to put in place a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program to support unions in leading the development of green skills training for works in the trades. It is expected that 20,000 apprentices and journeypersons would benefit from this investment.To effectively support workers on the road to sustainable, good-paying jobs, the FES also proposes to launch the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat to offer a one-stop shop for workers and employers. It will provide the most up to date information on federal programs, funding, and services across government departments as Canada works to build a low-carbon economy with opportunities for everyone.
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01580441-01580 (Environment)RachelBlaneyNorth Island—Powell RiverNDPBCJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023December 13, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Foam from marine infrastructure is an increasing source of pollution on Canada's beaches;
  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS), commonly known as StyrofoamTM, in the marine environment can cause significant harm to marine life, seafood resources and ecosystems;
  • EPS is difficult to impossible to clean up from shorelines after it breaks down and has a high likelihood of entering the marine environment from damaged marine infrastructure, whether encased or not; and
  • The Qathet Regional District and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities have unanimously endorsed the prohibition of EPS in marine environments.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon on the Government of Canada to prohibit the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in the marine environment.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Government of Canada recognizes that plastic pollution affects wildlife and habitats, burdens economies, threatens livelihoods, and impacts the spaces Canadians cherish. This is a critical global challenge that requires prompt action. As such, the Government of Canada is committed to working with all levels of government, industry, civil society and others to reduce plastic pollution from land and aquatic sources and transition to circular and sustainable systems where plastics stay in the economy and out of the environment.The Government is implementing its comprehensive plan through a range of complementary actions spanning the plastics lifecycle to reduce plastic waste, enable a circular plastics economy and protect the environment from plastic pollution. This includes:
  • strengthening plastics economy and pollution science and investing in innovations;
  • banning certain categories of single-use plastics, including expanded and extruded polystyrene foam foodservice ware;
  • developing minimum recycled content requirements for plastic items;
  • introducing rules to enhance the labelling of recyclable and compostable plastics and better inform consumers;
  • establishing a recycling target for plastic beverage containers;
  • designing a federal plastics registry that will require producers to report on plastics they place on the Canadian economy to support provincial and territorial extended producer responsibility efforts; and
  • working with countries and other stakeholders to develop a new legally-binding global instrument on plastic pollution.
The Government is also working with provinces and territories through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to implement the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste and its associated Action Plan. This includes the recent publication of a roadmap to manage single-use and disposable plastics as well as guidance to facilitate consistent extended producer responsibility programs for plastics. Additional work is underway to create guidance to inform consumer behaviours and target plastic pollution sources.Expanded polystyrene (EPS), due to its buoyancy, functionality and cost, is often used in the marine environment for floating structures (e.g. docks and buoys), boat stands, storage, seafood packaging, or in recreational items like surfboards. EPS is also used in consumer goods and packaging such as food containers, cups and lids, and in other sectors (e.g. construction). The Government recognizes that the mismanagement of these materials can result in its breakdown and release into the environment as a form of plastic pollution.Some efforts are currently in place to target the use of EPS in marine infrastructure. In 2021, the Province of Ontario adopted legislation to prohibit unencapsulated expanded or extruded polystyrene in floating docks, floating platforms and buoys. In addition, some dock manufacturers no longer offer unencapsulated foam.The Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ (DFO) Small Craft Harbours program is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of Canada’s network of fishing harbours, which are used by commercial fish and seafood harvesters. Over the past 20 years, the program has been moving away from using uncoated polystyrene and adopting other, more environmentally friendly floating mechanisms in the construction of its floating docks. All polystyrene currently installed at these harbours is coated with high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a water resistant material that reduces product breakdown and is more durable in the marine environment.Another source of EPS pollution in the marine environment is from abandoned, lost or discarded shellfish aquaculture gear in the form of floats and buoys, or as large pieces of floatation for raft structures. While aquaculture is a shared jurisdiction in Canada, the Government of Canada issues aquaculture licences under the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations in British Columbia. In 2021, DFO introduced new shellfish aquaculture conditions of licence, which directly address the issue of marine plastic litter and ghost gear in British Columbia’s coastal waters. The new licence conditions support lost gear identification, foam floatation pollution reduction, and regular clean-ups of licensed facilities. DFO also secured $1.3 million in funding for the removal of 13,000 cubic metres of degraded polystyrene floatation from British Columbia’s waters, replacing it with highly durable, air-filled, foam-free floatation. This is the equivalent of 52 billion foam microbeads being removed from the ocean. These efforts contribute to the Government of Canada’s commitments under the Ocean Plastics Charter and the implementation of its comprehensive plan to reduce plastic pollution, including leading several large-scale clean-ups of abandoned and degrading shellfish farm facilities. On the West Coast of Vancouver Island and in the Pendrell Sound Rockfish Conservation Area.The Government of Canada does not intend to prohibit the use of EPS in the marine environment at this time. The Government will continue to review the performance of existing management measures and will work with partners and stakeholders to identify areas where further action is needed.  
BanCoastal areasExpanded polystyrenePollution
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01579441-01579 (Foreign affairs)ClaudeDeBellefeuilleSalaberry—SuroîtBloc QuébécoisQCJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 16, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The illegitimate military junta in Burma continues to indiscriminately kill, torture, rape, imprison and displace civilians, particularly through air strikes, causing an increased need for vital humanitarian assistance;
  • Communications infrastructure within the country, often used to warn civilians of imminent attack, has been destroyed by the military;
  • The state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises (MOGE) accounts for the majority of funding the military receives to commit human rights atrocities; and
  • Canada has outlined its own obligation to aid in the Myanmar crisis as reported in "Canada's strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises (2021 to 2024)" as well our commitment under the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to:
  • Call on the military junta in Burma to immediately cease all executions, atrocities and human rights abuses against civilians;
  • Increase humanitarian aid into Burma, especially via local civil society organizations working cross-border from neighbouring countries, to more adequately address the needs of vulnerable communities;
  • Provide the technological and logistical support for communication infrastructure to establish early-warning systems and air defence systems to warn and protect civilians from aerial attacks, to save lives and prevent human rights abuses;
  • Call on insurance companies to stop providing insurance cover for deliveries of aviation fuel to Burma;
  • Impose sanctions against MOGE, including blocking direct and indirect oil and gas purchases that support the Burmese regime;
  • Swiftly implement the objectives set out in the aforementioned strategy and uphold our international obligation of R2P;
  • Refuse to engage or recognize the junta's State Administration Council (SAC) in any regional or international fora;
  • Promote ongoing dialogue among pro-democracy groups and diaspora groups, with a view to helping the Burmese people to develop an inclusive democracy with full recognition and representation of all ethnic minority communities, including Rohingya; and
  • Provide assistance to Burma's politicians and citizens to support the development of a federal democratic system and power sharing that would provide a solution for the country of multiethnic people who have been living together before the country could be called Burma.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has unequivocally condemned the February 2021 military coup against the democratically-elected government of Myanmar, and supports the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations in the face of brutality and egregious international human rights and humanitarian law violations. Canada continues to call for the cessation of violence and armed conflict; the release of all who are unjustly detained; immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access; and a halt on sales and transfer of arms, military equipment and technical support, which fuel the conflict and undermine stability in the country and the region. Canada is concerned by a growing humanitarian crisis, democratic and economic reversals, reports of egregious human rights and humanitarian law violations, and the potential for growing instability and insecurity in Myanmar, with implications for the region and diminished prospects for the safe, voluntary and dignified return for Rohingya currently in Bangladesh. Canada condemns escalating attacks against civilians, including airstrikes of populated and civilian areas with heavy weaponry, and the arbitrary detention, and deaths of civilians, all of which have deepened the humanitarian crisis.Canada is also concerned by the politicization of the judiciary and the precipitous decline in human rights protections and media freedoms. The erosion of the right to free, fair and impartial trials, and the resumption of capital punishment after a 30-year de-facto moratorium is of particular concern. Canada opposes the death penalty at all times, everywhere. Canada, along with international partners, condemned the execution of pro-democracy opposition leaders and supporters in 2022, underscoring that these actions exemplify the regime’s efforts to silence political opposition and exemplify blatant disregard for the upholding of human rights and the rule of law.Canada supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) and its resolute efforts to address this crisis through the ASEAN Five-Point-Consensus, while remaining increasingly concerned by lack of progress on this agreement’s implementation in the face of the regime’s intransigence. Full and timely implementation of the Five-Point-Consensus remains critical as is ASEAN’s continued downgrading of Myanmar representation at ASEAN high-level meetings and fora.Responding to the interlinked Myanmar and Rohingya crises remains a priority for Canada. On June 20, 2022, Canada announced the second phase of its Strategy to respond to the Myanmar and Rohingya crises, dedicating $288.3 million over three years (2021-2024) to address the medium- and longer-term needs and human rights of Rohingya refugees and other conflict-affected populations in Myanmar. Of this amount, $83 million supports development programming in Myanmar; $145 million for development programming for Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh; and $24 million for Peace and Stabilization Operations programming. The Strategy supports at-risk and affected populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh, particularly Rohingya refugees, internally displaced persons, and impacted host communities; intensifies efforts to advance an inclusive and sustainable peace in Myanmar; supports efforts to advance a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Myanmar, including engagement with pro-democracy stakeholders; and, increases pressure on malign actors, including through continued pursuit of accountability for human rights violations and targeted sanctions efforts.While ensuring that no funding or support is going to the regime, Canada continues to provide development and humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable, working through UN and civil society organizations, including local networks and alliance-based partners. Canada continues to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance for crisis-affected populations, in accordance with needs on the ground. For example, in 2022, Canada has contributed $10.3 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to address the needs of crisis-affected people in Myanmar, including support to the Rohingya population. Canada has also contributed $15.3 million in humanitarian assistance in Bangladesh, to help address the needs of Rohingya refugees. More recently, on June 1st, 2023 Canada announced $4 million in additional humanitarian assistance funding in Myanmar, and $1 million in funding for Bangladesh in response to Cyclone Mocha. Cross-border in Bangladesh, Canada continues to play a leading role in marshalling the response to the refugee crisis, leveraging a strong position on accountability and credibility as a top international donor.Canada has a legacy of support for democracy and federalism globally and in Myanmar, continuing to support the democratic aspirations of the Myanmar people and those who work peacefully to advance an inclusive democratic future. Canada engages with the range of pro-democracy stakeholders advancing and modeling a democratic peaceful and inclusive vision for Myanmar, including with high-level engagement such as the recent meeting between Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a senior appointed representative of the National Unity Government of Myanmar. Canada is a steadfast supporter of the need to address the root causes in Myanmar that led to the violent expulsion of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh, the coup, and decades of conflict with ethnic minority armed groups. The Government of Canada’s current Strategy and commitments are centred on the meaningful participation and diverse representation, including Rohingya, women and youth.Canada prioritizes ending impunity and ensuring accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations in Myanmar and justice for survivors, including Rohingya. Canada does this through support to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), and our announced intention to intervene, with the Netherlands, in The Gambia’s case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. Canada strongly supported the historic United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2669 – Security Council Demands Immediate End of Violence in Myanmar, Urges Restraint, Release of Arbitrary Detained Prisoners (December 2022), and co-sponsored the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/52/L.19 - Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar (April 2023). At the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Prosecutor’s investigation into allegations of forced deportation as a crime against humanity has presented an opportunity for accountability, although Canada continues to call for the UNSC to refer the situation to the ICC, so that the commission of all serious international crimes under the Rome Statute can be investigated.Canada, in close coordination with international partners, has imposed seven rounds of sanctions since the coup as part of Canada’s commitment to support democracy and ending impunity in Myanmar, with the most recent on January 31, 2023. Canada’s sanctions are in direct response to the regime’s continued disregard for the human rights of the people of Myanmar and target senior members of the regime who are using their respective roles to abuse the rule of law and remove political opposition, thus contributing to a grave breach of international peace and the deteriorating security situation. Through these sanctions, Canada has also targeted arms and aviation fuel procurement, and was the first country to impose a prohibition on aviation fuel in respond to the regime’s continued targeting of civilians in violation of international law. Canada, alongside its international partners, will continue to respond to actions that constitute a grave breach of international peace and security, threaten stability in the region, and subvert the rights and dignity of Myanmar people. Canada will continue to monitor the situation, assessing the effectiveness of additional policy measures, taking further actions in coordination with our partners as the situation evolves.There is no immediate solution to this protracted crisis, and Canada acknowledges that an effective on-going response requires sustained effort, attention, commitment, and leadership on the part of Canada; the meaningful participation of Myanmar people, including Rohingya; and sustained coordination and engagement with key national, regional and international allies and partners. In this regard, we strongly welcome the petition and its calls for continued and strengthened engagement on the part of the Government of Canada.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyMyanmar
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01577441-01577 (Foreign affairs)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJune 21, 2023August 16, 2023June 16, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • The illegitimate military junta in Burma continues to indiscriminately kill, torture, rape, imprison and displace civilians, particularly through air strikes, causing an increased need for vital humanitarian assistance;
  • Communications infrastructure within the country, often used to warn civilians of imminent attack, has been destroyed by the military;
  • The state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprises (MOGE) accounts for the majority of funding the military receives to commit human rights atrocities; and
  • Canada has outlined its own obligation to aid in the Myanmar crisis as reported in "Canada's strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises (2021 to 2024)" as well our commitment under the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, call on the Government of Canada to:
  • Call on the military junta in Burma to immediately cease all executions, atrocities and human rights abuses against civilians;
  • Increase humanitarian aid into Burma, especially via local civil society organizations working cross-border from neighbouring countries, to more adequately address the needs of vulnerable communities;
  • Provide the technological and logistical support for communication infrastructure to establish early-warning systems and air defence systems to warn and protect civilians from aerial attacks, to save lives and prevent human rights abuses;
  • Call on insurance companies to stop providing insurance cover for deliveries of aviation fuel to Burma;
  • Impose sanctions against MOGE, including blocking direct and indirect oil and gas purchases that support the Burmese regime;
  • Swiftly implement the objectives set out in the aforementioned strategy and uphold our international obligation of R2P;
  • Refuse to engage or recognize the junta's State Administration Council (SAC) in any regional or international fora;
  • Promote ongoing dialogue among pro-democracy groups and diaspora groups, with a view to helping the Burmese people to develop an inclusive democracy with full recognition and representation of all ethnic minority communities, including Rohingya; and
  • Provide assistance to Burma's politicians and citizens to support the development of a federal democratic system and power sharing that would provide a solution for the country of multiethnic people who have been living together before the country could be called Burma.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has unequivocally condemned the February 2021 military coup against the democratically-elected government of Myanmar, and supports the people of Myanmar and their democratic aspirations in the face of brutality and egregious international human rights and humanitarian law violations. Canada continues to call for the cessation of violence and armed conflict; the release of all who are unjustly detained; immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access; and a halt on sales and transfer of arms, military equipment and technical support, which fuel the conflict and undermine stability in the country and the region. Canada is concerned by a growing humanitarian crisis, democratic and economic reversals, reports of egregious human rights and humanitarian law violations, and the potential for growing instability and insecurity in Myanmar, with implications for the region and diminished prospects for the safe, voluntary and dignified return for Rohingya currently in Bangladesh. Canada condemns escalating attacks against civilians, including airstrikes of populated and civilian areas with heavy weaponry, and the arbitrary detention, and deaths of civilians, all of which have deepened the humanitarian crisis.Canada is also concerned by the politicization of the judiciary and the precipitous decline in human rights protections and media freedoms. The erosion of the right to free, fair and impartial trials, and the resumption of capital punishment after a 30-year de-facto moratorium is of particular concern. Canada opposes the death penalty at all times, everywhere. Canada, along with international partners, condemned the execution of pro-democracy opposition leaders and supporters in 2022, underscoring that these actions exemplify the regime’s efforts to silence political opposition and exemplify blatant disregard for the upholding of human rights and the rule of law.Canada supports the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) and its resolute efforts to address this crisis through the ASEAN Five-Point-Consensus, while remaining increasingly concerned by lack of progress on this agreement’s implementation in the face of the regime’s intransigence. Full and timely implementation of the Five-Point-Consensus remains critical as is ASEAN’s continued downgrading of Myanmar representation at ASEAN high-level meetings and fora.Responding to the interlinked Myanmar and Rohingya crises remains a priority for Canada. On June 20, 2022, Canada announced the second phase of its Strategy to respond to the Myanmar and Rohingya crises, dedicating $288.3 million over three years (2021-2024) to address the medium- and longer-term needs and human rights of Rohingya refugees and other conflict-affected populations in Myanmar. Of this amount, $83 million supports development programming in Myanmar; $145 million for development programming for Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh; and $24 million for Peace and Stabilization Operations programming. The Strategy supports at-risk and affected populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh, particularly Rohingya refugees, internally displaced persons, and impacted host communities; intensifies efforts to advance an inclusive and sustainable peace in Myanmar; supports efforts to advance a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Myanmar, including engagement with pro-democracy stakeholders; and, increases pressure on malign actors, including through continued pursuit of accountability for human rights violations and targeted sanctions efforts.While ensuring that no funding or support is going to the regime, Canada continues to provide development and humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable, working through UN and civil society organizations, including local networks and alliance-based partners. Canada continues to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance for crisis-affected populations, in accordance with needs on the ground. For example, in 2022, Canada has contributed $10.3 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to address the needs of crisis-affected people in Myanmar, including support to the Rohingya population. Canada has also contributed $15.3 million in humanitarian assistance in Bangladesh, to help address the needs of Rohingya refugees. More recently, on June 1st, 2023 Canada announced $4 million in additional humanitarian assistance funding in Myanmar, and $1 million in funding for Bangladesh in response to Cyclone Mocha. Cross-border in Bangladesh, Canada continues to play a leading role in marshalling the response to the refugee crisis, leveraging a strong position on accountability and credibility as a top international donor.Canada has a legacy of support for democracy and federalism globally and in Myanmar, continuing to support the democratic aspirations of the Myanmar people and those who work peacefully to advance an inclusive democratic future. Canada engages with the range of pro-democracy stakeholders advancing and modeling a democratic peaceful and inclusive vision for Myanmar, including with high-level engagement such as the recent meeting between Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a senior appointed representative of the National Unity Government of Myanmar. Canada is a steadfast supporter of the need to address the root causes in Myanmar that led to the violent expulsion of Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh, the coup, and decades of conflict with ethnic minority armed groups. The Government of Canada’s current Strategy and commitments are centred on the meaningful participation and diverse representation, including Rohingya, women and youth.Canada prioritizes ending impunity and ensuring accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations in Myanmar and justice for survivors, including Rohingya. Canada does this through support to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), and our announced intention to intervene, with the Netherlands, in The Gambia’s case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice. Canada strongly supported the historic United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2669 – Security Council Demands Immediate End of Violence in Myanmar, Urges Restraint, Release of Arbitrary Detained Prisoners (December 2022), and co-sponsored the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/52/L.19 - Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar (April 2023). At the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Prosecutor’s investigation into allegations of forced deportation as a crime against humanity has presented an opportunity for accountability, although Canada continues to call for the UNSC to refer the situation to the ICC, so that the commission of all serious international crimes under the Rome Statute can be investigated.Canada, in close coordination with international partners, has imposed seven rounds of sanctions since the coup as part of Canada’s commitment to support democracy and ending impunity in Myanmar, with the most recent on January 31, 2023. Canada’s sanctions are in direct response to the regime’s continued disregard for the human rights of the people of Myanmar and target senior members of the regime who are using their respective roles to abuse the rule of law and remove political opposition, thus contributing to a grave breach of international peace and the deteriorating security situation. Through these sanctions, Canada has also targeted arms and aviation fuel procurement, and was the first country to impose a prohibition on aviation fuel in respond to the regime’s continued targeting of civilians in violation of international law. Canada, alongside its international partners, will continue to respond to actions that constitute a grave breach of international peace and security, threaten stability in the region, and subvert the rights and dignity of Myanmar people. Canada will continue to monitor the situation, assessing the effectiveness of additional policy measures, taking further actions in coordination with our partners as the situation evolves.There is no immediate solution to this protracted crisis, and Canada acknowledges that an effective on-going response requires sustained effort, attention, commitment, and leadership on the part of Canada; the meaningful participation of Myanmar people, including Rohingya; and sustained coordination and engagement with key national, regional and international allies and partners. In this regard, we strongly welcome the petition and its calls for continued and strengthened engagement on the part of the Government of Canada.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyMyanmar
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01576441-01576 (Health)Hon.HedyFryVancouver CentreLiberalBCJune 20, 2023August 16, 2023March 9, 2023PETITION TO THE MINSTER OF HEALTHWHEREAS:
  • One in eight Canadian women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime;
  • Currently, the national Canadian guidelines, set through the Public Health Agency of Canada, state that regular breast screenings should begin at age 50;
  • Over 16% of breast cancer cases occur in women under the age of 50;
  • Due to this, many women, especially women of colour, either do not attempt to receive screening before the age of 50 or are denied screening services;
  • International studies in the US (United States) and UK (United Kingdom) have shown that Black women are disproportionately predisposed to early onset triple-negative breast cancer before the of 50;
  • Black women have a 40% higher chance of dying from breast cancer than white women;
  • Hispanic and Asian women are also at a higher risk of getting breast cancer earlier in life;
  • Canadian studies, including one recently published in Current Oncology, have found that provinces that annually screen women aged 40-49 have had better breast cancer healthcare outcomes than provinces which do not hold annual mammograms for that age group, as early detection leads to improved survival rates; and
  • Many provincial healthcare services, such as Alberta Health Services and British Columbia Health Services, have successfully implemented a lower screening age.
We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to amend their breast cancer screening guidelines by lowering the age of eligibility to 40, to ensure all people in Canada are granted the highest standard of healthcare.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam Van KoeverdenThe Government of Canada recognizes that breast cancer is a major health issue. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in Canadian women. We recognize that a breast cancer diagnosis can be devastating and has an enormous impact on not only the person diagnosed, but also their family and friends.The current breast cancer screening guideline was updated and disseminated in 2018 by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Task Force), an independent and arms-length body funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). The role of the Task Force is to develop evidence-based guidelines to support healthcare providers in primary care settings. The Task Force is comprised of up to 15 experts in primary care, public health, preventive medicine, and guideline methodology. PHAC provides scientific support to the Task Force but does not influence their independent recommendations. Task Force recommendations are advisory, and provinces and territories individually determine whether to implement them.The current breast cancer screening guideline outlines both the benefits and harms of screening for Canadian women and stresses the importance of shared decision-making between women and their healthcare providers to support an informed decision. The guideline specifies that women under 50 who feel that they would benefit from screening can request the procedure from their physicians.The Task Force monitors literature on a regular basis for all guideline topics. On June 7, 2023, the Task Force announced that it will expedite the scheduled review of its 2018 breast cancer screening recommendation. This review, including evidence synthesis and engagement activities is currently underway. The updated guideline is expected to be released in late fall 2023. On June 8, 2023, the Government of Canada also announced up to $500,000 in additional funding for the Task Force to help support their expedited review of this important guidance.In collaboration with clinical partners, Statistics Canada has examined the impact of organized screening programs on breast cancer stage at diagnosis for women in their 40s and 50s, respectively. Statistics Canada and its clinical partners have also conducted an examination of 10-year breast cancer net survival by jurisdictional status. Statistics Canada has committed to publishing the findings of this analysis.The Government of Canada is committed to bridging knowledge gaps related to breast cancer and supporting research which advances prevention, treatment, diagnosis, and screening. Between 2017-18 and 2021-22, more than $129.4 million was invested in breast cancer research through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This includes an investment of $4.9 million over four years for an international project led by Dr. Jacques Simard from Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec-Université Laval Research Centre that aims to provide evidence to facilitate the implementation of a risk-based personalized breast screening approach, improving the benefits and reducing the harms of existing breast cancer screening programs in Canada.Additionally, in February 2023, the Government of Canada, through CIHR, invested $1.7 million over one year to support 17 projects which aim to reduce the burden of breast cancer on individuals and families. These projects will focus on prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, effective treatment, psycho-social support systems, and palliation. Two funding opportunities will support research on under-funded aspects of women’s health, including early self-detection of breast cancer (approximately $2 million over one year, funding up to 13 grants) and transnational research relating to breast cancer (approximately $450,000 over three years for one grant). Other recently-funded projects focus on under-served populations including Canada’s Inuit population ($400,000 over three years), barriers to access including social marginalization ($100,000 over two years), and screening strategies among communities with heightened breast cancer mortality ($400,000 over two years).  Finally, the Government of Canada supports collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders on the breast cancer research agenda. In 2021, CIHR and PHAC, alongside a range of partners, held a Best Brains Exchange event, discussing a pan-Canadian research agenda to address gaps in evidence on innovative and emerging screening approaches for breast cancer screening in Canada. As announced on June 8, 2023, PHAC also intends to host a knowledge exchange event in the fall 2023 to bring together experts, partners, those with lived experiences, and stakeholders, to discuss the current state of the science, including knowledge gaps, related to breast cancer screening.The Government of Canada is committed to continue working with all partners and to support the Task Force in sharing credible information, including about breast cancer screening. By working across sectors, we hope to support all persons in Canada make informed decisions that will support healthy living and chronic disease prevention.
Breast cancerHealth screening
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4273e-4273 (Health)ShaneSchuckHon.HedyFryVancouver CentreLiberalBCJanuary 26, 2023, at 9:40 a.m. (EDT)April 26, 2023, at 9:40 a.m. (EDT)June 20, 2023August 16, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:We request to sustainably strengthen our single payer health system for future generations through nationalizing, commissions, reviews and reducing unnecessary duplicate regional expenses;Nationally designed health systems offer citizens more services at the same overall cost per-person versus regionally designed health systems;Past reviews and reports on healthcare have not had a requirement for action and, therefore, improvement; andShifting jurisdiction to a national system that values regular reviews independent of corporate lobbyists and instead centres the needs of system experts, health professionals, chronic patients and care partners will improve patient safety as well as workplace safety.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Re-write the Canada Health Act to nationalize healthcare insurance, health colleges, health system administration and health system governance;2. Set up a national health records system;3. Set up a national no fault harm in care compensation system;4. Hold a ‘National Commission on Healthcare’ every 10 years with requirements for action on key recommendations;5. Hold an ‘Action and Accountability’ review within 5 years of each report generated by the Commission; and6. Set up a National independent body for case management of patient safety concerns and complaints for all health related Colleges and Health Authorities to be used by patients, care partners and healthcare professionals that provides 'whistle-blower' protections.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam Van KoeverdenHealth is an area of shared jurisdiction among the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Under the Constitution Act (1867) exclusive authority to make laws in the health sector are derived from matters under the subject areas of the establishment, maintenance and management of hospitals, local matters, property, and civil rights. These powers have been interpreted by the courts as vesting provinces and territories with legislative authority for health care delivery, the administration of provincial health insurance plans, and the regulation of health professions and their practices. As such, the Government of Canada does not have the Constitutional authority to nationalize healthcare insurance, health system administration and governance, or health colleges.This is why instead of a single national plan, the Canadian health care insurance system is achieved through 13 separate provincial and territorial health care insurance plans, which are broadly linked through adherence to national operating principles defined by the Canada Health Act, Canada’s federal health care insurance legislation. The Act establishes broad program criteria for publicly funded health insurance plans (comprehensiveness, universality, portability, accessibility, and public administration) and provisions to discourage patient charges for medically necessary hospital and physician services. The provinces and territories must fulfill these requirements to receive the full federal cash contribution under the Canada Health Transfer.The government remains committed to upholding the Canada Health Act and to working closely with the provinces and territories to protect Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system ensuring all Canadians’ ability to access medically necessary care based on their needs, not their ability to pay.Similarly, jurisdiction over matters concerning the quality of care delivered by health care facilities and providers lie with the provincial and territorial governments, or organizations to which they delegate that authority. As such, the federal government does not have the jurisdiction to unilaterally establish an independent national body to oversee patient safety concerns and complaints.With respect to a national no fault harm in care compensation system, all practising physicians in Canada are required to have liability insurance coverage, either directly through provincial or territorial legislation or delegated to the regulatory college to determine the amount required.  Liability insurance requirements for medical practitioners (including the criteria for reimbursement of membership fees and the amount reimbursed) and any systems in place to support patients with medical errors (including but not limited to compensation and dispute resolution mechanisms) are all determined by provincial and territorial governments, or organizations to which they delegate that authority.The Government of Canada will continue to work to improve patient safety within our healthcare system where it is possible within its jurisdiction, such as mandating reporting on adverse drug events under the Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act (also known as Vanessa’s Law) or supporting national leadership and coordination on patient safety by funding Healthcare Excellence Canada (formerly the Canadian Patient Safety Institute), whose programs aim to shape a future where everyone in Canada has safe and high-quality health care. In addition, the Government of Canada will continue to work collaboratively with provinces, territories and other key partners to ensure that care is safe.This continuing feedback from Canadians ensures timely responses to health system challenges, as shown by Budget 2023, which outlined the Improving Health Care for Canadians Plan that provides an additional $198.3 billion in health investments over 10 years to PTs to support health system and to transform services to meet the evolving needs of Canadians. This funding includes:
  1. Top-up payments to achieve Canada Health Transfer (CHT) increases of at least five per cent per year for the next five years. The last top-up payment will be rolled into the Canada Health Transfer base at the end of the five-year period, resulting in a permanent funding increase, beyond the ongoing GDP-driven growth CHT growth.
  2. $25 billion over ten years through a new set of bilateral agreements with PTs to address individual provincial and territorial health system needs.
  3. $1.7 billion over 5 years to support hourly wage increases for personal support workers and related professions.
  4. $350 million over ten years in recognition of medical travel and the higher cost of delivering health care in the territories.
  5. A $2 billion top-up to the CHT in 2022-23 to address urgent pressures in emergency rooms, operating rooms, and pediatric hospitals, building on $6.5 billion in top-ups provided throughout the pandemic.
  6. $2 billion for an Indigenous Health Equity Fund.
As part of the Government of Canada’s Improving Health Care for Canadians Plan, federal, provincial and territorial governments have committed to work together to modernize the health system. This includes improving the way health information is managed as well as adopting common standards and policies related to data. These commitments are expected to improve the quality and safety of patient care and provide decision makers with a more complete picture of the health system.
Canada Health ActHealth care system
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4441e-4441 (Foreign affairs)ZeeshanNabiShafqatAliBrampton CentreLiberalONMay 19, 2023, at 12:31 p.m. (EDT)June 18, 2023, at 12:31 p.m. (EDT)June 20, 2023August 16, 2023June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The government of Pakistan should uphold the Constitution and respect the rule of law. All human rights violations and violence against protesters must be immediately stopped;The leader of Pakistan's largest political party and former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, should be immediately released from detention and the politically-motivated charges against him should be dropped;Free and fair elections should be called immediately in which all political parties can participate freely without any state and military interference; andThe intimidation, arrest, and killing of journalists, and media censorship and the blackout of Internet services should be stopped immediately.We, the undersigned, concerned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to immediately ask for the release Imran Khan, the head of the largest and the most popular secular political party of Pakistan. And that the government of Pakistan should immediately hold free and fair elections in the country for citizens to exercise their basic democratic right peacefully. All those involved in human rights abuses and violence against protestors should be brought to justice and allegations of abuse by security forces thoroughly investigated.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation. The promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for our engagement with Pakistan.Canada undertakes a variety of efforts in support of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan. Canadian officials in Ottawa, and at our High Commission in Islamabad, regularly raise these issues with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Canadian officials also engage in a variety of fora with the aim of advancing media freedom, supporting human rights defenders and standing by civil society organizations at the forefront of protecting democratic principles.Canada also helps develop the capacity of civil society actors in Pakistan. For example, Canada is funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan, which support women’s political participation and leadership, improve the accountability of democratic processes and increase the capacity of government institutions, with an investment of $21 million over five years. Canada’s High Commission in Islamabad also delivers projects as part of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides funding for locally-implemented projects. Among the core themes for CFLI projects in 2023 is supporting civil society organizations working to advance inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law.More broadly, Canada and Pakistan have a multifaceted and constructive bilateral relationship underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties. Our two countries remain committed to working together on common interests such as enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade relations, advancing gender equality, and promoting regional security and stability. In 2022-2023, Canada provided $36 million in bilateral development assistance to Pakistan in support of flood recovery, women’s political participation and economic empowerment, girls’ access to education, women’s and girls’ reproductive health and rights, and polio eradication.Finally, Pakistan is an integral part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which puts forward an ambitious, comprehensive and integrated policy framework for Canadian engagement across the Indo-Pacific region, including support for democracy, inclusivity, accountable governance and sustained economic growth.Rest assured that Canada will continue to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Government of Pakistan and that the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law will remain key priorities for Canada’s engagement around the world.
Civil and human rightsForeign policyPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01573441-01573 (Foreign affairs)LucBertholdMégantic—L'ÉrableConservativeQCJune 19, 2023August 16, 2023April 28, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWHEREAS:
  • Millions of people in China and around the world have benefitted from practising Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that consists of the principles of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance and a set of health-improving meditative exercises;
  • Former Chinese Communist leader Jiang Zemin launched an eradication campaign against Falun Gong in China 24 years ago when the number of people practising Falun Gong outnumbered the Communist Party members;
  • Millions of innocent people have been fired, jailed, tortured, or killed simply for practising Falun Gong, as was reported by human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and condemned by the western world like US Congress, European Parliament and Canadian government when the persecution started in July 1999; and
  • Canadian citizen Ms. XinMiao's mother, LanYing Cong, 78, was illegally kidnapped in China on October 15, 2022, and has been illegally sentenced to 4 years for practising Falun Gong.
WE, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, request that the Canadian government:
  • Condemn the illegal arrest of a Canadian citizen's family member for practising Falun Gong; and
  • Call for the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. LanYing Cong.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China. Global Affairs Canada and Amnesty International Canada most recently held day-long consultations with the 15-member Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China (CCHRC) on November 21, 2022.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongImprisonment and prisoners
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01572441-01572 (Foreign affairs)LucBertholdMégantic—L'ÉrableConservativeQCJune 19, 2023August 16, 2023April 28, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline guided by Truth, Compassion and Tolerance that is practiced by diverse communities in Canada;
  • For 23 years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has torture, killed and imprisoned millions of Chinese citizens who practice Falun Gong in a state sponsored, nationwide campaign where mass numbers are being killed for their organs. Experts say crimes against humanity and genocide is occurring; and
  • Canadian citizen Ms. Qian Sun was sentenced to 8 years and 12 Canadians' family members are jailed because of their faith in Falun Gong.
WE, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to proactively deploy all possible avenues to:
  • Call on CCP to end Falun Gong persecution and release all prisoners of conscience;
  • Include Falun Gong persecution explicitly in foreign policies and statements when addressing human rights issues in China; and
  • Sanction Chinese Communist perpetrators using means like the Magnitsky Act.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China. Global Affairs Canada and Amnesty International Canada most recently held day-long consultations with the 15-member Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China (CCHRC) on November 21, 2022.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun Gong
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01571441-01571 (Taxation)BrendanHanleyYukonLiberalYTJune 19, 2023August 16, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and Minister of FinanceWHEREAS:
  • The Canadian Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC) allows for many obvious and not-so-obvious medical expenses to be claimed to help lower the tax bill of Canadians and their loved ones;
  • To qualify for the Medical Expense Tax Credit all eligible medical expenses in the household must add up to the lesser of 3% of your net income or $2,479. If your net income is $60,000 than expenses above $1800 are deductible if eligible, however, few people meet the threshold;
  • While many types of expenses are eligible under this program, it does not cover all taxpayer incurred medical expenses equitably;
  • For those who don't have disposable income, or coverage for prescriptions, medical treatments, medical travel, etc., there is a financial burden that could be adjusted under the Canada Revenue Agency Income Tax Act; and
  • Reducing the 3% threshold to zero would enable more Canadians to get the tax credit, improving the financial health of Canadians while they are able to pursue their best mental and physical health.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Yukon Territory, call upon the Government of Canada and the Minister of Finance to change the allowable deduction of eligible medical expenses from three percent to zero.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada’s publicly funded universal health care system is a source of pride for all Canadians. It is an essential foundation for a strong, fair and prosperous nation. To support our health care system, the Government of Canada provides long-term, predictable funding to the provinces and territories mainly through the Canada Health Transfer (CHT). The CHT is the largest major transfer to provinces and territories and supports the principles of the Canada Health Act that underpin our public health care system. The CHT is allocated to the provinces and territories on an equal per capita basis to provide comparable treatment for all Canadians, regardless of where they live. In 2023-24, it will provide $49.2 billion to provinces and territories, an increase of 9.3 percent from 2022-23.In addition, to ensure Canadians receive the care they deserve and need and strengthen our public health care system, Budget 2023 delivers $198.3 billion over 10 years, starting in 2023-24. This includes $46.2 billion in new funding to provinces and territories through new CHT measures, new tailored bilateral agreements to meet the needs of each province and territory, personal support worker wage support, and the Territorial Health Investment Fund.Budget 2023 builds on significant investments made by the federal government to strengthen our public health care system since 2015. These have included:
  • Providing $10 billion to provinces and territories to strengthen home care, community care, and long-term care for seniors;
  • Improving Canadians’ access to mental health services, including through $5 billion to provinces and territories to increase community-based mental health and addictions services;
  • Launching the Canada Dental Benefit for children under 12, which has already helped more than 300,000 children receive the dental care they need;
  • Providing $5.5 billion for primary care and public health on reserve, distinctions-based mental health support, and non-insured health benefits for First Nations and Inuit;
  • $1.2 billion to support 248 health-related infrastructure projects in First Nation communities;
  • Investing more than $800 million since 2017 through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy to support a compassionate and evidence-based response to the overdose crisis; and
  • Launching a Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund to help make sexual and reproductive health information and services—including access to abortion—more accessible for vulnerable populations.
In this context, it is important to note that the purpose of the Medical Expense Tax Credit is to recognize that taxpayers with above-average medical expenses have a reduced ability to pay income tax as a result of incurring those expenses. The requirement that expenses be in excess of the lesser of $2,635 (in 2023) and 3 percent of income serves as a measure of above-average expenses. There is no upper limit on the total amount of expenses that may be claimed. Support for low-income workers is available through the Refundable Medical Expense Supplement. The Supplement is a refundable federal tax credit provided to individuals in low-income families, to provide some compensation for the medical and disability-related expenses they incur. Since the Supplement is refundable, individuals whose income is too low to pay taxes can benefit from the measure. 
Medical expenses tax credit
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01569441-01569 (Foreign affairs)MichaelKramRegina—WascanaConservativeSKJune 16, 2023August 16, 2023June 14, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas: The people of Pakistan and Pakistani Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about reports of political turmoil and uncertainty in that country; andThe holding of free and fair elections in a manner that upholds the rule of law and the constitution of Pakistan are in the best of interests of Canada, Pakistan, and the international community.Therefore: we, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to use its membership in the International Monetary Fund to require that both the issuance of new loans and the extension of existing loans to the Government of Pakistan be conditional on Pakistan holding free and fair elections.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation. The promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for our engagement with Pakistan.Canada undertakes a variety of efforts in support of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan. Canadian officials in Ottawa, and at our High Commission in Islamabad, regularly raise these issues with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Canadian officials also engage in a variety of fora with the aim of advancing media freedom, supporting human rights defenders and standing by civil society organizations at the forefront of protecting democratic principles.Canada also helps develop the capacity of civil society actors in Pakistan. For example, Canada is funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan, which support women’s political participation and leadership, improve the accountability of democratic processes and increase the capacity of government institutions, with an investment of $21 million over five years. Canada’s High Commission in Islamabad also delivers projects as part of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides funding for locally-implemented projects. Among the core themes for CFLI projects in 2023 is supporting civil society organizations working to advance inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law.More broadly, Canada and Pakistan have a multifaceted and constructive bilateral relationship underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties. Our two countries remain committed to working together on common interests such as enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade relations, advancing gender equality, and promoting regional security and stability. In 2022-2023, Canada provided $36 million in bilateral development assistance to Pakistan in support of flood recovery, women’s political participation and economic empowerment, girls’ access to education, women’s and girls’ reproductive health and rights, and polio eradication.Finally, Pakistan is an integral part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which puts forward an ambitious, comprehensive and integrated policy framework for Canadian engagement across the Indo-Pacific region, including support for democracy, inclusivity, accountable governance and sustained economic growth.Rest assured that Canada will continue to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Government of Pakistan and that the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law will remain key priorities for Canada’s engagement around the world.
Electoral systemForeign policyInternational development and aidPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01568441-01568 (Foreign affairs)MichaelKramRegina—WascanaConservativeSKJune 16, 2023August 16, 2023June 16, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas: The people of Pakistan and Pakistani Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about reports of political turmoil and uncertainty in that country; andOn May 9th of this year former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested on corruption charges, a move widely seen as an attempt to silence him and his party and to prevent them from contesting general elections in Pakistan later this year.Therefore: we, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to use all reasonable avenues of diplomacy to influence the Government of Pakistan to hold free and fair elections in a manner that upholds the rule of law and the constitution of that country.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is aware of the latest political developments in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation. The promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law are integral elements of Canada's foreign policy and key priorities for our engagement with Pakistan.Canada undertakes a variety of efforts in support of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan. Canadian officials in Ottawa, and at our High Commission in Islamabad, regularly raise these issues with senior Pakistani government officials, the official opposition, and local and religious leaders. Canadian officials also engage in a variety of fora with the aim of advancing media freedom, supporting human rights defenders and standing by civil society organizations at the forefront of protecting democratic principles.Canada also helps develop the capacity of civil society actors in Pakistan. For example,Canada is funding inclusive governance projects in Pakistan, which support women’s political participation and leadership, improve the accountability of democratic processes and increase the capacity of government institutions, with an investment of $21 million over five years. Canada’s High Commission in Islamabad also delivers projects as part of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which provides funding for locally-implemented projects. Among the core themes for CFLI projects in 2023 is supporting civil society organizations working to advance inclusive governance, human rights and the rule of law.More broadly, Canada and Pakistan have a multifaceted and constructive bilateral relationship underpinned by extensive people-to-people ties. Our two countries remain committed to working together on common interests such as enhancing climate resilience, strengthening trade relations, advancing gender equality, and promoting regional security and stability. In 2022-2023, Canada provided $36 million in bilateral development assistance to Pakistan in support of flood recovery, women’s political participation and economic empowerment, girls’ access to education, women’s and girls’ reproductive health and rights, and polio eradication.Finally, Pakistan is an integral part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which puts forward an ambitious, comprehensive and integrated policy framework for Canadian engagement across the Indo-Pacific region, including support for democracy, inclusivity, accountable governance and sustained economic growth.Rest assured that Canada will continue to maintain a constructive dialogue with the Government of Pakistan and that the promotion and protection of democratic values, human rights and the rule of law will remain key priorities for Canada’s engagement around the world.
Electoral systemForeign policyPakistan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01567441-01567 (Social affairs and equality)MikeKellowayCape Breton—CansoLiberalNSJune 16, 2023August 16, 2023January 16, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled and the Honourable Minister of FinanceWHEREAS:
  • The rate of inflation in Canada has hit its highest point since 1983;
  • The cost of living has increased substantially since most Canadians aged 65-74 entered the workforce to begin saving for their retirement; and
  • The life expectancy for Canadian citizens is steadily increasing.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to include seniors aged 65-74 with the 10% increase to the Old Age Security payment that occurred in July of 2022 for seniors aged 75 and older, and, if implemented, ensure that qualifying seniors aged 65-74 from July 2022 to the date of implementation receive the difference owed to them in the form of a one-time payment; andIf implemented, that qualifying seniors aged 65-74 from July 2022 to the date of implementation receive the difference owed to them in the form of a one-time payment.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Old Age Security (OAS) program plays a significant role in providing income security to Canadians in their senior years. OAS benefits are intended to provide partial income security for seniors in recognition of the contributions that they have made to Canadian society and the economy.Benefits that recipients receive under the OAS program include: 1) the OAS pension, which is paid to all persons aged 65 or over who meet the residence requirements, 2) the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for low-income seniors, and 3) the Allowances for low-income Canadians aged 60 to 64 who are the spouses or common-law partners of GIS recipients, or who are widows or widowers.To ensure OAS benefits retain their value over time and to protect the purchasing power of seniors, OAS benefits are adjusted four times per year (in January, April, July and October) to reflect inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI measures the price of a typical “basket” of goods and services, such as food, shelter, gas and clothing, commonly purchased by Canadian households.This quarterly indexation provides increases to all benefits under the OAS program, including the OAS pension, the GIS, and the Allowances, when prices go up. In July 2023, OAS benefits will increase by 1.1%, following increases of 0.5% in April 2023, and 0.3% in January 2023. By July 2023, OAS benefits will have increased by 4.8% over the past year, from July 2022 to July 2023.In addition, the Old Age Security Act contains a guarantee ensuring that benefits can never decrease, even in the event of a decline in the CPI. Should the average cost of living decrease, OAS benefit amounts will stay at the same level as during the previous three-month period.In July 2022, the Government permanently increased the OAS pension by 10% for seniors aged 75 and over. This increase was designed to address the increased vulnerability that seniors face as they age.As seniors get older, they tend to have lower incomes, and often face higher health-related expenses because of the onset of illness or disability. This is especially true for those 75 and older. This vulnerability is further compounded by a reduced ability to supplement their income with paid work, the risk of outliving personal savings, and the risk of widowhood. This is particularly the case for senior women who are on average living longer than men, meaning women are more likely to slip into poverty after losing their life partners. That is why the Government took action to help make life more affordable for Canadians as they age.The Government of Canada remains committed to improving the income security of all seniors and continues to seek ways to strengthen the OAS program, as demonstrated by a broad range of measures taken since 2016:
  • Budget 2016 restored the age of eligibility for the OAS pension and the GIS to 65, putting thousands of dollars back in the pockets of future Canadian seniors.
  • In July 2016, the GIS was increased by up to $947 per year for the lowest-income single seniors, benefiting close to 900,000 vulnerable seniors across Canada.
  • In December 2017, the Government launched automatic enrolment to the GIS. Seniors who are automatically enrolled for the OAS pension are now automatically enrolled for the GIS without ever having to complete an application.
  • In Budget 2019, the Government enhanced the GIS earnings exemption so that low-income seniors who work are able to keep more of what they earn. As of July 2020, the enhanced exemption applies to both employment and self-employment income, and provides a full exemption on up to $5,000 of annual earnings, as well as a 50% exemption on the next $10,000 of earnings. This means that low-income seniors who work can keep more of their benefits.
  • In July 2020, the Minister of Seniors announced a one-time payment to seniors, $300 for seniors eligible for the OAS and an additional $200 for seniors eligible for the GIS.
  • In 2022, the Government of Canada took concrete action to help low-income renters who need it most, including seniors, and introduced a one-time $500 top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit.
  • In Budget 2023, the Government introduced the one-time Grocery Rebate, which would deliver targeted inflation relief for 11 million individuals and families who already receive the Goods and Services Tax Credit, including more than half of Canadian seniors. This measure would provide an extra $225 for seniors, on average. This is in addition to the extra Goods and Services Tax Credit amounts that started being paid on November 4, 2022, with most payments having been made before the end of 2022.
Old Age SecuritySenior citizens
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01566441-01566 (Environment)DanielBlaikieElmwood—TransconaNDPMBJune 16, 2023August 16, 2023May 18, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:Our economic and financial systems depend on a stable climate and the Bank of Canada recognizes that climate change poses significant risks to the financial system and the economy;Continued financial support for emissions-intensive activities increases future climate-related risks to the stability financial systems and the longterm interests of Canadians;There has been no significant legislative action on the matter in Canada despite international developments legislating the climate and finance nexus which risks leaving Canada behind; andBill S-243, An Act to enact the Climate-Aligned Finance Act was drafted based on consultation with national and international experts so as to enable Canada to leapfrog from laggard to leader on aligning financial flows with climate commitments.Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to enact the principal concepts of the Climate-Aligned Finance Act which would:1) Establish a duty for directors and officers of federal financial institutions to align with climate commitments;2) Align purposes of crown corporations and departments, including market oversight by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, with climate commitments;3) Require the development of action plans, targets and progress reports on meeting climate commitments through annual reporting requirements; 4) Ensure climate expertise on certain boards of directors and avoid conflicts of interest;5) Make capital adequacy requirements proportional to microprudential and macroprudential climate risks generated by financial institutions; 6) Require a government action plan to align all financial products with climate commitments; and7) Mandate timely public review processes on implementation progress to ensure iterative learning.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about climate-aligned finance in Canada.Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy and net-zero emissions by 2050 will require substantial investment beyond the public sector. Private sector capital and expertise will be needed to meet Canada’s climate objectives and create a climate-resilient economy.Developing sustainable finance in Canada will promote the long-term growth and stability of Canada’s financial system. It will also create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and investors.In May 2021, the Government of Canada launched the Sustainable Finance Action Council (SFAC) to help lead the Canadian financial sector towards integrating sustainable finance into standard industry practice. The SFAC is chaired by Kathy Bardswick and comprises 25 Canadian deposit-taking institutions, insurance companies and pensions funds, with combined assets of over $10 trillion.The SFAC’s Terms of Reference call on it to provide financial sector input to the Government of Canada on the development of foundational market infrastructure, including enhancing climate disclosure, defining green and transition investment, and improving climate data and analytics. More recently, in Budget 2022, the Government of Canada asked the SFAC to develop and report on strategies for aligning private sector capital with the net-zero transition, with support from the Canadian Climate Institute and in collaboration with the Net-Zero Advisory Body.The council’s early emphasis has been on enhancing climate-related financial disclosures in Canada’s private sector. The SFAC has also worked on taxonomy, and, late in 2022, submitted the Taxonomy Roadmap Report to the Government of Canada, which sets out its advice on the design, governance, and implementation of a Canadian green and transition finance taxonomy. The Government of Canada is studying the Report’s advice, and there will be continued collaboration with the SFAC and other financial sector leaders on taxonomy.The Government of Canada is making important progress in meeting its Budget 2022 commitment to move towards mandatory reporting of climate-related financial risks across a broad spectrum of the Canadian economy, based on the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.
Climate change and global warmingFinancial institutions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01564441-01564 (Environment)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 16, 2023August 16, 2023May 16, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:
  • There are significant risks to workers and the environment associated with shipbreaking due to the presence of a wide variety of hazardous materials in end-of-life marine vessels;
  • Unlike other jurisdictions, Canada lacks standards on shipbreaking and unregulated shipbreaking activities which are putting our oceans, coastal communities and workers at risk; and
  • The lack of domestic oversight of shipbreaking and disposal of end-of-life marine vessels frustrates Canada's ability to ensure compliance with its international obligations under the Basel Convention.
Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens and Resident of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support motion M-68 and:1. Develop enforceable federal standards to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of shipbreaking that meet or exceed those set out in the EU Ship Recycling Regulation;2. Provide assistance through loans or grants to long-term, reputable shipbreaking companies to facilitate implementation of new federal standards into their operations; and3. Develop a strategy for recycling end-of-life federally owned marine vessels.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Mike Kelloway1. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians and the environment from the potential risks of marine pollution. This includes working to improve water quality and our marine environments from coast to coast to coast.There are certain existing federal rules that may apply to ship recycling activities. Under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 or the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, the federal government has powers to address any pollution discharge, or mitigate the risk of pollution discharge, from any vessel still in the water. In addition, the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act (subsection 36(3)) prohibit the deposit of any deleterious substance in waters frequented by fish or to any place where it may enter water frequented by fish, unless authorized by federal regulations. Further, any in-water portion of ship recycling activity may require approval under the Canada Navigable Waters Act if it occurs in navigable waters.The European Union (EU) implemented its ship recycling regulations (the EU Ship Recycling Regulation) in 2020. These regulations largely replicate the standards and provisions set out in the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (Hong Kong Convention) which Canada endorsed in 2009 but has not ratified.Canada supports the intent of the Hong Kong Convention as it is designed to set a level playing field to improve conditions in ship recycling facilities while diminishing the impact of ship recycling operations on human health, safety, and the environment – particularly in countries that have robust ship recycling operations but lack conditions and systems to keep workers safe and minimize environmental impacts.In 2021 and 2022, Canada engaged four key provinces that currently have, or are considering having, recycling operations for larger ships (British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia). This was done because many of the provisions of the Hong Kong Convention fall under provincial jurisdiction – notably around waste management, land-use zoning, and occupational health and safety. Each of these provinces confirmed their existing legislative authorities already adequately embody the intent and objectives of the Convention. Each of these provinces also indicated their willingness to work with the federal government to advance environmentally sustainable ship recycling in Canada.The Government of Canada is currently analyzing if there are opportunities to strengthen the federal approach with respect to the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships. This includes examining requirements that are specific to vessels under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation and the Hong Kong Convention.2. Provinces and territories are responsible for the protection of workers and occupational health and safety at ship recycling facilities, as well as regulating the handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of waste produced when a ship is recycled. This essentially makes most activities related to ship recycling facilities subject to provincial/territorial jurisdiction. For this reason, no federal assistance program has been considered at this time.3. Marine operators across the Federal Government are working to ensure the federal fleet is managed in a sustainable manner that achieves best value for Canadians, which includes value for money, operational readiness, environmental protection and increased collaboration with Indigenous communities. To achieve this, a suite of government-wide procurement instruments have been established that support all stages of vessel disposal, including technical assessments, dismantling, and recycling (if/when required). Currently, supply arrangements for marine technical services and small vessel disposal are in place. A new Request for Supply Arrangements (RFSA) for medium and large Vessel Disposals was posted in June 2023. By leveraging these procurement instruments, the Federal Government is ensuring a consistent approach to disposal services.To move toward a more predictable approach to vessel disposal planning and engagement, the Government of Canada has begun incorporating planned Fleet disposal contracts as part of regular Federal Marine Procurement updates at various Marine conferences and events across Canada. In addition, since April 2023, industry engagement sessions and workshops have been conducted to ensure suppliers, communities and organizations understand Canada’s planned program of work and standards for vessel disposals. The material presented at these events will also be made available on CanadaBuys.
Response by the Minister of Public Services and ProcurementSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Anthony HousefatherMarine operators across the federal government are working to ensure the federal fleet is managed in a sustainable manner that achieves best value for Canadians, which includes value for money, operational readiness, environmental protection and increased collaboration with Indigenous communities. To achieve this, a suite of government-wide procurement instruments have been established to support all stages of vessel disposal, including technical assessments, dismantling and recycling (if/when required). Currently, supply arrangements for marine technical services and small vessel disposal are in place. A new Request for Supply Arrangements for medium and large vessel disposals was posted in June 2023. By leveraging these procurement instruments, the federal government is ensuring a consistent approach to disposal services.To move toward a more predictable approach to vessel disposal planning and engagement, the Government of Canada has begun incorporating federal vessel disposal forecasts as part of regular Federal Marine Procurement updates at various Marine conferences and events across Canada. In addition, industry engagement sessions and workshops are being conducted to ensure suppliers, communities and organizations understand Canada’s planned program of work and standards for disposals. The information presented at these events is publicly available on CanadaBuys.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Annie KoutrakisPart 1: The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of Canadians and the environment from the potential risks of marine pollution. This includes working to improve water quality and Canada’s marine environments from coast to coast to coast.There are certain existing federal rules that may apply to ship recycling activities. Under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 or the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act, the federal government has powers to address any pollution discharge, or mitigate the risk of pollution discharge, from any vessel still in the water. In addition, the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act (subsection 36(3)) prohibit the deposit of any deleterious substance in waters frequented by fish or to any place where it may enter water frequented by fish, unless authorized by federal regulations. Further, any in-water portion of ship recycling activity may require approval under the Canada Navigable Waters Act if it occurs in navigable waters.The European Union implemented its ship recycling regulations (the EU Ship Recycling Regulation) in 2020. These regulations largely replicate the standards and provisions set out in the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (Hong Kong Convention) which Canada endorsed in 2009, but has not ratified.Canada supports the intent of the Hong Kong Convention as it is designed to set a level playing field to improve conditions in ship recycling facilities while diminishing the impact of ship recycling operations on human health, safety, and the environment – particularly in countries that have robust ship recycling operations but lack conditions and systems to keep workers safe and minimize environmental impacts.In 2021 and 2022, Canada engaged four key provinces that currently have, or are considering having, recycling operations for larger ships (British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia). This was done because many of the provisions of the Hong Kong Convention fall under provincial jurisdiction – notably around waste management, land-use zoning, and occupational health and safety. Each of these provinces confirmed their existing legislative authorities already adequately embody the intent and objectives of the Convention. Each of these provinces also indicated their willingness to work with the federal government to advance environmentally sustainable ship recycling in Canada.The Government of Canada is currently analyzing if there are opportunities to strengthen federal legislation with respect to the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships. This includes examining requirements that are specific to vessels under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation and the Hong Kong Convention.Part 2: Provinces and territories are responsible for the protection of workers and occupational health and safety at ship recycling facilities, as well as regulating the handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of waste produced when a ship is recycled. This essentially makes most activities related to ship recycling facilities subject to provincial/territories jurisdiction.For this reason, no federal assistance program has been considered at this time.However, amendments to the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act were recently concluded with the passage of Bill C-47, the Budget Implementation Act, that enables the Government of Canada to establish a vessel-owner financed Vessel Remediation Fund. This Fund, once fully operational by 2025-26, will provide a stable source of resources to be used to address and remove priority abandoned or wrecked vessels posing hazards in Canadian waters, except for the largest and most complex cases. This Fund will also support research and capacity building into environmentally sustainable vessel recycling and disposal. 
Environmental protectionM-68Shipbuilding industryWaste management
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01563441-01563 (Culture and heritage)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCJune 16, 2023August 16, 2023May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS
  • In April 2022, the Government of Canada announced it would be contributing $454,112 and the Province of British Columbia would be providing $9,545,888 towards a new regional aquatic centre in the District of Kent;
  • In the months since this announcement, inflation and supply chain challenges have increased the cost of construction by approximately 30 per cent and the District is in need of additional funding;
  • The Government of Canada has been open to funding flexibility when it comes to projects in rural communities and in support of reconciliation;
  • Indigenous families living on-reserve in the areas surrounding Kent District utilize many services in the community and would be well served by this aquatic centre; and
  • The District of Kent received written support for the project from surrounding communities, including the Seabird Island, Cheam, Stó:lo, Sts'ailes, Sq'éwlets, Skawahlook, Popkum and Peters First Nations, the Village of Harrison Hot Springs and the Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Areas 'C' and 'D'.
THEREFOREWe, the undersigned residents of the District of Kent, Harrison Hot Springs, the Seabird Island, Cheam, Stó:lo, Sts'ailes, Sq'éwlets, Skawahlook, Popkum and Peters First Nations and the Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Areas 'C' and 'D', call upon the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities to provide additional funding to support the construction of the Lets'emot Regional Aquatic Centre.
Response by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Jennifer O'ConnellThe Government of Canada is committed to renewing the relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership, as well as implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. This includes making significant infrastructure investments in Indigenous communities that improve socio economic conditions and community well being.Since 2016, the Government of Canada has made significant infrastructure investments in British Columbia, with more than $5.5 billion in Federal funding provided for projects in the province, which includes just under $2.86 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Over $240 million has been allocated to community, culture, sport and recreation projects through Infrastructure Canada’s various programs.On March 2, 2022, Infrastructure Canada approved $454,112 in funding for the District of Kent Aquatic Centre. The project was prioritized through the final provincial intake under the Community, Culture, and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which is managed by British Columbia’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs. This final intake allocated all remaining funding under the Community, Culture and Recreation stream in British Columbia. The combined federal and provincial funding totals $10 million, representing a 73% cost share on the District of Kent Aquatic Centre project.With respect to infrastructure projects experiencing cost overruns, it is important to note that Infrastructure Canada provides a contribution toward the total estimated eligible cost of a project, and that contribution is capped at a maximum amount at the time of approval. Infrastructure Canada is not in a position to increase federal funding to cover cost overruns.As of March 31, 2023, no further projects can be submitted by British Columbia under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, and the program allocation available for projects in the province has been fully committed.Nevertheless, following the March 31, 2023 project submission deadline for provinces, new time-limited authorities may be available to redistribute funding that remains unused in projects as a result of cancellations, cost savings or descoping. For example, provinces may request the decommitment of unused funding for its reallocation to other projects to accommodate scope increases and, in exceptional cases, revised cost estimates. These authorities are time-limited. All requests for decommitments and reallocations should be submitted by the Province of British Columbia through established program communication channels. Any such requests would be reviewed by Infrastructure Canada and approved at Canada’s discretion.These authorities acknowledge the ongoing volatility in the construction sector, and are intended to ensure the ongoing availability and maximal use of federal funding for provinces and municipalities.Additional federal funding may be available for the project under the Canada Community Building Fund, which is managed by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Please note that the maximum funding from all federal sources for municipal projects approved under the Community, Culture and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Instructure Program cannot exceed forty percent of total eligible costs. For questions related to the current availability of funds in British Columbia under the Canada Community Building Fund, it is recommended that you contact the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.As some of Infrastructure Canada’s largest infrastructure funding programs have reached full allocation, the department is taking stock of existing programs and gaining an understanding of needs, which will help to inform the development of the next suite of federally-led infrastructure programming. Infrastructure Canada recognizes that infrastructure programs will need to be efficient and flexible, and attuned to regional and local priorities, while delivering the economic, social, and environmental outcomes that Canadians expect.
AgassizSport and recreation facilities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01562441-01562 (Business and trade)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCJune 16, 2023August 16, 2023June 14, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Village of Lytton was decimated by fire on June 30th, 2021. The Village remains under an Evacuation Order with homes, and buildings not yet started construction;
  • Since rebuilding has yet to begin, doors cannot open, and businesses have had no revenue for nearly two years; and
  • Already incurring large deficits due to the pandemic, businesses destroyed by the fire will not be in a position to repay the CEBA loan when due December 31, 2023.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to recognize the extraordinary circumstances of businesses in the Lytton area and forgive their amounts owing on Canada Emergency Bank Account loans. Due to the magnitude of disaster and consequential bureaucratic delays, businesses have been unable to rebuild for nearly two years. Forgiveness of the CEBA loan for Lytton businesses would help to empower economic development and restore this destroyed community.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), and the impact the fire in Lytton has had on Lytton businesses.The government launched the CEBA program to provide timely support to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and help support the jobs these businesses provide. The program provided nearly 900,000 small businesses with interest-free, partially forgivable loans of up to $60,000 to cover non-deferrable operating expenses. From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Export Development Canada (EDC), federal government partners and more than 230 Canadian financial institutions worked together to provide support to both exporting and non-exporting companies. This vital support helped small businesses make it through an unprecedented period of time. To provide additional support to businesses, the government extended the deadline to repay the loan, interest-free, until December 31, 2023, after which there is a repayment period of up to two years at an interest rate of 5%. The loans are fully due by December 31, 2025.EDC is the administrator of the CEBA program on behalf of the Government of Canada and is working with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to put in place systems to collect loans that remain outstanding after the repayment date. For those that cannot repay by the deadline, the CRA will work with each business to determine its ability to repay, emphasizing fairness, empathy, and putting people first.The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of helping the people of Lytton rebuild. Pacific Economic Development Canada is offering two new programs to support the rebuilding of Lytton:
  • $6 million for the new Lytton Homeowner Resilient Rebuild program to support eligible Lytton homeowners who wish to rebuild their home to fire-resilient or fire-resilient and Net Zero standards; and
  • $7.2 million to create the Lytton Business Restart program to help small- and medium-sized businesses re-establish in the community. This funding will include support for Indigenous businesses and those operated by women, youth, and other underrepresented groups. This program will launch in summer 2023.
The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting Canadians and Canadian businesses and is focusing on growing our economy and building a stronger, more resilient Canada for everyone. 
Canada Emergency Business AccountLoansLyttonSmall and medium-sized enterprises
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01560441-01560 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABJune 14, 2023August 16, 2023March 28, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based.  This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. 
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01559441-01559 (National defence and military operations)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABJune 14, 2023August 16, 2023September 14, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination produced its final report in early 2022;Whereas the report calls for clergy from religions which have a different view on gender and sexuality than the Department of National Defence to be banned as chaplains in the Canadian Armed Forces;Whereas the report slanders even mainstream Canadian religions as discriminatory, misogynist, and sexist;Whereas all Canadians, including members and chaplains of the Canadian Armed Forces, are entitled to the Charter-guaranteed right of freedom of religion;Whereas Canadian Armed Forces chaplains serve all members of the Forces without distinction on the basis of religion, gender, or sexual orientation; andWhereas discrimination on the basis of religion is wrong and offensive to Canadians.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Reject the recommendations on chaplaincy in the Canadian Armed Forces in the final report of the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination; and2. Affirm the right of all Canadians, including Canadian Armed Forces chaplains, to freedom of religion.
Response by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Bryan MayIn April 2022, the Minister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination released a comprehensive set of recommendations to ensure Canada’s military is safe and welcoming for all. Work is underway to assess the implications of the Advisory Panel’s recommendations, including those on the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service, and the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff is coordinating an analysis of each recommendation.The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service’s (RCChS) primary goal is the care of all Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, without exceptions. It is already the expectation that CAF chaplains uphold the values and ethos of the CAF, just like every other member of the military. When chaplains apply for their roles within the chaplaincy, they undergo a rigorous process to assess their ability to provide spiritual support within the context of CAF values. Anyone who successfully makes it through this assessment has demonstrated their ability to provide religious or spiritual counsel to CAF members of all or no faiths, without judgement or exception.To this end, the RCChS continues to embrace CAF values and ethos, and has taken significant steps in the past several years to strengthen its commitment to diversity and inclusion. For example, as of 2019, in order to better serve the CAF and represent the religious/spiritual diversity of Canadian society, the RCChS sought to include a wider number of traditions not previously represented in CAF chaplaincy. This resulted in the enrollment of chaplains from Sikh, Buddhist, and Humanist traditions. The RCChS also shifted from the historical requirement of “ordained” status to a more broadly defined status of “credentialed as a faith tradition leader.” In doing so, the RCChS has ensured wider opportunities for women from faith traditions where they cannot be ordained, but who meet qualification standards for CAF chaplaincy as credentialed faith tradition leaders. This is already the case for Roman Catholic and Muslim women, currently serving in the RCChS, and will now be an option for women from other faith traditions.To further promote diversity and inclusion, the RCChS has instituted several new advisor positions, including an Indigenous Advisor, 2SLGBTQi+ Advisor, Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Advisor, Gender Advisor, and Advisor to the Commander of Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) in an effort to raise awareness, educate, and innovate. These advisors play a critical role in providing strategic input and advice to ensure direction and guidance, and programs integrate diverse perspectives with a view to enhancing inclusive engagement on behalf of the RCChS. The CAF continues to take positive steps to ensure that the chaplaincy represents Canadian society and supports the needs of its broader membership.
Canadian ForcesChaplaincy services and chaplainsMinister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism, Discrimination with a focus on anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism, LGBTQ2+ Prejudice, Gender Bias and White SupremacyReligious discrimination
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01557441-01557 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABJune 14, 2023August 16, 2023May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and international engagement.Canada is strongly committed to working with governments, as well as multilateral and non-governmental organizations, to promote inclusive and accountable governance around the world. Canada is consistently a strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values.Canada’s leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention demonstrates its steadfast commitment to upholding universal human rights and the rules-based international order.The Government of Canada maintains an active and open dialogue with the Turkish, Pakistani and Bahraini Governments concerning human rights, as part of Canada’s commitment to promote democracy and uphold human rights and the rule of law globally.Global Affairs Canada officials met with the Turkish families that reported of their arrest in Pakistan and Bahrain and eventual detention in Türkiye, before moving to Canada. Global Affairs Canada officials have also received a submission from these families, requesting sanctions against specific Turkish officials in relation to their previous detention in Türkiye.Canada is judicious when it chooses to deploy sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use, when appropriate. Canada remains committed to playing a leadership role in the preservation and strengthening of an international rules-based order – sanctions are a key component of this approach. We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools for maintaining and restoring international peace and security, combatting corruption, and promoting respect for norms and values, including human rights. Canada carefully considers the bilateral consequences that any sanction measures could have. To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Wherever possible, Canada coordinates closely with likeminded allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01556441-01556 (Social affairs and equality)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABJune 14, 2023August 16, 2023March 23, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based.  This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01552441-01552 (Environment)LloydLongfieldGuelphLiberalONJune 14, 2023August 16, 2023June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:Our economic and financial systems depend on a stable climate and the Bank of Canada recognizes that climate change poses significant risks to the financial system and the economy;Continued financial support for emissions-intensive activities increases future climate-related risks to the stability financial systems and the longterm interests of Canadians;There has been no significant legislative action on the matter in Canada despite international developments legislating the climate and finance nexus which risks leaving Canada behind; andBill S-243, An Act to enact the Climate-Aligned Finance Act was drafted based on consultation with national and international experts so as to enable Canada to leapfrog from laggard to leader on aligning financial flows with climate commitments.Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to enact the principal concepts of the Climate-Aligned Finance Act which would:1) Establish a duty for directors and officers of federal financial institutions to align with climate commitments;2) Align purposes of crown corporations and departments, including market oversight by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, with climate commitments;3) Require the development of action plans, targets and progress reports on meeting climate commitments through annual reporting requirements; 4) Ensure climate expertise on certain boards of directors and avoid conflicts of interest;5) Make capital adequacy requirements proportional to microprudential and macroprudential climate risks generated by financial institutions; 6) Require a government action plan to align all financial products with climate commitments; and7) Mandate timely public review processes on implementation progress to ensure iterative learning.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about climate-aligned finance in Canada.Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy and net-zero emissions by 2050 will require substantial investment beyond the public sector. Private sector capital and expertise will be needed to meet Canada’s climate objectives and create a climate-resilient economy.Developing sustainable finance in Canada will promote the long-term growth and stability of Canada’s financial system. It will also create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and investors.In May 2021, the Government of Canada launched the Sustainable Finance Action Council (SFAC) to help lead the Canadian financial sector towards integrating sustainable finance into standard industry practice. The SFAC is chaired by Kathy Bardswick and comprises 25 Canadian deposit-taking institutions, insurance companies and pensions funds, with combined assets of over $10 trillion.The SFAC’s Terms of Reference call on it to provide financial sector input to the Government of Canada on the development of foundational market infrastructure, including enhancing climate disclosure, defining green and transition investment, and improving climate data and analytics. More recently, in Budget 2022, the Government of Canada asked the SFAC to develop and report on strategies for aligning private sector capital with the net-zero transition, with support from the Canadian Climate Institute and in collaboration with the Net-Zero Advisory Body.The council’s early emphasis has been on enhancing climate-related financial disclosures in Canada’s private sector. The SFAC has also worked on taxonomy, and, late in 2022, submitted the Taxonomy Roadmap Report to the Government of Canada, which sets out its advice on the design, governance, and implementation of a Canadian green and transition finance taxonomy. The Government of Canada is studying the Report’s advice, and there will be continued collaboration with the SFAC and other financial sector leaders on taxonomy.The Government of Canada is making important progress in meeting its Budget 2022 commitment to move towards mandatory reporting of climate-related financial risks across a broad spectrum of the Canadian economy, based on the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.
Climate change and global warmingFinancial institutions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01551441-01551 (Transportation)SoniaSidhuBrampton SouthLiberalONJune 14, 2023August 16, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • There is a rising demand from residents in Brampton to have a direct flight from Toronto to India;
  • Brampton has a significant Indo-Canadian population;
  • No airline currently provides direct flight service between Toronto, Ontario and Amritsar, Punjab; and
  • By establishing a route between Toronto and Amritsar, Punjab, the overall distance traveled will be reduced, leading to shorter travel time and better travel experience for passengers in addition to fuel savings and a significant reduction in carbon emission.
As Canadian residents, we, the undersigned, urge the Government of Canada to consider and support the establishment of direct international flights from Toronto to destinations in India, particularly to Amritsar, Punjab and New Delhi, and to collaborate with airlines and stakeholders to make these flights a reality.
Response by the Minister of Transport Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Annie KoutrakisThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, Punjab, and New Delhi, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.At the outset, it should be noted that Air Canada and Air India operate non-stop flights between Toronto and New Delhi. Furthermore, other Canadian and/or Indian airlines are free to introduce direct service on this route should they wish to do so.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply. ChandigarhThe Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has also recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.The Minister of Transport has also asked Canada’s Chief Air Negotiator to continue to engage with her Indian counterpart to request a further expansion of the air transport agreement to include direct access to additional points, including to Amritsar and Chandigarh. 
Air transportationIndiaToronto
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4399e-4399 (Veterans' affairs)HaroldDavisJohnBrassardBarrie—InnisfilConservativeONApril 28, 2023, at 2:53 p.m. (EDT)May 28, 2023, at 2:53 p.m. (EDT)June 14, 2023August 16, 2023May 29, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canada classifies veteran injuries during active service into two distinct classifications of "Wartime Service" or "Special Duty Service" in Veterans Affairs Canada's “Disability Benefits in Respect of Wartime and Special Duty Service – The Insurance Principle” policy;The 34th Parliament ordered Canadians on active service for a globally mandated war against Iraq to liberate Kuwait (United Nations Security Council Resolution 665);This war was not immediately classified as "wartime" as Canada did not declare war, as was true for the Korean War;Korean War veterans, including civilian merchant mariners, were successfully reclassified to "Wartime Service" following a similar policy challenge spanning 30 yearsWorld War II civilians from The Legion, The Lions Club and the Red Cross are classified as ‘Wartime’, as are Allied veterans who immigrate;Canadians were under threat from ballistic missiles and chemical warfare nightly; performed integral combat related duties; captured and processed prisoners of war; provided combat air patrols and performed a disproportionate number of naval interventions; without current Treasury Board benefits, tax free status or vacation; andThe Kuwaiti ambassador has formally acknowledged Canada’s contribution in the liberation of her country, and, along with Minister MacAulay, has thanked veterans for their wartime contributions both personally and through media.We, the undersigned, concerned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to reclassify “Persian Gulf War - The Liberation of Kuwait” from "Special Duty Area" to "Wartime Service" within all Canadian policy on this, the 30th anniversary of the Liberation of Kuwait, to provide equality for "Persian Gulf War – The Liberation of Kuwait" as wartime veterans.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Bryan MayThe Government of Canada is grateful for the dedicated service of all Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans, including those who served in the Persian Gulf from 1990 to 1991.To date, service during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War are included in the Pension Act as service during war. Service in all other conflicts, operations, and deployments in which Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans have taken part, including all current deployments, are designated by Order of the Minister of National Defence, in consultation with the Minister of Veterans Affairs, as either a “Special Duty Area” or  a “Special Duty Operation” – commonly called “Special Duty Service” – under the authority of the Veterans Well-being Act.The practice of categorizing the military service of CAF members and Veterans is an internal process done in the interest of providing them with the benefits to which they are entitled from National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada. This is because the precise circumstances of a member or Veteran’s service, such as whether they were deployed on an operation, can impact aspects of a member or Veteran’s benefits—for instance, when determining whether Veterans Affairs Canada’s Insurance Principle or Compensation Principle should apply during the adjudication of disability benefits.In accordance with sections 69 and 70 of the Veterans Well-Being Act, the Minister of National Defence, in consultation with the Minister of Veterans Affairs, has the authority only to designate a “Special Duty Area” or “Special Duty Operation”. Applying these categories is not meant to signal greater or lesser respect for the service of members and Veterans, nor are such categories indicative of a lesser degree of risk on the part of those deployed. For example, in addition to the Persian Gulf, service in the Balkans and Afghanistan have been classified by Order of the Minister of National Defence as “Special Duty Service”. Moreover, changing the categorization of those who served in the Persian Gulf from “Special Duty Service” to “Wartime Service” would not necessarily result in any change to offered benefits, as these Veterans are eligible for the highest level of benefits through Veterans Affairs Canada for any injuries arising from such service.Public recognition of CAF members and Veterans’ service in all eras and conflicts is vitally important to Canadian society. As such, Veterans Affairs Canada's Commemoration Strategic Plan is dedicated to advancing the Government of Canada’s approach in acknowledging the service of modern-era Veterans over the past several decades. By engaging in ongoing consultations, the plan endeavors to gather invaluable perspectives from Veteran organizations and individual Veterans to ensure that their voices are heard in shaping the most effective and meaningful ways to recognize the service and sacrifice of Canada’s Veterans.The Government of Canada continues to be sincerely grateful to Persian Gulf Veterans for their service to Canada, and their invaluable contributions to the proud traditions of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Persian Gulf WarVeterans
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4203e-4203 (Public safety)JeanetteRussellKenMcDonaldAvalonLiberalNLFebruary 3, 2023, at 10:51 a.m. (EDT)April 4, 2023, at 10:51 a.m. (EDT)June 14, 2023August 16, 2023April 4, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Labrador represents one of the largest regions in Canada without dedicated surface or aeronautical SAR resources;The 2021 Commission of Inquiry into Ground SAR and Missing Persons identified air resources lacking and furthermore recommended remedial measures;The NunatuKavut Community Council (NCC) sighted to the Inquiry the lack of dedicated air and surface resources in Labrador as one of the most serious SAR deficiencies facing its residents;The 2018 Senate report, entitled "When Every Minute Counts" identified the lack of air resources in Labrador and adjacent Northern areas and recommended viable solutions;5-Wing Goose Bay (444 DND Squadron) represents a world class military and civilian air base and is strategically located as a gateway to the North and well positioned to provide SAR services to adjacent areas in a rapidly developing Northern region; andThe Minister of National Defense (PR, August 6, 2022) announced 5-Wing Goose Bay as one of four NORAD air bases to receive funding from its 20-year commitment of $38.6 billion in modernization air defense up-grades.We, the undersigned, Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, call upon the Government of Canada to designate 5-Wing Goose Bay as a dedicated SAR air base to include a designated SAR Cormorant helicopter as part of the DND NORAD $38.6 billion modernization commitment assigned to the 5-Wing air base in support of SAR for Labrador and adjacent Northern areas of Canada.
Response by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Bryan MaySearch and Rescue (SAR) is a shared responsibility among federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal organizations, as well as air, ground and maritime volunteer SAR organizations. Moreover, National Defence’s contribution to emergency response is part of the broader emergency management planning that is led by Public Safety Canada.The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is responsible for aeronautical incidents and the effective operation of the coordinated aeronautical and maritime search and rescue system. Newfoundland and Labrador is within the Halifax Search and Rescue Region, and the following units support SAR in this region:
  • 413 Squadron (Greenwood, Nova Scotia), which maintains one CC130 Hercules aircraft and one CH149 Cormorant on 24/7 SAR standby;
  • 103 Squadron (Gander, Newfoundland), which maintains one CH149 Cormorant on 24/7 SAR standby;
  • 444 Squadron (Goose Bay, Labrador), which operates CH146 Griffon helicopters that can be made available to support SAR operations when needed.
Ultimately, SAR squadrons are strategically locatedacross the country, according to the historical distribution of distress incidents, in order to provide the most effective SAR response to the greatest number of potential incidents.NORAD ModernizationAs part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) modernization, the investments to improve and adapt infrastructure and sustainment capabilities include upgrades to four operating locations used by NORAD in Canada’s North: three Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) in Inuvik, Yellowknife and Iqaluit, and at 5 Wing Goose Bay.As a strategic location for NORAD operations and for the defence of North America, the investments that the Government of Canada is making at 5 Wing are an important part of the overall NORAD modernization plan. While site development plans and engagements are ongoing National Defence expects to make upgrades to accommodate Canada’s new F-35 fleet and to support a more robust NORAD and CAF presence as needed, which will include upgrades at 5 Wing Goose Bay. These upgrades will strengthen Canada’s contribution to NORAD and enhance our safety and security in the evolving threat environment. The potential impact of investments in NORAD modernization on SAR capabilities is expected to be limited.In implementing these investments, National Defence has undertaken routine and ongoing engagements with Northern provincial, territorial and Indigenous governments and organizations, to build relationships and hear their priorities related to NORAD modernization investments. These discussions have set the stage for ongoing discussions at the three FOLs and at 5 Wing Goose Bay, so modernization initiatives are implemented in a manner that maximizes opportunities and benefits for Indigenous and Northern partners. Initial in person engagements with the town of Happy-Valley Goose Bay, the Innu Nation and the Nunatsiavut Government took place on June 6-7, 2023, and a virtual engagement with NunatuKavut will take place later this summer.In this capacity, National Defence will continue to support the government’s ability to provide the necessary urgent response to emergencies and identifying potential gaps as part of its continued work to inform emergency management planning and bolster appropriate emergency response resources and capabilities as required. 
Canadian Forces Base Goose BayCormorant helicopterNewfoundland and LabradorSearch and rescue
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01547441-01547 (Taxation)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 14, 2023August 16, 2023May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:Heating and transportation costs are already too expensive for many Canadians;Putting a federal tax on carbon will cost the average Canadian family over $847 after the so-called rebates each year; andThe Trudeau Liberal government has already announced that they will triple these taxes on hard-working Canadians.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon Parliament to scrap the federal carbon tax.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandClimate action is critical to Canada’s long-term health and economic prosperity. Pollution pricing is widely recognized as an effective and the most efficient means of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, which is why the Government of Canada has made sure that it is no longer free to pollute in Canada.The federal price on pollution is revenue neutral for the government of Canada; the direct proceeds from the federal pollution pricing system remain in the province or territory where they are collected. Put simply, every dollar collected from the pollution price is returned.In provinces where the federal fuel charge applies, 90 percent of direct proceeds are returned to residents of those provinces through Climate Action Incentive (CAI) payments. Most households receive more in CAI payments than the costs they face from the federal price on pollution, with low- and middle-income households benefitting the most, on average. The other 10 percent is used to support small and medium sized businesses and Indigenous groups. Farmers are also receiving a portion of proceeds from the price on pollution through a refundable tax credit, meaning an estimated $100M was to be returned to farmers for 2021-22 and $120M will be returned for 2022-23.This year, through quarterly payments, a family of four will receive: $1,544 in Alberta, $1,056 in Manitoba, $976 in Ontario, and $1,360 in Saskatchewan. Starting in July 2023 when federal pollution pricing begins to apply in Atlantic Canada, a family of four will receive 3 quarterly payments totaling: $984 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $744 in Nova Scotia, $720 in Prince Edward Island, and $552 in New Brunswick (double payment in October). Future years will contain four quarterly payments.Residents of small and rural communities are entitled to a 10 percent supplement beyond the base amount. 
Carbon tax
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01546441-01546 (Employment and labour)BlakeRichardsBanff—AirdrieConservativeABJune 14, 2023August 16, 2023May 30, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS: Parents who experience the loss of a child are often left without financial support or job security while they are grieving;Motion 110 (42-1) called on the Government of Canada to improve the compassion and support offered to grieving parents by the federal government;The House of Commons passed Motion 110 (42-1) unanimously;The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities undertook a study on Motion 110 (42-1);The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities tabled a report entitled Supporting Families After the Loss of a Child, which contained seven key recommendations to improve the compassion and support offered to grieving parents by the federal government;The signatories of this petition recognize the announcement by the Government of Canada their intention to implement some of these recommendations in the 2023 Federal Budget; andThe Government of Canada has still not implemented all of the recommendations in the report.THEREFORE, we, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1- Implement a bereavement benefit for all grieving parents of pregnancy and infant loss; and2- Implement all seven of the recommendations contained within the report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities entitled Supporting Families After the Loss of a Child.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official LanguagesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views and notes the request to implement a bereavement benefit for all grieving parents of pregnancy and infant loss and to implement all seven of the recommendations contained within the report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities entitled Supporting Families After the Loss of a Child.The Government welcomed the recommendations of the committee and responded along the key themes of:
  1. enhancing information and services for grieving families in a compassionate way;
  2. reducing financial hardships and supporting flexible return-to-work for parents who suffered the loss of a child; and,
  3. conducting policy analysis regarding supports for parents who have suffered the loss of a child.
For the full Government response to the committee, please visit: ourcommons.ca/content/Committee/421/HUMA/GovResponse/RP10555719/421_HUMA_Rpt14_GR/421_HUMA_Rpt14_GR-e.pdf.The Government acknowledges that grieving the loss of a child is difficult and that these events can have implications for Canadians’ mental and physical health, and that this can make it difficult to return to work. The Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits are available to eligible parents who need to step away from work due to the emotional or psychological distress caused by the loss of a loved one, including a child. On December 18, 2022, the Government announced an extension of EI sickness benefits from 15 weeks to 26 weeks for new claims beginning on or after this date.In addition, in the tragic event that the infant dies during the 15-week period surrounding childbirth, a parent who has established an EI maternity claim will continue to be eligible to receive benefits to support their recovery from pregnancy and childbirth. Maternity benefits are also payable to eligible parents in the event of a pregnancy loss (e.g., a stillbirth) that occurs during or after the 20th week of pregnancy.Part III of the Canada Labour Code (the Code) includes leave provisions to ensure that federally regulated private sector employees (about 6% of all Canadian employees) have job-protected leave while claiming an EI special benefit, including maternity and sickness benefits. Job protection is a federal-provincial/territorial responsibility and leave provisions included in PT labour standard legislation generally align with those from the Code.Since 2019, several changes have been made to the Code that can support grieving parents. These changes include:
  • the enhancement of bereavement leave, from three days with pay, immediately following the death of an immediate family member, to ten working days (including three days with pay) that can be taken up to six weeks after the funeral, memorial service or burial. An Act to Amend the Criminal Code of Canada and the Canada Labour Code (Bill C-3), which received Royal Assent in December 2021, includes amendments to bereavement leave that will provide up to eight weeks of unpaid leave for employees who experience a stillbirth or the death of a child. An order of the Governor in Council will be necessary to bring these provisions into force;
  • the addition of a new personal leave of five days (including three days with pay) that can be used by parents to attend to any urgent matter concerning their family members, including following the death of their child or a pregnancy loss;
  • the enhancement of medical leave without pay from 17 weeks to 27 weeks to align with the extension of EI sickness benefits, and entitling employees to earn and take up to 10 days of medical leave with pay per year; and,
  • the introduction of a right to request flexible work arrangements, which can help employees to cope with the death of their child by allowing them to formally request a change to the terms and conditions of their employment related to the number of hours they work, their work schedule, and the location of their work.
In addition, as announced in Budget 2023, the Government is committed to amend the Code to create a new stand-alone leave for employees who experience a pregnancy loss. This new leave will provide employees with time to begin their physical and emotional recovery without risk of losing their job or forfeiting income security.Building a modernized EI program remains an important part of the Government’s commitment to support workers. Work is underway to modernize the program, informed by the feedback received from individuals and stakeholders through substantive consultations held through 2021 and 2022, as well as changing economic conditions so that Canadians continue to be supported.Once again, the Government wishes to thank the petitioners.  Their views will be taken into consideration in our ongoing efforts to improve the EI program.
Deaths and funeralsEmployment insuranceInfantsLeave from work
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01544441-01544 (Environment)YvanBakerEtobicoke CentreLiberalONJune 13, 2023August 16, 2023June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDPetition to increase the level of carbon pricing under the Greenhouse Gas and Pollution Pricing Act of methane-fired electricity generation to a level that will send a sufficient market signal to incentivise a transition away from methane-fired electricity generation to low carbon energy sources.Whereas:
  • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's most recent AR6 Synthesis report for its sixth cycle (AR6) was unequivocal - no new fossil fuel infrastructure is to be built and all developed countries must reach net-zero electricity generation by 2035;
  • What some people call natural gas is, in reality, a fossil fuel. It is methane - a very potent greenhouse gas (GHG);
  • The Canadian Energy Regulator's Canada Energy Futures 2021 reports that approximately 8,900 megawatts of new methane-fired generating capacity is projected to be added by 2035 under current federal, provincial and territorial policies;
  • In Ontario, methane-fired generation is set to account for 25% of the province's electricity generation by the late 2040s, more than triple its current role;
  • The Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA) establishes the framework for the federal carbon pollution pricing backstop system, which consists of two main components: a regulatory charge on fossil fuels (Fuel Charge); and, a regulatory trading system for industry, known as the Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS);
  • Methane-fired generation of electricity is subject to the OBPS component of the GGPPA;
  • The increase in projected methane-fired electricity generation in Canada (particularly in Ontario) indicates that the current level of carbon pricing of methane-fired generation does not send a sufficient market signal to incentivize a transition away from fossil fuels to low carbon energy sources;
  • There is a real risk of methane-fired electricity generation facilities becoming stranded assets, with the associated costs being passed onto the taxpayer and ratepayer; and
  • The proposed Clean Electricity Regulations process is too slow to address this grave problem.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to Increase the level of carbon pricing under the GGPPA of methane-fired electricity generation to a level that will send a sufficient market signal to incentivise a transition away from methane-fired electricity generation to low carbon energy sources by:
  • making methane-fired electricity generation subject to the Fuel Charge component of the GGPPA; or
  • if methane-fired generation remains in the OBPS component of the GGPPA, making it subject to increased carbon pricing.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTCanada is committed to achieving a net-zero electricity system by 2035 as a key part of its plan to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050 to help combat climate change. In order to achieve this goal, the Government of Canada is working closely with provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, industry, and other key interested parties to identify and support regional priorities for clean electricity through the Regional Energy and Resources Tables, the Canada Electricity Advisory Council, and the Indigenous Council for Wah-ila-toos. Budget 2023 included approximately $45 Billion in investments over the next 10 years through investment tax credits, low-cost financing through the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and other funding to support the clean energy transition. Notably, it announced a 15% tax credit for non-emitting electricity generation and transmission, in addition to other complementary measures announced in Budget 2023 and the 2022 Fall Economic Statement, such as investment tax credits for clean technologies, clean technology manufacturing, clean hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage.To achieve net zero by 2050, the electricity sector will need to phase out coal by 2030, achieve net zero electricity by 2035 and ultimately close to double generation capacity. This energy transition is being driven by federal climate policies. For example, in 2018 the Government of Canada published the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-Fired Generation of Electricity Regulations, which regulates a phase-out of conventional coal-fired electricity generation by 2030. Additionally, the Government of Canada published the Regulations Limiting Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Natural Gas-Fired Generation of Electricity, which set performance standards for new natural gas units and contains provisions for the conversion of coal units to run on natural gas for a limited period of time (up to 10 years beyond the regulated end of life date of the coal unit). These regulations help support Canada’s transition to cleaner energy, create well-paying jobs in the electricity sector, and support the development of a net-zero electricity grid.To further help accelerate Canada on the path towards a net-zero electricity grid by 2035 the Government of Canada is designing the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER), which will maximize emissions reductions while maintaining reliability and affordability. Developing the CER now sends strong signals to avoid investment in new unabated natural gas generation and will help drive forward the development of emerging clean energy technologies. The CER will set a technology-neutral emissions performance standard for emitting generation of electricity that is provided to the grid and will include compliance flexibilities that recognize regional differences, including a future role for some natural gas generation. The CER has been designed to maximize emissions reductions, while maintaining affordable and reliable electricity systems.Environment and Climate Change Canada is developing the CER in close consultation with key interested parties. This process started with the release of a discussion paper in March 2022 followed by a draft regulatory frame in July 2022. The Department has also held multiple technical webinars as well as meetings with representatives from across the country to hear specific and regional concerns. The Department will be publishing the draft CER in the coming months, after which a formal engagement period will take place.Economy-wide carbon-pricing systems are designed to incentivize emissions reductions while allowing for maximum flexibility at the lowest overall cost. The flexibility afforded by these systems will result in different segments of the economy reducing emissions along different pathways, depending on the availability and cost of emissions reduction opportunities.Fossil fuel-fired electricity generated is covered by carbon pricing in all provinces across Canada either by the federal output-based pricing system or the applicable provincial pricing system that aligns with the carbon pricing benchmark. All output-based pricing systems (OBPS) must have a rising compliance price that aligns with the minimum national carbon pricing which increases by $15/year reaching $170/t CO2e in 2030.At present, most industrial emissions are subject to provincial OBPS, rather than the federal system, including in Ontario, where fossil fuel-fired electricity generation is covered by its Emissions Performance System Regulations. Provincial systems vary in size, context, and composition, and Canada’s approach allows provinces and territories to adjust their systems to meet local circumstances, as long as they meet national minimum stringency requirements.Canada strengthened the minimum national stringency criteria for carbon pricing systems (the “benchmark”) in 2021 for the 2023-2030 period to ensure all carbon pollution pricing systems are comparable and effective across the country. New requirements mean that all OBPS must maintain a marginal price signal in line with Canada’s minimum carbon price thereby ensuring that facilities regulated under output-based pricing systems are subject to the same incentives to reduce emissions as the fuel charge.The federal approach to electricity generation under the federal OBPS balances three goals:
  • Incentivize greenhouse gas emissions reductions by applying a carbon pollution price signal to all forms of emitting electricity generation;
  • Maintain the competitiveness of emission-intensive and trade exposed industry and potentially lead to carbon leakage;
  • Introduce a system that is affordable for households and businesses, especially where energy choices are currently limited.
The approach balances these goals by setting emissions standards based on fuel type. The standards for gaseous fuels like natural gas are 370 tonnes per gigawatt hours (t/GWh) for existing generation, and for new generation, standards started at 370 t/GWh in 2021, and decline linearly to 0 t/GWh in 2030 – meaning under the federal system, new facilities will be paying the full price on every tonne of carbon pollution they emit by 2030.The different OBSs are set to maintain an even playing field across the electricity sector and avoid high costs for consumers in locations where there are barriers to non-emitting generation, such as Northern Canada or in diesel-dependent industrial activities.Increasing the stringency of the federal Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS) for industryhas been part of the design of the federal OBPS from its inception in the 2018 Regulatory Framework for the OBPS. Strengthening standards over time is consistent with Canadian and global climate goals, which require increasing ambition over time. To this end, Canada has committed to review the standards for electricity generation to reflect changes associated with the forthcoming Clean Electricity Regulations.Concerning the increase in natural gas capacity predicted in Canada Energy Regulator’s Canada’s Energy Future 2021, note that this analysis did not include the Clean Electricity Regulations. The newly released Canada’s Energy Future 2023 does include the CER and finds that the electricity sector reaches net zero emissions by 2035, demonstrating the impact of the CER and other climate policies to substantially impact planning and operations of Canada’s electricity sector.   
Carbon pricingCarbon taxEnergy transitionMethane production
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01543441-01543 (Environment)YvanBakerEtobicoke CentreLiberalONJune 13, 2023August 16, 2023June 7, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas:Our economic and financial systems depend on a stable climate and the Bank of Canada recognizes that climate change poses significant risks to the financial system and the economy;Continued financial support for emissions-intensive activities increases future climate-related risks to the stability financial systems and the longterm interests of Canadians;There has been no significant legislative action on the matter in Canada despite international developments legislating the climate and finance nexus which risks leaving Canada behind; andBill S-243, An Act to enact the Climate-Aligned Finance Act was drafted based on consultation with national and international experts so as to enable Canada to leapfrog from laggard to leader on aligning financial flows with climate commitments.Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to enact the principal concepts of the Climate-Aligned Finance Act which would:1) Establish a duty for directors and officers of federal financial institutions to align with climate commitments;2) Align purposes of crown corporations and departments, including market oversight by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, with climate commitments;3) Require the development of action plans, targets and progress reports on meeting climate commitments through annual reporting requirements; 4) Ensure climate expertise on certain boards of directors and avoid conflicts of interest;5) Make capital adequacy requirements proportional to microprudential and macroprudential climate risks generated by financial institutions; 6) Require a government action plan to align all financial products with climate commitments; and7) Mandate timely public review processes on implementation progress to ensure iterative learning.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for expressing their views about climate-aligned finance in Canada.Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy and net-zero emissions by 2050 will require substantial investment beyond the public sector. Private sector capital and expertise will be needed to meet Canada’s climate objectives and create a climate-resilient economy.Developing sustainable finance in Canada will promote the long-term growth and stability of Canada’s financial system. It will also create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and investors.In May 2021, the Government of Canada launched the Sustainable Finance Action Council (SFAC) to help lead the Canadian financial sector towards integrating sustainable finance into standard industry practice. The SFAC is chaired by Kathy Bardswick and comprises 25 Canadian deposit-taking institutions, insurance companies and pensions funds, with combined assets of over $10 trillion.The SFAC’s Terms of Reference call on it to provide financial sector input to the Government of Canada on the development of foundational market infrastructure, including enhancing climate disclosure, defining green and transition investment, and improving climate data and analytics. More recently, in Budget 2022, the Government of Canada asked the SFAC to develop and report on strategies for aligning private sector capital with the net-zero transition, with support from the Canadian Climate Institute and in collaboration with the Net-Zero Advisory Body.The council’s early emphasis has been on enhancing climate-related financial disclosures in Canada’s private sector. The SFAC has also worked on taxonomy, and, late in 2022, submitted the Taxonomy Roadmap Report to the Government of Canada, which sets out its advice on the design, governance, and implementation of a Canadian green and transition finance taxonomy. The Government of Canada is studying the Report’s advice, and there will be continued collaboration with the SFAC and other financial sector leaders on taxonomy.The Government of Canada is making important progress in meeting its Budget 2022 commitment to move towards mandatory reporting of climate-related financial risks across a broad spectrum of the Canadian economy, based on the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.
Climate change and global warmingFinancial institutions
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01541441-01541 (National defence and military operations)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 13, 2023August 16, 2023June 7, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination produced its final report in early 2022;Whereas the report calls for clergy from religions which have a different view on gender and sexuality than the Department of National Defence to be banned as chaplains in the Canadian Armed Forces;Whereas the report slanders even mainstream Canadian religions as discriminatory, misogynist, and sexist;Whereas all Canadians, including members and chaplains of the Canadian Armed Forces, are entitled to the Charter-guaranteed right of freedom of religion;Whereas Canadian Armed Forces chaplains serve all members of the Forces without distinction on the basis of religion, gender, or sexual orientation; andWhereas discrimination on the basis of religion is wrong and offensive to Canadians.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Reject the recommendations on chaplaincy in the Canadian Armed Forces in the final report of the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination; and2. Affirm the right of all Canadians, including Canadian Armed Forces chaplains, to freedom of religion.
Response by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Bryan MayIn April 2022, the Minister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination released a comprehensive set of recommendations to ensure Canada’s military is safe and welcoming for all. Work is underway to assess the implications of the Advisory Panel’s recommendations, including those on the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service, and the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff is coordinating an analysis of each recommendation.The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service’s (RCChS) primary goal is the care of all Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, without exceptions. It is already the expectation that CAF chaplains uphold the values and ethos of the CAF, just like every other member of the military. When chaplains apply for their roles within the chaplaincy, they undergo a rigorous process to assess their ability to provide spiritual support within the context of CAF values. Anyone who successfully makes it through this assessment has demonstrated their ability to provide religious or spiritual counsel to CAF members of all or no faiths, without judgement or exception.To this end, the RCChS continues to embrace CAF values and ethos, and has taken significant steps in the past several years to strengthen its commitment to diversity and inclusion. For example, as of 2019, in order to better serve the CAF and represent the religious/spiritual diversity of Canadian society, the RCChS sought to include a wider number of traditions not previously represented in CAF chaplaincy. This resulted in the enrollment of chaplains from Sikh, Buddhist, and Humanist traditions. The RCChS also shifted from the historical requirement of “ordained” status to a more broadly defined status of “credentialed as a faith tradition leader.” In doing so, the RCChS has ensured wider opportunities for women from faith traditions where they cannot be ordained, but who meet qualification standards for CAF chaplaincy as credentialed faith tradition leaders. This is already the case for Roman Catholic and Muslim women, currently serving in the RCChS, and will now be an option for women from other faith traditions.To further promote diversity and inclusion, the RCChS has instituted several new advisor positions, including an Indigenous Advisor, 2SLGBTQi+ Advisor, Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Advisor, Gender Advisor, and Advisor to the Commander of Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) in an effort to raise awareness, educate, and innovate. These advisors play a critical role in providing strategic input and advice to ensure direction and guidance, and programs integrate diverse perspectives with a view to enhancing inclusive engagement on behalf of the RCChS. The CAF continues to take positive steps to ensure that the chaplaincy represents Canadian society and supports the needs of its broader membership.
Canadian ForcesChaplaincy services and chaplainsMinister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism, Discrimination with a focus on anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism, LGBTQ2+ Prejudice, Gender Bias and White SupremacyReligious discrimination
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01540441-01540 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 13, 2023August 16, 2023May 18, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Free and fair trials, judicial independence, and the rule of law are all cornerstones to Canada's democracy;
  • Since June 2019, protests for democracy, freedom, universal suffrage, and regional autonomy have been occurring in Hong Kong;
  • On many occasions, peaceful protestors of Hong Kong are charged and convicted of penal offences through a judiciary that is neither impartial, fair, or free;
  • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c.27), Section 36 renders foreign nationals who have committed or been convicted of a foreign offence outside Canada inadmissible on grounds of criminality and serious criminality; and
  • Hong Kong people who have been arbitrarily charged and convicted with pro-democracy movement related penal offences for political purposes are at risk of being deemed inadmissible to enter Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Recognize the politicization of the judiciary in Hong Kong and its impact on the legitimacy and validity of criminal convictions; 2. Affirm its commitment to render all National Security Law charges and convictions irrelevant and invalid in relation to Section 36(1)(c); 3. Create a mechanism by which Hong Kong people with pro-democracy movement related convictions may provide an explanation for such convictions, on the basis of which Government officials can grant exemptions to Hong Kong people who are deemed inadmissible under A36(1)(b), (2)(b), and (2)(c) upon examination of the circumstances and determination that the applicant's criminal record is political in nature; and 4. Work with the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other democracies to waive criminal inadmissibility of Hong Kong people convicted for political purposes, who otherwise do not have a criminal record.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada.Immigration officers examine foreign charges and convictions to determine if there is an equivalent offence in Canada for the act committed. If there is no equivalent offence, the individual would not be inadmissible for having committed or being convicted for that offence. For example, as there is no equivalent offence in Canada for peaceful protesting, a charge or conviction for having partaken in such activities would not make an individual inadmissible to Canada.Where there are some similarities between the foreign law and Canadian law, a person would only be inadmissible if the underlying action is considered an offence in Canada.Immigration officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific facts presented by the applicant. All inadmissibility decisions are based on evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations or other documents, such as media articles or publicly-available information.Decision-makers are required to follow the rules of procedural fairness throughout the decision-making process. In the event that an immigration officer has concerns over the criminal admissibility of an applicant, the individual is informed and given an opportunity to provide a response to concerns about their application.If an officer determines that an applicant is inadmissible to come to Canada, applicants may be eligible for relief, on a case-by-case basis, using mechanisms available under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. For example, a temporary resident permit may be issued, when justified in the circumstances, to allow an inadmissible foreign national to enter Canada.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has a special relationship with Hong Kong that is rooted in a shared history and extensive commercial, institutional and people-to-people ties.(1) The maintenance of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as expressed through the One Country, Two Systems framework, is a high priority for the Government of Canada. Under this framework, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. Canada remains committed to supporting Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy within the One Country, Two Systems framework, and to working with international partners to advance the goal of a free, stable and prosperous Hong Kong where human rights and fundamental freedoms under the Basic Law are guaranteed. We will continue to monitor developments in Hong Kong closely, including those relating to the territory’s judicial system, and reserve the right to undertake appropriate action in response to future developments.(4) In advance of the imposition of the National Security law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on May 22, 2020, expressing deep concern over proposals to introduce national security legislation in Hong Kong. Another statement was issued with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States on May 28, 2020, reiterating concerns over the anticipated introduction of the National Security Law. On June 17, 2020, Canada joined its G7 partners to release a joint statement urging China to reconsider its decision.Following the imposition and implementation of the National Security Law, Canada has worked in concert with international partners to support the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Hong Kong residents and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy under the Basic Law and the One Country, Two Systems framework. Canada also announced new immigration initiatives for Hong Kong and has sought to complement and align these initiatives with measures taken by our likeminded partners.Subsequently, following the adoption by the National People’s Congress of a package of changes to the electoral system in Hong Kong in March 2021, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union, also released a joint statement expressing grave concerns at the Chinese authorities’ decision. The joint statement made it clear such a decision strongly indicates that the authorities in mainland China are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong, while also stifling political pluralism, contrary to the aim of moving towards universal suffrage as set out in the Basic Law.The wider chilling effects of the National Security Law and the growing restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, which are being felt across civil society is deeply concerning. On December 20, 2021 Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as the Foreign Ministers of the G7, noting the outcome of the Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong, issued separate statements expressing grave concern over the erosion of democratic elements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s electoral system. On February 17, 2022, Canada and 21 other members of the Media Freedom Coalition issued a joint statement expressing their deep concern at the Chinese authorities’ attacks on freedom of the press and their suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong.While Canada and its partners share a common interest in Hong Kong’s prosperity and security, each country has its own legislative framework and is responsible for applying its own sovereign rules and procedures, including those related to immigration and admissibility.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada. Inadmissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Civil and human rightsCriminal recordsForeign policyHong KongImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01538441-01538 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 13, 2023August 16, 2023March 28, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.With these benefits, all registered charities are required to follow rules and principles set out in the Income Tax Act and common law, including ensuring the information that they provide is accurate and evidence-based. This includes registered charities that provide reproductive health services, who are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter. All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. 
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01527441-01527 (Animals)MikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJune 9, 2023August 16, 2023May 18, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • On September 28, 2022, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced a new policy that prohibits the entry of commercial dogs, which includes adoption and fostering, from specific countries who are deemed at high-risk for rabies;
  • There are over 100 countries listed where these dogs are prohibited from entering Canada, including Ukraine and Afghanistan, where humanitarian crises are occurring, and the Philippines and China where rescuers are saving animals from the dog meat trade;
  • Animal advocacy groups have said that rescues were not consulted on this plan and it came as a shock. International rescue organizations have had to shut down their operations, unnecessarily causing dogs to suffer and die. Public consultation and stakeholder engagement is needed;
  • Other measures to ensure public safety such as adequate vaccination, blood antibody testing, and quarantine have been proven to be effective. Rabies is 100% preventable thanks to appropriate vaccines that are available;
  • No other western jurisdictions have banned international dog rescue entirely;
  • At a minimum, Canada's policy should match the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulations on the entry of dogs, which allows dogs into the country with appropriate safeguards;
  • Many Canadians adopt and rescue dogs from overseas. This change could lead to more dogs in shelters or on the street globally and could exacerbate Canada's puppy mill crisis; and
  • Keeping Canadians and their pets safe, while also working with rescues and advocates is important.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to work with affected dog rescues and animal rights advocates to ensure government policy on dog importations keeps Canadians safe, without increasing the number of animals in shelters or on the streets globally.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam Van KoeverdenThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for regulating the importation of animals into Canada to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases, such as rabies caused by canine-variant viruses (dog rabies), that have the potential to harm animal and human health.We love all dogs and to protect them as well as Canadians from dog rabies, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) implemented a measure to prohibit the entry of commercial dogs from countries at high-risk for dog rabies. Since September 28, 2022, the entry of all commercial dogs into Canada from countries considered to be high risk for dog rabies is no longer permitted, regardless of their age. Commercial dogs can include (but are not limited to) dogs for resale, adoption, fostering, breeding, show or exhibition, research and other purposes.This measure was implemented in response to the importation of dogs infected with dog rabies, and resulting calls from federal and provincial public health officials to strengthen importation measures in Canada for dogs from countries at high risk for dog rabies. The CFIA consulted with public health authorities regarding the human health risk and it was determined to be significant enough to warrant the implementation of a measure that helps mitigate the introduction and spread of dog rabies to Canada.While rabies exists in some wild species, Canada does not have dog rabies, a virus that can be transmitted between mammals, including humans. Rabies is 99% fatal to animals and humans once they start to show signs or symptoms. Our government aims to preserve this status.Dog rabies can be introduced into Canada through imports that come from over 100 countries where this deadly disease is present. The importation of even one rabid dog could result in transmission to Canadian humans, pets and wildlife. In past years, commercial dog imports have increased significantly and shipments of dogs arriving from countries with widespread dog rabies pose a high risk of introducing this disease in Canada.It is very difficult to verify if an imported dog has been infected with dog rabies or protected from this disease prior to importation due to the long incubation period of the disease as well as the limits of laboratory testing.The incubation period for rabies is highly variable and depends on many factors. The majority of infected animals will develop the disease within six months of exposure. The infective period can start before the appearance of clinical signs (e.g., dogs can shed the virus 10 days before the onset of the disease) and last until death. As such, a dog may unknowingly be imported with the disease, even if it was vaccinated prior to importation. Imported dogs cannot be tested for rabies as the internationally accepted standard for testing for rabies involves sampling brain tissue, which requires that the animal be euthanized.Vaccinating dogs for rabies prior to importation is important, but it does not ensure that the animal is not infected on arrival. To be effective, rabies vaccines must be manufactured in accordance with standards established by the World Organisation for Animal Health, stored at the correct temperature and administered to healthy animals according to established protocols (e.g., given when the animal is old enough). Should any of these steps fail, vaccination may not be fully protective. It is difficult to verify that these parameters have been adhered to prior to the importation of dogs. Vaccinating a dog after it is exposed to rabies, does not prevent the disease.When used in combination with other measures, the rabies titre test (also called rabies neutralizing antibody titre) is a useful tool to help mitigate the risk of importing a dog with rabies. However, in the absence of an appropriate waiting period after the test is performed, the results cannot be used to determine whether a dog has been adequately vaccinated and/or protected against rabies. Many countries require a waiting period of at least three months (and even up to six months) after the test before any dog can be imported to allow time for clinical signs to develop in case the animal had been infected. Lastly, it is important to remember that rabies titre testing is not a diagnostic or screening test for rabies exposure; rather, it helps to evaluate whether or not the animal’s immune system has mounted an acceptable response to vaccination.While post-import quarantines can also be a useful tool in certain situations and for certain diseases, the internationally accepted incubation period for rabies in dogs is six months, but can be longer in some cases; therefore, a prolonged quarantine period after importation would be required to mitigate the risks. As such, quarantining imported dogs from countries at high risk for dog rabies creates an opportunity for a rabid dog to be brought to Canada, potentially exposing people (e.g., airline workers, caregivers, etc.) to a serious and fatal disease.Additionally, because this is a zoonotic disease, an approved and appropriate quarantine facility would be required, the handling of animals in a quarantine facility would be limited, trained and verified caregivers would be required to wear personal protective equipment and contact with other animals would not be permitted. A prolonged quarantine period would be logistically challenging, expensive for the importer and detrimental to the welfare of the animal.The CFIA collaborated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to classify countries according to risk of dog rabies. The methodology used by the CDC was evaluated by the CFIA and found to be scientifically sound and appropriate to be used by the CFIA for the implementation of this measure. While Canada and the U.S. have identified the same countries to be of high risk for dog rabies, the two countries have different legal authorities and, therefore, have implemented different import measures.The CFIA will continue to explore options for long-term solutions for dog imports that will allow the CFIA to address evolving disease risks in a sustainable, risk-based manner, using a One Health approach that is consistent with international standards. The CFIA is committed to continuing to develop approaches that keep the Canadian public and animals safe, and prevent the introduction and spread of diseases into Canada. We are committed to minimizing the risk of dog rabies to animals and people in Canada to ensure their health and safety.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for establishing the policies regarding the importation of live animals, including dogs into Canada under the Health of Animals Act and Health of Animals Regulations. The CBSA administers and enforces these policies at the border.On September 28, 2022, the CFIA implemented Notice to industry: New measure prohibiting the entry of commercial dogs from countries at high-risk for dog rabies, the new import restrictions banning all commercial dogs from high risk rabies countries (approximately 112 countries) from being imported into Canada. These restrictions are in effect at international airports in Canada.The CBSA administers these requirements on behalf of CFIA as part of our overall enforcement mandate under the Canada Border Services Agency act.
DogsImports
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4272e-4272 (Citizenship and immigration)JosueRamirezTomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABJanuary 26, 2023, at 9:39 a.m. (EDT)March 27, 2023, at 9:39 a.m. (EDT)June 9, 2023August 16, 2023March 27, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Venezuela has been deemed an unprecedented political, economic and humanitarian crisis comparable to Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine;As of January 2023, Canada response to the situation in Ukraine trough the Canadian-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, had allowed for more than 140,000 Ukrainians to come to Canada;In response to the situation in Afghanistan, Canada had welcome more than 27,000 Afghan refugees through the Special Immigration Measures Program for Afghans;For Syrian citizens, more than 40,000 refugees had been welcome to Canada through the Syrian Refugee Settlement initiative;As per United Nations High Commission for Refugees figures in 2022, more than 6.1 million Venezuelans have left Venezuela since 2015;Canada promised to welcome an additional 4,000 migrants from the Latin-American region by 2028; andCanada announced at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, June of 2022 also planned to bring in 50,000 more agricultural workers from Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean.We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Create a Canada-Venezuela Humanitarian Visa Program to help Venezuelans and the family members of Canadians and Venezuelans Permanent Residents of Canada to come to Canada and provide them with the ability to work and study while in Canada;2. Provide those Venezuelans who are already in Canada the option to extend their visitor status, work permit, or study permit so that they can continue to live and work or study in Canada temporarily.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.When responding to international crises, the Government of Canada tailors its immigration measures to the unique conditions of each event and the needs of the affected population. We evaluate how Canada can best help by looking at what solutions are most appropriate, including waiving fees or requirements, as well as whether existing immigration and refugee programs are sufficient or if new ones are required. We strive to balance our commitment to assist those in need with upholding the security, safety, and well-being of Canadians. Furthermore, we also monitor the international and regional response to the crisis. For example, in the case of the Venezuelan refugee and migration crisis, countries in the region have generally shown great solidarity and are hosting over 84% of the Venezuelan nationals that have left or fled their country in recent years.Canada has played a leadership role in responding to the Venezuelan refugee and migrant crisis. In March 2023, Canada co-hosted with the European Union the International Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants and their Host Countries and Communities, which successfully convened 280 delegates and raised US $872M in pledges by donors, including CAD $58.55M from Canada. Since 2019, Canada has provided over CAD $180M in humanitarian, development and stabilization assistance in response to the Venezuela crisis (in addition to funding announced at the March 2023 Conference). In 2022, Canada launched 17 new projects in the region to support the socio-economic integration of Venezuelan refugees and migrants into host communities, to increase regional security, and to strengthen migration management. Furthermore, Canada chairs the Group of Friends of the Quito Process, a group of 11 donors supporting the regional response of the Quito Process countries hosting those displaced by the crisis in Venezuela.There are a number of temporary resident programs that Venezuelan nationals can currently access, including those related to working or studying in Canada. More specifically, they may apply for a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, if they have a job offer from an employer and are supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada; or under any stream of the International Mobility Program, as long as they meet eligibility criteria. We would also encourage Venezuelan nationals with an acceptance letter for a designated learning institution to apply for a study permit, should they meet the eligibility criteria. Many international students are authorized to work off campus without a work permit. Both work and study permits are demand-driven, meaning that there are no limits on the number of work permits that can be issued. Lastly, if they have a host adult child or grandchild in Canada, they may be eligible for the parent and grandparent super visa, which is a multi-entry visitor visa that allows stays of five years per entry.In addition there may be opportunities for Canada’s existing permanent residence programs. If they have family in Canada, Venezuelan nationals may apply under Canada’s generous family reunification programs, which allow for the sponsorship of spouses, common-law partners, conjugal partners, dependent children, children to be adopted, parents, grandparents, and other relatives in specific circumstances. Furthermore, the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot program, which facilitates the use of economic pathways to Canada for skilled refugees, is also available for those who meet eligibility criteria.In addition to existing programs, Canada has committed to resettle up to 4,000 eligible refugees from the Americas, which can include Venezuelans, by 2028. It has also pledged to welcome 15,000 persons from the Western Hemisphere to provide an alternative to irregular migration for those facing forced displacement in Central American, South American and Caribbean countries. This commitment was announced by Prime Minister Trudeau during United States President Biden’s visit on March 24, 2023. Further development of this initiative is underway.
Immigration and immigrantsPassports and visasVenezuela
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01524441-01524 (Citizenship and immigration)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABJune 9, 2023August 16, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:On February 6, 2023, Canada announced an extension and expansion of the Hong Kong Pathway Open Work Permit program for eligible Hong Kong residents by extending the Open Work Permit scheme for an additional two years such that eligible open work permit holders can apply for Permanent residency via Hong Kong pathway Stream B; andSome Hongkongers involved in the pro-democracy movement are unable to access the Open Work Permit scheme as they are required to obtain a police certificate from the Hong Kong Police, and eligible Open Work Permit Holders in Canada are required to provide Hong Kong Police Certificate to apply for Permanent residency via Hong Kong pathway Stream B.Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to remove the requirement for a police certificate from the Hong Kong Police for Open Work Permit applicants and introduce an alternative security check as necessary.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recognizes that certain foreign nationals in challenging political situations may encounter difficulties in adhering to Canadian regulations and program requirements. Canada maintains enduring connections with the people of Hong Kong and expresses deep concern regarding the deteriorating human rights situation in the region. In light of these concerns, the Government of Canada has implemented a range of facilitative measures aimed at assisting Hong Kong residents in coming to Canada. This is evidenced by the special measures that we have implemented to date, including an open work permit of up to three years to work for any employer in Canada, and the creation of two pathways to permanent residence for Hong Kong residents already in Canada.Immigration Officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, carefully considering the unique circumstances presented by each applicant. Decisions regarding inadmissibility are grounded in evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations, as well as other relevant documents such as media articles and publicly-available information.Hong Kong residents and/or foreign nationals may be contacted by IRCC through a letter requesting a police certificate should further assessment for admissibility be deemed necessary. However, if the applicant declares their inability to procure a police certificate due to concerns over compromising their personal safety, IRCC will employ existing internal measures to mitigate the non-submission of documents without compromising the integrity of the program. Each applicant possesses the right and opportunity to address and provide clarification regarding their circumstances through the “self-declaration process”. This process serves to mitigate any critical situations wherein the outcome will affect the applicant’s safety and security.The Government of Canada is confident that the established policy honours the spirit of the petition.The Government of Canada strongly prioritizes upholding human rights and the rule of law, both domestically and internationally. Canada continues to closely monitor the situation in Hong Kong and is prepared to undertake additional measures if and when the need arises.
Application processHong KongWork permits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01523441-01523 (Foreign affairs)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABJune 9, 2023August 16, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • Various media outlets reported that the Communist Party of China (CCP) took efforts to interfere in Canada's federal elections;
  • Classified reports from the CSIS claim that a former CCP consular official in Canada celebrated and took credit for the defeat of two parliamentarians;
  • The Prime Minister's National Security Adviser, Jody Thomas, informed MPs that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was routinely briefed about election interference attempts by Beijing;
  • The Trudeau Foundation board of directors and CEO have resigned after a $200,000 donation from a businessman linked to the CCP was made to the organization;
  • The parliamentary committee investigating foreign interference voted to establish a public inquiry into foreign interference;
  • The Liberal government continues to block the creation of a public inquiry and denying its immediate necessity;
  • The Special Rapporteur appointed by the Prime Minister is in a hopeless conflict of interest having served as a member of the Trudeau Foundation, and is a personal friend of the Prime Minister;
  • The CCP engages in relationships with Canada as a strategic adversary such as hostage diplomacy with the unjust jailing of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig;
  • The CCP has used this adversarial stance to conduct economic warfare on Canadian exports like agricultural products of grain and oil seeds that puts Canadian producers at risk; and
  • Canadians deserve democratic institutions they can trust that serve Canadians, and without interference from foreign agents.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:conduct a full open, independent, public inquiry into Beijing's election interference to give Canadians the transparency they need in order to restore the trust in Canada's civic and parliamentary institutions.
Response by the Prime Minister of CanadaSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Jennifer O'ConnellThe Government of Canada takes very seriously all allegations of foreign interference in electoral processes and is committed to the continuous strengthening of Canada’s democratic institutions and their protection from foreign interference. This is why the Prime Minister tasked the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, with leading consultations on what an upcoming process to shed light on the matter of foreign interference in Canadian elections could look like, and to determine who may best be suited to lead this public work. Canadians can rest assured that this is a priority of the Government of Canada and that the selected process will correspond to their needs and to the sensitivity of the intelligence.The Government of Canada also continues to reinforce its efforts to counter any form of foreign interference in our electoral processes and to strengthen trust in Canada’s democratic institutions.  On March 6, 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada announced measures to further this objective. This included the establishment of a National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator at Public Safety Canada to coordinate efforts to combat foreign interference; the development of a plan to address  recommendations from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and from the independent assessments of the Critical Election Incident Public Protocol by Mr. Morris Rosenberg and Mr. James Judd, and the investment of $5.5 million to strengthen the capacity of civil society partners to counter disinformation.Following the Prime Minister’s announcements, the Government released its report, Countering an evolving threat: Update on recommendations to counter foreign interference in Canada’s democratic institutions, which outlines the recommendations made in the reports to protect Canadian democratic institutions and processes; summarizes the actions that have been taken or are in progress to address the recommendations; and proposes further steps for consideration to bolster Canada’s response to foreign interference threats.The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructures and Communities has also announced additional details with regards to the $5.5 million investment to strengthen defences against online disinformation.These efforts demonstrate the Government of Canada’s continued efforts to protect our democratic institutions, including our electoral processes, from any possible threats.Additionally, both NSICOP and the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) have indicated their intention to undertake reviews with regards to foreign interference and in accordance with their mandates. NSICOP has announced it will launch a review of foreign interference in Canada’s federal democratic processes pursuant to section 8(1)(a) of the NSICOP Act, and NSIRA has announced it will a review of the production and dissemination of intelligence on foreign interference with respect to the 43rd and 44th federal elections. The Government’s next steps will be taken in close consideration of the findings and recommendations of both bodies. Finally, when they are well informed and engaged, Canadians can be the best line of defence in our efforts to fight foreign interference in our democratic processes. As such, I wish to thank you for this petition, which I see as a clear commitment to democracy. Indeed, petitions are a direct form of democratic participation and contribute to the dialogue between citizens and their elected decision-makers.
ChinaForeign influenced activitiesInquiries and public inquiries
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01522441-01522 (Taxation)ChrisLewisEssexConservativeONJune 9, 2023August 16, 2023April 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of the County of Essex and City of Windsor, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:
  • Workforce WindsorEssex has identified that over 6,000 residents of Essex County and Windsor commute to work outside of Canada;
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada strongly encouraged "non-essential" commuters to refrain from crossing the border and implemented a variety of compliance measures to enforce this position;
  • Private industry in the United States changed their work rules in support of the Government of Canada's position to allow many employees to work for home;
  • The Canada Revenue Agency granted employees in this position a waiver for tax years 2020 and 2021 that allowed them to continue receiving foreign tax credits for certain deductions that would normally only apply to a Canadian resident physically working in the United States;
  • The prolonged border restrictions made work-from-home or a hybrid work model the norm, and a return to pre-COVID work rules is highly unlikely;
  • The Canada Revenue Agency did not grant a similar waiver for tax year 2022;
  • Employers in the United States do not have a consistent, well-defined, or widespread means of allocating certain payroll taxes among two jurisdictions; and
  • The lack of a waiver will significantly reduce disposal income among residents of Essex County and Windsor, and other border communities across Canada, while increasing overall Government of Canada revenue by a statistically insignificant amount.
Therefore, your petitioners (those who are impacted by these circumstances, or who are relatives, friends, or neighbours of those who are impacted by these circumstances) call upon the government of Canada to:
  • Rewrite the tax laws of Canada and renegotiate any concomitant tax treaties with the United States to recognize 401-K contributions and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) payroll taxes as foreign tax credits in Canada for Canadian residents employed in the United States regardless of whether those employees physically work at a site in the United States, from their home, or a combination of both; and
  • Reinstate the temporary waiver with respect to 401-K contributions and FICA payroll taxes retroactive to January 1, 2022 until such time as the tax laws of Canada and any concomitant tax treaties with the States have been updated to reflect the continuing reality of work-from-home and hybrid work models.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for voicing their concerns about Windsor-Essex commuters.  In general, the purpose of tax treaties is to promote trade and investment by eliminating double taxation barriers while preventing tax avoidance and evasion. Following the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Model Tax Convention on Income and on Capital, the Canada-U.S. Tax Convention addresses the income tax aspects of the broad range of commercial, industrial, financial and other activities that occur in the cross-border context. There are a number of issues that will be raised in the next round of negotiations with the United States. It is likely that provisions relating to cross-border workers will be included in the list of issues. 
Personal income taxTax policyUnited States of America
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01521441-01521 (Social affairs and equality)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBJune 8, 2023August 16, 2023April 22, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned, residents of the province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • Canada's seniors should be a priority for all of us;
  • There are programs that support Canada's seniors like OAS and the GIS along with other public and private financial support programs that ensure seniors have financial means;
  • Governments and senior support groups often encourage and provide support programs like Canada's New Horizons Program which provides grants or Age and Opportunity groups that provide services;
  • Governments of all levels need to work together on issues like long term care and mental health for our seniors; and
  • It is important that leaders in our communities recognize the value of supporting our seniors who continue to contribute to who we are as a society no matter what their personal disposition might be.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon Canada's Members of Parliament to encourage, promote and advocate for the needs of our seniors.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam Van KoeverdenThe Government of Canada is committed to supporting Canadians, including seniors, through the development of policies, programs, and initiatives that promote the health, wellbeing, and quality of life of older adults, and through addressing issues in long-term care.Canadians ultimately want to age at home or in their community, close to family and loved ones. That is why the Federal Government is providing $6 billion over ten years, starting in 2017, for provinces and territories to improve access to home and community care services, including palliative care. As a result of the first five years of this investment, provinces and territories have implemented new initiatives to improve access, better coordinate and integrate care, and support caregivers to help more Canadians receive the care and services they need so that they may remain at home longer. Details of the bilateral agreements, including how the funding is being spent, can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/corporate/transparency/health-agreements/shared-health-priorities.html.The Government of Canada also supports and promotes various international initiatives related to aging and health, including the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030), as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) Age-Friendly Communities Model. An age-friendly community is one that is designed to help seniors live safely, enjoy good health and stay involved. In an age-friendly community, structures and services are adapted to the needs of older people. These efforts continue to grow around the world and in Canada, where we now have over 1,400 communities across the country working to become more age-friendly. The Prime Minister has tasked the Minister of Health, in the context of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, with working to promote seniors’ physical and mental health to enable them to live longer at home. This includes supporting the Minister of Seniors in their work to establish an expert panel to provide recommendations for establishing an Aging at Home Benefit.The Minister of Seniors and the Minister of Health have asked the National Seniors Council to serve as an expert panel to examine measures, including a potential aging at home benefit, to further support Canadians who wish to age within the comfort of their own homes. Just recently, the National Seniors Council held an online consultation inviting Canadians and stakeholders to share their lived experiences and views on ways to support Canadians in aging at home. Over 12,000 respondents provided invaluable input that will inform the Government’s work on this issue. A report containing recommendations for federal consideration on potential ways to enhance current measures or introduce new ones, including a potential new benefit, is scheduled to be submitted, by the National Seniors Council, to Ministers in September 2023.The COVID-19 pandemic has also tragically exposed long-standing issues affecting long-term care facilities across the country. While the provision of long-term care falls under the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories, the Federal Government is working collaboratively with provinces and territories to improve the quality and availability of long-term care and to support training and better wages for personal support workers. The Minister of Health’s most recent mandate letter reiterates the Government’s commitment to ensuring seniors get the care they deserve. This commitment builds on past efforts to support long-term care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.In January 2023, the Government of Canada welcomed the release of complementary, independent long-term care standards from CSA Group and the Health Standards Organization (HSO). Together, the standards focus on the delivery of safe, reliable, and high-quality long-term care services, safe operating practices, and infection prevention and control measures in long-term care homes.The standards complement the Government of Canada’s collaborative work with provinces and territories to help support improvements in long-term care. Budget 2021 announced a $3 billion investment, starting in 2022-23, to support provinces and territories in their efforts to ensure standards for long-term care are applied and permanent changes are made. This funding will help support workforce stability, including through wage top-ups and improvements to workplace conditions (e.g., staff to patient ratios, hours of work) and strengthened enforcement (e.g., enhanced inspection and enforcement capacity, quality, and safety improvements to meet standards), including through accreditation and regular inspections. The Federal Government will work collaboratively with provinces and territories to flow this funding as part of our collective efforts to make sure that seniors and others in care settings live in safe and dignified conditions. Action plans for this funding are in development by provinces and territories.Delivery of long-term care services is a provincial and territorial responsibility. Given the constitutional division of powers, the Federal Government cannot impose national standards on provinces and territories, or directly on long-term care facilities, but the funding agreements allow all to work together to prioritize the uptake and adherence to the standards.The Government of Canada is also looking at developing a Safe Long-Term Care Act to help ensure seniors get the care they deserve, while respecting provincial and territorial jurisdiction. The Government of Canada has initiated consultations and engagement with stakeholders and Canadians on a principles-based Safe Long-Term Care Act.In addition, Budget 2023 confirmed the Government’s commitment to an increase in health care funding of close to $200 billion over ten years, including $46.2 billion in new funding for provinces and territories. The plan emphasizes the key federal health priorities:
  • Access to family health services;
  • Building a resilient health workforce and addressing backlogs;
  • Access to mental health and substance use services;
  • Modernizing the health system through digital health and health data; and,
  • Helping Canadians age with dignity
This new funding includes a federal investment of $1.7 billion over five years to support hourly wage increases for personal support workers and related professions, as federal, provincial, and territorial governments work together on how best to support recruitment and retention.The Federal Government has also responded to address immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in long-term care facilities in a number of other ways:
  • In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Federal Government announced the creation of a new Safe Long-Term Care Fund. This fund transferred $1 billion to the provinces and territories to protect people living and working in long-term care;
  • The Safe Restart Agreement provided provincial and territorial governments with over $19 billion to help them restart the economy, while making Canada more resilient to future surges in cases of COVID-19. This included $740 million in funding to support our most vulnerable populations through infection prevention and control measures to protect those in LTC and those receiving home care and palliative care;
  • Funding totalling $10.7 million to Healthcare Excellence Canada, enabling more than 1 500 long-term care facilities and retirement homes across Canada to implement best practices for preventing and addressing COVID-19 infection;
  • Workforce supports from the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian Red Cross in long-term care facilities;
  • Public Health Agency of Canada Guidance on infection prevention and control and patient care in long-term care / home care during the pandemic;
  • Enhanced supply and coordination of personal protective equipment;
  • Procurement and coordination support for rapid testing and vaccines; and,
  • Programs coordinated by Employment and Social Development Canada for training and work placements for personal support worker interns.
Federal investments of $24 million from 2019 to 2021 and $29.8 million from 2021 to 2027 (through Budget 2021) will advance the Government’s Action Plan on Palliative Care and lay a better foundation for coordinated action on supportive care needs. This funding complements federal investments of $6 billion over ten years to provinces and territories for home and community care, including palliative care, under the Common Statement of Principles on Shared Health Priorities.The Action Plan on Palliative Care lays out Health Canada’s multi-year plan to tackle issues identified in the Framework on Palliative Care in Canada. Actions include: raising awareness of the importance of palliative care; providing public education on grief; improving palliative care skills and supports for health care providers, families, caregivers, and communities; enhancing data collection and research; and, improving access to culturally sensitive palliative care.Seniors deserve to be safe, respected, and live in dignity. The Federal Government continues to work in collaboration with provinces and territories to ensure seniors get the care they deserve, foster aging at home, and increase the resilience of long-term care facilities in order to prevent and mitigate challenges, including COVID-19.Our Government also has an important role to play in supporting evidence-based best practices to promote healthy aging. In 2018, the Government of Canada invested $75 million for the Healthy Seniors Pilot Project in New Brunswick. This project is examining how governments can better support seniors in their homes, communities, and care facilities. The projects supported by this initiative are addressing a wide range of issues related to the health of older people.Dementia is also having a significant and growing impact in Canada. In 2019-2020, nearly 474 000 Canadians aged 65 and older were living with diagnosed dementia. This number is expected to rise as Canada’s aging population increases. The Government of Canada is addressing these impacts, such as through its 2019 release of the first national dementia strategy, A Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Aspire. The Government of Canada is supporting the strategy’s implementation through investments in research, awareness raising, guidance, surveillance, and community-based projects. Furthermore, Budget 2022 provided $30 million over three years, starting in 2022-23, to the Public Health Agency of Canada, for the Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation to help accelerate innovations in brain health and aging. Budget 2022 also provided $20 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to increase efforts to learn more about dementia and brain health, to improve treatment and outcomes for persons living with dementia, and to evaluate and address mental health consequences for caregivers and different models of care.The commitment to support the mental health of Canadians, including seniors, is reflected in a number of ongoing investments. Through Budget 2017, the Government is investing $5 billion over ten years (2017-2027) with provinces and territories to support increased access to mental health and substance use services.The Government is also continuing to work with partners and stakeholders to develop National Standards for Mental Health and Substance Use Health Services. Once developed and voluntarily implemented, standards will help to support an evidence-based framework for service delivery that the public, service providers, and policy makers can rely on.The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected older adults who continue to experience a range of negative impacts as a result of the pandemic and has necessitated an increased need for mental health supports. To support older Canadians, Budget 2021 provided $100 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including older adults.As Canada heads into post-pandemic recovery, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to mental health and substance use health supports when they need them. This is reflected in the Minister’s mandate letter, which calls for mental health care to be treated as a full and equal part of our universal health care system.To this end, and building on previous Budget 2017 investments, Budget 2023 highlighted the government's plan to provide close to $200 billion over ten years in health transfers, including $25 billion over ten years through a new set of bilateral agreements to address individual provincial and territorial health system needs, such as expanding access to family health services, supporting health workers and reducing backlogs, increasing mental health and substance use support, and modernizing health systems.The Government of Canada will continue to engage with key partners and stakeholders to build evidence, raise awareness, and develop resources on key seniors’ health issues. All of these commitments and investments in mental health, healthy aging, dementia, home care and long-term care ensure a better future for Canadians.
Response by the Minister of Labour and SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherThe Government of Canada values the many contributions that seniors have made and continue to make to our country, our communities, our workplaces and our families. The government is delivering on a number of commitments to provide support to Canadian seniors, to ensure their financial security, social inclusion, well-being and quality of life.While the percentage of seniors living in poverty decreased from 7% in 2015 to 5.6% in 2021, we know that some seniors still struggle to make ends meet. This is why our government has taken action to reduce poverty for all Canadians, including seniors. In 2018, the Government introduced Opportunity for All – Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy. The Strategy offers a bold vision for Canada without poverty. It also sets poverty reduction targets for all Canadians, including seniors, based on Canada’s Official Poverty Line: a 20% reduction in poverty by 2020 and a 50% reduction in poverty by 2030, relative to 2015 levels. The Government’s poverty reduction efforts are already showing positive effects. According to the 2021 Canadian Income Survey, the poverty rate was 7.4% in 2021, down from 14.5% in 2015. This represents a 49% decrease in poverty compared to 2015, the baseline year for Canada’s legislated poverty reduction targets. Between 2015 and 2021, over 2.3 million Canadians were lifted out of poverty.The Government supports seniors through a strong and stable retirement income system consisting of three pillars that Canadians can count on to be there today and into the future.  The first pillar is the residence-based, monthly Old Age Security (OAS) pension and the income-tested Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for low-income seniors. Benefits under the OAS program include the OAS pension, which is paid to all persons aged 65 or over who meet the residence requirements, the GIS for low-income seniors, and the Allowances for low-income Canadians aged 60 to 64 who are the spouses or common-law partners of GIS recipients, or who are widows or widowers.The second pillar is the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), a social insurance program that is funded by the contributions of employees, employers and self-employed persons, and by the revenue earned on CPP investments. It covers virtually all employed and self-employed persons in Canada, excluding Quebec, which operates its own comprehensive plan, the Québec Pension Plan. The intent of the CPP is to provide contributors and their families with minimum basic income replacement upon the retirement, disability or death of a wage earner. As an income replacement program, the amounts of CPP benefits are generally based on each earner’s contributions to the CPP over their lifetime. While primarily a retirement plan, the CPP also provides supplementary disability and survivor benefits, which reflect the social insurance nature of the Plan and are not a direct return on contributions.The OAS and CPP work together to provide a stable base upon which individuals can add income from private third pillar measures, such as employer-sponsored pension plans, registered retirement savings plans, tax-free savings accounts and other personal savings and investments, to address their particular financial circumstances.To ensure that they retain their value over time, OAS benefits are reviewed four times per year (in January, April, July and October) and CPP benefits are reviewed annually (in January) in accordance with changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI measures the price of a typical “basket” of goods and services, such as food, shelter, gas and clothing, commonly purchased by Canadian households. The quarterly indexation provides benefit increases to recipients when prices go up. In addition, the Old Age Security Act and the Canada Pension Plan each contain a guarantee ensuring that benefits can never go down, even in the event of a decline in the CPI.The Government of Canada remains committed to improving the income security of seniors and continues to seek ways to strengthen the OAS program, as demonstrated by a broad range of measures taken since 2015:
  • Budget 2016 restored the age of eligibility for the OAS pension and the GIS from 67 back to 65, putting thousands of dollars back in the pockets of future Canadian seniors.
  • In July 2016, the GIS was increased by up to $947 per year for the lowest-income single seniors, benefiting close to 900,000 vulnerable seniors across Canada. This measure, along with other government initiatives and changes to the economy, lifted an estimated 45,000 seniors out of poverty.
  • In December 2017, the Government launched automatic enrolment to the GIS. Seniors who are automatically enrolled for the OAS pension are now automatically enrolled for the GIS without ever having to complete an application.
  • In Budget 2019, the Government enhanced the GIS earnings exemption so that low-income seniors who work are able to keep more of what they earn. As of July 2020, the enhanced exemption applies to both employment and self-employment income and provides a full exemption on up to $5,000 of annual earnings, as well as a 50% exemption on the next $10,000 of earnings. This means that low-income seniors who work can keep more of their benefits.
The Government has also introduced several measures to protect seniors’ financial security during the COVID-19 pandemic. These included, in 2020, a one-time tax-free payment of $300 for seniors eligible for the OAS pension, with an additional tax-free payment of $200 for seniors eligible for the GIS. This measure provided a total of $500 to low-income seniors who received both the OAS pension and the GIS. Allowance recipients also received $500.In Budget 2021, the Government committed to moving forward with investments that give Canadian seniors a better quality of life, including stronger financial security. In July 2022, the Government increased the OAS pension by 10% for seniors aged 75 or over. This increase was designed to address the increased vulnerability that seniors face as the age. As seniors get older, they tend to have lower income, and often face higher health-related expenses because of the onset of illness or disability. This is especially true for those 75 and older. This vulnerability is further compounded by a reduced ability to supplement their income with paid work, the risk of outliving personal savings, and the risk of widowhood. That is why the Government took action to make life more affordable for Canadians as they age.Budget 2021 also committed $90 million to support seniors in their homes through the Age Well at Home initiative. The timeframe for this initiative was recently extended to the end of fiscal year 2025-26.The Age Well at Home initiative will provide funding to seniors-serving organizations for local, regional and national projects which will allow for the discovery of new approaches and learnings. Projects funded under the In-Home Support Pilot Projects stream will test the extent to which volunteers can be mobilized to provide local practical supports such as meals, housekeeping, and yard work to help low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors age at home. Projects funded under the Scaling Up for Seniors stream will expand services that have already demonstrated positive results in helping seniors age at home. Organizations that serve seniors had the opportunity to apply to two competitive funding processes, one for each stream, in June 2022.The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) supports the Government of Canada’s overarching social goals to enhance the quality of life, and promote the full participation of individuals, including seniors, in all aspects of Canadian society.The Program helps to ensure that seniors can benefit from and contribute to the quality of life in their communities. The NHSP promotes volunteerism among seniors and other generations; engages seniors in the community through mentoring of others; expands awareness of elder abuse, including financial abuse; supports social participation and inclusion of seniors; and provides capital assistance for new and existing community projects and/or programs for seniors.The NHSP reinforces that seniors are valuable assets to communities. By empowering seniors and encouraging them to share their knowledge, skills and experience with others in the community, theNHSP enhances seniors’ social well-being and community vitality. Seniors today contribute to their community, organizations and broader society by volunteering, participating in, and leading community activities. Since 2004, the NHSP has funded more than 36,500 projects with a total investment of more than $780 million.The 2022-2023 NHSP community-based call for proposals funded more than 3000 community projects with an investment of over $61M.To help seniors and all Canadians get the dental care they need, Budget 2023 committed to provide $13.0 billion over five years, starting in 2023-24, and $4.4 billion ongoing to Health Canada to implement the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). The plan will provide dental coverage for uninsured Canadians with annual family income of less than $90,000, with no co-pays for those with family incomes under $70,000. The plan will begin rolling out by the end of 2023 and will be administered by Health Canada, with support from a third-party benefits administrator. These investments build on the launch of the Canada Dental Benefits for children last year and will help seniors see a dentist when they need to and make their life more affordable.Addressing the issues faced by seniors is not only about the action of governments. Meaningful contributions are needed from a broad coalition of stakeholders. The Government receives valuable advice from a number of partners and stakeholders to inform its work. For example, the National Seniors Council, established in 2007, provides advice to the federal government, through the Minister of Seniors and Minister of Health, on matters related to the well-being, quality of life and health of seniors. The Minister of Seniors and the Minister of Health have asked the National Seniors Council to serve as an expert panel to examine measures, including a potential aging at home benefit, to further support Canadians who wish to age within the comfort of their own homes. Just recently, the National Seniors Council held an online consultation inviting Canadians and stakeholders to share their lived experiences and views on ways to support Canadians in aging at home. Over 12,000 respondents provided invaluable input that will inform the government’s work on this issue. A report containing recommendations for federal consideration on potential ways to enhance current measures or introduce new ones, including a potential new benefit, is scheduled to be submitted by the National Seniors Council to Ministers in September 2023.Additionally, through the FPT Seniors Forum, federal, provincial and territorial ministers and officials discuss issues of importance to seniors, share information on seniors’ wellbeing, and undertake initiatives to advance issues of common concern. In 2021, FPT Ministers responsible for seniors approved the following priorities for the FPT Seniors Forum 2022-2025 work cycle: the role of technology to enhance aging in place; senior abuse: during the pandemic and beyond; and supportive housing for a diverse senior’s population. Ministers also approved the continuation of carry-over work on ageism. Most recently, FPT Ministers responsible for seniors met on April 25-26, 2023, in Toronto, Ontario. In addition to approving reports flowing from consultations on ageism and an analysis of gaps and challenges in preventing and responding to the mistreatment of older adults during the pandemic, they discussed measures to address affordability and cost-of-living issues for seniors and received a presentation from Ontario showcasing housing innovations to support aging.The Government looks forward to continuing to work with the National Seniors Council, provinces, territories and other key stakeholders to support Canada’s seniors of today and tomorrow.  
Senior citizensSocial benefits
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01520441-01520 (Environment)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 8, 2023August 16, 2023March 20, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following:Whereas: Children born in 2020 will face on average 2-7 times more extreme weather events than their grandparents;In a 2021 report in The Lancet, 83% of children worldwide reported that they think people have failed to take care of the planet; Those most affected by climate change are the youngest generation, as they will live to see the worst effects of the crisis; Youth discussion has proven crucial to successful climate action and policy creation; However, dozens of climaterelated decisions are made without input from youth; Statistics around the world show that if youth were making these decisions, the representation in Parliament outcome would be different; andChildren under 18 are not legally allowed to vote, and are therefore without legal voice or accurate.Therefore, we, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Require all Members of Parliament, regardless of party lines, to consult with a secondary or elementary school leadership, student council, or environmental youth group of their Riding (i.e. under-18 youth representatives), before Parliament holds the Second Reading of any Bill that directly affects Canada's Greenhouse Gas Emissions; and2. The purpose of the consultation will be to listen to the viewpoints of those directly affected by the specified Bill, but who do not already have representation in Parliament.
Response by the Leader of the Government in the House of CommonsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Kevin LamoureuxThank you for raising this important issue. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting our natural environment, fighting climate change, and making Canada more resilient to the threats posed by extreme weather. Canadians depend on our natural environment for jobs, clean air and water, and for a sense of place in the world. However, the risks to our environment have never been greater. Climate change threatens nature, our communities, and our economy.For these reasons, the Government of Canada has taken significant action to protect the environment, conserve nature and biodiversity, and respond to the threat of climate change. The Government has established a federal pollution pricing system, established the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan that outlines a sector-by-sector roadmap to achieve Canada’s 2030 target of 40-45 per cent reduction in emissions, put Canada on a path to planting two billion trees, released its first National Adaptation Strategy, and has worked with provinces and territories towards a goal of zero plastic waste by 2030.The Government of Canada recognizes that youth have a critical role to play in climate action. They are important agents of change, with innovative ways of thinking. Canada’s Youth Policy and the State of the Youth Report identify Environment and Climate Action as a key priority for youth. The Government of Canada considers the youth perspective as vital to ensuring that the country's transition to a prosperous and low-carbon future is sustainable and inclusive. Established in August 2022, the Environment and Climate Change Youth Council is a group of 10 young Canadians who are passionate about protecting the environment and taking climate action. In its first six months, the Youth Council members have contributed to and participated in UNFCCC COP27 in Egypt and the Convention on Biodiversity COP15 in Montreal, and have advised the government on policy issues, including the National Adaptation Strategy and climate communications.Strategic environmental assessments are also a mandatory part of the policy and legislative development process. These assessments help to ensure all public policies and strategic decisions made by the Government of Canada are guided by the potential impact on the environment. In carrying out the assessments, the Government will consider the scope and nature of likely environmental effects, the need for mitigation to reduce or eliminate adverse effects and take into consideration any adverse environmental effects and mitigation that may be required.
Climate change and global warmingPublic consultationYoung people
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01517441-01517 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 5, 2023August 16, 2023June 7, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Free and fair trials, judicial independence, and the rule of law are all cornerstones to Canada's democracy;
  • Since June 2019, protests for democracy, freedom, universal suffrage, and regional autonomy have been occurring in Hong Kong;
  • On many occasions, peaceful protestors of Hong Kong are charged and convicted of penal offences through a judiciary that is neither impartial, fair, or free;
  • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c.27), Section 36 renders foreign nationals who have committed or been convicted of a foreign offence outside Canada inadmissible on grounds of criminality and serious criminality; and
  • Hong Kong people who have been arbitrarily charged and convicted with pro-democracy movement related penal offences for political purposes are at risk of being deemed inadmissible to enter Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Recognize the politicization of the judiciary in Hong Kong and its impact on the legitimacy and validity of criminal convictions; 2. Affirm its commitment to render all National Security Law charges and convictions irrelevant and invalid in relation to Section 36(1)(c); 3. Create a mechanism by which Hong Kong people with pro-democracy movement related convictions may provide an explanation for such convictions, on the basis of which Government officials can grant exemptions to Hong Kong people who are deemed inadmissible under A36(1)(b), (2)(b), and (2)(c) upon examination of the circumstances and determination that the applicant's criminal record is political in nature; and 4. Work with the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other democracies to waive criminal inadmissibility of Hong Kong people convicted for political purposes, who otherwise do not have a criminal record.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada.Immigration officers examine foreign charges and convictions to determine if there is an equivalent offence in Canada for the act committed. If there is no equivalent offence, the individual would not be inadmissible for having committed or being convicted for that offence. For example, as there is no equivalent offence in Canada for peaceful protesting, a charge or conviction for having partaken in such activities would not make an individual inadmissible to Canada.Where there are some similarities between the foreign law and Canadian law, a person would only be inadmissible if the underlying action is considered an offence in Canada.Immigration officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific facts presented by the applicant. All inadmissibility decisions are based on evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations or other documents, such as media articles or publicly-available information.Decision-makers are required to follow the rules of procedural fairness throughout the decision-making process. In the event that an immigration officer has concerns over the criminal admissibility of an applicant, the individual is informed and given an opportunity to provide a response to concerns about their application.If an officer determines that an applicant is inadmissible to come to Canada, applicants may be eligible for relief, on a case-by-case basis, using mechanisms available under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. For example, a temporary resident permit may be issued, when justified in the circumstances, to allow an inadmissible foreign national to enter Canada.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has a special relationship with Hong Kong that is rooted in a shared history and extensive commercial, institutional and people-to-people ties.(1) The maintenance of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as expressed through the One Country, Two Systems framework, is a high priority for the Government of Canada. Under this framework, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. Canada remains committed to supporting Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy within the One Country, Two Systems framework, and to working with international partners to advance the goal of a free, stable and prosperous Hong Kong where human rights and fundamental freedoms under the Basic Law are guaranteed. We will continue to monitor developments in Hong Kong closely, including those relating to the territory’s judicial system, and reserve the right to undertake appropriate action in response to future developments.(4) In advance of the imposition of the National Security law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on May 22, 2020, expressing deep concern over proposals to introduce national security legislation in Hong Kong. Another statement was issued with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States on May 28, 2020, reiterating concerns over the anticipated introduction of the National Security Law. On June 17, 2020, Canada joined its G7 partners to release a joint statement urging China to reconsider its decision.Following the imposition and implementation of the National Security Law, Canada has worked in concert with international partners to support the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Hong Kong residents and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy under the Basic Law and the One Country, Two Systems framework. Canada also announced new immigration initiatives for Hong Kong and has sought to complement and align these initiatives with measures taken by our likeminded partners.Subsequently, following the adoption by the National People’s Congress of a package of changes to the electoral system in Hong Kong in March 2021, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union, also released a joint statement expressing grave concerns at the Chinese authorities’ decision. The joint statement made it clear such a decision strongly indicates that the authorities in mainland China are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong, while also stifling political pluralism, contrary to the aim of moving towards universal suffrage as set out in the Basic Law.The wider chilling effects of the National Security Law and the growing restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, which are being felt across civil society is deeply concerning. On December 20, 2021 Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as the Foreign Ministers of the G7, noting the outcome of the Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong, issued separate statements expressing grave concern over the erosion of democratic elements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s electoral system. On February 17, 2022, Canada and 21 other members of the Media Freedom Coalition issued a joint statement expressing their deep concern at the Chinese authorities’ attacks on freedom of the press and their suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong.While Canada and its partners share a common interest in Hong Kong’s prosperity and security, each country has its own legislative framework and is responsible for applying its own sovereign rules and procedures, including those related to immigration and admissibility.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada. Inadmissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Civil and human rightsCriminal recordsForeign policyHong KongImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01514441-01514 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 5, 2023August 16, 2023May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and international engagement.Canada is strongly committed to working with governments, as well as multilateral and non-governmental organizations, to promote inclusive and accountable governance around the world. Canada is consistently a strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values.Canada’s leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention demonstrates its steadfast commitment to upholding universal human rights and the rules-based international order.The Government of Canada maintains an active and open dialogue with the Turkish, Pakistani and Bahraini Governments concerning human rights, as part of Canada’s commitment to promote democracy and uphold human rights and the rule of law globally.Global Affairs Canada officials met with the Turkish families that reported of their arrest in Pakistan and Bahrain and eventual detention in Türkiye, before moving to Canada. Global Affairs Canada officials have also received a submission from these families, requesting sanctions against specific Turkish officials in relation to their previous detention in Türkiye.Canada is judicious when it chooses to deploy sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use, when appropriate. Canada remains committed to playing a leadership role in the preservation and strengthening of an international rules-based order – sanctions are a key component of this approach. We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools for maintaining and restoring international peace and security, combatting corruption, and promoting respect for norms and values, including human rights. Canada carefully considers the bilateral consequences that any sanction measures could have. To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Wherever possible, Canada coordinates closely with likeminded allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01510441-01510 (Foreign affairs)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABJune 5, 2023August 16, 2023May 26, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONSWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini officials have committed gross violations of human rights against thousands of Turks including eight current Turkish-Canadians;
  • Turkish officials are responsible for causing hundreds of deaths including the torturous murder of Gokhan Acikkollu;
  • Turkish officials have wrongfully detained over 300,000 peoples including prosecutors and judges with no reasons given; and
  • Several International Human Rights groups have confirmed gross human rights violations are happening in Turkey.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1) Closely monitor the human rights situation in Turkey;2) Place sanctions on the twelve Turkish officials who are responsible for gross human rights violations against eight current Canadians and the death of their friend Gokhan Acikkollu; and3) Call on the Turkish, Pakistani, and Bahraini governments to end all violations of human rights happening in their countries.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and international engagement.Canada is strongly committed to working with governments, as well as multilateral and non-governmental organizations, to promote inclusive and accountable governance around the world. Canada is consistently a strong voice for the protection of human rights and the advancement of democratic values.Canada’s leadership in the fight against arbitrary detention demonstrates its steadfast commitment to upholding universal human rights and the rules-based international order.The Government of Canada maintains an active and open dialogue with the Turkish, Pakistani and Bahraini Governments concerning human rights, as part of Canada’s commitment to promote democracy and uphold human rights and the rule of law globally.Global Affairs Canada officials met with the Turkish families that reported of their arrest in Pakistan and Bahrain and eventual detention in Türkiye, before moving to Canada. Global Affairs Canada officials have also received a submission from these families, requesting sanctions against specific Turkish officials in relation to their previous detention in Türkiye.Canada is judicious when it chooses to deploy sanctions and is committed to their effective and coordinated use, when appropriate. Canada remains committed to playing a leadership role in the preservation and strengthening of an international rules-based order – sanctions are a key component of this approach. We also consider the broader political and international contexts when deciding whether sanctions or any other tools in Canada’s foreign policy toolbox may be an appropriate response.Sanctions are an important complement to Canada’s foreign policy tools for maintaining and restoring international peace and security, combatting corruption, and promoting respect for norms and values, including human rights. Canada carefully considers the bilateral consequences that any sanction measures could have. To that end, Global Affairs Canada has established a rigorous due diligence process to consider and evaluate possible cases of human rights violations, corruption or other circumstances that may warrant the use of sanctions. Wherever possible, Canada coordinates closely with likeminded allies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, to maximize the effectiveness of sanctions.
BahrainCivil and human rightsForeign policyPakistanTurkey
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01508441-01508 (Public safety)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCJune 5, 2023August 16, 2023May 30, 2023Petition to the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeWe, the undersigned, residents of British Columbia and visitors to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, call upon the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to reinstate the surf guard tower and surf guard services, and extend the duration of the surf guard program to accommodate the growing number of emergencies as well as visitors at Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTAs our country's largest natural and cultural tourism provider, Parks Canada is committed to providing visitors with safe and meaningful experiences. When it comes to water safety, Parks Canada recognizes that a regional, multi-faceted approach is required. To achieve this, Parks Canada collaborates with various partners to implement the CoastSmart Program, a regional coastal safety campaign that focuses on prevention messaging for all unsupervised beaches in the region.The Surf Guard program, which ran during the summer months in a popular section of Long Beach, concluded in 2012 as it was no longer aligned with evolving surf and water recreation practices in the region. Water activity now takes place year round in the region, stretching across a broad network of beaches, with activities ranging from surfing, to stand up paddle boarding, storm watching, and more.The Surf Guard program only monitored one section of Long Beach for two-and-a-half months between June and August of the year. With 16 kilometres of beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve’s Long Beach Unit alone, it is not feasible to provide Surf Guard services over such a dispersed area and throughout the year.Pacific Rim National Park Reserve aligns with all surf beaches on the Pacific Coast of Canada from Sombrio Beach on southern Vancouver Island to North Beach on Haida Gwaii, which are not supervised. It is the responsibility of visitors to assess risks and make informed decisions.The Agency has partnered with Ucluelet and Tofino to raise awareness of water hazards through the CoastSmart program. The public awareness campaign shares the key risks of recreating on or near water, whether surfing, beach walking, or engaging in many other coastal activities. Education is one of the most effective ways to reduce the frequency and severity of incidents. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve provides information to visitors through online platforms, signage, and the Coastal Stewards stationed on Long Beach during the summer. Together, these initiatives help visitors learn about ocean hazards and make informed decisions before and during their visit to the coast.Parks Canada is focusing its efforts on visitor education and incident prevention in collaboration with others. For this reason, Parks Canada will not be reinstating the surf guard program at Long Beach and is working to reduce the risk by addressing risk factors identified by the International Life Saving Federation.   
LifeguardsPacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4270e-4270 (Citizenship and immigration)TahirShaaranAliEhsassiWillowdaleLiberalONJanuary 27, 2023, at 2:22 p.m. (EDT)March 28, 2023, at 2:22 p.m. (EDT)May 31, 2023August 16, 2023March 28, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:The Hazaras, a persecuted ethnic group and religious minority in Afghanistan, are facing escalating targeted attacks, forced displacement, summary executions and mass atrocities at the hands of the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS-K);On 30 September 2022, a targeted attack at Kaaj Educational Centre in Kabul resulted in the massacre of 56 Hazara schoolchildren—mostly girls—injuring 114 others and mobilizing #StopHazaraGenocide protests in 120 cities;Since 2002, there were at least 294 documented attacks targeting Hazara civilians in Afghanistan, including the 2020 maternity-ward attacks that killed newborns and mothers. Previous attacks targeted Hazara educational centres, places of worship, sports-clubs, roads, weddings, funerals, and protests;On 3 September 2022, a cross-party report of the British Parliament concluded: “Hazaras are at serious risk of genocide at the hands of the Taliban and Islamic State–Khorasan”;On 1 December 2022, Dr. Gregory Stanton, founding President of Genocide Watch, warned: “The Taliban have already committed genocide against the Hazaras when they were in power in the 1990s and now, they are committing genocide against Hazaras again”; andIn October 2022, two city councils in Melbourne, Australia recognized the ongoing genocide of Hazaras.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Support investigations by the UN Human Rights Council into atrocities against Hazaras;2. Substantially increase visas for Hazaras seeking asylum in Canada through special immigration programs; and Acknowledge the vulnerability of Hazara refugees due to their targeted ethnic and religious persecution in Afghanistan and support vulnerable refugees by prioritizing and expediting the asylum claims and resettlement of Hazaras.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.The Government of Canada takes the protection and promotion of human rights seriously and is deeply concerned with the discrimination and violence that has affected Hazaras and other religious and ethnic minority communities in Afghanistan. We strongly condemn the attacks against these communities and offer our condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.We remain firmly committed to resettling at least 40,000 Afghan refugees by the end of 2023. Our commitment to resettle vulnerable Afghan nationals to Canada is being fulfilled through several pathways, including a humanitarian program focused on resettling women, LGBTQ2 people, human rights defenders, journalists and members of religious and ethnic minorities. As of June 12, 2023, we have welcomed 32,745 vulnerable Afghans to Canada.Through the commitment, the Government of Canada has created public policies to resettle persecuted Hazaras including: the public policy for the resettlement of certain Afghan nationals selected by the minister of IRCC under Operation Afghan Safety on November 22, 2021, and the public policy for the resettlement of certain Afghan nationals selected by the Minister of IRCC – Hazara Afghan nationals on December 23, 2021.There are operational challenges due to the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan that compromise our ability to ensure the safety and security of our clients and our staff. Protection and promotion of human rights both at home and abroad remain a priority for the Government of Canada, and we will continue to facilitate refugee resettlement and honour our international humanitarian commitments.All key statistics, updated regularly, may be found on the Departmental website at #WelcomeAfghans: Key figures - Canada.ca.The Department’s public policies may be consulted on the Departmental website at Public policies - Canada.ca.More information about other potential pathways for Afghan nationals to explore can be found on the Departmental website at Immigrate to Canada - Canada.ca.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantRespect for human rights is fundamental to the development of more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous societies. Consequently, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canada’s foreign policy and bilateral engagement.Canada believes that ethnic and religious groups must be represented at all levels of Afghan government and society in order to help address the underlying problems facing the country, the root causes of discrimination, and the enduring legacy left by decades of conflict. Canada has consistently expressed deep concern about the situation of ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan, and continues to call for the full inclusion of all Afghans into every aspect of society, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or gender. Alongside our international allies, Canada continues to call on the de facto Taliban authorities to respect Afghanistan’s international obligations, including protecting the fundamental rights of all Afghans.Ethnic and religious groups in Afghanistan have suffered significantly during the past four decades of conflict. Canada closely monitors human rights abuses against ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan. Canada has publicly condemned attacks against the Hazara community in Afghanistan, including the attack on April 19, 2022, against Hazara students in Kabul, and on September 30, 2022, at the Kaaj education center in Kabul that killed more than 50 people, mostly Hazara girls studying for exams. Attacks such as these are reprehensible, and underscore the threats that ethnic and religious minorities, in particular the Hazara community, face in Afghanistan.Moving forward, Canada will continue to work closely with trusted Afghan and international partners to bring attention to the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan, and to advocate for the meaningful inclusion of marginalized groups, including the Hazara community, in every sphere of Afghan society. To this end, Canada welcomes the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and his efforts to document human rights violations in Afghanistan, including those targeting the Hazara community. Canada will also continue to support a strong human rights mandate for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to enable UNAMA to monitor, report and advocate for the protection of human rights of all Afghans. Canada has no intention of recognizing the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan.Canada is also committed to supporting the needs of the most vulnerable Afghans. In 2022, Canada provided over $143 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to the needs of Afghans in Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries. Canada supports a multi-sectoral humanitarian response across Afghanistan, with a particular emphasis on the provision of life-saving food and nutrition assistance. With Canadian support, humanitarian partners provided life-saving food assistance to 22.3 million people and nutrition assistance to 6.2 million children and pregnant and lactating women in Afghanistan in 2022.Moreover, Canada has committed to resettling at least 40,000 Afghan nationals and their families, by the end of 2023. Canada’s commitment remains one of the largest in the world. To date, more than 33,000 Afghans have been welcomed to Canada. As part of our Afghan resettlement programs, Afghan Hazaras may be privately sponsored by groups in Canada or, as a persecuted religious or ethnic minority, may be among those referred for resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees through the humanitarian program for Afghans. The resettlement of vulnerable Afghans is an integral part of Canada’s humanitarian tradition. It reflects Canada’s commitment to share responsibility for the world’s displaced and persecuted.
AfghanistanAsylumFreedom of conscience and religionHazaras
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01489441-01489 (Health)GordJohnsCourtenay—AlberniNDPBCMay 30, 2023August 16, 2023March 7, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada Whereas:Opioid crisis is one of the most deadly public health emergencies of our lifetime, with approximately 21 deaths every day and an overall death toll of 30,843 in the past six and one quarter years (January 2016 to March 2022); andThe overdose crisis rages.We, the undersigned, call upon the Government of Canada to declare the overdose crisis a national public health emergency and:Take steps to end overdose deaths and overdose injuries;Immediately collaborate with provinces and territories to develop a comprehensive, pan-Canadian overdose action plan;Ensure that any plan considers reforms that other countries have used, such as legal regulation of drugs to ensure safe supply, decriminalization for personal use, and changes to flawed drug policy and policing; andEnsure this emergency is taken seriously with adequately funded programming and supports.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe toxic drug and overdose crisis is one of the most serious and unprecedented public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. The Government recognizes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to a public health approach to address the crisis.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the crisis has only become more complex due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This had led to a more uncertain and toxic illegal drug supply, resulting in tragic increases in overdose-related deaths across the country, as well as reduced access to health and social services due to COVID-related health measures (such as social distancing requirements, isolation requirements, etc.) and staff shortages, such as life-saving harm reduction, pharmaceutical-grade alternatives and treatment services. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience (PWLLE), to ensure that people who use drugs can continue to access the treatment, harm reduction and other services they need.The Government of Canada remains fully committed to addressing the overdose crisis as a health issue and is working with partners across all provinces and territories to save lives.The Government of Canada recognizes that substance use is a public health issue, not an issue for the criminal justice system. We are committed to a public health approach to address the crisis. Canada’s approach to substance use issues is comprehensive, collaborative, and compassionate, guided by our federal drug strategy – the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS). The CDSS takes a public health-focused approach and lays out our framework for evidence-based actions to reduce the harms associated with substance use in Canada. In the context of the worsening overdose crisis, and taking steps to reduce harms and deaths related to substance use, the Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that harm reduction services are available to Canadians who need them;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation and further risk of harms;
  • continuing to work with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options;
  • continuing to address illegal production and trafficking, with a focus on organized drug crime; and,
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis.
Since 2017, the federal government has taken significant actions and made commitments of more than $1 billion to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis and substance use-related harms. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • Close to $500 million through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) since 2017 in support of community-based organizations responding to substance use issues, including investments to help them provide direct services in a COVID-19 context and to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply;
  • $150 million through the one-time Emergency Treatment Fund to provinces and territories, which, when cost-matched with the provinces and territories, will result in an investment over $300 million to improve access to evidence-based treatment services; and,
  • $45 million to develop national standards for mental health and substance use services, in collaboration with provinces and territories, health organizations and key stakeholders, to address long-standing challenges in the delivery of mental health and substance use services and supports across the country; and,
  • $22.8 million in public education through national and targeted advertising, partnerships and experiential marketing on the risks of opioids, overdose awareness, harm reduction and stigma awareness and reduction.
Budget 2023 proposes to provide a total of $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $5.7 million ongoing and $1.3 million in remaining amortization, to support a renewed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, which would guide the government's work to save lives and protect the health and safety of Canadians. This includes:
  • $144 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Health Canada for the Substance Use and Addictions Program to fund community-based supports, including safer supply, supervised consumption sites, and other evidence-based health interventions;
  • $20.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Public Health Agency of Canada for a new community-based program to prevent substance use among young people; 
  • $73.9 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $4.6 million ongoing, to Health Canada to streamline authorizations for supervised consumption sites and drug checking services, scale-up access to safer supply, and evaluate innovative approaches;
  • $50.8 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $1.1 million ongoing and $1.3 million in remaining amortization, to Health Canada, and $16 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Public Health Agency of Canada to support vital data collection on substance-related harms and lab-based analysis of the illegal drug supply;
  • $4.6 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Public Safety Canada to develop an overdose monitoring app for paramedics and other first responders; and,
  • $42 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, $6.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Public Services and Procurement Canada, and $1.6 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, sourced from existing resources, to Global Affairs Canada, to take further action to work with our partners to tackle drug trafficking and stem the global flow of these devastating substances.
Of note, under SUAP, more than $26 million has been allocated to fund Naloxone distribution, education and training. In addition, the Government of Canada is supporting policies and approaches for greater access to pharmaceutical-grade alternative to the toxic illegal drug supply – a practice often referred to as safer supply. As of June 2023, Health Canada has supported 31 safer supply pilot projects across Canada through SUAP representing total funding commitments of over $100 million. This includes supporting a range of service delivery projects in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, research/knowledge transfer and exchange projects, and a National Safer Supply Community of Practice to help share knowledge amongst stakeholders.Health Canada has supported the rapid expansion of supervised consumption services across Canada. Since January 2016, the number of federally approved supervised consumption sites offering services has grown from 1 to 40. Health Canada also proactively issued exemptions that allows provinces and territories to establish new temporary Urgent Public Health Need Sites – also known as overdose prevention sites – within existing supervised consumption sites, shelters or other temporary sites, as needed. Urgent Public Health Need Sites, unlike supervised consumption sites, are temporary locations that can be set up rapidly to address the overdose crisis. Both share the goal of reducing overdose deaths.We have also made a number of regulatory changes at the federal level to help improve access to medications used in drug treatment and safer supply programs, including:
  • issuing a class exemption (an exemption authorized to a group of people, such as pharmacists, to conduct specific activities with controlled substances) to make it easier for patients to access the medications they need;
  • approving injectable hydromorphone as a treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder;
  • approving injectable diacetylmorphine as a new treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder; as well facilitating the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and diacetylmorphine; and,  
  • authorizing nurses who provide health care services at a community health facility to conduct certain activities with controlled substances.
The Government recognizes that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and trauma, can place individuals at an increased risk of substance use harms and that the approaches to reduce these harms require sustained efforts and supports from diverse systems. We continue to work closely across federal departments to ensure that federal actions on mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, poverty, and reconciliation are coordinated and synergistic. We are also committed to engaging collaboratively with provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and other stakeholders to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.The Government of Canada is also working closely with provinces and territories to change the way our healthcare system delivers mental health and substance use services to Canadians. It is important for Canadians to have timely access to trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, quality mental health and substance use services that meet their needs, including underserved and equity-deserving individuals. That is why, on February 7, 2023, the Prime Minister announced that the federal government will invest $198.6 billion over ten years to bolster the health care system, notably: top-ups to the Canada Health Transfer to address immediate health care pressures; and $25 billion over 10 years to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements.In response to substance use harms and the opioid overdose crisis, the Government of Canada is regularly consulting with stakeholders and has convened several expert advisory groups, including people directly impacted by substance use. The Government regularly engages with PWLLE and organizations that represent them, including: regular bi-lateral meetings with key organizations; participation on projects teams; facilitating PWLLE engagement in government and ministerial events and meaningful consultations in order to better understand their perspectives of substance use; and on-the-ground realities (e.g., roundtables, Knowledge Exchange Series, etc.).Health Canada established the PWLLE Council, the Expert Advisory Group on Safer Supply and the Expert Task Force on Substance Use as part of this engagement strategy. We have established federal, provincial and territorial governance tables, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses, the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Substance Use (formerly Problematic Substance Use & Harms), and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use to facilitate ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners.The Government of Canada continues collaboration between jurisdictions, health providers, researchers, people with lived and living experience, stakeholders and partners such as community-based organizations to reduce the harms associated with substance use and providing people with the culturally appropriate and trauma-informed support they need.Some stakeholders have reported that the criminalization of personal drug possession can, increase risks of overdose and other harms, increase barriers to care and perpetuate stigma. Canada recognizes that stigma can prevent people who use substances from accessing the health and social services that they need and contributes to negative health outcomes. To help reduce stigma in police interactions with people who use drugs and to avoid causing more harm, Public Safety Canada launched an online training module specifically designed for law enforcement members in September 2020. The training raises awareness of the harms associated with substance use stigma and provides law enforcement members with practical tools to support their interactions with people who use drugs.The federal government is committed to using every tool at its disposal and examining all evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country. The Government is working to divert people who use drugs away from criminal justice systems and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health services and social supports, when needed. For example, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed into law in May 2017, providing some legal protection from simple drug possession charges for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose.Furthermore, Bill C-5, which received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022, made legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Among other measures, the amendments encourage police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures – including diverting individuals to treatment programs – instead of laying a criminal charge or prosecuting individuals for personal drug possession. These amendments also repealed mandatory minimum penalties for certain offences in the CDSA to reflect the Government’s public-health-focused approach to substance use. These measures are consistent with the August 2020 Guidelines issued by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada directing prosecutors that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for the personal possession of drugs, except where public safety concerns arise.In May 2022, at the request of the Province of British Columbia, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health granted a time-limited exemption under the CDSA so that adults 18 years of age and older in the province will not be subject to criminal charges for personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. Instead, where appropriate, individuals may be provided with information regarding local health and social services. Upon request, they could also receive assistance to connect with those services. British Columbia requested this exemption, and it is an additional way that the federal government is supporting the province’s comprehensive approach to the overdose crisis. This time-limited exemption will be supported by rigorous monitoring and a third-party evaluation to gather evidence and data on its impacts and outcomes. The results will help inform Canada’s comprehensive approach to addressing substance use harms. We have also received a request from Toronto Public Health, and we are working in close partnership to ensure both public health and public safety considerations are included. We will continue to work with willing jurisdictions to use all the tools at our disposal, including approaches related to decriminalization, to respond to this crisis.Moving forward, under the mandate of the new Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Health Canada will continue working with its partners and stakeholders to advance a comprehensive federal strategy to address substance use in Canada, including the toxic drug and overdose crisis. Canada will continue to support provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to improve access to a full range of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services, in addition to leading efforts to reduce stigma and create national standards for substance use treatment programs. The Government of Canada believes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.
Drug use and abuseHealth emergenciesOpiates and opioidsPublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01476441-01476 (National defence and military operations)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABMay 29, 2023August 16, 2023June 7, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination produced its final report in early 2022;Whereas the report calls for clergy from religions which have a different view on gender and sexuality than the Department of National Defence to be banned as chaplains in the Canadian Armed Forces;Whereas the report slanders even mainstream Canadian religions as discriminatory, misogynist, and sexist;Whereas all Canadians, including members and chaplains of the Canadian Armed Forces, are entitled to the Charter-guaranteed right of freedom of religion;Whereas Canadian Armed Forces chaplains serve all members of the Forces without distinction on the basis of religion, gender, or sexual orientation; andWhereas discrimination on the basis of religion is wrong and offensive to Canadians.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Reject the recommendations on chaplaincy in the Canadian Armed Forces in the final report of the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination; and2. Affirm the right of all Canadians, including Canadian Armed Forces chaplains, to freedom of religion.
Response by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Bryan MayIn April 2022, the Minister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination released a comprehensive set of recommendations to ensure Canada’s military is safe and welcoming for all. Work is underway to assess the implications of the Advisory Panel’s recommendations, including those on the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service, and the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff is coordinating an analysis of each recommendation.The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service’s (RCChS) primary goal is the care of all Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, without exceptions. It is already the expectation that CAF chaplains uphold the values and ethos of the CAF, just like every other member of the military. When chaplains apply for their roles within the chaplaincy, they undergo a rigorous process to assess their ability to provide spiritual support within the context of CAF values. Anyone who successfully makes it through this assessment has demonstrated their ability to provide religious or spiritual counsel to CAF members of all or no faiths, without judgement or exception.To this end, the RCChS continues to embrace CAF values and ethos, and has taken significant steps in the past several years to strengthen its commitment to diversity and inclusion. For example, as of 2019, in order to better serve the CAF and represent the religious/spiritual diversity of Canadian society, the RCChS sought to include a wider number of traditions not previously represented in CAF chaplaincy. This resulted in the enrollment of chaplains from Sikh, Buddhist, and Humanist traditions. The RCChS also shifted from the historical requirement of “ordained” status to a more broadly defined status of “credentialed as a faith tradition leader.” In doing so, the RCChS has ensured wider opportunities for women from faith traditions where they cannot be ordained, but who meet qualification standards for CAF chaplaincy as credentialed faith tradition leaders. This is already the case for Roman Catholic and Muslim women, currently serving in the RCChS, and will now be an option for women from other faith traditions.To further promote diversity and inclusion, the RCChS has instituted several new advisor positions, including an Indigenous Advisor, 2SLGBTQi+ Advisor, Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Advisor, Gender Advisor, and Advisor to the Commander of Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) in an effort to raise awareness, educate, and innovate. These advisors play a critical role in providing strategic input and advice to ensure direction and guidance, and programs integrate diverse perspectives with a view to enhancing inclusive engagement on behalf of the RCChS. The CAF continues to take positive steps to ensure that the chaplaincy represents Canadian society and supports the needs of its broader membership.
Canadian ForcesChaplaincy services and chaplainsMinister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism, Discrimination with a focus on anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism, LGBTQ2+ Prejudice, Gender Bias and White SupremacyReligious discrimination
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4268e-4268 (Citizenship and immigration)CaitlinGlassonMikeMorriceKitchener CentreGreen PartyONJanuary 26, 2023, at 9:33 a.m. (EDT)May 26, 2023, at 9:33 a.m. (EDT)May 29, 2023August 16, 2023May 26, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The world is becoming increasingly hostile to transgender and nonbinary individuals;Transgender and nonbinary people's rights to live as themselves are being restricted and removed in many places;This includes the so-called "Western democracies" which have historically been presumed safe;The United Kingdom is revising their Equality Act to exclude trans people from its protections;More than a dozen American states have enacted or are considering legislation eliminating or criminalizing gender-affirming care; andCanada has prided itself on being an inclusive, tolerant, and welcoming society for everyone regardless of gender identity or gender expression.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to extend to transgender and nonbinary people the right to claim asylum in Canada by reason of eliminationist laws in their home countries, whatever country that may be.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.Consistent with its obligations under international conventions to which it is a party, including the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Government of Canada is committed to providing protection to persons who have a well-founded fear of persecution or are at risk of torture, or cruel or unusual punishment in their home countries.The In-Canada Asylum Program is grounded in Canada’s international legal obligations and its national law, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), which enshrines Canada’s commitment “to establish fair and efficient procedures that will maintain the integrity of the Canadian refugee protection system, while upholding Canada’s respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all human beings” (outlined in paragraph 3(2)(e) of IRPA). Individuals fleeing persecution for reasons related to their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics (SOGIESC) can already qualify as refugees under the 1951 Convention, specifically as members of a particular social group. In addition to being a reason for persecution under the Convention, SOGIESC can also be an added layer of vulnerability for refugees who fled due to persecution under other grounds.As part of the In-Canada Asylum Program for people making refugee protection claims from within Canada or at a port of entry, the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), the administrative tribunal responsible for determining refugee status, takes into consideration the need for protection from persecution in the individual’s country of origin, including for reasons based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. In Canada, asylum was first granted on the basis of persecution as a result of sexual orientation in 1991 and gender identity and expression in 2000.Unless subsequently abandoned or withdrawn, the IRB hears and decides all claims that are referred to it by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) or the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). This includes claims submitted by transgender and non-binary individuals. Claims are determined by an independent decision maker, based on the law, jurisprudence and the evidence before them. Before granting refugee status, IRB decision makers must determine that a claimant is not able to access protection from their country of origin, and that the claimant does not have a viable and reasonable place elsewhere in their country of origin where they might live free from risk.In 2017, the IRB implemented the Chairperson’s Guideline 9: Proceedings Before the IRB Involving Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression, later revised in late 2021. The Guideline provides decision makers with a set of principles to follow in cases involving claimants with, or who are perceived to have, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions and sex characteristics that do not conform to socially accepted norms in a particular cultural environment. This Guideline addresses the difficulties that many SOGIESC individuals claiming asylum face because they do not fit with normative sociocultural views surrounding sexuality, gender identities and gender expressions, and the impact this has on presenting their case. It also has a specific section for trans and intersex individuals. The Chairperson’s Guideline 4: Gender Considerations in Proceedings Before the Immigration and Refugee Board, initially implemented in 1993 and most recently revised in mid 2022, also indicates that "Gender-based violence refers to violence based on gender norms and unequal power dynamics, perpetrated against someone based on their gender, gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender."The IRB established a Gender-related Task Force (GRTF) in 2020, with specialized and trained decision makers to hear and decide gender-related refugee claims, including SOGIESC claims. The GRTF ensures the respectful, trauma-informed, and consistent adjudication of gender-related claims. Claims are assigned to members on the GRTF based on claim-type and are determined based on evidence, the specific merits of the claim, and in accordance with the law. The IRB also ensures its decision makers receive in-depth practical training, which leverages best practices on trauma-informed adjudication, and regularly reviews its guidelines.Beyond the in-Canada asylum system, in the refugee resettlement context, IRCC relies primarily on the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), as well as other recognized referral organizations and private sponsors to identify and refer individuals in need of resettlement, including those who have been persecuted on the basis of their SOGIESC. As announced on June 8, 2023, Canada will be partnering with Rainbow Railroad, an organization based in Canada and the United States that focuses on advocacy and helping LGBTQI+ individuals who seek safe haven from state-sponsored or enabled violence, to refer LGBTQI+ refugees under the Government-Assisted Refugees Program. This new partnership will help increase the number of LGBTQI+ refugees and their families being resettled to Canada overall as it will be in addition to the LGBTQI+ refugees referred by the UNHCR. This will also provide an example for other resettlement countries who are seeking to provide additional protection for the LGBTQI+ community.Canada also supports LGBTQI+ refugees through the Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership, a program which assists Canadians privately sponsoring LGBTQI+ refugees fleeing violence and persecution. In 2019, this partnership was expanded, increasing the number of privately sponsored refugees from 15 to 50 refugees per year between 2020 and 2024. The Government of Canada continues to provide the start-up expenses and three months of income support for each privately sponsored refugee case. The monthly income support for the remaining nine months of the sponsorship is provided by the sponsoring group. This partnership encourages more Canadians to support LGBTQI+ refugees and helps to strengthen collaboration between LGBTQI+ organizations and the refugee settlement community in Canada.
AsylumCivil and human rightsGender identity and gender expressionTransgender persons
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01473441-01473 (Health)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMay 29, 2023August 16, 2023February 6, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • The overdose crisis in Canada is a public health emergency, as has already been declared by British Columbia's Provincial Health Officer and several municipalities across Canada;
  • More than 13,900 individuals have died of opioid-related deaths and there have been 17,050 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations in Canada since 2016;
  • There is disproportionate representation of Indigenous people affected by the overdose crisis; and
  • The Canadian Public Health Association, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations, have recommended drug decriminalization.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Declare a public health emergency due to overdose deaths in Canada;
  • Reframe the overdose crisis in Canada as a health issue rather than a criminal issue;
  • Take a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to the overdose crisis, by addressing issues of addiction, poverty, housing, health care, racial discrimination, and economic inequality and instability;
  • Listen to and act on recommendations made by social workers, front-line workers, nurses, doctors, drug users, and individuals directly involved in the drug-using community; and
  • Decriminalize drugs in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe toxic drug and overdose crisis is one of the most serious and unprecedented public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. The Government recognizes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to a public health approach to address the crisis.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the crisis has only become more complex due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This had led to a more uncertain and toxic illegal drug supply, resulting in tragic increases in overdose-related deaths across the country, as well as reduced access to health and social services due to COVID-related health measures (such as social distancing requirements, isolation requirements, etc.) and staff shortages, such as life-saving harm reduction, pharmaceutical-grade alternatives and treatment services. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience (PWLLE), to ensure that people who use drugs can continue to access the treatment, harm reduction and other services they need.The Government of Canada remains fully committed to addressing the overdose crisis as a health issue and is working with partners across all provinces and territories to save lives.The Government of Canada recognizes that substance use is a public health issue, not an issue for the criminal justice system. We are committed to a public health approach to address the crisis. Canada’s approach to substance use issues is comprehensive, collaborative, and compassionate, guided by our federal drug strategy – the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS). The CDSS takes a public health-focused approach and lays out our framework for evidence-based actions to reduce the harms associated with substance use in Canada. In the context of the worsening overdose crisis, and taking steps to reduce harms and deaths related to substance use, the Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that harm reduction services are available to Canadians who need them;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation and further risk of harms;
  • continuing to work with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options;
  • continuing to address illegal production and trafficking, with a focus on organized drug crime; and,
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis.
Since 2017, the federal government has taken significant actions and made commitments of more than $1 billion to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis and substance use-related harms. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • Close to $500 million through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) since 2017 in support of community-based organizations responding to substance use issues, including investments to help them provide direct services in a COVID-19 context and to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply;
  • $150 million through the one-time Emergency Treatment Fund to provinces and territories, which, when cost-matched with the provinces and territories, will result in an investment over $300 million to improve access to evidence-based treatment services; and,
  • $45 million to develop national standards for mental health and substance use services, in collaboration with provinces and territories, health organizations and key stakeholders, to address long-standing challenges in the delivery of mental health and substance use services and supports across the country; and,
  • $22.8 million in public education through national and targeted advertising, partnerships and experiential marketing on the risks of opioids, overdose awareness, harm reduction and stigma awareness and reduction.
Budget 2023 proposes to provide a total of $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $5.7 million ongoing and $1.3 million in remaining amortization, to support a renewed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, which would guide the government's work to save lives and protect the health and safety of Canadians. This includes:
  • $144 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Health Canada for the Substance Use and Addictions Program to fund community-based supports, including safer supply, supervised consumption sites, and other evidence-based health interventions;
  • $20.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Public Health Agency of Canada for a new community-based program to prevent substance use among young people; 
  • $73.9 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $4.6 million ongoing, to Health Canada to streamline authorizations for supervised consumption sites and drug checking services, scale-up access to safer supply, and evaluate innovative approaches;
  • $50.8 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $1.1 million ongoing and $1.3 million in remaining amortization, to Health Canada, and $16 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Public Health Agency of Canada to support vital data collection on substance-related harms and lab-based analysis of the illegal drug supply;
  • $4.6 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Public Safety Canada to develop an overdose monitoring app for paramedics and other first responders; and,
  • $42 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, $6.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Public Services and Procurement Canada, and $1.6 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, sourced from existing resources, to Global Affairs Canada, to take further action to work with our partners to tackle drug trafficking and stem the global flow of these devastating substances.
Of note, under SUAP, more than $26 million has been allocated to fund Naloxone distribution, education and training. In addition, the Government of Canada is supporting policies and approaches for greater access to pharmaceutical-grade alternative to the toxic illegal drug supply – a practice often referred to as safer supply. As of June 2023, Health Canada has supported 31 safer supply pilot projects across Canada through SUAP representing total funding commitments of over $100 million. This includes supporting a range of service delivery projects in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, research/knowledge transfer and exchange projects, and a National Safer Supply Community of Practice to help share knowledge amongst stakeholders.Health Canada has supported the rapid expansion of supervised consumption services across Canada. Since January 2016, the number of federally approved supervised consumption sites offering services has grown from 1 to 40. Health Canada also proactively issued exemptions that allows provinces and territories to establish new temporary Urgent Public Health Need Sites – also known as overdose prevention sites – within existing supervised consumption sites, shelters or other temporary sites, as needed. Urgent Public Health Need Sites, unlike supervised consumption sites, are temporary locations that can be set up rapidly to address the overdose crisis. Both share the goal of reducing overdose deaths.We have also made a number of regulatory changes at the federal level to help improve access to medications used in drug treatment and safer supply programs, including:
  • issuing a class exemption (an exemption authorized to a group of people, such as pharmacists, to conduct specific activities with controlled substances) to make it easier for patients to access the medications they need;
  • approving injectable hydromorphone as a treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder;
  • approving injectable diacetylmorphine as a new treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder; as well facilitating the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and diacetylmorphine; and,  
  • authorizing nurses who provide health care services at a community health facility to conduct certain activities with controlled substances.
The Government recognizes that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and trauma, can place individuals at an increased risk of substance use harms and that the approaches to reduce these harms require sustained efforts and supports from diverse systems. We continue to work closely across federal departments to ensure that federal actions on mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, poverty, and reconciliation are coordinated and synergistic. We are also committed to engaging collaboratively with provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and other stakeholders to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.The Government of Canada is also working closely with provinces and territories to change the way our healthcare system delivers mental health and substance use services to Canadians. It is important for Canadians to have timely access to trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, quality mental health and substance use services that meet their needs, including underserved and equity-deserving individuals. That is why, on February 7, 2023, the Prime Minister announced that the federal government will invest $198.6 billion over ten years to bolster the health care system, notably: top-ups to the Canada Health Transfer to address immediate health care pressures; and $25 billion over 10 years to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements.In response to substance use harms and the opioid overdose crisis, the Government of Canada is regularly consulting with stakeholders and has convened several expert advisory groups, including people directly impacted by substance use. The Government regularly engages with PWLLE and organizations that represent them, including: regular bi-lateral meetings with key organizations; participation on projects teams; facilitating PWLLE engagement in government and ministerial events and meaningful consultations in order to better understand their perspectives of substance use; and on-the-ground realities (e.g., roundtables, Knowledge Exchange Series, etc.).Health Canada established the PWLLE Council, the Expert Advisory Group on Safer Supply and the Expert Task Force on Substance Use as part of this engagement strategy. We have established federal, provincial and territorial governance tables, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses, the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Substance Use (formerly Problematic Substance Use & Harms), and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use to facilitate ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners.The Government of Canada continues collaboration between jurisdictions, health providers, researchers, people with lived and living experience, stakeholders and partners such as community-based organizations to reduce the harms associated with substance use and providing people with the culturally appropriate and trauma-informed support they need.Some stakeholders have reported that the criminalization of personal drug possession can, increase risks of overdose and other harms, increase barriers to care and perpetuate stigma. Canada recognizes that stigma can prevent people who use substances from accessing the health and social services that they need and contributes to negative health outcomes. To help reduce stigma in police interactions with people who use drugs and to avoid causing more harm, Public Safety Canada launched an online training module specifically designed for law enforcement members in September 2020. The training raises awareness of the harms associated with substance use stigma and provides law enforcement members with practical tools to support their interactions with people who use drugs.The federal government is committed to using every tool at its disposal and examining all evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country. The Government is working to divert people who use drugs away from criminal justice systems and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health services and social supports, when needed. For example, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed into law in May 2017, providing some legal protection from simple drug possession charges for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose.Furthermore, Bill C-5, which received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022, made legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Among other measures, the amendments encourage police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures – including diverting individuals to treatment programs – instead of laying a criminal charge or prosecuting individuals for personal drug possession. These amendments also repealed mandatory minimum penalties for certain offences in the CDSA to reflect the Government’s public-health-focused approach to substance use. These measures are consistent with the August 2020 Guidelines issued by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada directing prosecutors that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for the personal possession of drugs, except where public safety concerns arise.In May 2022, at the request of the Province of British Columbia, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health granted a time-limited exemption under the CDSA so that adults 18 years of age and older in the province will not be subject to criminal charges for personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. Instead, where appropriate, individuals may be provided with information regarding local health and social services. Upon request, they could also receive assistance to connect with those services. British Columbia requested this exemption, and it is an additional way that the federal government is supporting the province’s comprehensive approach to the overdose crisis. This time-limited exemption will be supported by rigorous monitoring and a third-party evaluation to gather evidence and data on its impacts and outcomes. The results will help inform Canada’s comprehensive approach to addressing substance use harms. We have also received a request from Toronto Public Health, and we are working in close partnership to ensure both public health and public safety considerations are included. We will continue to work with willing jurisdictions to use all the tools at our disposal, including approaches related to decriminalization, to respond to this crisis.Moving forward, under the mandate of the new Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Health Canada will continue working with its partners and stakeholders to advance a comprehensive federal strategy to address substance use in Canada, including the toxic drug and overdose crisis. Canada will continue to support provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to improve access to a full range of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services, in addition to leading efforts to reduce stigma and create national standards for substance use treatment programs. The Government of Canada believes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023e-4335e-4335 (Social affairs and equality)NadiaEl-MabroukMartinChampouxDrummondBloc QuébécoisQCMarch 3, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)May 2, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)May 18, 2023August 16, 2023May 3, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas:A religious representative answering directly to the Prime Minister violates the religious neutrality of the state as the mandate to combat racism and hate propaganda against all citizens falls to the Department of Canadian Heritage and Justice Canada; Islamophobia is a militant, overused term that conflates respect for Muslims with absolute respect for the precepts of Islam; It is the term promoted by Islamist regimes and activists around the world in order to silence any criticism against actions carried out in the name of Islam; Its use includes actions or words deemed blasphemous with regard to the Muslim religion, whereas blasphemy is not a crime in a liberal, democratic regime guaranteeing freedom of expression; The title of the position does not include combatting religious intolerance which, in the name of religious beliefs or texts, incites hatred; This position could prevent criticism of religious fundamentalism, whose first victims are Muslims themselves, whose full freedom of conscience implies the opportunity to oppose religious practices, change their religion or no longer have one;Canada already has the legislative tools to combat hate, in all its forms;We, the undersigned, Canadians and Quebeckers, call upon the Prime Minister to abolish the position of Canadian representative on combatting Islamophobia.
Response by the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with DisabilitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Paul ChiangA key component of Canada’s multiculturalism policy, as reflected in the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, is a commitment to assist individuals and communities of all origins with the elimination of any barrier to full participation in Canadian society. Systemic racism and religious discrimination, of all forms, are examples of such barriers, and ultimately hinder inclusion in Canadian society.While all forms of religious discrimination need to be addressed, the increase in incidents against Muslim communities in Canada cannot be ignored. Data gathered by Statistics Canada on police-reported hate crimes, shows that Muslims in Canada are disproportionally targeted in racist and hateful incidents, with a 71% increase in hate-based crimes in 2021 compared to the previous year. Over the past few years, we have also seen horrific acts of anti-Muslim hate and violence, such as the attack at the mosque in Quebec City that killed six Muslim men and injured many more, the murder of a mosque caretaker in Toronto, and the murder of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ontario.These hate crimes fueled by Islamophobia in Canada and around the world remind us of the need to show even more boldness, strength, and determination in the fight against Islamophobic hate.The appointment of the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia (Special Representative) reflects the calls for action from Muslims across the country, as well as what the Government heard during the National Summit on Islamophobia held in July 2021. The appointment of the Special Representative was made through an open, transparent, and merit-based process. Reporting to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, the role will serve as a champion, advisor, expert, and representative to the Canadian government, for the purpose of enhancing efforts to combat Islamophobia and promoting awareness of the diverse and intersectional identities of Muslims in Canada. The Special Representative will collaborate with partners, institutions, and stakeholders to support Canada’s efforts to combat Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hatred, systemic racism, racial discrimination, and religious intolerance. Adopting a human rights-based approach, the Special Representative will support the Government of Canada’s goal to protect human rights, and to advocate for and advance inclusive public policy and respect for diversity.The Government strongly re-affirms its support for the Special Representative, and will continue to fight racism, discrimination, and hate in all its forms as we continue building a country where everyone feels safe and respected.
Islam and MuslimsPolitical appointmentsReligious discrimination
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01462441-01462 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 17, 2023August 16, 2023May 15, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01461441-01461 (Taxation)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMay 17, 2023August 16, 2023May 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • When the GST New Housing Rebate was introduced alongside the GST in 1991, the Government of Canada committed to adjusting the qualification thresholds every two years to reflect increases in housing prices;
  • Since 1991, the GST New Housing Rebate has not been adjusted since it's implementation;
  • The New Housing Price Index, which measures the change in newly constructed house prices over time, has increased from 56 in 1991, to 125 today; and
  • Canada is in desperate need of immediate action to address housing affordability and build more homes.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to increase the qualification thresholds for the GST New Housing Rebate to reflect the dramatic increase in the average cost of a newly constructed house since 1991.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe GST New Housing Rebate entitles a home buyer to recover a percentage of the GST paid on the purchase of a new home.The rebate was introduced at the inception of the GST to result in an effective tax rate for most new housing of approximately 4.5 percent (based on a 7 percent GST rate), consistent with the amount of Federal Sales Tax embedded in the price of new homes prior to 1991.Despite the reduction in the GST rate to 5 percent, the rebate has been maintained. As a result, the effective tax rate for new housing currently ranges from as low as 3.2 percent (when the full rebate applies) to as high as 5 percent (when the rebate no longer applies), which is still largely consistent with the original target effective rate of 4.5 percent.
Goods and services taxGST/HST New Housing Rebate ProgramHousing
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01460441-01460 (Foreign affairs)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMay 17, 2023August 16, 2023May 11, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • The Ukraine Goods Remission Order was implemented on June 9, 2022, for one year;
  • It covered all goods, including products subject to tariff rate quotas such as chicken;
  • The suspension of all tariffs was an unprecedented measure that put the import control pillar of supply management in jeopardy;
  • The House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food recommended that the government "Commit to not renew the remission order for supply managed productions after it expires."; and
  • This temporary measure created major uncertainties for the poultry industry.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to not renew the Ukraine Goods Remission Order on supply managed productions when it expires on June 9, 2023.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Ukraine Goods Remission Order (SOR/2022-127) came into effect on June 9, 2022, for an initial one-year period. The remission Order temporarily remitted customs duties, anti-dumping duties, and countervailing duties applicable to imports of Ukrainian goods, helping to support the Ukrainian economy by increasing exports to Canada.The conflict initiated by Russia continues to have a significant effect on Ukraine’s economy, including its ability to export its goods to other countries, among them Canada. Due to the enduring nature of the conflict and its ongoing repercussions for Ukraine, on June 9, 2023, the government announced that this duty relief for imported Ukrainian goods would be extended for one year, to June 9, 2024. This action is aligned with those of Canada’s allies, including the European Union and the United Kingdom, which extended their own unilateral tariff relief for Ukrainian goods to Spring 2024.Under the extended Order, the scope of goods covered is amended to exclude over-quota supply-managed dairy, poultry and eggs from duty relief after June 9, 2023.
Customs tariff and customs dutiesRemission orderUkraine
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01456441-01456 (National defence and military operations)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMay 15, 2023August 16, 2023June 7, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination produced its final report in early 2022;Whereas the report calls for clergy from religions which have a different view on gender and sexuality than the Department of National Defence to be banned as chaplains in the Canadian Armed Forces;Whereas the report slanders even mainstream Canadian religions as discriminatory, misogynist, and sexist;Whereas all Canadians, including members and chaplains of the Canadian Armed Forces, are entitled to the Charter-guaranteed right of freedom of religion;Whereas Canadian Armed Forces chaplains serve all members of the Forces without distinction on the basis of religion, gender, or sexual orientation; andWhereas discrimination on the basis of religion is wrong and offensive to Canadians.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Reject the recommendations on chaplaincy in the Canadian Armed Forces in the final report of the Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination; and2. Affirm the right of all Canadians, including Canadian Armed Forces chaplains, to freedom of religion.
Response by the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Bryan MayIn April 2022, the Minister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination released a comprehensive set of recommendations to ensure Canada’s military is safe and welcoming for all. Work is underway to assess the implications of the Advisory Panel’s recommendations, including those on the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service, and the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff is coordinating an analysis of each recommendation.The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service’s (RCChS) primary goal is the care of all Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, without exceptions. It is already the expectation that CAF chaplains uphold the values and ethos of the CAF, just like every other member of the military. When chaplains apply for their roles within the chaplaincy, they undergo a rigorous process to assess their ability to provide spiritual support within the context of CAF values. Anyone who successfully makes it through this assessment has demonstrated their ability to provide religious or spiritual counsel to CAF members of all or no faiths, without judgement or exception.To this end, the RCChS continues to embrace CAF values and ethos, and has taken significant steps in the past several years to strengthen its commitment to diversity and inclusion. For example, as of 2019, in order to better serve the CAF and represent the religious/spiritual diversity of Canadian society, the RCChS sought to include a wider number of traditions not previously represented in CAF chaplaincy. This resulted in the enrollment of chaplains from Sikh, Buddhist, and Humanist traditions. The RCChS also shifted from the historical requirement of “ordained” status to a more broadly defined status of “credentialed as a faith tradition leader.” In doing so, the RCChS has ensured wider opportunities for women from faith traditions where they cannot be ordained, but who meet qualification standards for CAF chaplaincy as credentialed faith tradition leaders. This is already the case for Roman Catholic and Muslim women, currently serving in the RCChS, and will now be an option for women from other faith traditions.To further promote diversity and inclusion, the RCChS has instituted several new advisor positions, including an Indigenous Advisor, 2SLGBTQi+ Advisor, Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Advisor, Gender Advisor, and Advisor to the Commander of Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) in an effort to raise awareness, educate, and innovate. These advisors play a critical role in providing strategic input and advice to ensure direction and guidance, and programs integrate diverse perspectives with a view to enhancing inclusive engagement on behalf of the RCChS. The CAF continues to take positive steps to ensure that the chaplaincy represents Canadian society and supports the needs of its broader membership.
Canadian ForcesChaplaincy services and chaplainsMinister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism, Discrimination with a focus on anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism, LGBTQ2+ Prejudice, Gender Bias and White SupremacyReligious discrimination
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01444441-01444 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 11, 2023August 16, 2023April 19, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01443441-01443 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 11, 2023August 16, 2023April 24, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01442441-01442 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 11, 2023August 16, 2023April 24, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament223Government response tabledAugust 16, 2023441-01441441-01441 (Justice)CherylGallantRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeConservativeONMay 11, 2023August 16, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Bill C-21 is an afront to the private property rights of Canadians;
  • The historically-grounded right to own firearms has been reaffirmed under Canadian common law;
  • The bill unfairly targets hunters, recreational sport-shooters, and law-abiding firearm owners;
  • Bill C-21 does nothing to combat illegal gun smuggling or violent gun crime; and
  • The Liberal-NDP coalition are unnecessarily restricting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners.
Therefore, we the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon House of Commons to vote against Bill C-21.
Response by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): PAM DAMOFF, M.P.Canadians deserve to be safe in their communities. That’s why the Government of Canada is taking action on gun violence with a comprehensive plan that gets firearms off our streets and puts more resources into our neighbourhoods, while respecting hunters and law-abiding gun owners. A central part of this work is addressing the assault-style firearms that have been used in the worst tragedies in our country’s history.Firearms violence is a complex issue affecting Canadians in both urban and rural settings and implicates various types of firearms. As part of a comprehensive approach to address gun violence and strengthen gun laws in Canada, the Government has introduced Bill C-21, which represents the most significant changes to gun control legislation in more than 40 years. The objective and spirit of Bill C-21 is to enhance public safety through targeted firearms control and, since its introduction, the Government has made clear commitments to take further action to protect Canadians and our communities from gun violence.Despite a long history of handgun regulation in Canada, handgun violence continues to inflict significant damage to Canadians and communities. Handguns are the weapon of choice in most firearm-related crimes, which is why limiting the number of handguns is a critical part of the Government’s plan to protect Canadians from gun violence. In order to strengthen handgun control across Canada, Bill C-21 includes measures that would essentially cap the domestic lawful handgun market in Canada by freezing the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada and prevent individuals from bringing newly acquired firearms into Canada. The freeze on the sale, purchase or transfer of handguns by individuals within Canada, and on the importation of newly acquired handguns into Canada, came into force by regulatory amendments pursuant to the Firearms Act on October 21, 2022.Bill C-21 puts the safety of Canadians first by recognizing that handgun use is appropriate in some situations and providing for limited exceptions from the national freeze on handguns.When Bill C-21 was introduced, the Government noted the intention to continue working to ensure a comprehensive ban of assault-style firearms. In November 2022, amendments were proposed to accomplish this. The core intent of the amendments was to prohibit assault-style firearms that are not suitable for civilian use, and not to target firearms that are commonly used for hunting. The proposed amendments generated significant debate and legitimate concerns in society, and were withdrawn to create an opportunity to further consult with Canadians.Following weeks of discussion with Canadians and after having talked with hunter association and organization representing law abiding gun owner, the government, on May 1, 2023 took another decisive step to address gun violence. A series of new enhanced measures to strengthen Bill C-21 and cement in law a permanent ban on new assault-style firearms from entering Canada were announced. In addition to proposed amendments, the government also announced its intention to re-establish the Canadian Firearms Advisory Committee, and through regulations, require that manufacturers seek a Firearms Reference Table number before being allowed to sell in Canada.On May 12, 2023, the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) adopted the revised amendments to Bill C-21. The proposed measures would add a new prospective technical definition to the definition of “prohibited firearm” in the Criminal Code;  address the growing threat of illegally manufactured firearms, otherwise known as “ghost guns”; and include a specific provision stating that nothing proposed in Bill C-21 derogates from the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.Bill C-21 passed Third Reading in the House of Commons on May 18, 2023. It has now been referred to the Senate and the government looks forward to its speedy passage.Our Government recognizes the traditional and cultural importance of hunting for Indigenous communities and we are committed to ensuring that laws that are proposed or enacted do not prevent Indigenous Peoples from participating in a certain activity or practice that is integral and distinctive to their culture.Our Government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms for hunters, competitive and recreational sport shooters and collectors. We are committed to working with the all Canadians to identify a sensible approach that prioritizes public safety, supports effective police work and community programming and treats everyone in a fair and reasonable manner.No single program or initiative can tackle the challenge of gun violence alone. Bill C-21 is part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive strategy to address gun violence and strengthen gun control in Canada. This includes legislative measures in the Bill to combat firearms trafficking and smuggling such as the higher maximum penalties from 10 to 14 years, the most severe penalties short of a life sentence. The Government has also invested over $920 million throughout the last six years in targeted initiatives to address gun and gang violence. This includes over $312 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, to support efforts by Public Safety, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to identify smuggled firearms at the border and through firearms tracing. Among other things, this funding will increase capacity to trace firearms and provide additional resources to target firearms smuggling and trafficking by equipping the RCMP and the CBSA with the necessary tools and resources, such as x-ray machines and parcel scanners, to prevent illegal firearms from entering Canada. Further, $125 million is being provided to law enforcement agencies to increase capacity in priority areas, ensure front line officers have access to an integrated suite of resources to support firearms investigations, as well as to help prevent illegal firearms from coming into the country.With these initiatives, the Government is taking concrete steps to our country less vulnerable to firearms violence while being fair to responsible firearms owners and businesses.
C-21, An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms)Firearms
44th Parliament229Not certifiedAugust 15, 2023e-4390e-4390 (Foreign affairs)JohnGreenLaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCApril 12, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT)August 10, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. (EDT)August 15, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Since September 2022, Iranians in and outside of Iran have been protesting for democratic rights and freedoms in response to the death in police custody of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini;The Islamic Republic dictatorship's violent suppression of these protests has resulted in the murder of hundreds of Iranians and the imprisonment and disappearance of thousands more;Political opposition leaders in the Iranian diaspora have formed The Alliance for Democracy and Freedom in Iran (ADF Iran) to support the ongoing 'Woman, Life, Freedom' revolution;ADF Iran has drafted a charter of solidarity and alliance for freedom (the 'Mahsa Charter') outlining needed steps for the fall of the Islamic Republic regime and a democratic transition; andCanada is in a unique position to offer help and solidarity to the millions of people in Iran struggling for a better future for their country and society.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Endorse the Mahsa Charter and adopt its five internationally-focused objectives; 2. Add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”) to Canada's list of recognized terrorist organizations; 3. Commend the Mahsa Charter to Canada's democratic allies around the world, and encourage other governments to withdraw diplomatic recognition from the Islamic Republic dictatorship; and 4. Urge the Government of Canada to work with representatives of ADF Iran towards a democratic transition and aid to the people of Iran.Civil and human rightsForeign policyIran44th Parliament229Not certifiedAugust 4, 2023e-4324e-4324 (Environment)SydneeMcKayHon.SeanFraserCentral NovaLiberalNSApril 5, 2023, at 4:02 p.m. (EDT)August 3, 2023, at 4:02 p.m. (EDT)August 4, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278910" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Environment and Climate Change</Addressee>Whereas:St Barbara operates the Touquoy open-pit gold mine at Moose River, Nova Scotia;Situated at the headwaters of Scraggy Lake and amid 3 important wetlands that drain into rivers relied upon by all life;January 3, 2019, approx. 400,00 litres of contaminated slurry leaked from this mine due to Stormwater management system being overwhelmed by heavy rains and silt run-off;A permit to raise the tailings pond 2.5 meters above its current height (130 meters above sea level) was issued in August, 2022;Risk of failure increases as dam height increases, tailings volumes increase and rainfall increases due to climate change;Atlantic Gold has permission to self-regulate contamination testing and mitigation;From August to Dec 2022 “Citizen Scientists” took water samples from Scraggy Lake and the wetlands surrounding Touquoy Mines and found high levels of arsenic;Baseline measurements taken at Scraggy Lake before mining commenced showed undetectable levels of arsenic;Measurements taken on Dec 2, 2022 showed 12ug/L whereas 5ug/L is acceptableThis leak runs through the wetland into Fish River then Scraggy Lake. The contamination will flow through to Ship Harbour-Long Lake, into Lake Charlotte and out into the ocean affecting the fisheryWe, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to, along with the Government of Canada, work under but not limit itself to the Canada Water Act, the Environmental Protection Act, Wetlands Protection Act and true Peace and Reconciliation, to stop open-pit gold mining in Nova Scotia and across Canada.Environmental contaminationOpen-pit mines and mining44th Parliament229Not certifiedAugust 4, 2023e-4389e-4389 (Environment)Marie-claudeBeaulieuLucDesiletsRivière-des-Mille-ÎlesBloc QuébécoisQCApril 5, 2023, at 4:03 p.m. (EDT)August 3, 2023, at 4:03 p.m. (EDT)August 4, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278910" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Environment and Climate Change</Addressee>Whereas:The federal government must commit to protecting and conserving nature and guarantee a clean, safe and sustainable environment for current and future generations;The Grand Coteau forest in Rosemère includes numerous wetlands, plant communities and forest stands of very high ecological value and is home to many rare, threatened or vulnerable species;Preserving this forest would strengthen the Grand Coteau forest corridor, which is a greenbelt that extends from the agricultural plains of Mirabel to the peat bogs of L’Assomption;At COP15, Canada stated that it would protect 25% of its lands and oceans by 2025;It should not be up to municipalities to assume the financial burden of acquiring lands to create nature reserves and protected areas, which are clearly within the scope of the fight against climate change.We, the undersigned, Mothers Step In of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, call upon the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to:1. Re-evaluate the funding request submitted by the Town of Rosemère under the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, and provide retroactive funding of one third the cost of purchasing the Grand Coteau forest acquired by the Town of Rosemère; and2. Provide financial support to the Town of Rosemère to turn the Grand Coteau forest into a nature reserve.ForestsNature conservationRosemère44th Parliament220CertifiedAugust 3, 2023e-4380e-4380 (Taxation)MelissaSilberMatthewGreenHamilton CentreNDPONApril 5, 2023, at 9:16 a.m. (EDT)August 3, 2023, at 9:16 a.m. (EDT)August 3, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada created programs to financially assist businesses and individuals: The CEWS program paid out over $100 billion to more than 460,000 businesses. Average received per CEWS recipient was $218,573. The CERB program paid out over $80 billion to more than 8.9 million individuals. Average received per CERB recipient was $9173;From Auditor General reports, it is estimated that audits of approximately 50,000 companies receiving CEWS could potentially recover $15.5B in funds from ineligible companies;There has been focus on recovering CERB from citizens and other benefits have been clawed back in order to do this;Corporations have profited off this pandemic and despite apparent price fixing and monopolistic behaviour, have not been subjected to increased disclosure requirements; and Corporations have been taking advantage of tax loopholes, which contribute to the inequality we see in Canada.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:- Update disclosures of the corporations that received CEWS to include the amounts received and identify the parent companies; - Shift effort from CERB recovery to CEWS recovery;- Claw back CEWS funding from corporations who took the benefit while also paying shareholders, buying back stock, acquiring other businesses, changing compensation structures for executives or laying off employees; - Increase corporate tax rates and implement a windfall profits tax; - Close corporate tax loopholes such as capital gains exemptions and tax havens;- Introduce a cap on executive salary deductions for corporations; and- Require all multinational entities to provide public disclosure of country-by-country data in line with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) recommendations.Canada Emergency Wage SubsidyCorporate income taxCOVID-19Income and wagesPandemic44th Parliament220CertifiedAugust 3, 2023e-4363e-4363 (Employment and labour)DeanneMooreDonDaviesVancouver KingswayNDPBCApril 5, 2023, at 9:19 a.m. (EDT)August 3, 2023, at 9:19 a.m. (EDT)August 3, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Remote work is a vital accommodation to help disabled individuals, especially those with mobility impairments, stay in the workforce;Research from the Economic Innovation Group showed that disabled individuals aged 25-54 in the U.S. were 3.5% more likely to be employed in Q2 2022 than pre-pandemic because of increased remote work;Remote work has proven beneficial in levelling the playing field for women and mothers, whose careers have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic;Remote work is preferable for some underrepresented groups such those with autism or ADHD;~4 million Americans have left the workforce due to Long Covid. In the UK, >1.6 million adults over 50 are unable to work due to long-term illness. Workplace exposures pose infection risk;Legislating remote work may help to fill labour gaps and encourage more at-risk workers to rejoin the workforce.Demand for remote work outweighs supply; andWithout legislation, remote positions may go to able-bodied individuals rather than people who rely on remote work as a lifeline due to disability, child or elder care responsibilities.We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to 1. Introduce legislation similar to that in the Netherlands that allows employees the right to access remote work if their positions allow it. With this, employers would not be able to refuse remote work requests based on reasonable grounds; and 2. Create policies that make it clear how workers will be evaluated and promoted based on performance to ensure that those who require remote work accommodations are not disadvantaged over those who work primarily in-person.Teleworking44th Parliament229Not certifiedAugust 2, 2023e-4337e-4337 (Public safety)MelissaSpenardClaudeDeBellefeuilleSalaberry—SuroîtBloc QuébécoisQCMarch 29, 2023, at 2:23 p.m. (EDT)July 27, 2023, at 2:23 p.m. (EDT)August 2, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have no independent oversight mechanism to ensure internal compliance;Decisions made by the RCMP and CBSA have a profound impact on the lives of clients and employees;Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments, does not include any independent oversight mechanism to objectively verify or review complaints of internal misconduct; andIn so doing, the current bill creates an independent review body for the RCMP and CBSA that has no authority to ensure that laws, policies and regulations are properly enforced while promoting accountability and integrity for alleged misconduct within the organization.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to amend Bill C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instruments, in order to include an independent mechanism to review internal misconduct within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Border Services Agency.C-20, An Act establishing the Public Complaints and Review Commission and amending certain Acts and statutory instrumentsCanada Border Services AgencyOversight mechanismRoyal Canadian Mounted Police44th Parliament229Not certifiedJuly 25, 2023e-4254e-4254 (Public safety)StacyTaylorElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMarch 24, 2023, at 1:31 p.m. (EDT)July 22, 2023, at 1:31 p.m. (EDT)July 25, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas: Wildfires are a growing concern across Canada and fireworks have been documented to be sources of wildfire ignition; Consumer use of fireworks has caused significant structure fires and even human deaths both in manufacturing warehouses and on private properties; Fireworks are a source of pollution and toxic debris, and can adversely impact environmental and human health through water and soil contamination, and reduced air quality; Fire and police are stretched to respond to misuse of fireworks calls, particularly on holidays, affecting their ability to respond to other public safety concerns; Public Health Infobase Canada reports that the most common type of injuries related to fireworks are burns; Fireworks can traumatise refugees and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and those with sensory difficulties; Animal welfare organisations across Canada consider fireworks to be a serious health and welfare risk to pets, farm animals and wildlife; Animal welfare organisations further explain that fireworks cause death, illness, injury, and stress to animals in our communities; and National parks are transitioning from fireworks displays to special effect pyrotechnics to reduce the impact on wildlife.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to phase out the sale and use of fireworks in favour of technologically advanced pyrotechnic displays; drone shows. Drone shows will have the same awe inspiring affect while addressing all of the above concerns. It would be advantageous to the environment, public safety, citizens and animals as well as increasing jobs in the tech sector.FireworksRemotely piloted aircraft44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01595441-01595 (Environment)PeterJulianNew Westminster—BurnabyNDPBCJune 21, 2023July 19, 2023September 22, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS: Climate change has escalated into a global climate emergency; The world is on pace to warm nearly 4 degrees Celsius by 2100 and extreme weather events are growing with increasingly severe impacts, including floods, forest fires, rising temperatures, killer heat-waves, massive storms, sea level rise and disruption to marine and land ecosystems;In order to act to avert further catastrophic climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) states that the scientific consensus is that we need to immediately move to reduce net human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to 45 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050;Canada must address this climatic emergency with the ambition and urgency required, on behalf of present and future generations;Canadians are living through unprecedented, catastrophic climate events and at the same time, our society is suffering from worsening socio-economic inequalities, with almost half of Canada's population reporting they are $200 away from insolvency at the end of each month;Climate change impacts threaten physical & mental health (particularly young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities), surrounding environments by affecting the food we eat, the world's water supply, the air we breathe, the weather we experience, and how well local communities can adapt to climate change;The impacts of climate emergency are far more severe for those living through the immediate consequences of climate change; Indigenous Peoples, frontline and vulnerable communities, like people seeking refugee status or asylum and those displaced by climate change, are disproportionality affected, resulting in the increased risks to their health;It has never been more urgent that Canada reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy to meet the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, while ensuring that all Indigenous peoples and Canadians benefit from the substantial public investments a low-carbon economy requires, like energy efficiency retrofits, affordable housing, renewable energy, infrastructure, public transit, pharmacare, dental care, childcare and eliminating student debt and tuition fees; andReconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the recognition of inherent rights, title and treaty rights, while fully implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), must be at the heart of Canada's approach to addressing the climate emergency.THEREFORE, your petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Motion M-1, a made-in-Canada Green New Deal, the first initiative before the House of Commons, which calls on Canada to take bold & rapid action to adopt socially equitable climate action to tackle the climate emergency and address worsening socio-economic & racial inequalities at the same time; while ending fossil fuel subsidies, closing offshore tax havens, and supporting workers impacted by the transition and creating well-paying, unionized jobs in the shift to a clean and renewable energy economy.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our allies need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in recently announced investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government announced the implementation of this commitment with the release of the policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures set out in this commitment. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, describes the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Furthermore, as committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan released in early 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023, which will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill will require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables were created to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada so that each can realize its comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy. The federal government has jointly launched nine such Regional Tables already, with British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the Fall Economic Statement announced funding to create a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program, and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe science is clear that accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, are necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The economics are clear too – to build a strong, resilient economy for generations to come we must harness the power of a cleaner future.Over the past seven years, the Government of Canada has taken action and committed to invest over $120 billion to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous peoples. Building on this national effort, the Government of Canada released its Strengthened Climate Plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy in December 2020 to deepen emissions reductions across the economy, create new, well-paying jobs, make life more affordable for households, and build a better future.In 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45 per cent below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act) provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Actalso holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve our national targets, based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target as a concrete milestone that improves transparency and accountability on the way to net-zero. The 2030 ERP includes a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, $9.1 billion in new investments, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Achieving Canada’s climate objectives demands that all sectors of the economy continue to decarbonize in a manner that makes cleaner alternatives more affordable and creates new sustainable job opportunities for workers. That’s why the 2030 ERP provides a road map that goes sector-by-sector to identify climate action and strategies. For example, the Government is:
  • Helping to reduce energy costs for homes and buildings, while driving down emissions to net-zero by 2040 and boosting climate resiliency through the development of the $150 million Canada Green Buildings Strategy and an additional investment of $458.5 million in the Canada Greener Homes Loans program;
  • Empowering communities to take climate action by expanding the Low Carbon Economy Fund through a $2.2 billion recapitalization, which will include a new $180-million Indigenous Leadership Fund to support emissions reductions projects led by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations;
  • Driving progress on clean cars and trucks through investments of $400 million for zero-emission vehicles charging and refueling infrastructure, $1.7 billion to extend the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program to make it more affordable for Canadians to buy and drive new electric light-duty vehicles, and introducing a purchase incentive program of $547.5 million for medium-and heavy-duty vehicles;
  • Positioning the oil and gas sector to cut pollution by working with stakeholders to implement the cap on oil and gas sector emissions;
  • Powering the economy with renewable electricity by continuing to advance the Clean Electricity Standard to enable Canada to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, and providing $600 million to the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program for additional renewable electricity and grid modernization projects, and $250 million to support predevelopment work of large clean electricity projects;
  • Helping industries to adopt clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) strategy, and establishing an investment tax credit of up to 30 per cent focused on net-zero technologies;
  • Driving further clean technology innovation through a $1 billion investment to create an independent federal innovation and investment agency;
  • Developing of a whole-of-government strategy to strengthen policy coherence and coordination on clean technology and climate innovation;
  • Investing in nature and natural climate solutions by investing an additional $780 million to the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to support projects that conserve, restore and enhance wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands to store and capture carbon; and,
  • Supporting farmers as partners in building a clean, prosperous future through investments in new programs such as the $150 million resilient agricultural landscapes program, and by topping up the Agricultural Climate Solutions: On-Farm Climate Action Fund with $470 million to support key climate mitigation practices and providing $300 million to triple funding for the Agricultural Clean Technology Program.
The 2030 ERP is expected to benefit diverse groups of people in Canada by helping to alleviate the negative impacts of climate change and strengthen Canada’s ability to meet net-zero emissions by 2050. The plan also includes several measures designed to directly benefit communities affected by climate change, and those seeking to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, including those who live in remote and rural communities.The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits and communities across the country work together to meet Canada’s climate objectives, we will identify, catalyze and respond to new opportunities. In addition, progress under the plan will be reviewed in progress reports produced in 2023, 2025, and 2027. Additional targets and plans will be developed for 2035 through to 2050.These commitments aim to increase Canada’s ambition and to reduce the intensity and frequency of climate change-related impacts on the environment such as higher temperatures, variable precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, severe floods, wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. However, as the country faces increasing record-breaking climate events year after year, on top of slow onset climate impacts, the Government of Canada recognizes that a more ambitious, strategic and collaborative approach is required to also adapt and build resilience.To that end, the Government of Canada developed its first National Adaptation Strategy. The Strategy is the product of two years of engagement with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, key experts, stakeholders and partners across Canada. It presents a whole-of-society approach to reducing risk and building climate-resilient communities. The Strategy lays out an agreed-upon framework to reduce the risk of climate-related disasters, improve health outcomes, protect nature and biodiversity, build and maintain resilient infrastructure, and support a strong economy and workers. It also identifies common goals, objectives, and targets to focus the efforts of governments and communities across these key areas and to help ensure future investments are targeted and effective.Similarly, the Government of Canada’s Adaptation Action Plan (GOCAAP), released alongside the National Adaptation Strategy, outlines the federal contribution to achieving Canada’s climate change adaptation goals. The GOCAAP highlights more than 70 new and ongoing federal actions to help meet Canada’s adaptation priorities, and to address both the short-term and long-term climate change issues and risks facing Canadians.Starting in 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $6.5 billion in adaptation, including $2 billion in commitments since fall 2022 to implement the National Adaptation Strategy and support other adaptation-related activities.In the coming months, the federal government will work with provinces and territories to advance bilateral action plans as a key step to implementing the Strategy. Likewise, the government will work with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis on a regional and distinctions basis through the Indigenous Climate Leadership Agenda which supports self-determined Indigenous climate actions.As the Government of Canada continues to implement the commitments set out in its plans, it is doing so in collaboration with its partners. The Government of Canada is committed to working with provinces and territories to advance shared priorities that will further lower emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including on a regional and bilateral basis. The Government of Canada fulfills this commitment by working with provinces and territories to tailor approaches and actions that are focused on climate change and green economic recovery. Collaboration with all levels of government, Indigenous peoples, experts, industry, the financial sector, stakeholders, and Canadians is a key component of the 2030 ERP and the National Adaptation Strategy.The Government of Canada also collaborates with Indigenous partners on climate action and recognizes that Indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable populations to a rapidly changing environment. To help support Indigenous peoples advance their climate priorities and adapt to the changing climate, the Government of Canada is committed to renewed nation-to-nation, Inuit-to-Crown and Government-to-Government relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. The Government of Canada also supports without qualification the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including free, prior and informed consent. Supporting self-determined climate action is critical to advancing Canada’s reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.Canada maintains strong partnerships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners on their climate change priorities through distinctions-based senior bilateral tables on clean growth and climate change with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council. These partnerships have meant that, since the launch of the Pan-Canadian Framework in 2016, Indigenous partners have worked directly with Canada to identify ways for policies and programs to better support Indigenous peoples and their climate priorities. More than five years later, the tables continue to demonstrate the benefits of sustained collaboration. For instance, the tables were instrumental in ensuring that Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan (December 2020), the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, and Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy respond to Indigenous climate priorities.Investments in Indigenous climate change action have been important to advancing self-determined priorities of Indigenous peoples. Since the release of the Strengthened Climate Plan, Canada has committed more than $1.3 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities to transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience of health systems, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the Pan-Canadian Framework, as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients.Most recently, in the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to advance discussions with Indigenous peoples to develop and implement a model of partnership for climate action that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous Knowledge systems in national climate policy.Looking forward, the transition to a cleaner future will bring new opportunities across our labour force, but also some challenges for those that will need to pivot to new jobs. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the future and livelihoods of workers and their communities as the world moves to a low carbon future. To seize these opportunities, the Government of Canada is making historic investments in skills and training to build on the agility and resilience of Canada’s workforce and ensure that it is equipped with the range of skills required to deliver on this ambition.      
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01594441-01594 (Environment)PeterJulianNew Westminster—BurnabyNDPBCJune 21, 2023July 19, 2023September 26, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS: Climate change has escalated into a global climate emergency; The world is on pace to warm nearly 4 degrees Celsius by 2100 and extreme weather events are growing with increasingly severe impacts, including floods, forest fires, rising temperatures, killer heat-waves, massive storms, sea level rise and disruption to marine and land ecosystems;In order to act to avert further catastrophic climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) states that the scientific consensus is that we need to immediately move to reduce net human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to 45 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050;Canada must address this climatic emergency with the ambition and urgency required, on behalf of present and future generations;Canadians are living through unprecedented, catastrophic climate events and at the same time, our society is suffering from worsening socio-economic inequalities, with almost half of Canada's population reporting they are $200 away from insolvency at the end of each month;Climate change impacts threaten physical & mental health (particularly young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities), surrounding environments by affecting the food we eat, the world's water supply, the air we breathe, the weather we experience, and how well local communities can adapt to climate change;The impacts of climate emergency are far more severe for those living through the immediate consequences of climate change; Indigenous Peoples, frontline and vulnerable communities, like people seeking refugee status or asylum and those displaced by climate change, are disproportionality affected, resulting in the increased risks to their health;It has never been more urgent that Canada reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy to meet the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, while ensuring that all Indigenous peoples and Canadians benefit from the substantial public investments a low-carbon economy requires, like energy efficiency retrofits, affordable housing, renewable energy, infrastructure, public transit, pharmacare, dental care, childcare and eliminating student debt and tuition fees; andReconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the recognition of inherent rights, title and treaty rights, while fully implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), must be at the heart of Canada's approach to addressing the climate emergency.THEREFORE, your petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Motion M-1, a made-in-Canada Green New Deal, the first initiative before the House of Commons, which calls on Canada to take bold & rapid action to adopt socially equitable climate action to tackle the climate emergency and address worsening socio-economic & racial inequalities at the same time; while ending fossil fuel subsidies, closing offshore tax havens, and supporting workers impacted by the transition and creating well-paying, unionized jobs in the shift to a clean and renewable energy economy.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our allies need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in recently announced investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government announced the implementation of this commitment with the release of the policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures set out in this commitment. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, describes the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Furthermore, as committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan released in early 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023, which will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill will require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables were created to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada so that each can realize its comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy. The federal government has jointly launched nine such Regional Tables already, with British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the Fall Economic Statement announced funding to create a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program, and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe science is clear that accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, are necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The economics are clear too – to build a strong, resilient economy for generations to come we must harness the power of a cleaner future.Over the past seven years, the Government of Canada has taken action and committed to invest over $120 billion to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous peoples. Building on this national effort, the Government of Canada released its Strengthened Climate Plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy in December 2020 to deepen emissions reductions across the economy, create new, well-paying jobs, make life more affordable for households, and build a better future.In 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45 per cent below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act) provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Actalso holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve our national targets, based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target as a concrete milestone that improves transparency and accountability on the way to net-zero. The 2030 ERP includes a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, $9.1 billion in new investments, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Achieving Canada’s climate objectives demands that all sectors of the economy continue to decarbonize in a manner that makes cleaner alternatives more affordable and creates new sustainable job opportunities for workers. That’s why the 2030 ERP provides a road map that goes sector-by-sector to identify climate action and strategies. For example, the Government is:
  • Helping to reduce energy costs for homes and buildings, while driving down emissions to net-zero by 2040 and boosting climate resiliency through the development of the $150 million Canada Green Buildings Strategy and an additional investment of $458.5 million in the Canada Greener Homes Loans program;
  • Empowering communities to take climate action by expanding the Low Carbon Economy Fund through a $2.2 billion recapitalization, which will include a new $180-million Indigenous Leadership Fund to support emissions reductions projects led by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations;
  • Driving progress on clean cars and trucks through investments of $400 million for zero-emission vehicles charging and refueling infrastructure, $1.7 billion to extend the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program to make it more affordable for Canadians to buy and drive new electric light-duty vehicles, and introducing a purchase incentive program of $547.5 million for medium-and heavy-duty vehicles;
  • Positioning the oil and gas sector to cut pollution by working with stakeholders to implement the cap on oil and gas sector emissions;
  • Powering the economy with renewable electricity by continuing to advance the Clean Electricity Standard to enable Canada to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, and providing $600 million to the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program for additional renewable electricity and grid modernization projects, and $250 million to support predevelopment work of large clean electricity projects;
  • Helping industries to adopt clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) strategy, and establishing an investment tax credit of up to 30 per cent focused on net-zero technologies;
  • Driving further clean technology innovation through a $1 billion investment to create an independent federal innovation and investment agency;
  • Developing of a whole-of-government strategy to strengthen policy coherence and coordination on clean technology and climate innovation;
  • Investing in nature and natural climate solutions by investing an additional $780 million to the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to support projects that conserve, restore and enhance wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands to store and capture carbon; and,
  • Supporting farmers as partners in building a clean, prosperous future through investments in new programs such as the $150 million resilient agricultural landscapes program, and by topping up the Agricultural Climate Solutions: On-Farm Climate Action Fund with $470 million to support key climate mitigation practices and providing $300 million to triple funding for the Agricultural Clean Technology Program.
The 2030 ERP is expected to benefit diverse groups of people in Canada by helping to alleviate the negative impacts of climate change and strengthen Canada’s ability to meet net-zero emissions by 2050. The plan also includes several measures designed to directly benefit communities affected by climate change, and those seeking to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, including those who live in remote and rural communities.The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits and communities across the country work together to meet Canada’s climate objectives, we will identify, catalyze and respond to new opportunities. In addition, progress under the plan will be reviewed in progress reports produced in 2023, 2025, and 2027. Additional targets and plans will be developed for 2035 through to 2050.These commitments aim to increase Canada’s ambition and to reduce the intensity and frequency of climate change-related impacts on the environment such as higher temperatures, variable precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, severe floods, wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. However, as the country faces increasing record-breaking climate events year after year, on top of slow onset climate impacts, the Government of Canada recognizes that a more ambitious, strategic and collaborative approach is required to also adapt and build resilience.To that end, the Government of Canada developed its first National Adaptation Strategy. The Strategy is the product of two years of engagement with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, key experts, stakeholders and partners across Canada. It presents a whole-of-society approach to reducing risk and building climate-resilient communities. The Strategy lays out an agreed-upon framework to reduce the risk of climate-related disasters, improve health outcomes, protect nature and biodiversity, build and maintain resilient infrastructure, and support a strong economy and workers. It also identifies common goals, objectives, and targets to focus the efforts of governments and communities across these key areas and to help ensure future investments are targeted and effective.Similarly, the Government of Canada’s Adaptation Action Plan (GOCAAP), released alongside the National Adaptation Strategy, outlines the federal contribution to achieving Canada’s climate change adaptation goals. The GOCAAP highlights more than 70 new and ongoing federal actions to help meet Canada’s adaptation priorities, and to address both the short-term and long-term climate change issues and risks facing Canadians.Starting in 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $6.5 billion in adaptation, including $2 billion in commitments since fall 2022 to implement the National Adaptation Strategy and support other adaptation-related activities.In the coming months, the federal government will work with provinces and territories to advance bilateral action plans as a key step to implementing the Strategy. Likewise, the government will work with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis on a regional and distinctions basis through the Indigenous Climate Leadership Agenda which supports self-determined Indigenous climate actions.As the Government of Canada continues to implement the commitments set out in its plans, it is doing so in collaboration with its partners. The Government of Canada is committed to working with provinces and territories to advance shared priorities that will further lower emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including on a regional and bilateral basis. The Government of Canada fulfills this commitment by working with provinces and territories to tailor approaches and actions that are focused on climate change and green economic recovery. Collaboration with all levels of government, Indigenous peoples, experts, industry, the financial sector, stakeholders, and Canadians is a key component of the 2030 ERP and the National Adaptation Strategy.The Government of Canada also collaborates with Indigenous partners on climate action and recognizes that Indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable populations to a rapidly changing environment. To help support Indigenous peoples advance their climate priorities and adapt to the changing climate, the Government of Canada is committed to renewed nation-to-nation, Inuit-to-Crown and Government-to-Government relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. The Government of Canada also supports without qualification the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including free, prior and informed consent. Supporting self-determined climate action is critical to advancing Canada’s reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.Canada maintains strong partnerships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners on their climate change priorities through distinctions-based senior bilateral tables on clean growth and climate change with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council. These partnerships have meant that, since the launch of the Pan-Canadian Framework in 2016, Indigenous partners have worked directly with Canada to identify ways for policies and programs to better support Indigenous peoples and their climate priorities. More than five years later, the tables continue to demonstrate the benefits of sustained collaboration. For instance, the tables were instrumental in ensuring that Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan (December 2020), the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, and Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy respond to Indigenous climate priorities.Investments in Indigenous climate change action have been important to advancing self-determined priorities of Indigenous peoples. Since the release of the Strengthened Climate Plan, Canada has committed more than $1.3 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities to transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience of health systems, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the Pan-Canadian Framework, as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients.Most recently, in the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to advance discussions with Indigenous peoples to develop and implement a model of partnership for climate action that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous Knowledge systems in national climate policy.Looking forward, the transition to a cleaner future will bring new opportunities across our labour force, but also some challenges for those that will need to pivot to new jobs. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the future and livelihoods of workers and their communities as the world moves to a low carbon future. To seize these opportunities, the Government of Canada is making historic investments in skills and training to build on the agility and resilience of Canada’s workforce and ensure that it is equipped with the range of skills required to deliver on this ambition.      
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01593441-01593 (Environment)PeterJulianNew Westminster—BurnabyNDPBCJune 21, 2023July 19, 2023September 26, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS: Climate change has escalated into a global climate emergency; The world is on pace to warm nearly 4 degrees Celsius by 2100 and extreme weather events are growing with increasingly severe impacts, including floods, forest fires, rising temperatures, killer heat-waves, massive storms, sea level rise and disruption to marine and land ecosystems;In order to act to avert further catastrophic climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) states that the scientific consensus is that we need to immediately move to reduce net human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to 45 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050;Canada must address this climatic emergency with the ambition and urgency required, on behalf of present and future generations;Canadians are living through unprecedented, catastrophic climate events and at the same time, our society is suffering from worsening socio-economic inequalities, with almost half of Canada's population reporting they are $200 away from insolvency at the end of each month;Climate change impacts threaten physical & mental health (particularly young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities), surrounding environments by affecting the food we eat, the world's water supply, the air we breathe, the weather we experience, and how well local communities can adapt to climate change;The impacts of climate emergency are far more severe for those living through the immediate consequences of climate change; Indigenous Peoples, frontline and vulnerable communities, like people seeking refugee status or asylum and those displaced by climate change, are disproportionality affected, resulting in the increased risks to their health;It has never been more urgent that Canada reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy to meet the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, while ensuring that all Indigenous peoples and Canadians benefit from the substantial public investments a low-carbon economy requires, like energy efficiency retrofits, affordable housing, renewable energy, infrastructure, public transit, pharmacare, dental care, childcare and eliminating student debt and tuition fees; andReconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the recognition of inherent rights, title and treaty rights, while fully implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), must be at the heart of Canada's approach to addressing the climate emergency.THEREFORE, your petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Motion M-1, a made-in-Canada Green New Deal, the first initiative before the House of Commons, which calls on Canada to take bold & rapid action to adopt socially equitable climate action to tackle the climate emergency and address worsening socio-economic & racial inequalities at the same time; while ending fossil fuel subsidies, closing offshore tax havens, and supporting workers impacted by the transition and creating well-paying, unionized jobs in the shift to a clean and renewable energy economy.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our allies need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in recently announced investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government announced the implementation of this commitment with the release of the policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures set out in this commitment. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, describes the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Furthermore, as committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan released in early 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023, which will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill will require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables were created to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada so that each can realize its comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy. The federal government has jointly launched nine such Regional Tables already, with British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the Fall Economic Statement announced funding to create a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program, and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe science is clear that accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, are necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The economics are clear too – to build a strong, resilient economy for generations to come we must harness the power of a cleaner future.Over the past seven years, the Government of Canada has taken action and committed to invest over $120 billion to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous peoples. Building on this national effort, the Government of Canada released its Strengthened Climate Plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy in December 2020 to deepen emissions reductions across the economy, create new, well-paying jobs, make life more affordable for households, and build a better future.In 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45 per cent below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act) provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Actalso holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve our national targets, based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target as a concrete milestone that improves transparency and accountability on the way to net-zero. The 2030 ERP includes a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, $9.1 billion in new investments, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Achieving Canada’s climate objectives demands that all sectors of the economy continue to decarbonize in a manner that makes cleaner alternatives more affordable and creates new sustainable job opportunities for workers. That’s why the 2030 ERP provides a road map that goes sector-by-sector to identify climate action and strategies. For example, the Government is:
  • Helping to reduce energy costs for homes and buildings, while driving down emissions to net-zero by 2040 and boosting climate resiliency through the development of the $150 million Canada Green Buildings Strategy and an additional investment of $458.5 million in the Canada Greener Homes Loans program;
  • Empowering communities to take climate action by expanding the Low Carbon Economy Fund through a $2.2 billion recapitalization, which will include a new $180-million Indigenous Leadership Fund to support emissions reductions projects led by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations;
  • Driving progress on clean cars and trucks through investments of $400 million for zero-emission vehicles charging and refueling infrastructure, $1.7 billion to extend the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program to make it more affordable for Canadians to buy and drive new electric light-duty vehicles, and introducing a purchase incentive program of $547.5 million for medium-and heavy-duty vehicles;
  • Positioning the oil and gas sector to cut pollution by working with stakeholders to implement the cap on oil and gas sector emissions;
  • Powering the economy with renewable electricity by continuing to advance the Clean Electricity Standard to enable Canada to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, and providing $600 million to the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program for additional renewable electricity and grid modernization projects, and $250 million to support predevelopment work of large clean electricity projects;
  • Helping industries to adopt clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) strategy, and establishing an investment tax credit of up to 30 per cent focused on net-zero technologies;
  • Driving further clean technology innovation through a $1 billion investment to create an independent federal innovation and investment agency;
  • Developing of a whole-of-government strategy to strengthen policy coherence and coordination on clean technology and climate innovation;
  • Investing in nature and natural climate solutions by investing an additional $780 million to the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to support projects that conserve, restore and enhance wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands to store and capture carbon; and,
  • Supporting farmers as partners in building a clean, prosperous future through investments in new programs such as the $150 million resilient agricultural landscapes program, and by topping up the Agricultural Climate Solutions: On-Farm Climate Action Fund with $470 million to support key climate mitigation practices and providing $300 million to triple funding for the Agricultural Clean Technology Program.
The 2030 ERP is expected to benefit diverse groups of people in Canada by helping to alleviate the negative impacts of climate change and strengthen Canada’s ability to meet net-zero emissions by 2050. The plan also includes several measures designed to directly benefit communities affected by climate change, and those seeking to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, including those who live in remote and rural communities.The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits and communities across the country work together to meet Canada’s climate objectives, we will identify, catalyze and respond to new opportunities. In addition, progress under the plan will be reviewed in progress reports produced in 2023, 2025, and 2027. Additional targets and plans will be developed for 2035 through to 2050.These commitments aim to increase Canada’s ambition and to reduce the intensity and frequency of climate change-related impacts on the environment such as higher temperatures, variable precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, severe floods, wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. However, as the country faces increasing record-breaking climate events year after year, on top of slow onset climate impacts, the Government of Canada recognizes that a more ambitious, strategic and collaborative approach is required to also adapt and build resilience.To that end, the Government of Canada developed its first National Adaptation Strategy. The Strategy is the product of two years of engagement with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, key experts, stakeholders and partners across Canada. It presents a whole-of-society approach to reducing risk and building climate-resilient communities. The Strategy lays out an agreed-upon framework to reduce the risk of climate-related disasters, improve health outcomes, protect nature and biodiversity, build and maintain resilient infrastructure, and support a strong economy and workers. It also identifies common goals, objectives, and targets to focus the efforts of governments and communities across these key areas and to help ensure future investments are targeted and effective.Similarly, the Government of Canada’s Adaptation Action Plan (GOCAAP), released alongside the National Adaptation Strategy, outlines the federal contribution to achieving Canada’s climate change adaptation goals. The GOCAAP highlights more than 70 new and ongoing federal actions to help meet Canada’s adaptation priorities, and to address both the short-term and long-term climate change issues and risks facing Canadians.Starting in 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $6.5 billion in adaptation, including $2 billion in commitments since fall 2022 to implement the National Adaptation Strategy and support other adaptation-related activities.In the coming months, the federal government will work with provinces and territories to advance bilateral action plans as a key step to implementing the Strategy. Likewise, the government will work with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis on a regional and distinctions basis through the Indigenous Climate Leadership Agenda which supports self-determined Indigenous climate actions.As the Government of Canada continues to implement the commitments set out in its plans, it is doing so in collaboration with its partners. The Government of Canada is committed to working with provinces and territories to advance shared priorities that will further lower emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including on a regional and bilateral basis. The Government of Canada fulfills this commitment by working with provinces and territories to tailor approaches and actions that are focused on climate change and green economic recovery. Collaboration with all levels of government, Indigenous peoples, experts, industry, the financial sector, stakeholders, and Canadians is a key component of the 2030 ERP and the National Adaptation Strategy.The Government of Canada also collaborates with Indigenous partners on climate action and recognizes that Indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable populations to a rapidly changing environment. To help support Indigenous peoples advance their climate priorities and adapt to the changing climate, the Government of Canada is committed to renewed nation-to-nation, Inuit-to-Crown and Government-to-Government relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. The Government of Canada also supports without qualification the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including free, prior and informed consent. Supporting self-determined climate action is critical to advancing Canada’s reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.Canada maintains strong partnerships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners on their climate change priorities through distinctions-based senior bilateral tables on clean growth and climate change with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council. These partnerships have meant that, since the launch of the Pan-Canadian Framework in 2016, Indigenous partners have worked directly with Canada to identify ways for policies and programs to better support Indigenous peoples and their climate priorities. More than five years later, the tables continue to demonstrate the benefits of sustained collaboration. For instance, the tables were instrumental in ensuring that Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan (December 2020), the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, and Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy respond to Indigenous climate priorities.Investments in Indigenous climate change action have been important to advancing self-determined priorities of Indigenous peoples. Since the release of the Strengthened Climate Plan, Canada has committed more than $1.3 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities to transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience of health systems, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the Pan-Canadian Framework, as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients.Most recently, in the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to advance discussions with Indigenous peoples to develop and implement a model of partnership for climate action that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous Knowledge systems in national climate policy.Looking forward, the transition to a cleaner future will bring new opportunities across our labour force, but also some challenges for those that will need to pivot to new jobs. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the future and livelihoods of workers and their communities as the world moves to a low carbon future. To seize these opportunities, the Government of Canada is making historic investments in skills and training to build on the agility and resilience of Canada’s workforce and ensure that it is equipped with the range of skills required to deliver on this ambition.      
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01578441-01578 (Transportation)LarryBrockBrantford—BrantConservativeONJune 21, 2023July 19, 2023June 14, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • VIA Rail Canada is a Crown corporation and operates Canada's national passenger rail service on behalf of the Government of Canada;
  • Before 2020, Via Rail Train 82 took morning commuters from Brantford to Toronto before 9:00 AM;
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, Via Rail cancelled Train 82 and is refusing to reinstate it;
  • This decision has left hundreds of people stranded without a reliable mode of commuting from southwestern Ontario to Toronto and has had a significant impact on the daily lives of commuters who relied on this train line to get to work, school, or appointments;
  • This decision has not only increased travel time for commuters but also put additional strain on our already congested highways;
  • This has also caused many to leave southwestern Ontario or face unemployment;
  • According to Statistics Canada, the number of commuters travelling between Brantford and Toronto has been steadily increasing over the past decade; and
  • Commuting by train is more environmentally friendly than driving, and with climate change being an urgent global issue and traffic congestion causing significant economic losses, it is imperative that we prioritize sustainable transportation options, such as commuter trains.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Work with the management of Via Rail to expedite its decision-making process;
  • Explain to them the benefits, including profitability, of reinstating Train 82; and
  • Encourage Via Rail to reinstate Train 82 immediately.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraAs with the broader transportation industry, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on VIA Rail’s operations across the country, with reduced frequencies and schedule changes on most routes, including Train 82. When the number of travellers increased following the gradual easing of public health measures in 2021, VIA Rail implemented a return-to-service strategy based on consumer demand, as well as staff and fleet availability. This strategy demonstrates sound financial management by VIA Rail throughout what has been the most difficult period in its history.The Government of Canada has made a significant investment in passenger rail with the purchase of VIA Rail’s new fleet, which is now entering operation in the Quebec City - Windsor Corridor. As additional capacity comes into service, VIA Rail continues to evaluate its scheduling and frequency across its national network. With respect to Train 82, VIA Rail is working to return it back to service, along with Train 83. VIA Rail is currently in discussion with their infrastructure partners and is confident that these trains will once again be connecting communities along the route, including Brantford and Toronto by Fall 2023.VIA Rail is an independent Crown corporation that operates at arm’s length from the Government of Canada. Part of the Minister of Transport’s role is to determine VIA Rail’s broad policy while respecting its operational autonomy, including the scheduling and frequencies of trains, as well as overall service operations. 
Rail passenger transportationVIA Rail Canada Inc.
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01570441-01570 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBJune 16, 2023July 19, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply.The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has also recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.With respect to services operated by European airlines, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01565441-01565 (Business and trade)DanielBlaikieElmwood—TransconaNDPMBJune 16, 2023July 19, 2023May 18, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Companies based in Canada are contributing to human rights abuse and environmental damage around the world;
  • People who protest these abuses and defend their rights are often harassed, attacked or killed. Indigenous Peoples, women and marginalized groups are especially under threat; and
  • Canada encourages but does not require companies to prevent such harms in their global operations and supply chains.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill C-262, an example of human rights and environmental due diligence legislation that would:
  • Require companies to prevent adverse human rights impacts and environmental damage throughout their global operations and supply chains;
  • Require companies do their due diligence, including by carefully assessing how they may be contributing to human rights abuse or environmental damage abroad and by providing access to remedy when harms occur;
  • Result in meaningful consequences for companies that fail to carry out and report on adequate due diligence; and and
  • Establish a legal right for people who have been harmed to seek justice in Canadian courts.
Response by the Minister of LabourSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Government of Canada is committed to upholding human rights as well as labour and environmental standards. The Minister of Labour, with support from the Ministers of Public Safety, Public Services and Procurement, as well as International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, remains committed to introducing legislation to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains, while also ensuring that Canadian businesses operating abroad do not contribute to human rights abuses.In March 2022, the Government of Canada published the Labour exploitation in global supply chains: What We Heard Report, which provides a summary of past consultations on possible measures to address labour exploitation in supply chains. Stakeholders were invited to review the Report and to share feedback. Submissions were received from a range of organizations and individuals. The Government continues to consider the results of these consultations, as well as best practices and other inputs received during continued engagement with numerous civil society organizations, industry associations, foreign governments and other stakeholders.On May 3, 2023, Members of Parliament passed Senate Public Bill S-211, Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. The bill received royal assent on May 11, 2023. The Act imposes an obligation on government institutions and certain private-sector entities to report publicly on the measures taken to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour is used by them or in their supply chains. The Act also amends the Customs Tariff to allow for a prohibition on the importation of goods manufactured or produced, in whole or in part, by forced labour or child labour as those terms are defined in the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. Public Safety Canada is responsible for the implementation of this Act. Bill S-211 has sparked important dialogue and helped bring attention to the issue of forced labour in supply chains. The Government recognizes that S-211 may serve as an important first step, however, more is needed. The Government of Canada committed, as part of the 2023 federal budget, to introduce legislation in 2024 to help eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains and to strengthen the import ban on goods produced using forced labour by 2024. The legislation will be strong, effective, and enforceable. For example, whereas S-211 only requires entities to report on forced labour in their supply chains, government legislation would include due diligence measures to ensure they take action to eradicate it.  Supply chain legislation is just one tool, among many, needed to address forced labour and other forms of exploitation. The Government of Canada also has in place a variety of other initiatives to prevent and address exploitation in global supply chains and to promote responsible business conduct abroad. For example, Canada is part of a number of conventions aimed at protecting human rights and works to negotiate into Canada’s free trade agreements enforceable obligations to address child and forced labour. Trade sanctions or financial penalties can also be imposed on free trade partners that do not live up to these obligations.In addition, the Government of Canada introduced the prohibition on the importation of goods produced in whole or in part by forced labour, which came into force under the Customs Tariff on July 1, 2020. This implemented an obligation in the Labour Chapter of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and applies to all goods regardless of country of origin.Furthermore, the Government’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking enhances Canada’s efforts to combat human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labour, both domestically and internationally. It is a multi-department horizontal initiative centred on prevention, protection, prosecutions, partnerships, and survivors’ empowerment. Within the National Strategy, the Government of Canada committed to promoting ethical corporate practices by encouraging industry partners to implement changes in their supply chains to prevent and reduce the risk of forced labour.On the public procurement front, Canada has strengthened its contracting regime to ensure that federal suppliers adhere to the highest ethical standards and treat their workers with dignity. To this end, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has updated its Code of Conduct for Procurement to include expectations for suppliers and their subcontractors on human and labour rights. In addition, PSPC has implemented new anti-forced labour contract clauses to ensure that they can terminate contracts where there is credible information that goods have been produced in whole or in part by forced labour or human trafficking. The clauses also enable contract termination if goods do not clear customs because of breaches under the prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour in the Customs Tariff. PSPC also recently awarded a contract to map international due diligence obligations for businesses to report on actions taken to address the risks of forced labour, human trafficking, and human rights violations in their supply chains. This research will inform ongoing activities designed to ensure that suppliers of goods and services apply the highest ethical and sustainability standards across their supply chains.At the September 2022 G7 Trade and Investment Ministers Meeting, G7 partners committed to strengthen cooperation and collective efforts towards eradicating the use of all forms of forced labour and child labour in global supply chains. This commitment includes measures that promote corporate due diligence, as well as working to further enhance predictability and certainty for businesses.The Government of Canada expects Canadian companies operating abroad to abide by all relevant laws, to respect human rights in all their activities abroad, and to adopt best practices and internationally respected guidelines, such as the United Nations (UN) Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the International Labour Organization Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy. To this end, Global Affairs Canada released its RBC Strategy in April 2022, which sets out priorities for the Government of Canada to support Canadian businesses active abroad – no matter their size, sector, or scope – to integrate leading responsible business practices into their operations, including throughout their supply chains and to help them mitigate risks. The Strategy strengthens Canada’s balanced approach to RBC, which includes preventative measures, legislation in select areas, and access to dispute resolution.In terms of access to dispute resolution, the Government of Canada supports Canada’s National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE). The NCP is mandated to offer facilitated dialogue and mediation to all sectors on issues covered by the OECD Guidelines, including disclosure, labour issues, human rights, environmental issues, and bribery. The NCP can address complaints directed at the activities of multinational enterprises in Canada and the operations of Canadian multinational enterprises operating abroad. The CORE can review complaints of alleged human rights abuses by Canadian companies operating abroad in the mining, oil and gas, and garment sectors. The CORE also has the ability to receive complaints and undertake a review at its own initiative.Canada expects that Canadian companies will participate in good faith in these dispute resolution processes. If a Canadian company has not acted in good faith during the course of or follow-up to a review process, both the NCP and the CORE can recommend the withdrawal of Trade Commissioner Service support and that Export Development Canada, and the Canadian Commercial Corporation also withdraw future support. The CORE and the NCP work with complainants and companies to find a solution through fact-finding, discussion and mediation. The two mechanisms can offer effective and accessible alternatives to judicial processes, although they do not preclude a party from addressing the issues in other fora. The Government believes that a whole-of-government approach, including supply chain legislation, will be essential in addressing labour exploitation in Canadian supply chains. We look forward to working closely with Parliamentarians, stakeholders and international partners to strengthen Canada’s approach and global efforts to address forced labour and other forms of exploitation.
C-262, An Act respecting the corporate responsibility to prevent, address and remedy adverse impacts on human rights occurring in relation to business activities conducted abroadCanadian companiesCivil and human rightsSocial responsibility
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01558441-01558 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABJune 14, 2023July 19, 2023December 12, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01555441-01555 (Justice)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABJune 14, 2023July 19, 2023December 5, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01554441-01554 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBJune 14, 2023July 19, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply.The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has also recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.With respect to services operated by European airlines, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01550441-01550 (Employment and labour)TaylorBachrachSkeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPBCJune 14, 2023July 19, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:1. Canada's port workers are essential to the operation of marine ports and the resiliency, competitiveness and sustainability of Canada's supply chain;2. The operation of marine ports and port authorities has a profound impact on the lives and working conditions of port workers; and3. Port workers have unique and relevant expertise regarding the operations and future development of Canada's marine ports.WE, THE UNDERSIGNED CITIZENS OF CANADA, call upon THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TO:Amend the Canada Marine Act to require that port workers be represented on Canadian port authorities' boards of directors.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraSeventeen Canada Port Authorities oversee the country's most vital ports. While Canada Port Authorities are federal entities, these organizations operate independently from the Government, adhering to commercial and financial self-sustainability principles. Port authorities fulfill crucial public policy objectives like facilitating national economic development and overseeing safety and environmental regulations. Canada Port Authorities are also key hubs in the Canada’s supply chains, where rail, road and marine modes intersect to support export and import markets, and ports rely on the dedicated workers who are essential to their operations.The boards of directors within Canada Port Authorities play a crucial role for their organizations by setting the course, ensuring proper functioning, and aligning with the objectives of the Canada Marine Act. The boards are composed of seven to eleven directors appointed as follows: one federal director appointed by the Governor in Council, as nominated by the Minister of Transport; one municipal director; one provincial director; and four to seven user directors, appointed by the Governor in Council, as nominated by the Minister in consultation with users selected by the Minister or the classes of users mentioned in the letters patent.These directors are required to have recognized stature within the transportation or business community. In addition, the directors nominated by the Minister in consultation with users are required to have extensive experience in business management or port and maritime trade operations. While expertise in port-related fields is expected, directors must not have any actual or perceived conflicts of interest and must act in the best interests of the port authority. The framework provides opportunities for qualified individuals from various backgrounds to be nominated or appointed as directors, promoting diversity and inclusive representation.In November 2022, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-33, the Strengthening the Ports System and Railway Safety in Canada Act, in the House of Commons to advance the role of Canada Port Authorities as strategic enablers of supply chain resiliency and efficiency. The proposed reforms to the Canada Marine Act seek to enhance the effectiveness and governance of Canada Port Authorities by adapting to the changing landscape and reinforcing good board practices. The Government of Canada has committed to consider all proposed amendments with a view to strengthening the port system and railway safety in Canada.The Government expects Canada Port Authorities to collaborate with port users, including workers. To this effect, Bill C-33 requires ports to establish advisory boards with local communities to ensure that their priorities are heard and reflected. In addition, the Minister of Transport has and will continue to engage with the New Democratic Party transport critic, and colleagues across all parties, to ensure that the expertise of port workers will be reflected on port authority boards. 
Board of directorsPort authorities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01539441-01539 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 13, 2023July 19, 2023September 14, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:Although Canadians Micheal Spavor and Micheal Korvig have recently been released after 1000 days of unjust detention in China, there are at least 115 Canadians still being detained in China including Huseyin Celil who has been detained for over 5000 days; Huseyin Celil is a Canadian Uyghur human rights activist who is detained in China for supporting the political and religious rights of Uyghurs; Huseyin Celil is a Canadian citizen, who escaped China into Uzbekistan after being unjustly jailed for 48 days in 2001 and on recognition from the United Nations as a refugee, migrated to Canada and obtained Canadian citizenship and gave up his Chinese citizenship; The Chinese government has refused to accept Huseyin Celil's Canadian citizenship, and denied access to lawyers, family and Canadian officials, while he was coerced into signing a confession and underwent an unlawful and unfair trial;Evidence now makes clear that the Chinese Government's treatment of the Uyghurs meets most, if not all, of the criteria for genocide as outlined in the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; and Canada cannot remain silent in the face of the unjust suffering of a Canadian citizen. Therefore we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to take the following actions to address the situation: 1. Demand that the Chinese government recognize Huseyin Celil's Canadian citizenship and provide him with consular and legal services in accordance with international law; 2. Formally state that the release of Huseyin Celil from Chinese detainment and his return to Canada is a priority of the Canadian government of equal concern as the unjust detentions of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor; 3. Appoint a special envoy to work on securing Mr. Celil's release; and 4. Seek assistance of the Biden Administration and other allies around the world in obtaining Mr. Celil's release.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe case of Mr. Huseyincan Celil is a priority for Canada, as the Government of Canada continues to be deeply concerned with his detention. Canada has repeatedly raised Mr. Celil’s case with the government of China at the highest levels, and will continue to do so.Global Affairs Canada remains in regular contact with Mr. Celil’s family in Canada and continues to provide them with consular services. While privacy considerations prevent the sharing of details, the Government of Canada remains actively engaged in his case. The Government of Canada will continue to seek access to Mr. Celil in order to verify his well-being.The safety and well-being of Canadians abroad remain of utmost importance to Canada.
Canadians in foreign countriesCelil, HuseyincanChinaCivil and human rights
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01537441-01537 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 13, 2023July 19, 2023March 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01534441-01534 (Justice)DanMuysFlamborough—GlanbrookConservativeONJune 13, 2023July 19, 2023March 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01532441-01532 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKJune 13, 2023July 19, 2023March 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01529441-01529 (Justice)TedFalkProvencherConservativeMBJune 13, 2023July 19, 2023March 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01528441-01528 (Foreign affairs)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBJune 9, 2023July 19, 2023December 20, 2022PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China. Global Affairs Canada and Amnesty International Canada most recently held day-long consultations with the 15-member Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China (CCHRC) on November 21, 2022.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01525441-01525 (Employment and labour)TomKmiecCalgary ShepardConservativeABJune 9, 2023July 19, 2023June 6, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:Whereas:
  • The recognition of international credentials for newcomers to Canada continues to be a challenge;
  • Only 41% of doctors with international credentials work as doctors in Canada;
  • Similarly, only 37% of nurses with international credentials work as a nurse in Canada;
  • Those who decide to pursue medical studies outside of Canada, despite being from Canada, still have difficulties getting their licenses here if they choose to come back;
  • Gatekeepers in provincial licensing bodies have unnecessary hurdles and red tape, leading to healthcare professionals being prevented from doing the work they are trained to do;
  • Canada has 53,005 nurses and doctors who could be filling shortages, but the Liberal government is failing to remove barriers to the much-needed support our provincial health care systems needs;
  • Currently, a "Red Seal" program exists that sets recognized standards across Canada for tradespeople, allowing for a shared partnership that proves a professional has the necessary skills to practice their trade; and
  • Healthcare professionals want to work in Canada, but it is just a matter of creating a system without barriers for these highly skilled professionals.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion to:create a "Blue Seal" that will make the processes, with a 60-day standard, for licensing doctors and nurses to be more streamlined in order to help fill Canada's shortages on health care professionals.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability InclusionSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykThe Government of Canada recognizes that skilled newcomers, including internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs), are sometimes not able to contribute to their full potential. They can face significant challenges obtaining employment commensurate with their education, skills and experience, due to barriers such as lack of Canadian work experience, occupation-specific language proficiency, discrimination and bias from employers, and lack of awareness of existing employment supports and other social and professional resources. The foreign credential recognition process itself can also be a significant barrier for the successful labour market integration of skilled newcomers, as it is complex, lengthy, and costly and varies by occupation and jurisdiction. Credential recognition and licensure in regulated occupations (e.g., nurses, physicians) is a provincial and territorial responsibility that is typically further delegated to regulatory authorities through legislation. Each jurisdiction is responsible for establishing education, training and licensing standards in the interest of public health and safety. Credential recognition and licensure processes may differ by regulated occupation and by province or territory.Significantly, on May 1, 2023, the Atlantic premiers announced the launch of the Atlantic Physician Register that allows for greater mobility of fully licensed physicians in Atlantic Canada. Previously, physicians had to submit a separate full application to each provincial college, including a registration fee, to obtain a license to practice in that province. This Registry could be expanded to allow other jurisdictions to join.National organizations are also helping to harmonize and coordinate the credential recognition process amongst the provincial and territorial regulatory bodies to make it easier for internationally educated physicians and nurses to have their credentials recognized and become licensed to practice in Canada. For example, the Medical Council of Canada and the National Nursing Assessment Services are national bodies that play a role in facilitating the credential recognition process of internationally educated physicians and nurses respectively. The Government’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program supports the labour market integration of skilled newcomers by funding provinces and territories, regulatory authorities and organizations to: 
  • improve foreign credential recognition processes by funding projects that will make the credential recognition system faster and more efficient;  
  • provide loans and support services to help skilled newcomers navigate the FCR process; and 
  • provide employment supports, such as training, work placements, wage subsidies, mentoring and coaching, to help skilled newcomers gain Canadian work experience in their field of study. 
For example, the Program supported the Medical Council of Canada to create the Physicians Apply portal (https://physiciansapply.ca/). The portal has streamlined the process for international medical graduates to apply for a license to practice medicine in Canada by offering a platform where international and Canadian medical students and physicians can complete and submit the application for medical registration with medical regulatory authorities, access all Medical Council of Canada examinations, use source verification services, and share their credentials and documents with registered partners. The Physicians Apply portal has so far reached over 83, 000 individuals who now have accounts and can access the full range of services. The portal has made it easier for nearly 1.9 million documents to be shared in support of credential recognition and licensure for international and Canadian medical graduates.Budget 2022 announced an additional $115 million over five years, with $30 million ongoing, to expand the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, with an initial focus on supporting IEHPs integrate into the Canadian labour market. The most recent open call for proposals ran from December 5, 2022, to January 30, 2023. The call invited eligible organizations and provincial and territorial governments to submit proposals for projects that support the labour market integration of IEHPs. Projects must improve FCR processes, provide Canadian work experience that is relevant to the IEHPs’ intended healthcare field of work, and/or facilitate labour mobility between jurisdictions in Canada for health care professionals. The Program will invest approximately $90 million through this call with projects starting as early as late summer 2023.  
Caregivers and health care professionalsCredentialsImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01518441-01518 (Environment)LaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCJune 8, 2023July 19, 2023June 2, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Government of Canada to the following:WHEREAS:The government has promised to ban the export of thermal coal from and through Canada as swiftly as possible, and no later than 2030;The need to act as swiftly as possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the leading cause of the climate crisis, is clearer than ever with the world likely to breach 1.5 degrees of warming by 2027; andCoal power plants produce more greenhouse gas emissions and subsequent warming than any other single source, and that Canada continues to mine and export thermal coal overseas.THEREFORE, your petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to put in place a total ban of thermal coal exports by 2024.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTAt the Conference of the Parties (COP26), the Government of Canada announced its intention to ban thermal coal exports by 2030. This makes Canada the first country in the world to make this commitment to address climate change.Canada has taken action to curb harmful coal emissions. Through the Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, the Government has amended the 2012 coal-fired electricity greenhouse gas regulations to accelerate the phase-out of conventional coal-fired electricity in Canada by 2030. The Government of Canada also released a policy statement in June 2021 indicating that the Government considers that future thermal coal mining projects are likely to cause unacceptable environmental effects within federal jurisdiction and are not aligned with Canada’s domestic and international climate change commitments.Before the commitment to ban thermal coal exports was announced, it was forecasted that many thermal coal mines in Canada would stop operating in the lead-up to 2030 since they primarily supplied the domestic electricity market.Canada is also co-leading the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), alongside the United Kingdom. With over 120 members, the PPCA is the world's leading coalition of public and private sector partners seeking to accelerate clean growth and climate protection through the rapid phase-out of unabated coal power. By joining the PPCA, members make a voluntary commitment to accelerate the phase-out of emissions from coal power.Additionally, at the 2023 G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy, and Environment, Canada, along with G7 countries, renewed calls on non-G7 countries to phase out unabated coal power generation consistent with a 1.5°C compatible future.The Government of Canada is advancing work toward an export ban and intends to engage and seek feedback from key partners and Indigenous peoples soon.   
BanCoalExports
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01516441-01516 (Health)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 5, 2023July 19, 2023May 17, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to end all Covid-19 mandates.
Response by the Minister of LabourSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for their engagement on this issue.As of June 20, 2022, the Government of Canada suspended vaccination requirements for domestic and outbound travel, federally regulated transportation sectors and employees in the federal public sector. Furthermore, the Government has announced that it is no longer moving forward with proposed regulations under Part II (Occupational Health and Safety) of the Canada Labour Code to make vaccination mandatory in all federally regulated workplaces.Additionally, as of October 1, 2022, all COVID-19 border requirements ended for all travellers entering Canada whether by land, air or sea.The Government of Canada also announced that masks are no longer required for travel within Canada starting October 1, 2022. Although the masking requirement is being lifted, all travellers are strongly recommended to wear high quality and well-fitted masks during their journeys.As COVID-19 activity and hospitalizations continue in Canada, layers of prevention, including receiving recommended COVID-19 vaccinations and personal protective practices, such as wearing well-fitting masks, remain our best approach to reduce the risk of developing severe illness and limit the burden on the health system. The Government of Canada continues to encourage Canadians to follow public health recommendations and preventative measures to protect themselves and others in their communities.
COVID-19PandemicPublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01515441-01515 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABJune 5, 2023July 19, 2023March 24, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:Although Canadians Micheal Spavor and Micheal Korvig have recently been released after 1000 days of unjust detention in China, there are at least 115 Canadians still being detained in China including Huseyin Celil who has been detained for over 5000 days; Huseyin Celil is a Canadian Uyghur human rights activist who is detained in China for supporting the political and religious rights of Uyghurs; Huseyin Celil is a Canadian citizen, who escaped China into Uzbekistan after being unjustly jailed for 48 days in 2001 and on recognition from the United Nations as a refugee, migrated to Canada and obtained Canadian citizenship and gave up his Chinese citizenship; The Chinese government has refused to accept Huseyin Celil's Canadian citizenship, and denied access to lawyers, family and Canadian officials, while he was coerced into signing a confession and underwent an unlawful and unfair trial;Evidence now makes clear that the Chinese Government's treatment of the Uyghurs meets most, if not all, of the criteria for genocide as outlined in the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; and Canada cannot remain silent in the face of the unjust suffering of a Canadian citizen. Therefore we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to take the following actions to address the situation: 1. Demand that the Chinese government recognize Huseyin Celil's Canadian citizenship and provide him with consular and legal services in accordance with international law; 2. Formally state that the release of Huseyin Celil from Chinese detainment and his return to Canada is a priority of the Canadian government of equal concern as the unjust detentions of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor; 3. Appoint a special envoy to work on securing Mr. Celil's release; and 4. Seek assistance of the Biden Administration and other allies around the world in obtaining Mr. Celil's release.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe case of Mr. Huseyincan Celil is a priority for Canada, as the Government of Canada continues to be deeply concerned with his detention. Canada has repeatedly raised Mr. Celil’s case with the government of China at the highest levels, and will continue to do so.Global Affairs Canada remains in regular contact with Mr. Celil’s family in Canada and continues to provide them with consular services. While privacy considerations prevent the sharing of details, the Government of Canada remains actively engaged in his case. The Government of Canada will continue to seek access to Mr. Celil in order to verify his well-being.The safety and well-being of Canadians abroad remain of utmost importance to Canada.
Canadians in foreign countriesCelil, HuseyincanChinaCivil and human rights
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01512441-01512 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABJune 5, 2023July 19, 2023November 29, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01511441-01511 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABJune 5, 2023July 19, 2023April 22, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. Registered charities that provide reproductive health services are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01507441-01507 (Justice)PhilipLawrenceNorthumberland—Peterborough SouthConservativeONJune 5, 2023July 19, 2023March 21, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01505441-01505 (Environment)MatthewGreenHamilton CentreNDPONJune 5, 2023July 19, 2023February 20, 2023Petition to the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeWhereas:
  • The government of Ontario has proposed Highway 413, a new 52-kilometer mega-highway which would pave over 2,400 acres of land including the protected Greenbelt, farms, forests, wetlands, and the traditional Indigenous lands of the Mississauga, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Chippewa, and Six Nations;
  • Highway 413 would increase greenhouse gas emissions by over 17 million tonnes by 2050, resulting in $1.4 billion in damages from said emissions;
  • Highway 413 would cost taxpayers $6 billion for a project that would do little to reduce traffic congestion and is redundant given its proximity to Highway 407;
  • Construction of Highway 413 would further endanger at least 29 federally-listed species at risk;
  • In the midst of the climate crisis, the Highway 413 project would only increase transportation emissions for a province that is already not on track to meet its targets for emissions reduction;
  • Ontario is attempting to undermine the provincial environmental impact assessment by allowing construction to begin before the assessment is completed and attempting to make highways less than 75 kilometers exempt from environmental assessments;
  • The majority of municipalities that would be affected by Highway 413 are opposed to the project and have passed motions requesting a federal environmental impact assessment; and
  • The impacts of the proposed highway fall under federal jurisdiction, such as, greenhouse gas emissions, federally-listed species at risk, and treaty rights.
We, the undersigned residents of the province of Ontario, call upon the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to commence a complete and thorough federal environmental impact assessment to identify, predict and evaluate the environmental effects of the Highway 413 project and conduct public hearings prior to the start of its construction.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Impact Assessment Act (the IAA) and its regulations establish the legal framework for federal impact assessments. On May 3, 2021, the former Minister of Environment and Climate Change determined that the Highway 413 Project (the Project) warranted designation under the IAA. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) awaits the submission of an Initial Project Description from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (the Proponent). Once the Agency determines that the Initial Project Description conforms with the Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations (the Regulations), the impact assessment process will begin with the 180-day Planning Phase.During the Planning Phase, the Agency will conduct a public comment period during which Indigenous communities, the public, other jurisdictions, federal authorities, and other participants will have an opportunity to provide input and identify key issues of concerns about the Project. The Agency provides these key issues to the Proponent as a Summary of Issues. The Proponent must then provide a Detailed Project Description to the Agency, which includes a response to the Summary of Issues that explains how it intends to address the issues raised. Following receipt of a Detailed Project Description that conforms to the Regulations, the Agency will decide whether an impact assessment is required for the Project. The Agency’s decision, including reasons, will be posted on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (the Registry).If an impact assessment is required, the Agency continues to engage with Indigenous communities, the public, other jurisdictions, and federal authorities to develop the Public Participation Plan, the Indigenous Engagement and Partnership Plan, the Cooperation Plan, the Permitting Plan, and the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, which includes the scope of the factors that are considered as part of the impact assessment. The Agency must then issue the final Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines and plans to the Proponent, and post a Notice of Commencement of the Impact Assessment on the Registry before the end of the 180-day Planning Phase. The impact assessment, including public and Indigenous consultations, and the Minister’s decision, would be completed within one year after the Agency accepts the Proponent’s Impact Statement.   
Environmental assessmentHighway 413Ontario
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023e-4281e-4281 (Animals)BrendonSamuelsRichardCanningsSouth Okanagan—West KootenayNDPBCFebruary 2, 2023, at 2:23 p.m. (EDT)April 3, 2023, at 2:23 p.m. (EDT)June 5, 2023July 19, 2023April 3, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The government has committed to halting and reversing nature loss by 2030;Migratory birds provide vital biodiversity services and are protected under federal law;Collisions with windows on buildings, transportation shelters and glass railings represent a major source of bird mortality and threat to bird Species at Risk in Canada;The extent of bird-window collisions is growing with new building construction and spans across municipal and provincial jurisdictions;Bird-window collisions can be prevented at new buildings, as well as existing buildings, by adopting bird friendly building design standards for construction and retrofits;Incorporating bird friendly design measures in new buildings typically represents minimal added expense relative to construction costs;The Canadian Standards Association CSA A460:19 Bird-Friendly Building Design standard provides a comprehensive, scientific framework that is already practiced by architects, industry and municipalities; andThe next scheduled update to the National Building Code of Canada will include new environmental provisions and will harmonize various Provincial Building Codes.We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Incorporate the CSA A460:19 Bird-Friendly Building Design standard into the National Building Code of Canada to require bird friendly design in all new building construction; and2. Explain the government’s plan to address bird mortality caused by collisions with building windows.
Response by the Minister of Innovation, Science and IndustrySigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNEThe National Research Council of Canada provides secretarial support for the committees involved in the development of the National Model Codes for building design and construction, including the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC), and its predecessors, the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) and the Provincial-Territorial Policy Advisory Committee on Codes (PTPACC). Currently, the Codes’ application is limited to addressing the protection of human occupants. Provinces and territories, that are responsible for regulation and enforcement of construction, have indicated via PTPACC that they do not support expanding the scope of application of the codes to address the protection of animals. That said, not all aspects of building design and construction are regulated in the Codes – building owners and local authorities having jurisdiction can require that additional standards also be met, such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) A460, “Bird-Friendly Building Design standard.”
Animal rights and welfareBirdsBuilding code
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01501441-01501 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBJune 1, 2023July 19, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply.The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has also recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.With respect to services operated by European airlines, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01500441-01500 (Environment)PeterJulianNew Westminster—BurnabyNDPBCJune 1, 2023July 19, 2023March 24, 2022Petition to the Prime Minister and the Government of CanadaWHEREAS Canada must address the climate emergency.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada to enact just transition legislation that:
  • Reduces emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels by 2030, and makes significant contributions to emissions reductions in countries in the Global South;
  • Winds down the fossil fuel industry and related infrastructure, ends fossil fuel subsidies, and transitions to a decarbonized economy;
  • Creates new public economic institutions and expands public ownership of services and utilities across the economy to implement the transition;
  • Creates good green jobs and drives inclusive workforce development, led by and including affected workers and communities, and ensures decent, low-carbon work for all workers;
  • Protects and strengthens human rights and worker rights, respects Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and knowledge by including them in creating and implementing this legislation, ensures migrant justice, and emphasizes support for historically marginalized communities;
  • Expands the social safety net through new income supports, decarbonized public housing, and operational funding for affordable and accessible public transit countrywide; and
  • Pays for the transition by increasing taxes on the wealthiest and corporations and financing through a public national bank.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability InclusionSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykOn February 17, 2023 the Government of Canada released the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan 2023-2025, which included 10 concrete actions being taken to support the creation of sustainable jobs and help workers in every part of Canada.This interim plan is informed by over two years of consultations and conversations with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, workers and unions, industry, environmental and civil society organizations and interested Canadians. This interim plan defines the federal government’s commitment to make progress on implementing the 10 key action areas, including a high-level summary of the approach to sustainable jobs legislation.The Government is preparing to introduce this legislation in 2023. It will lay out a framework for federal governance, accountability, and engagement that will help ensure a coherent and coordinated federal approach for implementing measures that support sustainable job creation.The Government of Canada has also been working to move forward on a path to a net-zero emissions economy for several years. Since 2015, the Government has earmarked $120 billion to help achieve climate and environment objectives, accelerate economic growth, and support the creation of sustainable jobs.For example, Budget 2021 announced a new Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program(SWSP), to support key sectors of the economy, including those linked to the clean economy, to implement solutions to address current and emerging workforce needs. The program will help employers and connect Canadians with the training they need to access good jobs in sectors where employers are looking for skilled workers, such as the renewable energy sector. It will also place priority on supporting equity-deserving groups and promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce.The Government of Canada has also announced in Budget 2021 a new Community Workforce Development Program that will fund projects at a national and regional level to:
  • Support community workforce planning by bringing together organizations from across public, private, labour and not-for-profit sectors to match local sources of labour with employer demand;
  • Train displaced workers to acquire the skills, knowledge and experience that would enable them to meet employers’ on-the-job expectations; and,
  • Employ workers in new jobs contributing to stimulating economic growth.
Budget 2022 proposed to provide $2.5 million in 2022-23 for Employment and Social Development Canada to launch a new union-led advisory table to advise the Government on priorities for helping workers navigate the changing labour market.The 2022 Fall Economic Statement (FES) further proposes to provide $250 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to help ensure Canadian workers can thrive in a changing global economy. Specific measures include: a Sustainable Jobs Training Centre, a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and a new Sustainable Jobs Secretariat.The Sustainable Jobs Training Centre will bring together workers, unions, employers, and training institutions across the country to examine the skills of the labour force today, forecast future skills requirements, and develop curriculum, micro-credentials, and on-site learning to help 15,000 workers upgrade or gain new skills for jobs in a low-carbon economy. The Centre would focus on specific areas in high demand, starting with the sustainable battery industry and low-carbon building and retrofits.The FES also proposes to put in place a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program to support unions in leading the development of green skills training for works in the trades. It is expected that 20,000 apprentices and journeypersons would benefit from this investment.To effectively support workers on the road to sustainable, good-paying jobs, the FES also proposes to launch the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat to offer a one-stop shop for workers and employers. It will provide the most up to date information on federal programs, funding, and services across government departments as Canada works to build a low-carbon economy with opportunities for everyone.  
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our allies need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in recently announced investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government announced the implementation of this commitment with the release of the policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures set out in this commitment. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, describes the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Furthermore, as committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan released in early 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023, which will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill will require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables were created to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada so that each can realize its comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy. The federal government has jointly launched nine such Regional Tables already, with British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the Fall Economic Statement announced funding to create a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program, and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTSince 2015, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. It understands that accelerated efforts are crucial to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rapidly by 2030, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.In 2021, Canada adopted an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels and passed legislation to enshrine its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. On March 29, 2022, Canada tabled the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy (2030 ERP) in Parliament. The 2030 ERP is the Government’s most recent, major step to take action to meet Canada’s climate objectives, and create good, sustainable jobs in Canada.Achieving Canada's climate goals requires all sectors of the economy to pursue decarbonization in ways that make cleaner initiatives more affordable and create new, sustainable job opportunities for workers. In addition, the 2030 ERP reflects input received from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories, and the Net Zero Advisory Body.Investments in Indigenous-led climate action are critical to enabling Indigenous peoples to advance their self-determined priorities. Since the release of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, in December 2020, the federal government has committed more than $2 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities, including initiatives to facilitate the transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience and adaptation, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects, among others. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF), as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients. In the 2030 ERP and Budget 2022, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to co-develop and implement a model of climate partnership that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous science and knowledge systems in national climate policy. The 2030 ERP builds on significant progress Canada has already made to address climate change, including the actions outlined in the PCF and Canada’s strengthened climate plan. With the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada is taking action by:
  • working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, and others to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Following consultations, the cap will be designed to lower emissions at a pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, reduce oil and gas methane by at least 75% below 2012 levels by 2030, support clean technologies to further decarbonize the sector, and work to create sustainable jobs;
  • developing a national net-zero by 2050 buildings strategy, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy;
  • investing in nature and natural climate solutions through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions;
  • working with provinces, territories, industry, and other stakeholders on the design of a clean electricity standard to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035;
  • helping industries decarbonize by adopting clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage strategy; and
  • ensuring that workers and communities are able to benefit from the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents, including by making significant investments in skills training and continuing consultations on the development of sustainable jobs and skills legislation.
The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities across the country work together to reach these targets, Canada will identify and respond to new opportunities.Canada has also committed to phase out or rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. It has already taken actions to phase out or rationalize eight tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector. Addressing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies supports Canada’s efforts to take action on climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy.Canada also contributes to emissions reduction in developing countries through its climate finance. Initiatives under Canada’s previous $2.65 billion climate finance commitment led to significant emissions reduced or avoided. In addition, its current $5.3 billion commitment (2021-2026) features Clean Energy Transition and Coal Phase-Out as a focus area.Under this focus area, Canada supports efforts to reduce GHG emissions in developing countries by investing in initiatives that phase out coal-powered emissions, foster equitable access to clean energy solutions, promote energy-efficient technologies, and support the clean energy sector enabling environment in key coal-dependent regions. In line with this, Canada has recently dedicated $43 million to energy transition programming, including a $5 million contribution to the South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership, and an $8 million contribution to the International Energy Agency’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme. With G7 partners, Canada is also providing support to new Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) with countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam, including through its $1 billion commitment to the Climate Investment Funds Accelerating Coal Transitions Program among other sources of support. JETPs are a new model of international energy, climate, and economic assistance for emerging and developing countries to accelerate their transitions to cleaner, more climate resilient economies, while also including the perspectives and needs of workers and communities.This priority complements Canada’s leadership through the Powering Past Coal Alliance. This initiative, which Canada co-leads with the United Kingdom, works to increase global ambition on coal phase-out and supports developing countries by sharing expertise and best practices. Canada’s public climate finance also helps mobilize private capital, which is a key component of climate action, including for clean energy transition.      
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01499441-01499 (Environment)PeterJulianNew Westminster—BurnabyNDPBCJune 1, 2023July 19, 2023September 26, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned Citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:WHEREAS: Climate change has escalated into a global climate emergency; The world is on pace to warm nearly 4 degrees Celsius by 2100 and extreme weather events are growing with increasingly severe impacts, including floods, forest fires, rising temperatures, killer heat-waves, massive storms, sea level rise and disruption to marine and land ecosystems;In order to act to avert further catastrophic climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) states that the scientific consensus is that we need to immediately move to reduce net human-caused greenhouse gas emissions to 45 per cent below 2010 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050;Canada must address this climatic emergency with the ambition and urgency required, on behalf of present and future generations;Canadians are living through unprecedented, catastrophic climate events and at the same time, our society is suffering from worsening socio-economic inequalities, with almost half of Canada's population reporting they are $200 away from insolvency at the end of each month;Climate change impacts threaten physical & mental health (particularly young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities), surrounding environments by affecting the food we eat, the world's water supply, the air we breathe, the weather we experience, and how well local communities can adapt to climate change;The impacts of climate emergency are far more severe for those living through the immediate consequences of climate change; Indigenous Peoples, frontline and vulnerable communities, like people seeking refugee status or asylum and those displaced by climate change, are disproportionality affected, resulting in the increased risks to their health;It has never been more urgent that Canada reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy to meet the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, while ensuring that all Indigenous peoples and Canadians benefit from the substantial public investments a low-carbon economy requires, like energy efficiency retrofits, affordable housing, renewable energy, infrastructure, public transit, pharmacare, dental care, childcare and eliminating student debt and tuition fees; andReconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the recognition of inherent rights, title and treaty rights, while fully implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), must be at the heart of Canada's approach to addressing the climate emergency.THEREFORE, your petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Motion M-1, a made-in-Canada Green New Deal, the first initiative before the House of Commons, which calls on Canada to take bold & rapid action to adopt socially equitable climate action to tackle the climate emergency and address worsening socio-economic & racial inequalities at the same time; while ending fossil fuel subsidies, closing offshore tax havens, and supporting workers impacted by the transition and creating well-paying, unionized jobs in the shift to a clean and renewable energy economy.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our allies need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in recently announced investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government announced the implementation of this commitment with the release of the policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures set out in this commitment. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, describes the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Furthermore, as committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan released in early 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023, which will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill will require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables were created to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada so that each can realize its comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy. The federal government has jointly launched nine such Regional Tables already, with British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the Fall Economic Statement announced funding to create a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program, and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe science is clear that accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, are necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The economics are clear too – to build a strong, resilient economy for generations to come we must harness the power of a cleaner future.Over the past seven years, the Government of Canada has taken action and committed to invest over $120 billion to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous peoples. Building on this national effort, the Government of Canada released its Strengthened Climate Plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy in December 2020 to deepen emissions reductions across the economy, create new, well-paying jobs, make life more affordable for households, and build a better future.In 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45 per cent below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act) provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Actalso holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve our national targets, based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target as a concrete milestone that improves transparency and accountability on the way to net-zero. The 2030 ERP includes a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, $9.1 billion in new investments, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Achieving Canada’s climate objectives demands that all sectors of the economy continue to decarbonize in a manner that makes cleaner alternatives more affordable and creates new sustainable job opportunities for workers. That’s why the 2030 ERP provides a road map that goes sector-by-sector to identify climate action and strategies. For example, the Government is:
  • Helping to reduce energy costs for homes and buildings, while driving down emissions to net-zero by 2040 and boosting climate resiliency through the development of the $150 million Canada Green Buildings Strategy and an additional investment of $458.5 million in the Canada Greener Homes Loans program;
  • Empowering communities to take climate action by expanding the Low Carbon Economy Fund through a $2.2 billion recapitalization, which will include a new $180-million Indigenous Leadership Fund to support emissions reductions projects led by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and organizations;
  • Driving progress on clean cars and trucks through investments of $400 million for zero-emission vehicles charging and refueling infrastructure, $1.7 billion to extend the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program to make it more affordable for Canadians to buy and drive new electric light-duty vehicles, and introducing a purchase incentive program of $547.5 million for medium-and heavy-duty vehicles;
  • Positioning the oil and gas sector to cut pollution by working with stakeholders to implement the cap on oil and gas sector emissions;
  • Powering the economy with renewable electricity by continuing to advance the Clean Electricity Standard to enable Canada to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, and providing $600 million to the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program for additional renewable electricity and grid modernization projects, and $250 million to support predevelopment work of large clean electricity projects;
  • Helping industries to adopt clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) strategy, and establishing an investment tax credit of up to 30 per cent focused on net-zero technologies;
  • Driving further clean technology innovation through a $1 billion investment to create an independent federal innovation and investment agency;
  • Developing of a whole-of-government strategy to strengthen policy coherence and coordination on clean technology and climate innovation;
  • Investing in nature and natural climate solutions by investing an additional $780 million to the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to support projects that conserve, restore and enhance wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands to store and capture carbon; and,
  • Supporting farmers as partners in building a clean, prosperous future through investments in new programs such as the $150 million resilient agricultural landscapes program, and by topping up the Agricultural Climate Solutions: On-Farm Climate Action Fund with $470 million to support key climate mitigation practices and providing $300 million to triple funding for the Agricultural Clean Technology Program.
The 2030 ERP is expected to benefit diverse groups of people in Canada by helping to alleviate the negative impacts of climate change and strengthen Canada’s ability to meet net-zero emissions by 2050. The plan also includes several measures designed to directly benefit communities affected by climate change, and those seeking to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, including those who live in remote and rural communities.The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits and communities across the country work together to meet Canada’s climate objectives, we will identify, catalyze and respond to new opportunities. In addition, progress under the plan will be reviewed in progress reports produced in 2023, 2025, and 2027. Additional targets and plans will be developed for 2035 through to 2050.These commitments aim to increase Canada’s ambition and to reduce the intensity and frequency of climate change-related impacts on the environment such as higher temperatures, variable precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, severe floods, wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. However, as the country faces increasing record-breaking climate events year after year, on top of slow onset climate impacts, the Government of Canada recognizes that a more ambitious, strategic and collaborative approach is required to also adapt and build resilience.To that end, the Government of Canada developed its first National Adaptation Strategy. The Strategy is the product of two years of engagement with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, key experts, stakeholders and partners across Canada. It presents a whole-of-society approach to reducing risk and building climate-resilient communities. The Strategy lays out an agreed-upon framework to reduce the risk of climate-related disasters, improve health outcomes, protect nature and biodiversity, build and maintain resilient infrastructure, and support a strong economy and workers. It also identifies common goals, objectives, and targets to focus the efforts of governments and communities across these key areas and to help ensure future investments are targeted and effective.Similarly, the Government of Canada’s Adaptation Action Plan (GOCAAP), released alongside the National Adaptation Strategy, outlines the federal contribution to achieving Canada’s climate change adaptation goals. The GOCAAP highlights more than 70 new and ongoing federal actions to help meet Canada’s adaptation priorities, and to address both the short-term and long-term climate change issues and risks facing Canadians.Starting in 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $6.5 billion in adaptation, including $2 billion in commitments since fall 2022 to implement the National Adaptation Strategy and support other adaptation-related activities.In the coming months, the federal government will work with provinces and territories to advance bilateral action plans as a key step to implementing the Strategy. Likewise, the government will work with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis on a regional and distinctions basis through the Indigenous Climate Leadership Agenda which supports self-determined Indigenous climate actions.As the Government of Canada continues to implement the commitments set out in its plans, it is doing so in collaboration with its partners. The Government of Canada is committed to working with provinces and territories to advance shared priorities that will further lower emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including on a regional and bilateral basis. The Government of Canada fulfills this commitment by working with provinces and territories to tailor approaches and actions that are focused on climate change and green economic recovery. Collaboration with all levels of government, Indigenous peoples, experts, industry, the financial sector, stakeholders, and Canadians is a key component of the 2030 ERP and the National Adaptation Strategy.The Government of Canada also collaborates with Indigenous partners on climate action and recognizes that Indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable populations to a rapidly changing environment. To help support Indigenous peoples advance their climate priorities and adapt to the changing climate, the Government of Canada is committed to renewed nation-to-nation, Inuit-to-Crown and Government-to-Government relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership. The Government of Canada also supports without qualification the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including free, prior and informed consent. Supporting self-determined climate action is critical to advancing Canada’s reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.Canada maintains strong partnerships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners on their climate change priorities through distinctions-based senior bilateral tables on clean growth and climate change with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council. These partnerships have meant that, since the launch of the Pan-Canadian Framework in 2016, Indigenous partners have worked directly with Canada to identify ways for policies and programs to better support Indigenous peoples and their climate priorities. More than five years later, the tables continue to demonstrate the benefits of sustained collaboration. For instance, the tables were instrumental in ensuring that Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan (December 2020), the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, and Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy respond to Indigenous climate priorities.Investments in Indigenous climate change action have been important to advancing self-determined priorities of Indigenous peoples. Since the release of the Strengthened Climate Plan, Canada has committed more than $1.3 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities to transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience of health systems, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the Pan-Canadian Framework, as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients.Most recently, in the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to advance discussions with Indigenous peoples to develop and implement a model of partnership for climate action that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous Knowledge systems in national climate policy.Looking forward, the transition to a cleaner future will bring new opportunities across our labour force, but also some challenges for those that will need to pivot to new jobs. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the future and livelihoods of workers and their communities as the world moves to a low carbon future. To seize these opportunities, the Government of Canada is making historic investments in skills and training to build on the agility and resilience of Canada’s workforce and ensure that it is equipped with the range of skills required to deliver on this ambition.       
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01498441-01498 (Environment)JennyKwanVancouver EastNDPBCJune 1, 2023July 19, 2023May 25, 2023Petition to the Prime Minister and the Government of CanadaWHEREAS Canada must address the climate emergency.We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada to enact just transition legislation that:
  • Reduces emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels by 2030, and makes significant contributions to emissions reductions in countries in the Global South;
  • Winds down the fossil fuel industry and related infrastructure, ends fossil fuel subsidies, and transitions to a decarbonized economy;
  • Creates new public economic institutions and expands public ownership of services and utilities across the economy to implement the transition;
  • Creates good green jobs and drives inclusive workforce development, led by and including affected workers and communities, and ensures decent, low-carbon work for all workers;
  • Protects and strengthens human rights and worker rights, respects Indigenous rights, sovereignty, and knowledge by including them in creating and implementing this legislation, ensures migrant justice, and emphasizes support for historically marginalized communities;
  • Expands the social safety net through new income supports, decarbonized public housing, and operational funding for affordable and accessible public transit countrywide; and
  • Pays for the transition by increasing taxes on the wealthiest and corporations and financing through a public national bank.
Response by the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability InclusionSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Irek KusmierczykOn February 17, 2023 the Government of Canada released the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan 2023-2025, which included 10 concrete actions being taken to support the creation of sustainable jobs and help workers in every part of Canada.This interim plan is informed by over two years of consultations and conversations with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, workers and unions, industry, environmental and civil society organizations and interested Canadians. This interim plan defines the federal government’s commitment to make progress on implementing the 10 key action areas, including a high-level summary of the approach to sustainable jobs legislation.The Government is preparing to introduce this legislation in 2023. It will lay out a framework for federal governance, accountability, and engagement that will help ensure a coherent and coordinated federal approach for implementing measures that support sustainable job creation.The Government of Canada has also been working to move forward on a path to a net-zero emissions economy for several years. Since 2015, the Government has earmarked $120 billion to help achieve climate and environment objectives, accelerate economic growth, and support the creation of sustainable jobs.For example, Budget 2021 announced a new Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program(SWSP), to support key sectors of the economy, including those linked to the clean economy, to implement solutions to address current and emerging workforce needs. The program will help employers and connect Canadians with the training they need to access good jobs in sectors where employers are looking for skilled workers, such as the renewable energy sector. It will also place priority on supporting equity-deserving groups and promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce.The Government of Canada has also announced in Budget 2021 a new Community Workforce Development Program that will fund projects at a national and regional level to:
  • Support community workforce planning by bringing together organizations from across public, private, labour and not-for-profit sectors to match local sources of labour with employer demand;
  • Train displaced workers to acquire the skills, knowledge and experience that would enable them to meet employers’ on-the-job expectations; and,
  • Employ workers in new jobs contributing to stimulating economic growth.
Budget 2022 proposed to provide $2.5 million in 2022-23 for Employment and Social Development Canada to launch a new union-led advisory table to advise the Government on priorities for helping workers navigate the changing labour market.The 2022 Fall Economic Statement (FES) further proposes to provide $250 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to help ensure Canadian workers can thrive in a changing global economy. Specific measures include: a Sustainable Jobs Training Centre, a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program and a new Sustainable Jobs Secretariat.The Sustainable Jobs Training Centre will bring together workers, unions, employers, and training institutions across the country to examine the skills of the labour force today, forecast future skills requirements, and develop curriculum, micro-credentials, and on-site learning to help 15,000 workers upgrade or gain new skills for jobs in a low-carbon economy. The Centre would focus on specific areas in high demand, starting with the sustainable battery industry and low-carbon building and retrofits.The FES also proposes to put in place a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program to support unions in leading the development of green skills training for works in the trades. It is expected that 20,000 apprentices and journeypersons would benefit from this investment.To effectively support workers on the road to sustainable, good-paying jobs, the FES also proposes to launch the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat to offer a one-stop shop for workers and employers. It will provide the most up to date information on federal programs, funding, and services across government departments as Canada works to build a low-carbon economy with opportunities for everyone. 
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our allies need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in recently announced investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government announced the implementation of this commitment with the release of the policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures set out in this commitment. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, describes the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Furthermore, as committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan released in early 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023, which will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill will require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables were created to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada so that each can realize its comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy. The federal government has jointly launched nine such Regional Tables already, with British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the Fall Economic Statement announced funding to create a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program, and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTSince 2015, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. It understands that accelerated efforts are crucial to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rapidly by 2030, achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.In 2021, Canada adopted an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels and passed legislation to enshrine its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. On March 29, 2022, Canada tabled the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy (2030 ERP) in Parliament. The 2030 ERP is the Government’s most recent, major step to take action to meet Canada’s climate objectives and create good, sustainable jobs in Canada.Achieving Canada's climate goals requires all sectors of the economy to pursue decarbonization in ways that make cleaner initiatives more affordable and create new, sustainable job opportunities for workers. In addition, the 2030 ERP reflects input received from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories, and the Net Zero Advisory Body.Investments in Indigenous-led climate action are critical to enabling Indigenous peoples to advance their self-determined priorities. Since the release of Canada’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, in December 2020, the federal government has committed more than $2 billion in targeted investments to support Indigenous communities, including initiatives to facilitate the transition to clean energy, advance nature-based solutions, build new or retrofit green community buildings, promote resilience and adaptation, and undertake major disaster mitigation projects, among others. These investments supplement more than $425 million over 12 years committed under the 2016 Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF), as well as funding provided to Indigenous proponents through general climate programs for which they are eligible recipients. In the 2030 ERP and Budget 2022, the Government of Canada committed $29.6 million to co-develop and implement a model of climate partnership that empowers self-determined climate action; leverages the transition to a net-zero economy to support efforts toward self-determination and the alleviation of socio-economic inequalities; and supports the expression of Indigenous science and knowledge systems in national climate policy. The 2030 ERP builds on significant progress Canada has already made to address climate change, including the actions outlined in the PCF and Canada’s strengthened climate plan. With the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada is taking action by:
  • working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, and others to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Following consultations, the cap will be designed to lower emissions at a pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, reduce oil and gas methane by at least 75% below 2012 levels by 2030, support clean technologies to further decarbonize the sector, and work to create sustainable jobs;
  • developing a national net-zero by 2050 buildings strategy, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy;
  • investing in nature and natural climate solutions through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions;
  • working with provinces, territories, industry, and other stakeholders on the design of a clean electricity standard to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035;
  • helping industries decarbonize by adopting clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage strategy; and
  • ensuring that workers and communities are able to benefit from the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents, including by making significant investments in skills training and continuing consultations on the development of sustainable jobs and skills legislation.
The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities across the country work together to reach these targets, Canada will identify and respond to new opportunities.Canada has also committed to phase out or rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. It has already taken actions to phase out or rationalize eight tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector. Addressing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies supports Canada’s efforts to take action on climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy.Canada also contributes to emissions reduction in developing countries through its climate finance. Initiatives under Canada’s previous $2.65 billion climate finance commitment led to significant emissions reduced or avoided. In addition, its current $5.3 billion commitment (2021-2026) features Clean Energy Transition and Coal Phase-Out as a focus area.Under this focus area, Canada supports efforts to reduce GHG emissions in developing countries by investing in initiatives that phase out coal-powered emissions, foster equitable access to clean energy solutions, promote energy-efficient technologies, and support the clean energy sector enabling environment in key coal-dependent regions. In line with this, Canada has recently dedicated $43 million to energy transition programming, including a $5 million contribution to the South East Asia Energy Transition Partnership, and an $8 million contribution to the International Energy Agency’s Clean Energy Transitions Programme. With G7 partners, Canada is also providing support to new Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) with countries such as South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam, including through its $1 billion commitment to the Climate Investment Funds Accelerating Coal Transitions Program among other sources of support. JETPs are a new model of international energy, climate, and economic assistance for emerging and developing countries to accelerate their transitions to cleaner, more climate resilient economies, while also including the perspectives and needs of workers and communities.This priority complements Canada’s leadership through the Powering Past Coal Alliance. This initiative, which Canada co-leads with the United Kingdom, works to increase global ambition on coal phase-out and supports developing countries by sharing expertise and best practices. Canada’s public climate finance also helps mobilize private capital, which is a key component of climate action, including for clean energy transition.    
Climate change and global warmingGreen economy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01497441-01497 (Social affairs and equality)JohnWilliamsonNew Brunswick SouthwestConservativeNBJune 1, 2023July 19, 2023February 7, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. Registered charities that provide reproductive health services are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01496441-01496 (Employment and labour)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCJune 1, 2023July 19, 2023February 6, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • Canada has signed on to the Paris Agreement, which includes in its text the principle of a Just Transition;
  • It is the government's responsibility to ensure a fair deal for oil and gas workers who, by no fault of their own, are losing their jobs as the Canadian economy transitions to renewable energy;
  • The skills of oil and gas workers can easily be transitioned to jobs in renewable energy with the proper allocation of resources; and
  • Employment in the sector of renewable energy has already surpassed rates of employment in oil and gas, and continues to grow.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Working alongside oil and gas workers, create a plan for a Just Transition for oil and gas workers in Canada and include in it the 10 recommendations put forward by the Task Force on Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.The Government of Canada is investing to build a prosperous low-carbon economy in line with Canada’s ambitious emissions reductions targets. This includes taking a whole-of-government approach to seizing the generational economic opportunities that a net zero emissions future represents – by making investments in renewable energy and clean technology as well as decarbonisation technology in the conventional energy sector.Budget 2023 makes transformative investments to build Canada’s clean economy, fight climate change, and create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers. This includes significant measures that will deliver cleaner and more affordable energy, support investment in our communities and the creation of good-paying, high-quality jobs, and ensure Canadian workers are able to produce and provide the goods and resources that Canadians and our allies need. These investments are underpinned by a set of clear and predictable investment tax credits, low-cost strategic financing, and targeted investments and programming, where necessary, to respond to the unique needs of sectors or projects of national economic significance. Since 2016, the federal government has committed over $120 billion to clean growth and emissions reduction measures, including over $80 billion in recently announced investment tax credits.Canada also joined other countries at COP26 in committing to end new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022. On December 8, 2022, the Government announced the implementation of this commitment with the release of the policy guidelines that lay the foundation for federal departments and agencies to put in place the measures set out in this commitment. By ending new direct public support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector, Canada will ensure its investments abroad are aligned with its domestic and international climate goals, which means investing in clean energy and renewables.In addition, Canada committed to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and recently accelerated the timeline to do so this year. To date, Canada has phased out or rationalized nine tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector and has committed to take part in a peer review of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies under the G20 process.The Government also announced that it will cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector in line with Canada’s climate targets. This commitment was reiterated in Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan and reaffirmed at COP27. As a result, companies are actively investing in the development and deployment of emissions-reduction technologies, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), hydrogen and electrification. These efforts will help lead to a cleaner energy future.With a highly skilled and educated workforce, and with the abundant natural resources and energy sources critical for a net-zero future, Canada is uniquely positioned to benefit from a low-carbon economy. The Government is committed to moving forward with comprehensive action required to support Canadian workers and communities as they meet the challenges and realize the opportunities of a net-zero emissions future.  The interim Sustainable Jobs Plan, released in February 2023, lays out a comprehensive approach as part of Canada’s broader economic plan for clean growth.This plan, drafted in consultation with provinces, territories, union and labour organizations, Indigenous partners, industry, and civil society, describes the Government’s current and planned action to support the creation of good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. These opportunities exist in every region of the country and every sector of the economy. From critical minerals to hydrogen, electric cars and buses, batteries, renewable energy, low-carbon building products, carbon capture, utilization and storage, and small modular reactors, Canada has a major opportunity to build a net-zero future that works for everyone. There are also significant opportunities for sustainable jobs in conventional energy industries that are working to lower their emissions in line with Canada’s climate policy, enabling producers to be low-emissions suppliers of products to a world in transition.Furthermore, as committed to in the interim Sustainable Jobs Plan released in early 2023, the Government introduced Bill C-50, the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act, in June 2023, which will establish a federal governance, engagement, and accountability framework to advance economic prosperity and ensure workers benefit from the opportunities presented by a low-carbon economy. The bill will require the Government to establish a Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council to provide independent advice to Government on sustainable jobs measures; to create a Secretariat to lead the Government’s sustainable jobs approach; and to release a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan every five years beginning in 2025. These mechanisms will guide and organize efforts to support workers and communities as Canada shifts to a net-zero economy, ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth across the country.The Regional Energy and Resource Tables are a key initiative to drive this work. The Regional Tables were created to accelerate Canada’s economic growth opportunities by taking into account each region’s unique advantages and ability to meet the demands of new and emerging markets. These regional processes are being undertaken in partnership with individual provincial and territorial governments, and through engagement with Indigenous partners, as well as experts, labour organizations, industry, and other stakeholders. The Regional Tables will form the basis for comprehensive and transformative place-based economic strategies for every region of Canada so that each can realize its comparative advantages in a net-zero emissions economy. The federal government has jointly launched nine such Regional Tables already, with British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.Recognizing the importance of helping Canadians access job training for the net-zero future, the Government has also made historic investments in skills programming, including for sustainable jobs. This includes $1.5 billion in new investments that will deliver almost 500,000 new training and work opportunities for Canadians, which will help workers transition to and take advantage of new opportunities, including in clean energy. Furthermore, the Fall Economic Statement announced funding to create a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat, establish a new sustainable jobs stream under the Union Training and Innovation Program, and launch a new Sustainable Jobs Training Centre.Canada has what it takes to be a clean energy and technology supplier of choice in a low-carbon world; the Government remains committed to realizing that potential.
Economic diversificationLabour forceOil and gasRenewable energy and fuel
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01494441-01494 (Employment and labour)TaylorBachrachSkeena—Bulkley ValleyNDPBCJune 1, 2023July 19, 2023May 18, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:1. Canada's port workers are essential to the operation of marine ports and the resiliency, competitiveness and sustainability of Canada's supply chain;2. The operation of marine ports and port authorities has a profound impact on the lives and working conditions of port workers; and3. Port workers have unique and relevant expertise regarding the operations and future development of Canada's marine ports.WE, THE UNDERSIGNED CITIZENS OF CANADA, call upon THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TO:Amend the Canada Marine Act to require that port workers be represented on Canadian port authorities' boards of directors.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraSeventeen Canada Port Authorities oversee the country's most vital ports. While Canada Port Authorities are federal entities, these organizations operate independently from the Government, adhering to commercial and financial self-sustainability principles. Port authorities fulfill crucial public policy objectives like facilitating national economic development and overseeing safety and environmental regulations. Canada Port Authorities are also key hubs in the Canada’s supply chains, where rail, road and marine modes intersect to support export and import markets, and ports rely on the dedicated workers who are essential to their operations.The boards of directors within Canada Port Authorities play a crucial role for their organizations by setting the course, ensuring proper functioning, and aligning with the objectives of the Canada Marine Act. The boards are composed of seven to eleven directors appointed as follows: one federal director appointed by the Governor in Council, as nominated by the Minister of Transport; one municipal director; one provincial director; and four to seven user directors, appointed by the Governor in Council, as nominated by the Minister in consultation with users selected by the Minister or the classes of users mentioned in the letters patent.These directors are required to have recognized stature within the transportation or business community. In addition, the directors nominated by the Minister in consultation with users are required to have extensive experience in business management or port and maritime trade operations. While expertise in port-related fields is expected, directors must not have any actual or perceived conflicts of interest and must act in the best interests of the port authority. The framework provides opportunities for qualified individuals from various backgrounds to be nominated or appointed as directors, promoting diversity and inclusive representation.In November 2022, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-33, the Strengthening the Ports System and Railway Safety in Canada Act, in the House of Commons to advance the role of Canada Port Authorities as strategic enablers of supply chain resiliency and efficiency. The proposed reforms to the Canada Marine Act seek to enhance the effectiveness and governance of Canada Port Authorities by adapting to the changing landscape and reinforcing good board practices. The Government of Canada has committed to consider all proposed amendments with a view to strengthening the port system and railway safety in Canada.The Government expects Canada Port Authorities to collaborate with port users, including workers. To this effect, Bill C-33 requires ports to establish advisory boards with local communities to ensure that their priorities are heard and reflected. In addition, the Minister of Transport has and will continue to engage with the New Democratic Party transport critic, and colleagues across all parties, to ensure that the expertise of port workers will be reflected on port authority boards. 
Board of directorsPort authorities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01491441-01491 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBMay 30, 2023July 19, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply.The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has also recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.With respect to services operated by European airlines, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01490441-01490 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMay 30, 2023July 19, 2023September 21, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Indigenous peoples have rights and title to their traditional territories and have been stewards of these lands since time immemorial;
  • The climate crisis requires action by all levels of government and industry;
  • Old-growth forests provide immeasurable benefits, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity, culture, recreation, education, food and more;
  • Valley-bottom high productivity old-growth ecosystems in British Columbia are endangered;
  • Of the remaining 2.7% of original high productivity old-growth forests in British Columbia, 75% are still slated to be logged;
  • Only 9% of the original 360,000 hectares of valley-bottom high productivity old-growth on Vancouver Island remain today, and only 2.6% of those forests are protected in parks;
  • The last unprotected intact old-growth valley on Southern Vancouver Island, Fairy Creek, is slated for logging, along with the upper Walbran Valle and other remaining pockets of old growth; and
  • Most Canadians support sustainable harvesting of second and third growth forests, but do not support logging old-growth trees or destroying their surrounding ecosystems.
We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • 1. Work with the provinces and First Nations to immediately halt logging of endangered old-growth ecosystems;
  • 2. Fund the long-term protection of old-growth ecosystems as a priority for Canada's climate action plan and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples;
  • 3. Support value-added forestry initiatives in partnership with First Nations to ensure Canada's forestry industry is sustainable, and based on the harvesting of second and third growth forests;
  • 4. Ban the export of raw logs and maximize resource use for local jobs; and
  • 5. Ban the use of whole trees for wood pellet biofuel production.
Response by the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Arif ViraniForests provide a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits for people and communities across Canada. They are a major source of income and employment for 300 communities across the country, directly employing 205,000 workers, including over 11,500 Indigenous workers. Canada is committed to Indigenous reconciliation and recognize the importance of natural resources to Indigenous Peoples.With respect to the proposal to ban the export of raw logs, logs are integral to the domestic manufacturing industry for a wide range of forest products including softwood lumber and other products like high value finished veneer panels. Domestic and international trade in logs is important for log harvesters and Canadian trade. The policy and process governing the export of logs harvested in British Columbia contained in Global Affairs Canada’s Notice to Exporters No. 102 form an important part of the Government’s efforts to ensure the right balance between log exports and domestic policy objectives.The Government regularly reviews policies to ensure that Canada’s domestic policy objectives and trade opportunities are maximized and welcomes all ideas and proposals related to its policies, including those associated with the export of raw logs. The Government is committed to continuing to work and collaborate closely with Indigenous Peoples and all stakeholders and partners on this issue to achieve the best possible results for Canada.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTCanada is home to ecosystems that are globally significant in their capacity to absorb carbon, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and protect biodiversity. This includes 24% of the world’s wetlands, 25% of temperate rainforest areas and 28% of remaining boreal forests. In this context, the Government of Canada understands that the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are connected and need to be tackled together.That said, conservation and protection of Canada’s forests, including old-growth forests and ecosystems, is a shared responsibility. The vast majority of Canada's forests are located on provincial and territorial Crown lands. In British Columbia (B.C.), approximately 96% of forests are on provincial Crown land, where, under the Constitution Act, 1867, forest management is the jurisdiction of the provincial government. As such, forest management on those lands is within the jurisdiction of the B.C. government. At the same time, there is an important federal role to conserve migratory bird habitat, protect critical habitat of federally listed species at risk, and mitigate climate change.With this in mind, the mandate letters of the Ministers of Environment and Climate Change and Natural Resources include a commitment to help protect old-growth forests, notably in B.C., by reaching a Nature Agreement with B.C., establishing a $50 million B.C. Old Growth Nature Fund, and ensuring First Nations, local communities and workers are partners in shaping the path forward for nature protection. This $50 million investment was made through Budget 2022, and a contribution agreement was signed with B.C. in March 2023.The Old Growth Nature Fund will deliver on the Ministers’ mandate letters by providing $50 million to the Government of B.C., to be matched by B.C., to permanently protect and conserve old growth forests in the province. The Fund focuses on protecting at-risk high productivity old growth forests that are of prime biodiversity value identified as important for species at risk, migratory birds, climate mitigation and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Specifically, federal funding supports planning and collaboration with B.C. and Indigenous communities, and provides incentives for third-party funders to permanently protect and conserve large areas of at-risk old growth forests in the province. For example, the 58,000-hectare Incomappleux Valley Conservancy in the B.C. interior was created, in-part, thanks to investments under the Old Growth Nature Fund.The Old Growth Nature Fund will be a key component of the B.C. Nature Agreement, which is being co-developed between Canada, B.C and the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC), and presents a unique opportunity to collaboratively advance nature conservation, species at risk and climate mitigation objectives in collaboration with provincial and Indigenous partners.To this end, and in light of recent announcements from the Government of B.C. concerning moratoria on old growth forest harvesting, departmental officials have been working with their provincial colleagues to finalize a tripartite Nature Agreement and to explore additional ways to encourage and support the province in its efforts to protect and restore habitat. This includes protecting the habitat of old growth-associated species such as Spotted Owl and Marbled Murrelet.The Government of Canada appreciates that, in addition to their habitat functions, forests are key to the health of the climate, influencing rainfall, temperature, and other metrics. Temperate old growth forests, like those in B.C., also function as important carbon reservoirs.Appreciating the significance of forests to biodiversity conservation and climate, the federal government has contributed to protecting nearly 400,000 hectares of forest habitat in B.C. This includes conservation projects under programs such as the Target 1 Challenge, Natural Heritage Conservation Program, Ecological Gifts Program, and others.Alongside this work, the federal government has made forests a central part of Canada’s plan to tackle climate change. The Old Growth Nature Fund in particular is expected to contribute directly to the Government of Canada's commitments to achieve Canada’s 2030 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. The old growth temperate rainforests of B.C. are among the largest natural carbon sinks in the world (on a per hectare basis) and are among the most efficient ecosystems at capturing carbon in Canada.Complementing this effort on a broader scale, the Government of Canada has also announced a series of funding initiatives of significance to forest ecosystems and forestry in Canada:
  • Natural Climate Solutions is investing more than $5 billion over ten years to restore, better manage, and conserve Canada’s natural and managed ecosystems. This initiative includes three complementary programs:
    • 2 Billion Trees program, led by Natural Resources Canada;
    • Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund (NSCSF), led by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC); and
    • The Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) program, led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
  • The NSCSF is a $1.4 billion 10-year (2021-2031) fund to reduce 5-7 megatons of GHG emissions annually. Up to $36.9 million in funding has been allocated to support Indigenous communities to deliver projects that build capacity and advance Indigenous-led efforts on natural climate solutions, with a focus on improved management, conservation, and restoration of wetlands, grasslands and forests that result in reduced and captured GHG emissions.
  • Enhanced Nature Legacy provides $2.3 billion in new funding over five years (2021-2026) that will further contribute to the implementation of conservation measures for Canada’s land and freshwater ecosystems and wildlife. This includes the establishment of new federal, provincial and territorial protected areas, other effective area-based conservation measures, Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, and additional habitat restoration. It also included the announcement of further investments through the Low Carbon Economy Fund, a $2 billion fund that could, amongst other things, incent provinces to leave timber standing (for example, by creating other revenue streams for forests).
The broader significance of Canada’s forests is also recognized in the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada where forests are identified as a priority sector. Development of a conservation action plan for species at risk is currently underway in collaboration with forest sector partners and stakeholders to advance the protection and recovery of species at risk and enhance sector sustainability.With respect to support for Indigenous community involvement in ecosystem protection and climate action, including in forests and more broadly, it should be noted that under the NSCSF, described above, an Indigenous Partnership (NSCSF-IP) stream was established to provide targeted funding to enable Indigenous peoples to play a meaningful leadership role in natural climate solutions as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to Reconciliation. Through the NSCSF-IP, ECCC supports Indigenous organizations and communities to undertake Indigenous-led capacity building activities and on-the-ground projects for ecological restoration, improved land management, and conservation of wetlands, grasslands, agricultural lands and forests that result in reduced GHG emissions, and that maximize co-benefits for biodiversity, climate resiliency, and human well-being.Beyond this, ECCC has also funded approximately 115 First Nations, Inuit and Métis Guardians initiatives since 2017 with investments totaling over $46 million. Indigenous Guardians initiatives support Indigenous rights and responsibilities in protecting and conserving ecosystems including old-growth forests, developing and maintaining sustainable economies, and continuing the profound connections between the Canadian landscape and Indigenous culture. Indigenous Guardians are Indigenous peoples exercising their cultural responsibilities through on-the-ground stewardship of traditional lands, waters, air, and ice. They act as the “eyes and ears on the ground”.  Indigenous Guardians funding supports on-the-ground activities such as ecological and cultural resource monitoring, restoration, and visitor experience activities, contribution to cultural continuity (e.g., intergenerational knowledge transmission) and implementation of Indigenous conservation practices and Indigenous knowledge.     
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.Canada’s forests provide a wealth of environmental, economic, social and cultural benefits to Canadians. The forestrysector in Canada is governed by provincial legislation, regulations and policies. Through careful monitoring and planning, Canada’s forest sector manages the long-term health of its forests, both safeguarding these benefits in the face of challenges and finding new opportunities in a changing world.Finding solutions also means working with Indigenous communities and leaders so that forest management and conservation practices are informed by Indigenous knowledge systems. Through the Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is providing financial support to Indigenous-led projects in the forest sector — creating good jobs and supporting the stewardship of Canada’s forests. Since 2017, the program has supported 134 Indigenous-led, forest-based economic development projects and helped to create more than 787 jobs and 45 new or expanded businesses.British Columbia’s iconic old growth forests have deep-rooted cultural significance to Indigenous communities and are important to all British Columbians. They are also critical habitats for dozens of species at risk and migratory birds and are important natural stores of carbon.The British Columbia Old Growth Nature Fund established by the Departments of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and NRCan advances shared objectives regarding urgent protection of vital ecosystems, wildlife habitats and species at risk while also protecting carbon stores in old growth forests. The Old Growth Nature Fund is being established in collaboration with the Province of British Columbia, non-governmental organizations, and Indigenous and local communities.This collaborative work to protect communities and diverse natural habitats, including by advancing Indigenous-led conservation efforts, is also crucial to securing a cleaner, healthier, and greener future for Canadians.The Old Growth Nature Fund further complements the Enhanced Nature Legacy announced in 2021, and the Natural Climate Solutions Fund announced in 2020.Canada boasts the most forest area certified by internationally recognized, third party systems as being managed in a sustainable way, respecting ecological values and Indigenous rights. Three quarters of Canada’s managed public forests are certified to one or more of three sustainable forest management certification systems: the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Forest Stewardship Council, and the Canadian Standards Association.As with all forest industries in Canada, the wood pellet industry is governed by provincial legislation, regulations and policies that are the basis for sustainable forest management, and include protections for old-growth forests. Strict monitoring and enforcement measures ensure that Canada’s forests are harvested legally and sustainably.Canadian wood pellets are primarily made from sawmill residues that are by-products of wood product manufacturing. The industry also uses branches and treetops from harvest operations, logs damaged by natural disturbances, or trees that are cut to manage long-term ecological values in the forest. If not used, these additional sources of wood fibre are typically left to decompose into the atmosphere, or may be burned onsite.Supporting markets for all material harvested, as part of a sustainable forest management plan, ensures that no part of the harvested tree is wasted, and delivers economic benefits to Canadians. As part of Budget 2023, Canada announced $368.4 million over three years, starting in 2023-24 to NRCan to renew and update forest sector support, including for Indigenous leadership in the sector.
Environmental protectionForest policyIndigenous policy
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01488441-01488 (Foreign affairs)CarolHughesAlgoma—Manitoulin—KapuskasingNDPONMay 30, 2023July 19, 2023February 1, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China. Global Affairs Canada and Amnesty International Canada most recently held day-long consultations with the 15-member Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China (CCHRC) on November 21, 2022.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01479441-01479 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABMay 29, 2023July 19, 2023December 12, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01478441-01478 (Social affairs and equality)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABMay 29, 2023July 19, 2023March 28, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. Registered charities that provide reproductive health services are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01469441-01469 (Transportation)TracyGrayKelowna—Lake CountryConservativeBCMay 18, 2023July 19, 2023May 15, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • Canada is home to the largest Punjabi diaspora in the world, with nearly 1 million people, many of whom are of the Sikh faith;
  • The current government neglected to include Punjab in their Open Skies agreement that covers direct flights between Canada and India; and
  • Amritsar is an important religious site, a major commercial and cultural hub, and the second-largest city in Punjab.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to fix the Open Skies Agreement and establish a direct flight between Amritsar and Canada.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply.The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab. 
Air transportationIndia
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01468441-01468 (Health)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMay 18, 2023July 19, 2023April 18, 2023Petition to the Governement of CanadaWHEREAS:
  • Licences for the production of medical cannabis are often abused, with production in excess of personal use amounts diverted for commercial sale on the black market;
  • The amount of cannabis individuals are authorized to possess for medical purposes is impossible for an individual to personally consume;
  • Grow-ops in residential neighbourhoods have negative impacts on nearby residents' health and well-being, such as excessive smells, frequent traffic, and reduced property values;
  • Municipal enforcement agencies have little to no power over cannabis grow-ops in their own jurisdictions; and
  • The federal government has failed to subject personal registered medical cannabis production to examination and inspection, allowing grey and black-market cannabis growing operations to flourish under this program.
THEREFORE:We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to reform the licensing and oversight of the production of cannabis for personal medical use, and to grant resources and authority to the provinces in regulating and enforcing the production of cannabis for personal medical use, in turn empowering municipal regulation and enforcement.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreBackground on cannabis for medical purposes in CanadaCanada’s medical cannabis regime was created and then shaped over time by successive court decisions, which resulted in the evolution of a framework of legal access to cannabis for medical purposes.This model has evolved over the past two decades, from one that initially provided individual exemptions to enable medical patients to possess cannabis for their personal consumption, to a system of federal licensure that allows patients, with the support of their health care practitioner, to obtain cannabis from a licensed producer, to cultivate their own cannabis, or to designate someone to cultivate it on their behalf.In 2015, when the Government of Canada announced the commitment to legalize and regulate cannabis for non-medical purposes, a Task Force was put in place to consult and provide advice on the design of a new legislative and regulatory framework for legal access to cannabis.The Task Force engaged extensively with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, experts, patients, advocates, Indigenous governments and representative organizations, employers, and industry.In the final Task Force report (2016), it was recommended that the federal government maintain a separate medical access system (from non-medical) and commit to reviewing it within five years.Since October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations now govern Canada's cannabis for medical purposes program.The Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations strictly regulate the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada, including cannabis for medical purposes. The oversight of cannabis production is a shared responsibility across federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments.Under the Cannabis Regulations, Canadians who have been authorized by their health care practitioner can access cannabis for medical purposes in three ways:
  1. purchase quality-controlled cannabis from a wide variety of federally licensed sellers inspected by Health Canada;
  2. produce a limited amount of cannabis for their own medical purposes; or,
  3. designate someone to produce it for them.
Individuals who are authorized to produce cannabis for medical purposes must abide by the requirements of the Cannabis Regulations. In addition, they must abide by all other applicable provincial, territorial, and municipal laws and by-laws, including complying with fire and building code regulations and any applicable landlord and tenant regulations.Health Canada’s roleHealth Canada is committed to protecting patients’ rights to reasonable access to cannabis for medical purposes and recognizes that most patients are using the medical access program for its intended purposes. Since the coming into force of the Cannabis Act and the Cannabis Regulations, however, Health Canada has seen a concerning trend with the size of certain personal and designated production sites and issues associated with them. As in any regulatory framework, there will be instances where individuals choose to operate outside of the law, and abuse of the medical purposes framework undermines the integrity of the system that many patients and health care practitioners rely on to access cannabis to address their medical needs. In April 2022, in an effort to address the risk of abuse and preserve the program’s integrity, Health Canada published Guidance on Personal Production of Cannabis for Medical Purposes. The document outlines proposed factors Health Canada may consider when making a decision to refuse or revoke a registration for personal or designated production of cannabis for medical purposes on public health or public safety grounds, including the risk of cannabis being diverted to an illicit market or activity. Health Canada continues to strengthen its oversight and reduce the risk of abuse of the cannabis for medical purposes registration program, using authorities under the Cannabis Regulations, by: 
  • conducting additional verifications when warranted (e.g., contacting the Health Care Practitioner (HCP) to confirm the validity of the medical document and to confirm the daily dosage amount); 
  • refusing or revoking a registration if it is determined that an applicant has submitted false or misleading information as part of their application, such as a forged medical document; 
  • proactively sharing information with provincial and territorial medical licensing bodies about the authorizing practices of HCPs in their jurisdiction, to inform any action they decide to take; 
  • verifying that there are no more than four registrations at any given production site—the maximum allowed in the regulations—to reduce the risk of large-scale production sites;
  • conducting inspections of personal registration and designated production sites to further verify compliance with the regulations; and,
  • acting on evidence from law enforcement that individuals who are registered to grow cannabis for medical purposes are not respecting the terms and conditions of their registration or the regulatory requirements.
As of April 30, 2023, Health Canada has refused or revoked over 1,800 registrations under the Cannabis Regulations, including over 1,200 for reasons of public health and public safety. Provincial, territorial, and municipal rolesIt is important to note that different levels of government and law enforcement have roles in maintaining public safety with respect to cannabis. It is the responsibility of municipalities to enforce their bylaws with respect to cannabis production, and law enforcement has the authority to take action against illegal cannabis activity under the Cannabis Act and against those who operate outside of the legal framework. Some communities have been successful in creating by-laws to limit the impact of the production of cannabis in residential areas and we plan to address this issue in upcoming outreach activities.Health Canada encourages all provinces, territories, and municipalities to use the tools at their disposal to confirm that individuals meet all standards and by-laws. This includes implementing any limitations on zoning, location, and nuisances such as noise and lighting that they feel are appropriate in their jurisdictions.Municipalities could require building permits and inspections of electrical work at personal production sites. Please note that it is outside of Health Canada’s jurisdiction to enforce provincial or municipal legislation.Municipalities may also wish to refer to the Municipal Guide to Cannabis Legalization developed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, which provides guidance in areas such as odour and other nuisances.Health Canada engages and collaborates with provincial and territorial (PT) partners on a regular basis, including at a bi-monthly meeting with senior officials from each PT, and on an ad hoc basis regarding specific issues. In February 2023, Health Canada organized a multi-sectoral meeting with PT and municipal governments, as well as law enforcement partners, to discuss personal and designated production of cannabis for medical purposes.Support for law enforcementHealth Canada actively supports law enforcement by providing a dedicated 24-7 service to confirm whether specific individuals are authorized to possess or produce a limited amount of cannabis for medical purposes. The Department also provides information, where appropriate, to law enforcement and other authorities to assist with active investigations.Legislative review of the Cannabis ActOn September 22, 2022, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions launched the legislative review of the Cannabis Act. An Expert Panel is leading the review and a report.Among the key themes that the Expert Panel is exploring is the impact of the legalization and regulation of cannabis on access to cannabis for medical purposes.The Expert Panel will also be focusing on identifying priority areas for action with regards to protecting young persons and protecting public safety.Those who wish to provide input may contact the Cannabis Act Legislative Review Secretariat at legreview-examenleg@hc-sc.gc.ca.A final report will be developed in the second phase of the review and will include findings or recommendations, which will be tabled in both Houses of Parliament by March 2024.
CannabisCrop productionFederal-provincial-territorial relationsRegulation
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01463441-01463 (Foreign affairs)CarolHughesAlgoma—Manitoulin—KapuskasingNDPONMay 17, 2023July 19, 2023February 3, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China. Global Affairs Canada and Amnesty International Canada most recently held day-long consultations with the 15-member Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China (CCHRC) on November 21, 2022.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01457441-01457 (Agriculture)ToddDohertyCariboo—Prince GeorgeConservativeBCMay 16, 2023July 19, 2023May 1, 2023Petition to the Minister of HealthWhereas:
  • Glyphosate is Canada's most widely sold pesticide used in agriculture as an herbicide and to kill crops for harvest, in forestry to kill unwanted target trees and vegetation, and as an herbicide on rights-of-way, commercial and residential grounds, golf courses, schools and other landscapes;
  • The result is residents of Canada, including infants and children, consume glyphosate residues in their food and water and are exposed to it while outdoors for recreation, occupational activities, hunting and harvesting;
  • The use of glyphosate harms aquatic and terrestrial species and causes loss of biodiversity thereby making ecosystems more vulnerable to pollution and climate change;
  • It endangers pollinators including wild bees and monarch butterflies and exacerbates wildfires since conifer-only forests burn faster and hotter than mixed forests;
  • In 2015, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans";
  • Glyphosate has been found to cause injuries to human health including harming cellular function and causing reproductive effects, hormone disruption, microbiome disruption and cancer; and
  • The Pest Control Products Act is referred to Parliament for review and Health Canada is conducting a transformation of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Health to:
  • 1. Ban the sale and use of glyphosate to protect human health and the environment; and
  • 2. Develop a comprehensive plan to reduce overall pesticide use in Canada.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam Van KoeverdenIn Canada, the regulation of pesticides is shared among all levels of government. Federally, pesticides are regulated under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), which is administered by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Our number one priority is to protect the health and safety of Canadians and the environment.Before a pesticide is allowed to be used or sold in Canada, it must undergo a rigorous scientific assessment process that provides reasonable certainty that no harm to human health and the environment will occur when it is used according to label directions. Depending on the type of pesticide being evaluated, results from up to 200 scientific studies (or in some cases more) may be required to determine whether the pesticide would have any negative effect on people (including chronic effects, such as cancer), animals, or plants, including organisms in the soil and water. This assessment also takes into consideration sensitive populations, such as pregnant and nursing women, infants, children, and seniors.Health Canada also periodically re-evaluates pesticides that are on the market to assess whether they continue to meet the Department’s health and environmental standards and hence whether they should continue to be permitted for use in Canada. An extensive scientific re-evaluation of glyphosate, completed in 2017, showed that under the established conditions of use, glyphosate does not pose unacceptable risks to human health (including reproductive, hormonal and gastro-intestinal health, or chronic effects such as cancer) or the environment (including biodiversity). This re-evaluation considered data not only from manufacturers, but also from a large body of published independent scientific studies, and information from other internationally recognized regulatory agencies. Over 1,300 studies were reviewed, totalling more than 89,000 pages.As part of the re-evaluation of glyphosate, Health Canada considered all available scientific evidence, including published scientific data, required guideline studies, and any epidemiological evidence on the topic of the potential hormonal (endocrine) disrupting properties of glyphosate. Based on weight of evidence review of high-quality scientific studies for glyphosate, no compelling evidence of potential interaction with the endocrine system was noted. The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program and the European Food Safety Authority also reached the same conclusion following completion of their reviews of all lines of scientific evidence on this topic.Health Canada took the findings of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) into consideration but found that the levels at which Canadians are exposed to glyphosate do not cause any harmful effects, including cancer. It is important to note that the level of exposure to the pesticide is not factored into the hazard-based approach used by some organizations (such as IARC), and thus do not constitute a risk assessment. While IARC (a branch of the World Health Organization, or WHO) categorized glyphosate as a probable carcinogen from a hazard perspective in 2015, the WHO concluded in a Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues with the Food and Agriculture Organization in May 2016 that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a cancer risk to humans from exposure through diet.Health Canada establishes maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticide residues in food. MRLs represent the maximum amount of residue that may remain on a food when a pesticide is used according to its label directions. MRLs apply to all foods, regardless of whether they are grown in Canada or imported and are set at levels well below the amount that could pose a health concern. Canadian MRLs are set only after extensive review of the scientific information and after a thorough risk assessment confirms that there are no health concerns for any segment of the population (including those referred to above), when all possible food sources are eaten every day, over a lifetime. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) tests food products for chemical residues as part of its National Chemical Residue Monitoring Program. If any product exceeds the MRLs set by Health Canada, the CFIA takes appropriate enforcement action. Compliance with respect to glyphosate MRLs is very high, with CFIA’s most recent data indicating a compliance level of 99.4%.As for the potential health impacts of glyphosate on the human intestinal microbiome, there is very little scientific evidence to support the claim that glyphosate has any direct impact on human gut microflora or has any subsequent health effect. Further to this, in 2021, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency published results of their scientific research (in English only) indicating limited effects of glyphosate on intestinal microbiome, further supporting Health Canada’s current position on this matter.Regarding the effects of pesticides on soil microbial communities, literature on the subject was reviewed as part of the re-evaluation of glyphosate. The effects of glyphosate on forest and agricultural soil microbial communities were shown to be inconsistent and consequently no clear conclusion can be drawn from the available scientific information.Registered pest control products in Canada, including glyphosate, do not cause injuries to human health including harming cellular function and causing reproductive effects, hormone disruption, microbiome disruption and cancer, whether through diet or non-dietary exposures (such as inhalation) when they are used according to label instructions. This determination by Health Canada and key foreign regulatory partners is based on results of specifically designed laboratory studies that are used to establish the permissible levels of exposure, which are then used to derive label instructions. These permissible levels for human exposure are set over one-hundred, or more, times lower than the amount that could potentially cause harm. These acceptable levels of exposure also take into account various types of populations who could be exposed to pesticides, including workers who handle pesticides, the general population, as well as sensitive sub-populations (such as pregnant women, children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals)With regards to potential human exposure to pesticides (including for glyphosate), it should be noted that the public may report health impacts they believe to be related to pesticide exposure to Health Canada’s Incident Reporting Program by completing a Voluntary Incident Report. Health Canada uses this information in its risk assessments and to monitor for safety after pesticides are registered.With respect to pollution and climate change, please note that Canada, along with 195 member nations, has recently concluded the negotiations of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Montréal. The COP15 adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), including four goals and 23 targets for achievement by 2030 to safeguard nature and halt and reverse biodiversity loss, putting nature on a path to recovery by 2050. Target 7 focuses on reducing the negative impacts of pollution on biodiversity. The target commits to, among other goals, reduce the overall risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half including through integrated pest management, based on science, taking into account food security and livelihoods.Health Canada is collaborating with Environment and Climate Change (ECCC), which provides the National Focal Point for the GBF and is the federal lead on a national response. We will continue to work with them and other federal partners in determining next steps for Target 7, as part of developing a national biodiversity strategy and action plan.With regards to glyphosate use in forestry, Health Canada has concluded that this use is acceptable, when label directions are followed. These findings were based on an extensive review of the available scientific information on glyphosate. A forest cultivation site would receive one or at most two treatments early on in a 50-to-80-year cultivation cycle.This year’s wildfire conditions are unprecedented and deeply concerning. Serious wildfires have prompted evacuations for tens of thousands of Canadians across the country, including in many Indigenous communities. As we continue to monitor the situation, we have been in regular contact with all affected provinces and territories to ensure they have the support they need. When Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Quebec reached out for help, we answered – and we stand ready if more provinces or territories require federal assistance.Provincial/territorial and municipal governments have shared responsibilities in regulating pesticides. While Health Canada authorizes pesticides, it does not determine whether a product should or will be used (for example, for vegetation control, or for any other purpose). Likewise, provincial authorities oversee management of forestry resources and are best placed to determine if a registered pesticide (such as glyphosate) should be used for forestry management, based on their knowledge of local conditions and their objectives in managing natural resources within the province. The decision to use an herbicide in forestry operations would be included as part of a provincial forest management plan. Permitting or restricting the use of federally approved pesticides falls under the authority of the province, for both provincial crown land and privately held land within the province.Regarding potential impacts of glyphosate on pollinators (including bees and monarch butterflies). Health Canada’s environmental risk assessment for glyphosate did not identify any population level risks to pollinators, such as bees and monarchs.To further strengthen pesticide oversight and protection of human health and the environment and improve transparency, in August 2021, the Federal Government announced a $50 million investment in Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), with support from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). With this funding, the PMRA has established a Transformation Agenda, which includes initiatives in four major areas: strengthened human and environmental health and safety oversight and protection through modernized business processes, improved transparency to increase understanding of the decision-making process, increased availability of real-world data and independent advice to better inform regulatory decision making, and a targeted review of the PCPA.In spring 2022, Health Canada launched the targeted review of the PCPA. A What We Heard report that summarizes the feedback received from partners and stakeholders has been published on the Government of Canada’s web site. The Department continues to consider all feedback received during these consultations to inform future potential measures to improve protection of human health and the environment from risks posed by pesticides. For those interested stakeholders who wish to engage further with the PMRA on its transformation agenda, they are encouraged to contact its transformation team directly by emailing: pmra-arla-transformation@hc-sc.gc.caThe PMRA is taking measures to further strengthen environmental protection for people, plants, and animals, and to improve the transparency of review processes for pesticides like glyphosate. For instance, the PMRA has created a Science Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products (SAC-PCP), which provides Health Canada with independent scientific advice to support evidence-based decision making on pesticides. The PMRA has also diversified the sources and increased the volume of data and information to inform its decisions on pesticides, by launching a water sampling program that collects real-world data from rivers, streams, wetlands, and lakes across Canada. The data from this program is available here. The PMRA is also working with partners and grower groups to collect real-world data on pesticide use in Canada, to inform the development of a national pesticide use data program. Further, the PMRA is incorporating plain language communications in key pesticide regulatory decisions to support more meaningful public participation in the regulatory process.As a part of our commitment to modernize our business processes, PMRA is evolving its oversight model to one that continually monitors the potential risks of pesticides, including through scientific literature, foreign regulatory decisions, and incident reports, throughout the life cycle of a pesticide rather than at predetermined review periods. PMRA will be engaging the public in a consultation in Fall 2023, where interested stakeholders will be encouraged to provide their comments to PMRA. The public consultation will be posted on the PMRA’s Pesticides and pest management consultations webpage.Please be assured that Health Canada continues to monitor for new information on all pesticides (including glyphosate) and will take appropriate action if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the use of the products is resulting in risks of concern to human health or the environment. When the science-based assessment indicates that potential risk to human health or the environment is not considered acceptable when risk management measures are applied, Health Canada will take appropriate action which may include cancelling specific uses or all uses of a pesticide, depending on the outcome of assessment. When all uses of a pesticide are cancelled, the pesticide is phased-out from the Canadian market.
Agricultural policyBanGlyphosatePesticides
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01454441-01454 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMay 15, 2023July 19, 2023February 8, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas:Although Canadians Micheal Spavor and Micheal Korvig have recently been released after 1000 days of unjust detention in China, there are at least 115 Canadians still being detained in China including Huseyin Celil who has been detained for over 5000 days; Huseyin Celil is a Canadian Uyghur human rights activist who is detained in China for supporting the political and religious rights of Uyghurs; Huseyin Celil is a Canadian citizen, who escaped China into Uzbekistan after being unjustly jailed for 48 days in 2001 and on recognition from the United Nations as a refugee, migrated to Canada and obtained Canadian citizenship and gave up his Chinese citizenship; The Chinese government has refused to accept Huseyin Celil's Canadian citizenship, and denied access to lawyers, family and Canadian officials, while he was coerced into signing a confession and underwent an unlawful and unfair trial;Evidence now makes clear that the Chinese Government's treatment of the Uyghurs meets most, if not all, of the criteria for genocide as outlined in the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; and Canada cannot remain silent in the face of the unjust suffering of a Canadian citizen. Therefore we, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to take the following actions to address the situation: 1. Demand that the Chinese government recognize Huseyin Celil's Canadian citizenship and provide him with consular and legal services in accordance with international law; 2. Formally state that the release of Huseyin Celil from Chinese detainment and his return to Canada is a priority of the Canadian government of equal concern as the unjust detentions of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor; 3. Appoint a special envoy to work on securing Mr. Celil's release; and 4. Seek assistance of the Biden Administration and other allies around the world in obtaining Mr. Celil's release.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe case of Mr. Huseyincan Celil is a priority for Canada, as the Government of Canada continues to be deeply concerned with his detention. Canada has repeatedly raised Mr. Celil’s case with the government of China at the highest levels, and will continue to do so.Global Affairs Canada remains in regular contact with Mr. Celil’s family in Canada and continues to provide them with consular services. While privacy considerations prevent the sharing of details, the Government of Canada remains actively engaged in his case. The Government of Canada will continue to seek access to Mr. Celil in order to verify his well-being.The safety and well-being of Canadians abroad remain of utmost importance to Canada.
Canadians in foreign countriesCelil, HuseyincanChinaCivil and human rights
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01453441-01453 (Social affairs and equality)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMay 15, 2023July 19, 2023March 25, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: Whereas: The Liberal Party of Canada has promised in its 2021 platform to deny the charitable status of organizations that have convictions about abortion which the Liberal Party views as "dishonest"; This may jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters, and other charitable organizations which do not agree with the Liberal Party on this matter for reasons of conscience;Many Canadians depend upon and benefit from the charitable work done by such organizations;The government has previously used a "values test" to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada Summer Jobs Program, denying funding to any organization which was not willing to check a box endorsing political positions of the governing party;Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subject to a politicized "values test"; andAll Canadians have a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to freedom of expression without discrimination.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another "values test"; and 2. Affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandCanada's charitable sector is diverse and vibrant. From education to social support services, an estimated 86,000 registered charities engage in public benefit activities that touch almost every aspect of Canadian life. Registered charities are provided important supports under the tax system, including an exemption from income tax and the ability to issue official donation receipts for any gifts that they receive.All Canadians should have the information they need to freely make decisions over their own bodies and have access to the medical care and services that are their legal right. Registered charities that provide reproductive health services are required to provide accurate and evidence-based information to women with respect to their rights and options at all stages of their pregnancy. In this regard, the Government of Canada is committed to taking action to ensure that organizations that provide dishonest counselling to pregnant women are ineligible for charitable registration, while respecting Canadians’ right to freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and religion under the Charter.
Charitable organizationsDiscriminationFreedom of conscience and religion
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01451441-01451 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMay 15, 2023July 19, 2023December 11, 2018PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China. Global Affairs Canada and Amnesty International Canada most recently held day-long consultations with the 15-member Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China (CCHRC) on November 21, 2022.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023e-4334e-4334 (Health)BrendanLeierGarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMarch 16, 2023, at 11:39 a.m. (EDT)April 15, 2023, at 11:39 a.m. (EDT)May 15, 2023July 19, 2023April 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Strong medical evidence exists that access to psychedelic assisted therapy can effectively treat existential suffering in dying, depression, anxiety, addiction, PTSD, and other mental health conditions, improving quality of life;Psilocybin required for psilocybin assisted therapy is currently only available in clinical trials and by special individual permission from Health Canada despite its low potential for harm; andIt is paradoxical and unethical to allow physicians to provide MAID for their patients while preventing the same physicians from treating their end of life distress with psilocybin.We, the undersigned, compassionate Canadians, call upon the Government of Canada to allow Canadians to have timely unrestricted access to therapeutic psilocybin in any form as needed to alleviate their suffering via Section 56 exemptions.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreHealth Canada recognizes the importance of Canadians having access to the treatments they need, as well as the growing interest in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, including with psilocybin. At this time, with the exception of ketamine, there are no authorized therapeutic products containing psychedelic drugs in Canada or elsewhere.There is ongoing research evaluating the potential therapeutic benefit of the use of psilocybin in the treatment of various mental health and substance use disorders, such as treatment-resistant depression and end-of-life anxiety and distress. Based on preliminary results from clinical trials, there is early evidence that psilocybin, in combination with psychotherapy, may have potential therapeutic benefit; however, as with all drugs, there is the possibility of potential psychological and physical risks that may occur in certain persons exposed to psilocybin.Health Canada recognizes there are times when access to unauthorized drugs, such as psilocybin, may be appropriate, and encourages patients to discuss potential treatment options with their health care provider.Clinical research is essential to understanding the effects of any drug, including psilocybin, in a therapeutic context, as well as for the development of drug products that are safe and effective. Of note, the number of authorized clinical trials with psilocybin has increased significantly in recent years. To date, Health Canada has authorized the sale of psilocybin for use in 25 Canadian clinical trials. Through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Government of Canada has provided funding of almost $3 million to fund three new clinical trials evaluating psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in Canada. In January 2022, regulatory changes came into effect that made it possible for health care practitioners to request access, on behalf of their patients, to restricted drugs like psilocybin through Health Canada’s Special Access Program (SAP). The SAP permits health care practitioners to request access to unauthorized drugs for the treatment of serious or life-threatening conditions in instances where conventional therapies have failed, are unsuitable or unavailable.Clinical trials remain the most appropriate way to advance research about products with a possible medical benefit and bring it toward market authorization. Both clinical trials and the SAP have safeguards and requirements in place to protect the health and safety of patients, help ensure the quality of the drug, and provide for administration and oversight by a qualified professional in accordance with national and international, ethical, medical, and scientific standards.There are no safeguards and requirements in place for a section 56 (s.56) exemption under the CDSA to help protect the health and safety of patients, to help ensure the quality of the drug, and to provide for administration and oversight by a qualified professional. Therefore, access to psychedelics through clinical trials or the SAP should generally be pursued instead of an individual s.56 exemption, unless it can be demonstrated that access to a psychedelic drug is not possible or suitable through these existing regulatory legal routes.Medical assistance in dying (MAID) remains a complex and deeply personal issue for many Canadians. The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that the practice of MAID balances laws that give autonomy and freedom of choice for Canadians, a system that provides strong safeguards that protect those who may be vulnerable, and a process that guarantees compassionate and diligent consideration of every request for MAID. 
Mental healthPsilocybin
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01449441-01449 (Foreign affairs)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMay 15, 2023July 19, 2023June 7, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • Free and fair trials, judicial independence, and the rule of law are all cornerstones to Canada's democracy;
  • Since June 2019, protests for democracy, freedom, universal suffrage, and regional autonomy have been occurring in Hong Kong;
  • On many occasions, peaceful protestors of Hong Kong are charged and convicted of penal offences through a judiciary that is neither impartial, fair, or free;
  • The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (S.C. 2001, c.27), Section 36 renders foreign nationals who have committed or been convicted of a foreign offence outside Canada inadmissible on grounds of criminality and serious criminality; and
  • Hong Kong people who have been arbitrarily charged and convicted with pro-democracy movement related penal offences for political purposes are at risk of being deemed inadmissible to enter Canada.
We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Recognize the politicization of the judiciary in Hong Kong and its impact on the legitimacy and validity of criminal convictions; 2. Affirm its commitment to render all National Security Law charges and convictions irrelevant and invalid in relation to Section 36(1)(c); 3. Create a mechanism by which Hong Kong people with pro-democracy movement related convictions may provide an explanation for such convictions, on the basis of which Government officials can grant exemptions to Hong Kong people who are deemed inadmissible under A36(1)(b), (2)(b), and (2)(c) upon examination of the circumstances and determination that the applicant's criminal record is political in nature; and 4. Work with the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, and other democracies to waive criminal inadmissibility of Hong Kong people convicted for political purposes, who otherwise do not have a criminal record.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada has a special relationship with Hong Kong that is rooted in a shared history and extensive commercial, institutional and people-to-people ties.(1) The maintenance of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as expressed through the One Country, Two Systems framework, is a high priority for the Government of Canada. Under this framework, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. Canada remains committed to supporting Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy within the One Country, Two Systems framework, and to working with international partners to advance the goal of a free, stable and prosperous Hong Kong where human rights and fundamental freedoms under the Basic Law are guaranteed. We will continue to monitor developments in Hong Kong closely, including those relating to the territory’s judicial system, and reserve the right to undertake appropriate action in response to future developments.(4) In advance of the imposition of the National Security law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on May 22, 2020, expressing deep concern over proposals to introduce national security legislation in Hong Kong. Another statement was issued with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States on May 28, 2020, reiterating concerns over the anticipated introduction of the National Security Law. On June 17, 2020, Canada joined its G7 partners to release a joint statement urging China to reconsider its decision.Following the imposition and implementation of the National Security Law, Canada has worked in concert with international partners to support the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Hong Kong residents and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy under the Basic Law and the One Country, Two Systems framework. Canada also announced new immigration initiatives for Hong Kong and has sought to complement and align these initiatives with measures taken by our likeminded partners.Subsequently, following the adoption by the National People’s Congress of a package of changes to the electoral system in Hong Kong in March 2021, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union, also released a joint statement expressing grave concerns at the Chinese authorities’ decision. The joint statement made it clear such a decision strongly indicates that the authorities in mainland China are determined to eliminate dissenting voices and opinions in Hong Kong, while also stifling political pluralism, contrary to the aim of moving towards universal suffrage as set out in the Basic Law.The wider chilling effects of the National Security Law and the growing restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, which are being felt across civil society is deeply concerning. On December 20, 2021 Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as the Foreign Ministers of the G7, noting the outcome of the Legislative Council elections in Hong Kong, issued separate statements expressing grave concern over the erosion of democratic elements of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s electoral system. On February 17, 2022, Canada and 21 other members of the Media Freedom Coalition issued a joint statement expressing their deep concern at the Chinese authorities’ attacks on freedom of the press and their suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong.While Canada and its partners share a common interest in Hong Kong’s prosperity and security, each country has its own legislative framework and is responsible for applying its own sovereign rules and procedures, including those related to immigration and admissibility.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada. Inadmissibility decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.Foreign nationals who are charged or convicted for an offence outside Canada are not automatically barred from entering or remaining in Canada.Immigration officers examine foreign charges and convictions to determine if there is an equivalent offence in Canada for the act committed. If there is no equivalent offence, the individual would not be inadmissible for having committed or being convicted for that offence. For example, as there is no equivalent offence in Canada for peaceful protesting, a charge or conviction for having partaken in such activities would not make an individual inadmissible to Canada.Where there are some similarities between the foreign law and Canadian law, a person would only be inadmissible if the underlying action is considered an offence in Canada.Immigration officers review all applications on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific facts presented by the applicant. All inadmissibility decisions are based on evidence, which may consist of police or intelligence reports, statutory declarations or other documents, such as media articles or publicly-available information.Decision-makers are required to follow the rules of procedural fairness throughout the decision-making process. In the event that an immigration officer has concerns over the criminal admissibility of an applicant, the individual is informed and given an opportunity to provide a response to concerns about their application. If an officer determines that an applicant is inadmissible to come to Canada, applicants may be eligible for relief, on a case-by-case basis, using mechanisms available under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. For example, a temporary resident permit may be issued, when justified in the circumstances, to allow an inadmissible foreign national to enter Canada.
Civil and human rightsCriminal recordsForeign policyHong KongImmigration and immigrants
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01446441-01446 (Citizenship and immigration)GregMcLeanCalgary CentreConservativeABMay 15, 2023July 19, 2023May 15, 2023Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipWHEREAS:
  • Sudan is facing a political crisis since the military dissolved the power-sharing government and declared a state of emergency;
  • The pro-democracy movement and the security forces have clashed in mass protests and killings; and
  • Ethnic violence has escalated in some regions over land disputes, leading to hundreds of deaths and a state of emergency.
We, the undersigned residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to:
  • Fast track processing of immigration files of Sudanese residents who wish to immigrate to Canada, in particular those who have family who are Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents.
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Marie-France Lalonde, M.P.Canada continues to call for an end to violence in Sudan and stands with the Sudanese people as they strive for peace.To support Sudanese nationals in Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced new Temporary measures for Sudanese nationals who are currently in Canada and may be unable to return home due to the rapidly deteriorating situation in their country.As of April 30, 2023, Sudanese nationals can apply for an extension of their status in Canada and move between temporary resident streams, allowing them to continue studying, working or visiting family free of charge. This includes applying for open work permits that provide access to the labour market and greater flexibility to support themselves while they are in Canada. These measures will help ensure the continued safety of the Sudanese population already in Canada, keep families together, and give them a safe place to stay.IRCC also introduced Temporary measures  to support family members of Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents who have departed Sudan since the violence erupted.Under these measures, eligible foreign nationals who fled Sudan on or after April 15, 2023 with their Canadian citizen or permanent resident family member(s) may be issued a fee-exempt temporary resident document to facilitate their travel to Canada. Travel must be completed before July 15, 2023. Once in Canada, they will be eligible to apply for a fee-exempt open work permit or study permit, as well as submit a fee-exempt permanent resident application under the family class. Under these measures, a foreign national is eligible for facilitated travel to Canada if they meet the following requirements:
  1. is the family member – per the definition of subsection 1(3) of the Regulations – of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada who left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023;
  2. is outside of Sudan in a third country; and
  3. left Sudan on or after April 15, 2023
Further, to facilitate immigration applications for those still in Sudan so they can travel once it’s safe to do so, IRCC is also prioritizing the processing of completed temporary and permanent residence applications already in the system from people still in the country. This includes visitor visa applications for eligible immediate family members of Canadian citizens and Canadian permanent residents, so they can join their loved ones here in Canada.Canada is also waiving passport and permanent resident travel document fees for citizens and permanent residents of Canada in Sudan who wish to leave.
Immigration and immigrantsSudan
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01437441-01437 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBMay 10, 2023July 19, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply.The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has also recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.With respect to services operated by European airlines, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01436441-01436 (Transportation)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMay 10, 2023July 19, 2023February 6, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED Whereas:
  • The government's 10-year transit plan will end in 2027;
  • Action on public transit means action on climate change, as transportation is responsible for approximately 25 per cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions; and
  • According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, a transition to zeroemission public transit can help Canada reach its 2030 Paris Climate Agreement commitments.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Establish a permanent federal funding mechanism for public transit that goes above and beyond the 10-year transit plan ending in 2027;
  • Work together with all levels of government to provide sustainable, predictable, long-term, and adequate funding; and
  • Establish accountability measures to ensure that all governments work together to increase access to public transit.
Response by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Jennifer O'ConnellCanada’s public transit systems provide essential service to millions of people, generate billions of dollars in economic benefits, and help Canada meet its climate targets given that the transportation sector accounts for approximately 25 percent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has made the most significant public transit investments in Canada’s history, delivering federal investments of more than ten times of what was provided in the decade prior.Investments in public transit and active transportation are critical to build a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Canada, helping to improve quality of life by enabling people to get around more easily and to tackle traffic congestion, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. They are also closely connected to housing affordability, providing opportunities to build more housing supply by allowing communities to build more densely.To help ensure major transit projects are built sooner, the Government of Canada accelerated the delivery of funding provided through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, partnering with provinces to deliver important transit and active transportation infrastructure that meets the needs of our communities today and into the future.Building on the success of dedicated transit funding through the Investing in Canada Plan, in 2021, the Government introduced the Zero Emission Transit Fund, the Active Transportation Fund, and the Rural Transit Solutions Fund. These dedicated transit programs, which will deliver funding until 2025-2026, aim to accelerate the shift towards clean, sustainable transportation modes across the country and facilitated federal funding for key public transit projects.In 2026-27, the Government of Canada will launch permanent transit funding providing an average of $3 billion per year. This ongoing funding will deliver stability required for long-term planning and collaboration across orders of government while allowing flexibility to address regional needs and considerations. Permanent federal funding for public transit and active transportation presents an opportunity to work with provinces, territories, municipalities, transit agencies, Indigenous peoples and other partners to align investment priorities and address shared objectives, including driving economic, environmental and social outcomes, and improving housing supply and affordability in communities of all sizes across Canada.Reporting to the public will provide a clear picture of the impact of these investments and support accountability. The Government of Canada concluded engagement on the federal vision for permanent public transit funding in October 2022. A PDF version of the Engagement Paper: Permanent Public Transit Funding in Canada is currently available online  and a summary report of what we heard during the engagement will be published online in Spring/Summer2023. 
Federal-provincial-territorial relationsPublic transit
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01435441-01435 (Environment)RubySahotaBrampton NorthLiberalONMay 10, 2023July 19, 2023April 3, 2023Petition to the Government of Canada and Members of ParliamentWHEREAS despite accounting for just 5% of Canada's economy, the oil and gas sector is responsible for 26% of Canada's emissions, more than any other sector. While other sectors have reduced emissions, greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector have risen 87% since 1990.We, the undersigned staff and students of Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario, call upon the Government of Canada and Members of Parliament to place a hard cap on emissions on the oil and gas sector to address the climate crisis.We urge you to institute a hard emissions cap on the oil and gas sector that:
  • 1. Restricts the oil and gas sector companies now from ever polluting above current levels again;
  • 2. Reduces emissions immediately, and in order to ensure a reduction of 60% from current levels by 2030;
  • 3. Addresses all oil and gas sector sources including extraction of new reserves, pipelines, refineries, liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities and burning of fossil fuels;
  • 4. Not undermine the government's commitment to phase out fossil fuel subsidies; and
  • 5. Lay the groundwork for a Just Transition to net zero by 2050 for all who live in Canada that includes: strong and sustainable communities, millions of good, low-carbon jobs and that honours Indigenous rights and sovereignty, while rapidly reducing fossil fuel use for our future.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): THE HONOURABLE JONATHAN WILKINSON, P.C., M.P.As the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and a major contributor to Canada’s economy, the oil and gas sector has a critical role to play in meeting Canada’s climate objectives. The Government of Canada recognizes the oil and gas sector’s significant contributions in creating good jobs, including in Indigenous communities, as well as leading Canadian clean tech investment, and playing a key role in North American and global energy security. The sector will continue to be instrumental throughout Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy. This is why the Government remains committed to working with industry, provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and civil society in decarbonizing this sector while maintaining competitiveness, energy security, affordability, and market access.Canada’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) includes a “projected sectoral contribution” towards Canada’s 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution representing an emissions reduction of 42 percent below 2019 levels by 2030 for the oil and gas sector. Many steps have been taken to help transform the sector, including establishing federal regulations requiring the oil and gas sector to reduce methane emissions by 40-45 percent below 2012 levels by 2025, proposing clean fuel regulations to reduce the carbon intensity of liquid fossil fuels, and the launch of several investment programs to accelerate the development of technologies needed to get Canada to net-zero emissions by 2050.The Government has also announced further steps, including a commitment to cap and cut emissions from the oil and gas sector at the pace and scale needed to get to net zero by 2050. Work is ongoing on the design of the cap, but the intention is to establish an ambitious yet achievable cap.The Government recognizes that inefficient fossil fuel subsidies undermine efforts to deal with climate change, wasteful energy consumption, problems in the market, and barriers to clean energy investment, and has committed to accelerate its G20 commitment to eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. To this end, it has already taken action to phase out or rationalize nine tax measures supporting the fossil fuel sector.Earlier this year, the Government released its Sustainable Jobs Plan to enable the creation of good, middle class jobs across Canada. Building a global, net-zero future represents significant opportunities for job creation and economic growth, and the Government is committed to ensuring workers across the country have the supports they need to fully seize this generational economic opportunity. The plan complements the Government’s $120B in investments since 2016 to drive sustainable economic growth and will help to create jobs in every sector of the economy, including the conventional energy industry – generating opportunities across every region of the country. Key next steps under the Plan include tabling legislation to ensure a legal framework for accountability, governance and engagement is in place.
Climate change and global warmingGreen economyOil and gas
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01434441-01434 (Foreign affairs)StéphaneBergeronMontarvilleBloc QuébécoisQCMay 10, 2023July 19, 2023November 29, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWHEREAS:The war on the Tigray region of Ethiopia has led to more than 63,000 refugees fleeing to camps in neighboring Sudan, 2.2 million civilians internally displaced, and over 91% of the 6 million people in need of assistance;The forces of Ethiopia and invading forces of Eritrea and Amhara region have jointly waged another round of atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity on civilians in Tigray;The war on Tigray has resulted in a man-made famine. The World Food Program estimates that 5.2 million people, 91% of Tigray's population, need emergency food assistance. Due to the siege and blockade, the people of Tigray are denied access to humanitarian aid and basic services;Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) has been systematically used as a weapon of war in Tigray by Eritrean troops, Ethiopian forces, and Amhara regional forces; andSince November 2020, Canada has provided $54.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia for the crisis in Tigray. It is more likely that this assistance will be used by the Government of Ethiopia to purchase military armaments, including drones, instead of addressing the humanitarian needs in Tigray and other parts of Ethiopia.We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:
  • Immediately call on the Eritrean government to stop invading the Tigray region of Ethiopia and withdraw its forces from Tigray;
  • Immediately call for unfettered humanitarian access to Tigray. Call for humanitarian discussion under Resolution 2417 (2018);
  • Immediately withhold all non-life-saving funding from Canada to Ethiopia until the cessation of violence is achieved;
  • Provide an update on how funds for humanitarian assistance Canada has been given to Ethiopia in support of the people affected in the Tigray region; and
  • Immediately call to allow the UN-led inquiry commission to enter the Tigray region to conduct its investigation on crimes against humanity, war crimes, and humanitarian and human rights violations committed in Tigray.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada welcomed the Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front on November 2, 2022, as a necessary step toward peace and security and noted the importance of the commitment to an immediate and permanent ceasefire. Following the agreement, Canada commended all parties involved in the African-led peace process, including the African Union, offered Canadian support for implementation, and called on all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and humanitarian needs. Canada supports the signatories and all Ethiopians as they continue to take concrete steps toward the implementation of the Agreement, a comprehensive and lasting peace, inclusive national dialogue, and reconciliation.The Government of Canada continues to call upon all parties to fulfill their obligation to allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need throughout Ethiopia. In early 2023, Canada committed $1.4 million to programming focused on protecting people in Northern Ethiopia—including Tigray—from the threats posed by new Explosive Remnants of War and to facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance.Canada has also repeatedly and publicly called for the swift withdrawal of Eritrean forces from northern Ethiopia, including through public joint statements with likeminded countries. On September 22, 2022, officials of the Government of Canada spoke at the OHCHR and denounced the resumption of hostilities in northern Ethiopia, urged all parties to cease violence immediately, respect human rights and implement accountability measures, and called for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean Defence Forces.Canada continues to press the Government of Ethiopia for justice and accountability for victims and survivors of human rights violations and abuses resulting from the conflict in northern Ethiopia. This has included Canada being a signatory to two resolutions at the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2021, and continuing to press parties to uphold their legal obligations under both international human rights and humanitarian law.In addition, Canada supports efforts underway in Ethiopia to implement social and economic reforms, including efforts to strengthen the capacity to uphold fundamental freedoms and foster inclusive dialogue. In this regard, the Government of Canada has funded programs that seek to strengthen Ethiopia’s democratic institutions and the conduct of free and fair elections, with a special focus on ensuring the participation of women, youth and ethnic groups, in the electoral process.Moreover, Canada works closely with its humanitarian partners, including United Nations agencies, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, and non-governmental organizations, to help populations affected by crisis in Ethiopia, based on need. In 2022, Canada’s humanitarian funding for Ethiopia totalled nearly $66 million to assist people affected by conflict, insecurity, and drought. This funding helped to provide food, treatment for acute malnutrition and other critical healthcare, access to safe water and sanitation, emergency shelter and essential household items, and protection services to those in need. Canada is continuing to provide support for humanitarian assistance in response to needs throughout Ethiopia in 2023. It does not provide humanitarian assistance funding directly to local authorities, including in Ethiopia.Canada continues to urge meaningful action toward the implementation of the recommendations in the joint report undertaken by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) which are based on a joint investigation into the allegations of human rights violations and abuses, and serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by parties to the conflict. Additionally, Canada continues to press the Government of Ethiopia to deliver on its commitments to credible and transparent human rights investigations.In early 2023, Canada committed $2 million to programming focused on advancing recommendations drawn from the OHCHR-EHRC joint investigation and more broadly, to positively advance transitional justice and accountability options in Ethiopia. Canada encourages Ethiopia to undertake credible and independent investigations, aligned with international standards. Canada views accountability for human rights abuses as crucial to a sustainable peace.
Civil and human rightsEthiopiaForeign policyHumanitarian assistance and workers
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01433441-01433 (Justice)EricDuncanStormont—Dundas—South GlengarryConservativeONMay 9, 2023July 19, 2023April 3, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsTo the Honourable House of Commons of CanadaWe, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to vote down all bills expanding death over life, heeding the call of these petitioners:We, the undersigned, support life, are against abortion and MAID, and ask our government representatives to step up and ensure that all bills expanding death over life are voted down.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone should decide what happens to their bodies. The Supreme Court of Canada in 1988 struck down Canada’s criminal law against abortion, and the Government took the necessary steps to complete the repeal of those provisions by introducing amendments to take them off the books, which were enacted in 2019. Our Government is committed to upholding all the rights enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, including section 7, which provides that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. All women in Canada have the right to safe and consistent access to reproductive health services and our Government will always support that. The debate over a woman’s right to choose is over.  Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada declared the Criminal Code prohibition against assisted death to be unconstitutional, which led to the legalization of medical assistance in dying (MAID) in 2016. As a Government, we are committed to ensuring that our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, protect those who may be vulnerable, and support autonomy and freedom of choice. MAID is a deeply personal and complex choice that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam van KoeverdenEveryone has the right to safe and consistent access to reproductive healthcare services, including access to abortion. This Government has been clear that it supports the right to choose and believes that safe and legal abortion services should be available to all Canadians who seek them.Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is a complex and deeply personal matter that touches people and families at difficult and often painful times in their lives. The Government of Canada believes that Canadians deserve to live in comfort and dignity, with access to care, including end-of-life care, that is appropriate to their needs and that respects their wishes. It also recognizes that MAID is a deeply personal choice and is committed to ensuring our laws reflect Canadians’ evolving needs, support their autonomy and freedom of choice, and protect those who are vulnerable.
AbortionMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01432441-01432 (Consumer protection)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBMay 9, 2023July 19, 2023April 25, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is reporting a rise in money laundering and fraud with the set-up of synthetic or false bank accounts where money is being sent from duped seniors' savings accounts and potentially going towards terrorist financing;The Government of BC estimates that $46.7 billion was laundered through the Canadian economy in 2018;FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) states requirements are not sufficient to prevent fraudsters from moving money illegally under the pretense of legitimacy through the wire transfer system in Canada;Our growing retiree population in Canada are increasingly becoming the target of fraud given they have built up wealth over a lifetime to help them support their retirement years and are vulnerable due to lack of controls and protection through the transmission of money within the Canadian banking system; andSeniors are seeing their savings built up over years removed due to the sophistication and disguised deceit and trickery foisted on them by professional fraudsters to exploit them and the current Canadian banking system.We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to undertake a serious and comprehensive review of the current transit system of Canadian citizens' money in this country with the aim of putting more stringent procedures, protocols, and safeguards in place to protect seniors in particular from losing their lifetime savings and wealth to fraud.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada is committed to a strong and comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) Regime. The government continually reviews the Regime to ensure that it is responsive to evolving risks. Since 2019, the government has made investments of over $319.9 million and a number of legislative and regulatory changes to enhance the effectiveness of the Regime.Budget 2023 proposes legislative amendments to strengthen the investigative, enforcement, and information sharing tools of Canada’s AML/ATF Regime. These amendments will complement the government’s Budget 2022 commitment to establish a new Canada Financial Crimes Agency to become the lead enforcement agency against financial crime.On June 6th, 2023, a public consultation was launched that will examine ways to improve Canada's AML/ATF Regime, as well as examine how different orders of government can collaborate more closely. This consultation will support the parliamentary review required under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act. Details of these consultations can be found here: Consultation on Strengthening Canada's Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime - Canada.caIllicit funds laundered by criminal actors are often generated illegally through fraud, including fraud that targets seniors. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canadians from these types of crimes. One major way it does so is through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which is the central repository for fraud information and intelligence in Canada, and is jointly operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Competition Bureau of Canada. As a National Police Service function, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre gathers intelligence on fraud affecting Canadians, and assists all law enforcement agencies across Canada with fraud prevention and enforcement. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has a Senior Support Unit entirely supported by volunteers who are dedicated to reducing the impact of fraud across Canada. The Senior Support Unit is a critical component of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, providing advice, education and reassurance to vulnerable Canadians targeted by fraudsters. The Senior Support Unit receives reports referred by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s Intake Unit, after identifying that further assistance for a senior or vulnerable individual is needed.
Banks and bankinge-SecuritySenior citizens
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01431441-01431 (Health)LarryBrockBrantford—BrantConservativeONMay 9, 2023July 19, 2023April 11, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWhereas:
  • Grace-Lindsay McSweeney, a 12-year-old girl from Brantford, Ontario, passed away in March of 2022 due to a Tylenol overdose;
  • Acetaminophen is a key ingredient in Tylenol;
  • Approximately 10,000 people in Canada overdose on acetaminophen each year;
  • There is currently a mental health crisis in Canada that adversely impacts youth of all ages;
  • Every day, approximately 10 Canadians die from suicide; and
  • The Government of Canada has committed to issuing a Canada Mental Health Transfer to the provinces.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Require warning labels about lethal overdose risk on all medical products that contain acetaminophen;
  • Remove acetaminophen from nonanalgesic over-the-counter products and ensure the sale of acetaminophen products be from behind the counter, with a minimum purchasing age;
  • Ensure all acetaminophen products be required to have a child lock cap, and reduction on the quantity being sold to 36 units;
  • Restrict products to a maximum of 325 mg of acetaminophen per unit dose, thus reducing risk of both intentional and unintentional overdoses;
  • Offer immediate assistance to the provinces in the provision of mental health counselling for Canadian youth in need.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreOn behalf of Health Canada, we wish to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Grace-Lindsay McSweeney.Acetaminophen is one of the most commonly used medications for pain (analgesic) and fever (antipyretic). There is significant public reliance on acetaminophen-containing products, as evidenced by the concerns raised and heightened media attention generated by recent shortages of these products. Although generally considered to be a safe medicine when used appropriately, taking more than the recommended amount of acetaminophen can lead to unintended adverse effects, such as serious and possible fatal liver injuries.Over the past decade, Health Canada has taken a number of steps to help mitigate the risks of serious liver injury associated with the improper use of acetaminophen products. In 2009, Health Canada issued several public risk communications and updated the Acetaminophen Labelling Standard for non-prescription acetaminophen products to include warnings related to serious (including fatal) liver injury that can be associated with acetaminophen overdose or extended use.In January 2014, Health Canada completed a safety review, which was followed by a technical discussion in July 2014 on the proposed risk minimization options with key stakeholders, including health professionals, patients, and industry. Through this meeting, the Acetaminophen Education Approach Steering Committee was formed, comprised of representatives from Health Canada and stakeholder associations (which included industry and patient advocacy groups), and was tasked with developing an educational approach to raise awareness of liver injury risks. In addition, they collaborated with Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada to conduct a survey to examine consumer knowledge of acetaminophen with the goal to inform potential changes to the educational messages and identify possible knowledge gaps in awareness of the risks associated with acetaminophen.In Fall 2014, Health Canada developed a web page about acetaminophen safety for the Canadian public on the Healthy Canadians website. This information can be found here.In July 2015, a summary of the review outcome (i.e., Summary Safety Review) was posted on Health Canada’s website, as well as an Information Update on the Healthy Canadians website.A technical discussion was held in November 2015 with health professionals, patient groups, and industry to discuss the risk minimization options in further detail. The outcome was that a revised labelling standard for non-prescription acetaminophen products was published, which includes stronger warnings, clearer instructions, plainer language, and the addition of a drug facts table on product packages to help consumers better identify products that contain acetaminophen, understand its risks, and use these products as directed. A second outcome was that children's liquid products be supplied with an accurate dosing device to reduce the risk of dosing errors, which was only a requirement for pediatric products.In January 2016, social media messages about acetaminophen safety commenced on the Healthy Canadians’ Twitter and Facebook pages.Further to Health Canada’s past and ongoing efforts to support the safe and appropriate use of acetaminophen in Canada, we wish to comment on the following calls to action, as listed in the petition:       1. Require warning labels about letal overdose risk on all medical products that contain acetaminophen;All acetaminophen products in Canada are required to include a warning statement warning about taking:
  • more than the recommended dose in 24 hours;
  • with other drugs containing acetaminophen; and,
  • while drinking three (3) or more alcoholic drinks every day (for adult use products only).
Health Canada continually reviews the labelling requirements for acetaminophen-containing and other non-prescription drugs available in a self-selection environment (e.g., over the counter at local drugstores and other general retailers), specifically in the context of informing consumers of severe or possible consequences that may occur when a consumer takes too much of the medication. Health Canada promotes, where possible, increased visibility of the existing warnings, particularly on peel-back labels.       2. Remove acetaminphen from nonalgesic over-the-counter products and ensure the sale of acetaminophen products be from behind the counter, with a minimum purchasing age; The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) is responsible for determining how an over-the-counter drug can be sold in different settings in Canada. NAPRA regulates the practice of pharmacy across Canada, which includes deciding where drug products can be sold, whether it is at a pharmacy or another retail outlet, and the placement of drug products within a pharmacy; this process is referred to as drug scheduling.Health Canada is an observer of the NAPRA’s National Drug Scheduling Advisory Committee (NDSAC) and will bring the above petition request to the attention of NAPRA for consideration at the next meeting. While ultimately any decision regarding the placement of sale and/or age restrictions would be taken by NAPRA, Health Canada will be available to support NAPRA in any future decision-making with respect to the scheduling of acetaminophen. However, internationally, acetaminophen is largely available via most retail outlets, and assigning a more stringent drug schedule in Canada would be a notable contrast to our foreign regulators. Health Canada seeks to avoid limiting access of these important pain and fever relief therapies to Canadians, and complexities are particularly noteworthy for certain consumer and vulnerable patient populations (e.g., pregnant women with limited safe pain relief alternatives, people who suffer from arthritis in the hands, people who are sensitive or allergic to other analgesics, etc.). Regarding purchasing age restrictions, it remains unclear to Health Canada whether a difference in scheduling, based on indicated subpopulations, could result in real-world impact at point-of-sale. Such a restriction may not be an appropriate mechanism to address intentional overdose, particularly when considering the prominence of acetaminophen-containing products in Canadian households. Limiting access of acetaminophen-containing products to older children and adolescents may introduce unintended consequences (e.g., limit the ability of young Canadians to support aging parents or grandparents, or those suffering from other health complications, such as arthritis, etc.), which could lower the quality of life for many vulnerable Canadians and Canada’s aging population.       3. Ensure all acetaminophen products be required to have a child lock cap, and reduction on the quantity being sold to 36 units;Acetaminophen products intended for infants and children are required, in all circumstances, to be packaged in a child-resistant container. Products intended for adults and children aged 12 and over may be sold without a child-resistant container, but require additional labelling, and the manufacturer must make a child-resistant version available for consumer purchase. This approach to labelling and packaging aims to balance the safety considerations to control access of drug products to children while allowing other vulnerable people who require pain relief medication but may have difficulty opening child resistant containers (such as the elderly or people with debilitating arthritis in their hands) to have access to these products. Additionally, in 2021/22, Health Canada created a social media campaign aimed at promoting awareness of safe use and storage of medications, including acetaminophen. Health Canada leveraged messaging through high exposure social medial channels (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to educate and inform the public of how to properly and safely store medications, such as acetaminophen, to prevent their access by children. Health Canada will consider options for regular future public awareness communications.       4. Restrict products to a maximum of 325 mg of acetaminophen per unit dose, thus reducing risk of both intentional and unintentional overdoses; and,While 325 mg acetaminophen per unit dose provides pain and fever relief for many Canadians, evidence to support greater effectiveness exists for higher-dose acetaminophen products (including 500 mg and 650 mg). Ensuring that Canadians have access to medications to manage their symptoms is an important consideration when evaluating the appropriateness of higher-dose products. For example, these products become critical for people who have trouble swallowing, or for those who take many medications. Any amendments to these limits would require considerable evidence and justification to support that the benefit-risk profile of the drug is not favorable when used as intended.       5. Offer immediate assistance to the provinces in the provision of mental health counselling for Canadian youth in need.Our government recognizes the significant mental health challenges being faced by Canadian youth and is committed to supporting their mental health needs. Budget 2023 confirmed that the Government of Canada will increase health funding to provinces and territories by close to $200 billion over 10 years, including for mental health and substance use services and supports. Of this funding, $25 billion will be flowed through tailored bilateral agreements across four priority areas, which includes mental health and substance use health.This investment will build on the 2017 investment of $5 billion over 10 years to provinces and territories to improve access to mental health and addictions services, which includes a focus on expanding community-based mental health and substance use services for children and youth. One way in which provinces and territories are supporting this priority area is by expanding Integrated Youth Services (IYS). IYS models of care provide locally relevant, effective, youth-focused, and integrated services for mental health, substance use within the community. This includes “one stop shop” integrated youth hubs. There are currently approximately 70 operational integrated youth hubs across Canada and more under development.All 13 provinces and territories have developed or are developing an IYS network in their regions to implement and advance the IYS model through the sharing of best practices. Provinces and territories could use the new investment to further advance access to IYS for mental health/substance use health.Another key initiative that Canadians, including youth, can access is the Wellness Together Canada (WTC) portal. The portal, launched in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, provides free, credible information and supports available 24/7 to individuals across Canada in both official languages to help address their mild to moderate mental health and substance use issues.Through the portal, Kids Help Phone delivers one-to-one counselling via phone and text lines dedicated to youth, so that youth can access services tailored to their needs. PHAC provided more than $14.8 million over 36 months, from April 2020 to March 2023, to Kids Help Phone to provide crisis support to children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. WTC also features extensive youth-specific content available through a specific landing page designed for youth to make it easier to access tools and resources dedicated for them.The introduction of 9-8-8, a national three-digit number for suicide prevention and emotional distress in Canada, is also a priority for our government. Budget 2023 announced $158.4 million over three years to support the implementation and operation of 9-8-8. The number will replace Talk Suicide, and, through this service, Canadians will be able to call or text when in need of immediate suicide prevention and emotional distress support. This number will be activated across Canada on November 30, 2023.Previous Distress Line InvestmentsThe Government of Canada is committed to supporting initiatives that will help to prevent suicide and provide support to those affected by suicide. This is why we are providing $21 million over five years to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to implement Talk Suicide Canada, a pan-Canadian suicide prevention service. Talk Suicide Canada is currently providing suicide crisis support from trained responders, in English and French, and is available by calling toll-free at 1-833-456-4566 (available 24/7), or by texting 45645 between 4pm to 12am ET. This service includes immediate access to information and resources, such as emergency services, referrals, safety plans, and bereavement support.We are also working with community-based organizations to ensure children and youth, including post-secondary students, have access to mental health supports as they recover from the pandemic and in the long-term. This includes:
  • $2M from 2021-26 to CHEO to spread the Aaniish Naa Gegii: the Children’s Health and Well-being Measure co-developed with Indigenous partners;
  • $6.8M from 2019-24 to Foundry to help organizations implement integrated models of youth mental health care; 
  • $9M in funding to Frayme from 2019-2024 to promote broader implementation of integrated youth services in Canada;
  • $7M to the YMCA to spread enhance and spread Y Mind and Mind Medicine programs aimed at 13-30-year-olds with anxiety and depression;
  • $2M to the Canadian Mental Health Association to pilot a Campus Peer Support program in five universities; and,
  • support to MHCC for the development of the National Standard of Canada for Mental-Health and Well-Being for Post-Secondary Students.
I would like to reiterate my most profound condolences to the family and friends of Grace-Lindsay McSweeney. We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss.
AcetaminophenCanada Mental Health TransferDrug use and abuseMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJuly 19, 2023441-01430441-01430 (Justice)ArnoldViersenPeace River—WestlockConservativeABMay 9, 2023July 19, 2023January 25, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposes aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, is being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she is trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would actually make pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would only apply where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could unintentionally result in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation is inconsistent with its stated purpose and we have concerns that it is yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament229Not certifiedJuly 19, 2023e-4285e-4285 (Health)SalomeLopesKevinVuongSpadina—Fort YorkIndependentONApril 20, 2023, at 10:31 a.m. (EDT)July 19, 2023, at 10:31 a.m. (EDT)July 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="2" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons in Parliament assembled</Addressee>Whereas:The COVID-19 pandemic has exhibited significant gaps in our healthcare system in terms of protocols staff are expected to follow once a patient dies;Failure to cover the body of a deceased and the handling of their body after death has devastating long lasting repercussions to the deceased family;All Canadians expect to have their basic human rights upheld including at the time of death and thereafter;All human life should be honored and treated with dignity from conception to and including death;Witnessing death can lead to feelings of distress and guilt;Repeated exposure to death can lead to secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue; andAfter a patient passes (as immediately as possible), anyone on the team may initiate "The Medical Pause".We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada 1. To immediately implement "The Medical Pause" into our hospitals and long-term care facilities; 2. To ensure "The Medical Pause" is posted in every patient's room; and3. To protect dignity of all human life from conception to death and thereafter.Deaths and funeralsHealth care system44th Parliament229Not certifiedJuly 14, 2023e-4197e-4197 (Environment)MatthewFreedlanderLaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCMarch 16, 2023, at 11:41 a.m. (EDT)July 14, 2023, at 11:41 a.m. (EDT)July 14, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="278910" mp-riding-display="1">Minister of Environment and Climate Change</Addressee>Whereas:The Canadian Climate Net-Zero Emissions Accountability states "the Government of Canada is committed to achieving and exceeding the target for 2030 set out in its nationally determined contribution communicated in accordance with the Paris Agreement";The Government of Canada ratified the Paris Climate Agreement on November 4, 2016;The Auditor General of Canada report titled "Just Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy" states that Government of Canada has recommended the Government develop a plan for supporting workers in a just transition;By supporting the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, we would increase the incentive for other countries to accelerate their renewable energy transitions; andContinued reliance on fossil fuel infrastructure will make Canada seem to be behind the curve in science and technology. This will reduce our influence in the international community.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to pass a motion supporting a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, based around the following three pillars: 1. Non-proliferation - Putting an end to any and all additional fossil fuel project in order to protect workers to ensure a just transition;2. Fair Phase-Out - Phasing out all fossil fuel usage in line with the Paris Climate goal of 1.5 degree Celsius, by limiting extraction and removing subsidies from the fossil fuel industry; and3. Just Transition - A clear and proactive plan to ensure that oil and gas workers are not left behind as we transition from fossil fuels. Recalling the Auditor General's report, recommendations 1.30, 1.33, 1.36, 1.58, and 1.63.Employment opportunitiesFossil fuelsGreen economy44th Parliament229Not certifiedJuly 14, 2023e-4344e-4344 (Media and telecommunications)nataliewestlakeJulieDzerowiczDavenportLiberalONMarch 15, 2023, at 3:48 p.m. (EDT)July 13, 2023, at 3:48 p.m. (EDT)July 14, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Science firmly underscores the correlation between mental and sexual health. In September 2022, the World Health Organization issued a warning regarding the rise of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) globally. It states, “Countries with good STI surveillance such as the United States and Canada have reported an increase in at least 3 STIs: syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.”;In their policy, Google Canada currently treats all “sexual content available on its platform” as one, and doesn’t differentiate sexual wellness based in education, from content solely focused on “drawing attention to …strip clubs, sexually suggestive live chat, and models in sexualized poses.”; andAs a result, Google Canada is restricting any advertising of educational-based sexual health resources, with prejudice.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Make progressive adjustments to content regulations governing Google Canada’s advertising restrictions and review processes on sexual content;2. Review current guidelines in order to provide opportunity for currently restricted online Canadian “safer sex” advertisers that adhere to information grounded in science and wellness to provide content, products and services in a personalized, individualized, safe and proactive manner.Sex educationWeb search engines44th Parliament220CertifiedJuly 12, 2023e-4442e-4442 (Justice)MackensieSemenchukHon.EdFastAbbotsfordConservativeBCMay 11, 2023, at 1:50 p.m. (EDT)July 10, 2023, at 1:50 p.m. (EDT)July 12, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Medical assistance in dying will expand to Canadians with mental illness on March 17, 2024, unless Parliament intervenes;Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that supports are in place for the mental health of everyone in Canada;Vulnerable Canadians must be given suicide prevention instead of suicide assistance;Medical assistance in dying risks normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness; andCanada should focus on increasing mental health supports and improving access to these supports instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness;We, the undersigned, Citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those with mental illness.Medical assistance in dyingMental health44th Parliament229Not certifiedJuly 10, 2023e-4473e-4473 (Foreign affairs)JulieMaltaisAlexisBrunelle-DuceppeLac-Saint-JeanBloc QuébécoisQCJune 7, 2023, at 3:15 p.m. (EDT)July 7, 2023, at 3:15 p.m. (EDT)July 10, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Kiwis are endangered because of deforestation in their natural habitat; andKiwis are important to us because they are so cute and we love them.We, the undersigned, students of St. Pierre Elementary School in Alma and citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to pressure the heads of New Zealand and Australia to take the necessary steps to protect kiwis and the flora of their habitat.AustraliaEndangered speciesHabitat conservationNew Zealand44th Parliament220CertifiedJuly 10, 2023e-4354e-4354 (Civil and human rights)LynneWalkerHon.MichelleRempel GarnerCalgary Nose HillConservativeABMarch 9, 2023, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)July 7, 2023, at 3:21 p.m. (EDT)July 10, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:On October 1, 2022, the Canadian government announced that all travellers would no longer be required to show proof of vaccination in order to enter Canada;Legislators from every level of government, both in Canada and the USA, and who represent a diversity of political parties, have called on the American government to also remove proof of vaccination as a requirement to enter the United States from Canada;Democratic Senators Gillibrand and Tester have called for border vaccination requirements to end with Senator Tester stating “It is past time for America to do the same.”;It is time to safely reunite family members and friends who have been separated by border restrictions for years;Reciprocal border measures for travelers entering both Canada and the United States have been a long-standing practice between our two countries; andBorder communities, the tourism and hospitality sector, and the aviation industry have been negatively impacted by extended border restrictions.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to publicly call upon the American president to remove all remaining COVID-19 travel restrictions for Canadian citizens who wish to enter the United States of America.COVID-19ImmunizationPandemicTravel restrictions44th Parliament229Not certifiedJuly 5, 2023e-4348e-4348 (Taxation)CarlySiebHon.MichelleRempel GarnerCalgary Nose HillConservativeABMarch 3, 2023, at 9:52 a.m. (EDT)July 1, 2023, at 9:52 a.m. (EDT)July 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The federal government has totally mismanaged the economy, with record-high inflation wreaking havoc on Canadians trying to make ends meet, no end in sight to the ongoing housing crisis, and interest rate hikes meaning fewer Canadians can pay their mortgages;The Liberal government is likely looking for ways to increase revenue, potentially with tax hikes, to pay back their reckless spending of the past 8 years;Certain experts and organizations are recommending that the federal government raise the GST;Raising the GST would make the cost-of-living crisis significantly worse for Canadians; andIt is not known whether or not the Liberal government is currently considering hiking the GST.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to commit to never increasing the GST to pay back their reckless spending.Goods and services tax44th Parliament229Not certifiedJuly 5, 2023e-4468e-4468 (Foreign affairs)NadeemYounisLisaHepfnerHamilton MountainLiberalONJune 2, 2023, at 10:21 a.m. (EDT)July 2, 2023, at 10:21 a.m. (EDT)July 5, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="6" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Prime Minister</Addressee>Whereas:Human rights violations in Pakistan : Freedom of Expression and Press: Journalists, activists, and citizens exercising their right to freedom of expression face intimidation, harassment, abduction , torture and censorship. Instances of enforced disappearances, attacks, and even killings of journalists and media workers have been reported;As Canadians with Pakistani origin , we fear of visiting our loved ones back home. Under the pretext of the new law by the current Pakistan government anyone expressing their opinion about the HR violations on social media could be arrested on arrival and jailed or even tortured. This is a grave concern for all Pakistani diaspora for their safety and well being and their loved ones back home;Enforced Disappearances: There have been numerous cases of enforced disappearances , illegal arrest without any warrant and abduction. The lack of accountability , lawlessness and justice in these cases is deeply concerning; andFor example Dr. Yasmin Rashid a celebrated medical scientist , pioneer in fetal medicine , awarded for covid management as minister (former) for health, 73 years of age , fighting cancer is being illegal detained by having fraudulent criminal cases against her. This inhumane behavior needs to be stopped.We, the undersigned, Canadians with Pakistani Origin, call upon the Government of Canada to Canada as a Human Rights champion we request and urge the Government of Canada to address these issues by raising with the international human rights watch and also apply pressure on the Pakistani authorities through their diplomatic channels to stop these atrocities and respect the Human rights and also freedom of speech.Civil and human rightsForeign policyPakistan44th Parliament220CertifiedJune 28, 2023e-4448e-4448 (Health)SusanNatshehDeanAllisonNiagara WestConservativeONMay 25, 2023, at 9:02 a.m. (EDT)June 24, 2023, at 9:02 a.m. (EDT)June 28, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canada has held to the highest regulatory standards by ensuring all medical products were proven safe and effective prior to authorization through randomized controlled trials;Canada created ‘Agile Regulations’ permitting approval of novel therapeutic products that fulfill a minimal level of evidence showing their benefits outweigh their risks and their risks will be adequately managed and controlled, replacing the pre-market requirements for proven safety with post-marketing monitoring of harm;These novel medical products, classified as Advanced Therapeutic Products (ATPs), may include potentially high-risk products such as gene editing, 3D bioprinting, and nanotechnology;Proposed amendments to Canada’s Food & Drugs Act published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 156, Number 51: ‘Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Food and Drugs Act (Agile Licensing)’ seek to further strengthen the ATP framework; andAmendments of concern are those granting potential expedited access to drugs for public health emergencies, emerging infectious diseases, or the prevention and diagnosis of serious diseases or conditions, thereby permitting use of potentially harmful products in healthy adults, children, and livestock.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stop the authorization of any therapeutic product for use in healthy Canadians and livestock that has not first been proven safe and effective through rigorously conducted randomized controlled trials, and permit re-examination of the Agile Regulations and all proposed regulatory changes to the Food and Drugs Act by qualified, independent health professionals and public representatives free from conflicts of interest.Drug review processLegislationMedical research44th Parliament229Not certifiedJune 28, 2023e-4374e-4374 (Business and trade)JohnFultonBonitaZarrilloPort Moody—CoquitlamNDPBCMarch 29, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. (EDT)June 27, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. (EDT)June 28, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Responding to a global pandemic in a way that minimizes both the loss of life and the potential emergence of new, more contagious and deadly variants requires that as many people around the world have access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutic as quickly and safely as possible;From the early days of the pandemic, pharmaceutical and device manufacturers have prioritized profits over saving lives by restricting supply in low and middle-income countries, leaving large numbers untreated;Under Canada's Access to Medicines Regime, Canadian manufacturers can apply for compulsory licences to produce and export lower-cost versions of life-saving products to low-and middle-income countries that lack the manufacturing capacity to respond to public health emergencies;The first step in granting a compulsory licence is to have the requisite product added to Schedule 1 of the Patent Act; In 2005, during the global H5N1 Bird Flu outbreak, Biolyse Pharma, after "seven months" of lobbying, had Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) added to Schedule 1 of the Patent Act; and The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) report recommended the Government improve its communication and administration related to CAMR.We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry to:1. Recommend the Governor in Council as per S.21.03(1)(a) of the Patent Act immediately add avian flu vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics to Schedule 1, thereby permitting export under Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR) for Humanitarian reasons; and 2. Improve communications and administration related to CAMR, update CAMR website and contact information and repair broken links to critical information.Avian influenza ACanada's Access to Medicines RegimeExportsPharmaceuticals44th Parliament229Not certifiedJune 28, 2023e-4353e-4353 (Environment)PeterPareElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMarch 29, 2023, at 2:24 p.m. (EDT)June 27, 2023, at 2:24 p.m. (EDT)June 28, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The Marbled Murrelet (Brachyrampus marmoratus) is listed as “threatened” under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) since 2003 and is a migratory bird protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act;The federal recovery strategy notes that the Marbled Murrelet is threatened primarily due to ongoing loss of old-growth forest nesting habitat, largely from industrial forestry operations;While all nests are protected under both the federal SARA and Migratory Birds Convention Act, the Marbled Murrelets nests are virtually undetectable, therefore existing protections are insufficient for the protection of this species;The forestry industry has consistently failed to uphold their reporting obligations within proposed cut blocks;In 2021, biologists observed over 300 verified detections of Marbled Murrelets in cut block 8022, tree farm license (TFL) #46 and observed behaviours of nesting within the forest;Existing small Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs) in TFL #46 only contain 26% suitable nesting habitat as per the 2018 suitable habitat maps; andOld-growth forests meet the definition of a “wide range of biodiversity values” as per the Convention of Biological Diversity definitions.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately protect all critical old growth habitat used by Marbled Murrelets (Brachyrampus marmoratus), habitat to which the Migratory Birds Convention Act applies.Endangered speciesHabitat conservationMigratory birdsMigratory Birds Convention Act, 199444th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 21, 2023441-01429441-01429 (Justice)MartinShieldsBow RiverConservativeABMay 8, 2023June 21, 2023March 20, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Medical assistance in dying will expand to Canadians with mental illness on March 17, 2023, unless Parliament intervenes;
  • Parliament considers it a priority to ensure that supports are in place for the mental health of everyone in Canada;
  • Vulnerable Canadians must be given suicide prevention instead of suicide assistance;
  • Medical assistance in dying risks normalizing suicide as a solution for those suffering from mental illness; and
  • Canada should focus on increasing mental health supports and improving access to these supports instead of offering medical assistance in dying for those with mental illness.
Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Stop the expansion of medical assistance in dying to those with mental illness.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeMedical assistance in dying (MAID) is a complex and deeply personal matter. In 2021, Parliament passed former Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), which responds to the September 2019 Superior Court of Quebec ruling in Truchon,which struck down the eligibility criterion of “reasonably foreseeable natural death” from the Criminal Code MAID regime.The Government recognizes the difficult issues that arise when a mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition for a MAID request. Former Bill C-7, as adopted, excluded mental illness, on its own, as an eligible medical condition until March 2023. This temporary exclusion provided time for a panel of experts to examine the issue and recommend protocols, guidance and safeguards to apply to requests for MAID by persons who have a mental illness. The Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness was launched to undertake this review, and tabled its final report on May 13, 2022. Former Bill C-7 also required the establishment of a joint Parliamentary Committee to study this issue and other important issues concerning MAID. The Special Joint Committee on MAID (AMAD) undertook this study and tabled its final report on February 15, 2023. The Government of Canada is reviewing the final report and will table a Government Response, as required, in the coming months.On March 9, 2023, the MAID mental illness exclusion was extended for one year through Bill C-39, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying). This means that the provision of MAID where the sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness will continue to be prohibited until March 17, 2024. This extension will allow more time for the dissemination and uptake of key resources to the medical and nursing communities, and for the Government to meaningfully consider AMAD’s final report which provides further insight in this area.The Government continues to consider ways to ensure that our MAID laws reflect our evolving understanding of Canadians’ needs, support autonomy and freedom of choice, and protect those who may be vulnerable.
Medical assistance in dyingMental health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 21, 2023441-01428441-01428 (Foreign affairs)CarolHughesAlgoma—Manitoulin—KapuskasingNDPONMay 8, 2023June 21, 2023February 6, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline which consists of meditation exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance;In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched an intensive, nationwide persecution campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. Hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained in forced labour camps, brainwashing centres and prisons, where torture and abuse are routine and thousands died as a result;Canadian lawyer David Matas and former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour conducted an investigation in 2006 and concluded that the Chinese regime and its agencies throughout China have put to death a large number, in tens of thousands, of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience. Their vital organs were seized involuntarily for sale at high price;The Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH) has got about 1.5 million petition signatures from over 50 countries and presented to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights calling for immediate action to end the unethical practice of forced organ harvesting in China and calls for an end of the persecution of Falun Gong; andThe European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the organ harvesting abuses in China and calls on the Government of China to end immediately the practice of harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience.Therefore we, the undersigned, request the Canadian parliament and government to:A) Pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs;B) Amend Canadian legislations to combat forced organ harvesting; andC) Publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy and a priority in our government’s engagement with China. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect and promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion or belief for all.Canada has publicly voiced concerns about the intimidation and repression of ethnic minority and religious groups, including Falun Gong practitioners, and will continue to do so at every appropriate opportunity.On December 14, 2022, Bill S-223 regarding organ harvesting and trafficking, which parliamentarians have linked to Uyghurs and Falun Dafa practitioners in China, was adopted unanimously at third reading in the House of Commons by a vote of 324-0. Bill S-223 then received Royal Assent the following day. Bill S-223 makes it a criminal offence for a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to go abroad to receive an organ taken from someone who did not give informed consent to the removal of the organ. Canada joins jurisdictions such as the UK, Italy, Israel, Belgium, Norway, Spain, and South Korea and Taiwan that have passed legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, organ transplant tourism, and organ trafficking.The Government of Canada remains committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, including for the purposes of organ removal. The Government of Canada is actively engaged with other states, including China, to advocate and advance the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’s Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. Addressing the illegal organ trade is complex and requires international cooperation. Canada actively participated in the development of the revised World Health Organization’s Guiding Principles on Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation, which Member States, including China, adopted in 2010.Furthermore, Canada continues to work closely with international partners to advance the freedom of persecuted faith and belief communities worldwide. In 2015, Canada established the International Contact Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, co-Chaired by Canada and the United States. It is an important platform, which has brought together over 30 countries committed to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. It has helped advance coordinated initiatives concerning issues of religious minorities around the world.Canadian engagement on human rights encompasses high level visits, public statements, representations on specific issues and cases of concern bilaterally as well as in multilateral forums, interventions and advocacy by its diplomatic missions, and outreach to civil society.  The Government of Canada also regularly engages with a diverse range of civil society organisations, diaspora and faith and belief communities, and the broader international community to inform its approach in advocating for human rights, including freedom of religion or belief.  This includes regular meetings with Canadian civil society organizations focused on the situation of human rights in China. Global Affairs Canada and Amnesty International Canada most recently held day-long consultations with the 15-member Canadian Coalition on Human Rights in China (CCHRC) on November 21, 2022.The Government’s newly released Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) also directly outlines Canada’s approach to China. China’s rise as a global actor is reshaping the strategic outlook of every state in the region, including Canada. The third pillar of the IPS specifically invests in people, development, and the defense of human rights in the Indo-Pacific region. Canada will never apologize for pursuing its national interests, which includes upholding global rules that govern human rights.
ChinaCivil and human rightsFalun GongHuman organs and other body parts trafficking
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 21, 2023441-01427441-01427 (Business and trade)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMay 8, 2023June 21, 2023December 12, 2022Petition to the House of CommonsWhereas:
  • companies based in Canada are contributing to human rights abuse and environmental damage around the world;
  • people who protest these abuses and defend their rights are often harassed, attacked or killed. Indigenous Peoples, women and marginalized groups are especially under threat; and
  • Canada encourages but does not require companies to prevent such harms in their global operations and supply chains.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to adopt human rights and environmental due diligence legislation that would:
  • require companies to prevent adverse human rights impacts and environmental damage throughout their global operations and supply chains;
  • require companies do their due diligence, including by carefully assessing how they may be contributing to human rights abuse or environmental damage abroad and by providing access to remedy when harms occur;
  • result in meaningful consequences for companies that fail to carry out and report on adequate due diligence; and
  • establish a legal right for people who have been harmed to seek justice in Canadian courts.
Response by the Minister of LabourSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Government of Canada is committed to upholding human rights as well as labour and environmental standards. The Minister of Labour, with support from the Ministers of Public Safety, Public Services and Procurement, as well as International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, remains committed to introducing legislation to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains, while also ensuring that Canadian businesses operating abroad do not contribute to human rights abuses.In March 2022, the Government of Canada published the Labour exploitation in global supply chains: What We Heard Report, which provides a summary of past consultations on possible measures to address labour exploitation in supply chains. Stakeholders were invited to review the Report and to share feedback. Submissions were received from a range of organizations and individuals. The Government continues to consider the results of these consultations, as well as best practices and other inputs received during continued engagement with numerous civil society organizations, industry associations, foreign governments and other stakeholders.On May 3, 2023, Members of Parliament passed Senate Public Bill S-211, Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. The bill received royal assent on May 11, 2023. The Act imposes an obligation on government institutions and certain private-sector entities to report publicly on the measures taken to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour is used by them or in their supply chains. The Act also amends the Customs Tariff to allow for a prohibition on the importation of goods manufactured or produced, in whole or in part, by forced labour or child labour as those terms are defined in the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. Public Safety Canada is responsible for the implementation of this Act.Bill S-211 has sparked important dialogue and helped bring attention to the issue of forced labour in supply chains. The Government recognizes that S-211 may serve as an important first step, however, more is needed. The Government of Canada committed, as part of the 2023 federal budget, to introduce legislation in 2024 to help eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains and to strengthen the import ban on goods produced using forced labour by 2024. The legislation will be strong, effective, and enforceable. For example, whereas S-211 only requires entities to report on forced labour in their supply chains, government legislation would include due diligence measures to ensure they take action to eradicate it. Supply chain legislation is just one tool, among many, needed to address forced labour and other forms of exploitation. The Government of Canada also has in place a variety of other initiatives to prevent and address exploitation in global supply chains and to promote responsible business conduct abroad. For example, Canada is part of a number of conventions aimed at protecting human rights and works to negotiate into Canada’s free trade agreements enforceable obligations to address child and forced labour. Trade sanctions or financial penalties can also be imposed on free trade partners that do not live up to these obligations.In addition, the Government of Canada introduced the prohibition on the importation of goods produced in whole or in part by forced labour, which came into force under the Customs Tariff on July 1, 2020. This implemented an obligation in the Labour Chapter of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and applies to all goods regardless of country of origin.Furthermore, the Government’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking enhances Canada’s efforts to combat human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labour, both domestically and internationally. It is a multi-department horizontal initiative centred on prevention, protection, prosecutions, partnerships, and survivors’ empowerment. Within the National Strategy, the Government of Canada committed to promoting ethical corporate practices by encouraging industry partners to implement changes in their supply chains to prevent and reduce the risk of forced labour.On the public procurement front, Canada has strengthened its contracting regime to ensure that federal suppliers adhere to the highest ethical standards and treat their workers with dignity. To this end, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has updated its Code of Conduct for Procurement to include expectations for suppliers and their subcontractors on human and labour rights. In addition, PSPC has implemented new anti-forced labour contract clauses to ensure that they can terminate contracts where there is credible information that goods have been produced in whole or in part by forced labour or human trafficking. The clauses also enable contract termination if goods do not clear customs because of breaches under the prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour in the Customs Tariff. PSPC also recently awarded a contract to map international due diligence obligations for businesses to report on actions taken to address the risks of forced labour, human trafficking, and human rights violations in their supply chains. This research will inform ongoing activities designed to ensure that suppliers of goods and services apply the highest ethical and sustainability standards across their supply chains.At the September 2022 G7 Trade and Investment Ministers Meeting, G7 partners committed to strengthen cooperation and collective efforts towards eradicating the use of all forms of forced labour and child labour in global supply chains. This commitment includes measures that promote corporate due diligence, as well as working to further enhance predictability and certainty for businesses.The Government of Canada expects Canadian companies operating abroad to abide by all relevant laws, to respect human rights in all their activities abroad, and to adopt best practices and internationally respected guidelines, such as the United Nations (UN) Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the International Labour Organization Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy. To this end, Global Affairs Canada released its RBC Strategy in April 2022, which sets out priorities for the Government of Canada to support Canadian businesses active abroad – no matter their size, sector, or scope – to integrate leading responsible business practices into their operations, including throughout their supply chains and to help them mitigate risks. The Strategy strengthens Canada’s balanced approach to RBC, which includes preventative measures, legislation in select areas, and access to dispute resolution.In terms of access to dispute resolution, the Government of Canada supports Canada’s National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE). The NCP is mandated to offer facilitated dialogue and mediation to all sectors on issues covered by the OECD Guidelines, including disclosure, labour issues, human rights, environmental issues, and bribery. The NCP can address complaints directed at the activities of multinational enterprises in Canada and the operations of Canadian multinational enterprises operating abroad. The CORE can review complaints of alleged human rights abuses by Canadian companies operating abroad in the mining, oil and gas, and garment sectors. The CORE also has the ability to receive complaints and undertake a review at its own initiative.Canada expects that Canadian companies will participate in good faith in these dispute resolution processes. If a Canadian company has not acted in good faith during the course of or follow-up to a review process, both the NCP and the CORE can recommend the withdrawal of Trade Commissioner Service support and that Export Development Canada, and the Canadian Commercial Corporation also withdraw future support. The CORE and the NCP work with complainants and companies to find a solution through fact-finding, discussion and mediation. The two mechanisms can offer effective and accessible alternatives to judicial processes, although they do not preclude a party from addressing the issues in other fora. The Government believes that a whole-of-government approach, including supply chain legislation, will be essential in addressing labour exploitation in Canadian supply chains. We look forward to working closely with Parliamentarians, stakeholders and international partners to strengthen Canada’s approach and global efforts to address forced labour and other forms of exploitation.
Canadian companiesCivil and human rightsSocial responsibility
44th Parliament229Not certifiedJune 21, 2023e-4321e-4321 (National defence and military operations)DanielHeydenrychTakoVan PoptaLangley—AldergroveConservativeBCFebruary 21, 2023, at 3:02 p.m. (EDT)June 21, 2023, at 3:02 p.m. (EDT)June 21, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="4" affiliationId="246263" mp-riding-display="1">Associate Minister of National Defence</Addressee>Whereas:Members of the Canadian Armed Forces deploy annually on Operations Palaci, Lentus, and more recently, Operation laser;It is important to find timely and relevant ways to recognize the commitment to duty, sacrifice, and effort of our members;The Special Service Medal was created to recognize members of the Canadian Armed Forces who take part in activities and operations under exceptional circumstances. Prolonged periods of service in adverse conditions of potential avalanches, or the flooded and fire-ravaged areas of Canada, or risking potential infection by working on COVID wards or long-term care homes, are exceptional circumstances that are worthy of consideration for this award;The addition of a Domestic Operations bar to the existing Special Service Medal would provide a way to recognize our hard-working Canadian Armed Forces members who deploy into adverse conditions every year;The Special Service Medal with DomOps bar could be awarded for a period of time comparable to the existing operational service medal requirements, while actively employed on one of the current domestic operations, and for domestic operations of a similar nature that may arise in the future; andThis award would affirm to members of the Canadian Armed Forces that we recognize their commitment, while at the same time fostering esprit de corps and aiding in retention.We, the undersigned, Citizens and Residents of Canada, call upon the Associate Minister of National Defence to propose the addition of a Domestic Operations bar to the existing Special Service Medal in order to provide a way to recognize our hard-working Canadian Armed Forces members who deploy into adverse conditions every year.Canadian ForcesMilitary serviceSpecial Service Medal44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01472441-01472 (Fisheries)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMay 18, 2023June 20, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House to the following:WHEREAS:A public survey done in 2011 found that 70% of British Columbians agree with the statement that, "wild Pacific salmon are as important to British Columbians as the French language is to Quebeckers"; The Fraser River sockeye run unexpectedly collapsed in 2009, with only 1 million of the expected 10 million salmon returning to spawn; This collapse prompted the Government of Canada to launch a comprehensive Federal Commission of Inquiry, headed by the Honourable Bruce Cohen and released in 2012, to investigate the cause of this catastrophic decline; Among the 75 recommendations stemming from Justice Cohen's inquiry were:
  • The Government of Canada should remove from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans mandate the promotion of salmon farming as an industry and farmed salmon as a product,
  • The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should explicitly consider proximity to migrating Fraser River sockeye when siting salmon farms, should consider relocating existing salmon farms that are too close to existing salmon runs, and should consider prohibiting net-pen salmon farming altogether, especially in the Discovery Islands,
  • Department of Fisheries and Oceans should encourage British Columbia to require users of pesticides in forestry and agriculture to record, and report annually to the province, the areas where pesticides were applied and the amounts used, and
  • To improve future sustainability of the Fraser River sockeye, the Government of Canada should champion, within Canada and internationally, reasonable steps to address the causes of warming waters and climate change; and
Years later, the recommendations made by Justice Cohen in the Inquiry have yet to be implemented. THEREFORE, YOUR PETITIONERS call upon the House of Commons to act on the precautionary principle and immediately implement all of the 75 recommendations made by Justice Cohen to save our salmon.
Response by the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast GuardSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Mike KellowayThe Government of Canada recognizes the importance of the Cohen Commission’s recommendations and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), along with Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the Province of British Columbia, have now taken actions to address all 75 of the recommendations.Many of the Cohen recommendations are broad reaching, and consequently, acting on many of the recommendations is an ongoing task. Ongoing work on many of the Cohen recommendations continues, particularly across several key areas, such as salmon stock assessment, health status assessment, habitat protection and restoration, precautionary approach to salmon aquaculture, and fisheries management.Commitment to ongoing action is reflected in the Wild Salmon Policy 2018-2022 Implementation Plan which outlines specific activities and approaches led by DFO over the last five years towards restoring and maintaining healthy and diverse Pacific salmon populations and their habitats. A five-year report of the Implementation Plan will be published in 2023.Please see the 2018 Cohen Response Status Update Report and Annex (http://www.dfo- mpo.gc.ca/cohen/report-rapport-2018-eng.htm) for more detail on DFO’s actions to date in response to the Cohen Commission recommendations and the Wild Salmon Policy 2018-2022 Implementation Plan (https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/ip-pmo/index-eng.html). Additionally, the third Wild Salmon Policy Annual Report was released on February 4, 2022 (https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/annual-annuel/2020-2021-eng.html).
Cohen CommissionFisheries policyFisheries stocksFraser RiverPacific fisheriesSockeye salmon
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01471441-01471 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBMay 18, 2023June 20, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply.The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has also recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.With respect to services operated by European airlines, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01467441-01467 (Justice)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABMay 17, 2023June 20, 2023October 21, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01466441-01466 (Justice)JeremyPatzerCypress Hills—GrasslandsConservativeSKMay 17, 2023June 20, 2023October 21, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01465441-01465 (Justice)BlaineCalkinsRed Deer—LacombeConservativeABMay 17, 2023June 20, 2023November 4, 2022Petition to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of CanadaWe, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to the following:Whereas:The Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Bissonnette struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers;As a result of Bissonnette, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers will have their parole ineligibility period reduced, now being eligible to apply for parole after only 25 years;Bissonnette is an unjust decision, putting the interests of some of Canada's worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims;Recurring parole hearings can retraumatize the families of victims of mass murderers; andThe Government of Canada has tools at its disposal to respond to Bissonnette, including invoking the Notwithstanding Clause.Therefore, we, the undersigned, urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the Notwithstanding Clause and override Bissonnette.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeThe Government of Canada acknowledges the hurt and anger that the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) decision in R. v. Bissonnette may have rekindled for victims, survivors and their families.Nothing in the Supreme Court’s decision changes the fact that all people convicted of murder receive a mandatory life sentence, including Alexandre Bissonnette. The court did not reduce his sentence. He received a life sentence. It’s important to remember that being eligible for parole does not mean that parole will be granted.It is exceedingly rare for multiple murderers to be paroled. Our Government supported the sentencing judge’s discretion to impose a longer period of parole ineligibility when appropriate. The Government is reviewing the decision and exploring all options to respond to the decision.The use of the notwithstanding clause is very serious, since it suspends legal protections guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We believe that the notwithstanding clause should be used as a last resort, and that governments must explain the exceptional circumstances that justify the suspension of legal protections.The Government is committed to ensuring that the criminal justice system is fair and effective at ensuring that Canada is a safe, peaceful and prosperous society.
Conditional releaseConsecutive sentencesMultiple murdersNotwithstanding clause
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01464441-01464 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMay 17, 2023June 20, 2023February 6, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C clearly communicates that the future of humanity is at risk without “rapid and far-reaching” changes to mitigate a 1.5°C temperature rise in the next 11 years and to achieve zero emissions by 2050;
  • Canada is on course to significantly overshoot our 2030 Paris Agreement target (Auditor General's Report 2018) with oil and gas and transportation emissions continuing to rise (Government of Canada);
  • The World Health Organization has clearly stated that “climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century”; and
  • The health impacts from climate change, including lung disease, heat-related illness, spread of infectious diseases, displacement, famine, drought, and mental health impacts, are being felt in Canada and abroad and are expected to accelerate across our planet at an unprecedented rate threatening "human lives and viability of the national health systems they depend on” (Lancet Countdown 2018, Lancet Countdown Briefing for Canadian Policymakers, 2018).
We, the undersigned, Physician Mothers of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Act upon the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment “Call to Action on Climate Change and Health” report (February 5, 2019), which has clearly outlined specific measures towards zero emissions;
  • Prioritize the elimination of emissions and preservation of a healthy environment as part of every portfolio and in every decision made by our federal and provincial parties;
  • Implement a nationwide carbon pricing strategy;
  • Commit to the rapid elimination of fossil fuels and coal from our economy;
  • Commit to rapid incorporation of green energy and net-zero infrastructure across the country; and
  • Eliminate single use plastics.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe science is clear that accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, are necessary in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The economics are clear too – to build a strong, resilient, economy for generations to come, we must harness the power of a cleaner future.The Government of Canada recognizes this reality, and since 2015 has taken significant, ambitious steps to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous peoples. Building on this national effort, the Government of Canada released its Strengthened Climate Plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, in December 2020, to deepen emissions reductions across the economy, create new, well-paying jobs, make life more affordable for households, and build a better future.In 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act) provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on these commitments. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Act  also holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve our national targets based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Act,  Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target, including a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Measures introduced by the Government of Canada since 2015 include:
  • Bringing into force the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act ensuring that every Canadian jurisdiction has a price on carbon. The price on carbon pollution started at $20 per tonne of emissions in 2019 – and has been rising at a predictable rate of $10 per year to reach $50 in 2022. Starting in 2023, the price will start rising by $15 per year until it reaches $170 per tonne in 2030;
  • Committing to accelerate our G20 commitment to eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies from 2023 to 2025, and develop a plan to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector including by federal Crown corporations;
  • Accelerating the phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation, and positioning the oil and gas sector to cut pollution by working with stakeholders to implement a cap on oil and gas sector emissions;
  • Building Canada’s renewable electricity future by continuing to advance the Clean Electricity Standard to enable Canada to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035, and making significant investments to support renewable electricity and grid modernization projects;
  • Helping to reduce energy costs for homes and buildings, and boosting climate resiliency;
  • Driving progress on clean cars and trucks through investments in zero-emission vehicles charging and refueling infrastructure, and the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program;
  • Establishing of the Canadian Center for Climate Services which provides climate information and support to help Canadians consider climate change in their decisions, including health-related adaptation decisions via the collaborative climate information portal, ClimateData.ca; and,
  • Developing a climate lens to integrate climate considerations throughout Government of Canada decision-making.
Furthermore, the Government of Canada is taking a multi-faceted approach towards zero plastic waste and the transition to a circular economy focused on eliminating plastic pollution at its source and on keeping plastics in the economy and out of the environment.The Government has developed a management framework for single-use plastics that provides a transparent and evidence-based approach to monitoring risks to the environment posed by single-use plastics. The framework includes four criteria to determine if a single-use plastic should be banned: if the item is prevalent in the environment, poses a threat of harm (e.g., to wildlife and their habitat), is difficult to recycle, and has readily available alternatives. Using these criteria, the Government identified six categories of single-use plastics, and on June 22, 2022, published the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations. These Regulations prohibit the manufacture, import and sale of checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws. Single-use plastic flexible straws will remain available, under certain conditions, to allow continued access to those who require them for health and accessibility reasons. The Government is also developing regulations to require that all plastic packaging in Canada contain at least 50% recycled content by 2030. The same regulations will also include labelling rules that prohibit the use of the chasing-arrows symbol unless 80% of Canada’s recycling facilities accept, and have reliable end markets for, these products. Working with provinces and territories, the Government will also implement and enforce an ambitious recycling target of 90% for plastic beverage containers. The Government has also committed to supporting provincial and territorial producer responsibility efforts by establishing a plastics registry that would report annually on plastics in the Canadian economy.Actions such as these, as well as ongoing efforts with provinces and territories to ensure that producers are responsible for the cost of managing their plastic waste, will help address the issue of plastic pollution from single use plastics.The Government of Canada also recognizes that a more ambitious, strategic and collaborative approach is required to adapt to the impacts of climate change including higher temperatures, variable precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, severe floods, wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. Working with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, Indigenous peoples and other key partners and stakeholders, the federal government is developing Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy. This Strategy will advance a shared vision for climate resilience and provide a blueprint for whole-of-society action to help communities and residents of Canada better adapt to and prepare for the impacts of climate change.These and other historic commitments aim to increase Canada’s climate and environmental ambition, and to help people living in Canada be more resilient to climate impacts. These commitments will benefit all Canadians, in particular those groups that are disproportionately affected by the negative effects of climate change including children, low-income communities, seniors, and Indigenous peoples.    
Canadian Association of Physicians for the EnvironmentCarbon pricingFossil fuelsGreenhouse gasesPlasticsRenewable energy and fuel
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01455441-01455 (Justice)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMay 15, 2023June 20, 2023December 12, 2022Petition to the Government of CanadaWe, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:
  • Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians recommended expanding euthanasia to "babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very serious syndromes";
  • This proposal for the legalized killing of infants is deeply disturbing to many Canadians; and
  • Infanticide is always wrong.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeCanada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime permits persons who meet all the eligibility criteria in section 241.2 of the Criminal Code to receive MAID. In order to be eligible, a person must be at least 18 years old, make a voluntary request for MAID and consent to receiving it, and, as such, eligibility for MAID cannot be extended to babies under the existing framework. The Government of Canada has no intention of creating exemptions to criminal offences to permit MAID for babies. The Parliamentary Special Joint Committee on MAID (AMAD) recently completed its review of the provisions of the Criminal Code relating to MAID and their application, and of other issues, including those relating to mature minors (i.e., minors who have the capacity to make medical decisions). AMAD’s final report was tabled in Parliament on February 15, 2023. The Government of Canada is reviewing the final report and will table a Government Response, as required, in the coming months.
ChildrenMedical assistance in dying
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01452441-01452 (Civil and human rights)GarnettGenuisSherwood Park—Fort SaskatchewanConservativeABMay 15, 2023June 20, 2023May 16, 2022Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas: Canadians have the right to be protected against discrimination; Canadians can and do face political discrimination;It is a fundamental Canadian right to be politically active and vocal;It is in the best interest of Canadian democracy to protect public debate and the exchange of differing ideas; and Bill C-257 seeks to add protection against political discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.Therefore we, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Support Bill C-257 which bans discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity; and 2. Defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeBill C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief), proposes to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add “political belief or activity” to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination.The Government believes that all Canadians are deserving of equal respect, consideration and protection from discrimination. In addition, freedom of expression is a fundamental aspect of our democracy and is constitutionally protected in section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). The ability to express one’s opinions breathes life into such rights and democratic values as freedom of political expression and freedom of association. The Government is firmly committed to respecting and upholding the Charter and its protections, including in respect of political expression.The Bill will follow the legislative process and be debated in accordance with rules governing Private Members Bills.
C-257, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief)DiscriminationPolitical behaviour
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01447441-01447 (Transportation)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBMay 15, 2023June 20, 2023April 26, 2023Petition to the House of Commons We, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following: WHEREAS:
  • There is a growing number of residents in capital region of Winnipeg that would like to see a direct flight from Winnipeg to India or at the very least, from Winnipeg to India via one stopover in a country in Europe;
  • The region surrounding Winnipeg including Manitoba, Western Ontario and Eastern Saskatchewan has also seen substantial growth of people of Indian heritage;
  • Winnipeg has in the past, had international flights direct from Winnipeg to cities in Europe; and
  • The overall population in the area that is served by the Winnipeg International Airport has grown considerably over recent years and is estimated at close to 2 million people.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Immediately consider how best to encourage and support direct international flights from Winnipeg to destinations in India and or any European countries that have direct flights to cities in India like Amritsar and New Delhi; and2. Promote airlines to address the need and work with the Winnipeg International Airport and other stakeholders to make these flights become a reality.
Response by the Minister of TransportSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Omar AlghabraThe Government of Canada takes note of the campaign advocating for direct flights between Canada and Amritsar, India, and is aware of the importance of this issue for many Canadians, especially those with ties to Punjab.The Government of Canada is responsible for negotiating bilateral air transport agreements with foreign governments. These agreements govern the operation of scheduled air services and provide the legal framework within which airlines make decisions based on their own commercial priorities, actual market demand, and the operational viability of routes. This is an important point as the locations that Canadian airlines decide to serve are business decisions.The Government of Canada expanded its air transport agreement with India in 2022, and was able to remove limits on capacity (i.e., the number of flights that can be operated). Currently, Canadian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Bangalore (Bengaluru), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai, while Indian air carriers can operate own-aircraft services to Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and two additional points to be selected by India. While agreement was not reached on access to additional cities during the negotiations in 2022, officials from both countries remain in contact to discuss further expansion of the air transport agreement.In the meantime, when operating code-share services, which is a type of marketing arrangement, Amritsar is available to Canadian carriers. Additionally, the agreement does not preclude Indian airlines from operating direct services to/from anywhere in India, including Amritsar, to Canada.Bilateral agreements cannot be unilaterally amended, and thus far an agreement has not been reached with India with respect to access to additional cities. However, Canadian Ministers have pressed Canada’s air transport interests during meetings with their Indian counterparts. The Minister of Transport has pursued the addition of cities in Punjab in the air transport agreement on multiple occasions, including with India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia, in May of 2022, where he sought an expanded air transport agreement that also includes direct access to Amritsar for Canadian airlines.Over the past year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with her counterpart, India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a number of occasions, which is a reflection of the countries’ strong and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. The Ministers have continually taken these opportunities to reaffirm their commitment to deepening cooperation in these and all facets of the bilateral relationship.Most recently, these Ministers met on March 3, 2023, and discussed, among other things, Canada’s interests in obtaining market access for direct air services to a greater number of cities in India (including in Punjab).Subsequently, on March 24, 2023, Canada’s High Commissioner to India wrote to Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, reiterating Canada’s interest in exchanging the right for Canada’s respective airlines to operate services to any point or points in the other country’s territory. The Government of Canada has not yet received a reply.The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development has also recently spoken with her counterpart, the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, on May 8, 2023 regarding this issue. The Minister of Transport also met with Minister Goyal the same day to further press Canada’s interest in access to Punjab.With respect to services operated by European airlines, Canada’s air transport agreement with the United Kingdom and its agreement with the 27 Member States of the European Union, are very open, and permit airlines to operate from all cities in Canada to any destinations in the United Kingdom or the European Union. There are no impediments preventing Canadian, United Kingdom or European Union air carriers from serving Winnipeg. However, it is important to note that the Government of Canada does not determine which routes Canadian or foreign carriers serve as the decision is a commercial one made by airlines. It is also important to note that the rights of European airlines to serve points in India are set out in the air transport agreements between those carriers’ respective home countries and India. 
Air transportationIndiaWinnipeg
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023e-4266e-4266 (Health)JanelleBreese BiagioniAlistairMacGregorCowichan—Malahat—LangfordNDPBCFebruary 1, 2023, at 2:53 p.m. (EDT)May 2, 2023, at 2:53 p.m. (EDT)May 12, 2023June 20, 2023May 3, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:There are approximately 165,000 new cases of brain injury annually in Canada;Health and community service providers require more education regarding the intersection of brain injury, mental health, and addiction;For every NHL player who suffers a concussion in sport, more than 5,500 Canadian women sustain the same injury from domestic violence;There were 21,824 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations resulting in hypoxic brain injury between January 2016 and June 2020 in Canada;An estimated 60% of brain injury survivors suffer from anxiety and/or depression;The risk of suicide increases by 400% for a survivor of brain injury;Brain injury survivors face a 200% increased risk of struggling with addictions after sustaining a brain injury; andDespite the federal government committing $11 billion over ten years to improve community support and mental health and/or addiction services, none are specifically targeted to brain injury.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-277 to develop a national strategy to support and improve brain injury awareness, prevention, and treatment, as well as the rehabilitation and recovery of persons living with a brain injury.
Response by the Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Adam van KoeverdenThousands of Canadians are hospitalized each year due to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which can range from mild to severe and include concussions. Work has been done in recent years across governments, with stakeholders and health care professionals to provide support to TBI survivors and improve education and awareness of TBI, as injuries to the head and brain are of special public health concern. Efforts are underway to recognize, educate, and prevent the public health issue of TBI and concussions in Canada.In response to the Minister of Health’s and Minister of Canadian Heritage’s mandates in 2015 and 2019, the Government of Canada supported the implementation of a pan-Canadian concussion strategy and the development of tools and resources to raise awareness for parents, coaches, and athletes on concussion treatment.Budget 2016 committed $1.4 million to support the development and implementation of a harmonized approach with provinces and territories on concussion prevention, detection, and management in Canada. With this funding administered through the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Parachute, a national injury prevention organization, developed The Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport (2017) to present a harmonized approach to concussion management. In November 2018, PHAC provided Parachute with $1.18 million in funding to produce education and awareness resources for parents as well as school and sport stakeholders to support Canadians in their return to school, sports, and daily activities post-concussion, as well as provide resources for medical and allied health professionals.PHAC also funded the SCHOOLFirst project, led by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, to provide information to Canadian teachers and school boards on best practices for students returning to school after a concussion and the Concussion Ed application to help parents manage their child's concussion.Additionally, between 2017 and 2022, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) invested $51 million in research on traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, with $12.1 million invested in 2021-2022 alone. This encompasses a broad spectrum of research on traumatic brain injuries, including on sports-related concussions, injuries related to intimate partner violence, and the intersection of brain injury and mental health (including anxiety and depression). CIHR’s support for research in this investment includes a $1.5 million, five-year Network Catalyst Grant to Dr. Keith Yeates at the University of Calgary to establish the Canadian Concussion Network (CCN). This network brings together Canadian concussion researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders from multiple fields – including sports, health, education, and industry – to shape best practices and policies in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of concussions, with a particular focus on youth and sport.The Government of Canada also works closely with provincial and territorial counterparts on the pan-Canadian concussion strategy and raising awareness for parents, coaches, and athletes on concussion treatment. In September 2021, federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in collaboration with the sport and health sectors, worked together to launch the first annual concussion awareness week and day.In addition to education and prevention efforts, injury surveillance is a cornerstone of public health and important to understanding the burden, identifying risk and protective factors, and assessing the progress and success of prevention efforts.In August 2020, PHAC released a comprehensive surveillance report on traumatic brain injuries and concussions in Injury in Review, 2020 edition: Spotlight on Traumatic Brain Injuries Across the Life Course. This report provides national surveillance statistics on head injuries and traumatic brain injuries across the life course, including deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits, and summarizes findings from various surveillance systems reporting on:
  • Deaths—from the Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database (CVS:D) of Statistics Canada;
  • Hospitalizations—from the Hospital Morbidity Database (HMDB) and the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) of the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI);
  • Emergency department visits—from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) (CIHI); and,
  • Emergency department visits—from the Public Health Agency of Canada's electronic Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (eCHIRPP).
To augment the surveillance of concussions and other traumatic brain injuries, PHAC partnered with Statistics Canada on a Rapid Response Survey on Head Injuries/Concussions. Data from this survey is expected to be released in 2023.In 2022, PHAC launched the Concussion Detection Challenge, which aims to prevent severe health outcomes associated with concussions by encouraging innovators to bring forward solutions that detect concussions using objective clinical indicators. The intent is to generate user-friendly solutions that can be used by health practitioners and allied professionals with little specialized training. The Challenge is delivered through the Innovative Solutions Canada program administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.Traumatic brain injury resulting from family and gender-based violence is a serious public health issue that impacts individuals, families, and communities, and can have life-altering effects on survivors. PHAC is also investing up to $10 million per year to prevent and address family violence and support the health of survivors.Through Canada’s Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence, PHAC also invests up to $8.5 million per year ongoing in initiatives to prevent youth dating violence and child maltreatment, and to equip health professionals to recognize and respond safely to gender-based violence.The Government of Canada is also committed to supporting initiatives that will help to prevent suicide and provide support to those affected by suicide. In support of this, the Government is providing $21 million over five years to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to implement a pan-Canadian suicide prevention service in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association and Crisis Services Canada. Talk Suicide Canada is currently providing individuals with access to crisis support from trained responders, via phone (24/7) by calling toll-free 1-833-456-4566, or by texting 45645 between 4pm to 12am ET. This includes immediate access to trained responders, providing information and resources, including support for someone concerned about a loved one considering suicide.Moving forward, the Government of Canada is advancing the introduction of 9-8-8, a three-digit number for suicide prevention and emotional distress that will provide crisis support for Canadians via phone and text. Budget 2023 announced $158.4 million over 3 years to support the implementation of 988, which will be launched across Canada on November 30, 2023, and will build on the existing Talk Suicide Canada service.The Government of Canada also prioritized providing mental health crisis support during the COVID-19 pandemic. To support distress centres that were experiencing a surge in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, an investment of $50 million was made to bolster their capacity. Through this investment, $2 million was also provided to CAMH to support the development and curation of resources for distress centres to better meet the needs of diverse populations, including older adults, youth, LGBTQ2+ populations, First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, racially and linguistically diverse groups, and people with disabilities.Finally, the Government is committed to developing a National Suicide Prevention Action Plan based on the best available evidence. To advance this, PHAC is engaging with stakeholders and partners on key elements of the Action Plan, building on best practices and innovations in suicide prevention and life promotion. The National Action Plan will complement the implementation of 9-8-8. It will also build on the existing Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention, which was released in 2016 and communicates the Government of Canada’s guiding principles and strategic objectives for suicide prevention, most notably: raising awareness and reducing stigma; connecting people to information and resources; and accelerating innovation and research. We are aware of Bill C-277, An Act to establish a national strategy on brain injuries and look forward to considering this bill when it is debated in the House of Commons.
Brain injuriesC-277, An Act to establish a national strategy on brain injuries
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01440441-01440 (Health)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMay 11, 2023June 20, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • The overdose crisis in Canada is a public health emergency, as has already been declared by British Columbia's Provincial Health Officer and several municipalities across Canada;
  • More than 13,900 individuals have died of opioid-related deaths and there have been 17,050 opioid-related poisoning hospitalizations in Canada since 2016;
  • There is disproportionate representation of Indigenous people affected by the overdose crisis; and
  • The Canadian Public Health Association, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations, have recommended drug decriminalization.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to:
  • Declare a public health emergency due to overdose deaths in Canada;
  • Reframe the overdose crisis in Canada as a health issue rather than a criminal issue;
  • Take a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to the overdose crisis, by addressing issues of addiction, poverty, housing, health care, racial discrimination, and economic inequality and instability;
  • Listen to and act on recommendations made by social workers, front-line workers, nurses, doctors, drug users, and individuals directly involved in the drug-using community; and
  • Decriminalize drugs in Canada.
Response by the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of HealthSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Élisabeth BrièreThe toxic drug and overdose crisis is one of the most serious and unprecedented public health threats in Canada’s recent history, which is having devastating impacts on individuals, friends and families, and communities across the country. The Government recognizes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to a public health approach to address the crisis.The Government of Canada also recognizes that the crisis has only become more complex due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This had led to a more uncertain and toxic illegal drug supply, resulting in tragic increases in overdose-related deaths across the country, as well as reduced access to health and social services due to COVID-related health measures (such as social distancing requirements, isolation requirements, etc.) and staff shortages, such as life-saving harm reduction, pharmaceutical-grade alternatives and treatment services. Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada have been working with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities and other partners, including researchers, advocates and people with lived and living experience (PWLLE), to ensure that people who use drugs can continue to access the treatment, harm reduction and other services they need.The Government of Canada remains fully committed to addressing the overdose crisis as a health issue and is working with partners across all provinces and territories to save lives.The Government of Canada recognizes that substance use is a public health issue, not an issue for the criminal justice system. We are committed to a public health approach to address the crisis. Canada’s approach to substance use issues is comprehensive, collaborative, and compassionate, guided by our federal drug strategy – the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS). The CDSS takes a public health-focused approach and lays out our framework for evidence-based actions to reduce the harms associated with substance use in Canada. In the context of the worsening overdose crisis, and taking steps to reduce harms and deaths related to substance use, the Government is placing particular focus on:
  • ensuring that harm reduction services are available to Canadians who need them;
  • working with stakeholders to reduce stigma directed at people who use drugs, which acts as a barrier to accessing critical health and social services and often leads to social isolation and further risk of harms;
  • continuing to work with provinces and territories to improve access to evidence-based treatment options;
  • continuing to address illegal production and trafficking, with a focus on organized drug crime; and,
  • implementing additional surveillance and research activities that will further build the evidence base and allow us to pursue innovative solutions to this public health crisis.
Since 2017, the federal government has taken significant actions and made commitments of more than $1 billion to address the toxic drug and overdose crisis and substance use-related harms. Recent examples of key federal investments in this area include:
  • Close to $500 million through the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) since 2017 in support of community-based organizations responding to substance use issues, including investments to help them provide direct services in a COVID-19 context and to scale-up key lifesaving measures and increase access to a safer drug supply as an alternative to the contaminated supply;
  • $150 million through the one-time Emergency Treatment Fund to provinces and territories, which, when cost-matched with the provinces and territories, will result in an investment over $300 million to improve access to evidence-based treatment services; and,
  • $45 million to develop national standards for mental health and substance use services, in collaboration with provinces and territories, health organizations and key stakeholders, to address long-standing challenges in the delivery of mental health and substance use services and supports across the country; and,
  • $22.8 million in public education through national and targeted advertising, partnerships and experiential marketing on the risks of opioids, overdose awareness, harm reduction and stigma awareness and reduction.
Budget 2023 proposes to provide a total of $359.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $5.7 million ongoing and $1.3 million in remaining amortization, to support a renewed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, which would guide the government's work to save lives and protect the health and safety of Canadians. This includes:
  • $144 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Health Canada for the Substance Use and Addictions Program to fund community-based supports, including safer supply, supervised consumption sites, and other evidence-based health interventions;
  • $20.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Public Health Agency of Canada for a new community-based program to prevent substance use among young people; 
  • $73.9 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $4.6 million ongoing, to Health Canada to streamline authorizations for supervised consumption sites and drug checking services, scale-up access to safer supply, and evaluate innovative approaches;
  • $50.8 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, with $1.1 million ongoing and $1.3 million in remaining amortization, to Health Canada, and $16 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Public Health Agency of Canada to support vital data collection on substance-related harms and lab-based analysis of the illegal drug supply;
  • $4.6 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Public Safety Canada to develop an overdose monitoring app for paramedics and other first responders; and,
  • $42 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, $6.2 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Public Services and Procurement Canada, and $1.6 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, sourced from existing resources, to Global Affairs Canada, to take further action to work with our partners to tackle drug trafficking and stem the global flow of these devastating substances.
Of note, under SUAP, more than $26 million has been allocated to fund Naloxone distribution, education and training. In addition, the Government of Canada is supporting policies and approaches for greater access to pharmaceutical-grade alternative to the toxic illegal drug supply – a practice often referred to as safer supply. As of June 2023, Health Canada has supported 31 safer supply pilot projects across Canada through SUAP representing total funding commitments of over $100 million. This includes supporting a range of service delivery projects in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, research/knowledge transfer and exchange projects, and a National Safer Supply Community of Practice to help share knowledge amongst stakeholders.Health Canada has supported the rapid expansion of supervised consumption services across Canada. Since January 2016, the number of federally approved supervised consumption sites offering services has grown from 1 to 40. Health Canada also proactively issued exemptions that allows provinces and territories to establish new temporary Urgent Public Health Need Sites – also known as overdose prevention sites – within existing supervised consumption sites, shelters or other temporary sites, as needed. Urgent Public Health Need Sites, unlike supervised consumption sites, are temporary locations that can be set up rapidly to address the overdose crisis. Both share the goal of reducing overdose deaths.We have also made a number of regulatory changes at the federal level to help improve access to medications used in drug treatment and safer supply programs, including:
  • issuing a class exemption (an exemption authorized to a group of people, such as pharmacists, to conduct specific activities with controlled substances) to make it easier for patients to access the medications they need;
  • approving injectable hydromorphone as a treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder;
  • approving injectable diacetylmorphine as a new treatment option for patients with severe opioid use disorder; as well facilitating the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and diacetylmorphine; and,  
  • authorizing nurses who provide health care services at a community health facility to conduct certain activities with controlled substances.
The Government recognizes that social determinants of health, such as poverty, discrimination, and trauma, can place individuals at an increased risk of substance use harms and that the approaches to reduce these harms require sustained efforts and supports from diverse systems. We continue to work closely across federal departments to ensure that federal actions on mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, poverty, and reconciliation are coordinated and synergistic. We are also committed to engaging collaboratively with provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, and other stakeholders to advance whole-of-society approaches to these issues.The Government of Canada is also working closely with provinces and territories to change the way our healthcare system delivers mental health and substance use services to Canadians. It is important for Canadians to have timely access to trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, quality mental health and substance use services that meet their needs, including underserved and equity-deserving individuals. That is why, on February 7, 2023, the Prime Minister announced that the federal government will invest $198.6 billion over ten years to bolster the health care system, notably: top-ups to the Canada Health Transfer to address immediate health care pressures; and $25 billion over 10 years to support shared health priorities through tailored bilateral agreements.In response to substance use harms and the opioid overdose crisis, the Government of Canada is regularly consulting with stakeholders and has convened several expert advisory groups, including people directly impacted by substance use. The Government regularly engages with PWLLE and organizations that represent them, including: regular bi-lateral meetings with key organizations; participation on projects teams; facilitating PWLLE engagement in government and ministerial events and meaningful consultations in order to better understand their perspectives of substance use; and on-the-ground realities (e.g., roundtables, Knowledge Exchange Series, etc.).Health Canada established the PWLLE Council, the Expert Advisory Group on Safer Supply and the Expert Task Force on Substance Use as part of this engagement strategy. We have established federal, provincial and territorial governance tables, including the Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses, the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee on Substance Use (formerly Problematic Substance Use & Harms), and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Assistant Deputy Minister Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use to facilitate ongoing collaboration and consultation with provincial and territorial partners.The Government of Canada continues collaboration between jurisdictions, health providers, researchers, people with lived and living experience, stakeholders and partners such as community-based organizations to reduce the harms associated with substance use and providing people with the culturally appropriate and trauma-informed support they need.Some stakeholders have reported that the criminalization of personal drug possession can, increase risks of overdose and other harms, increase barriers to care and perpetuate stigma. Canada recognizes that stigma can prevent people who use substances from accessing the health and social services that they need and contributes to negative health outcomes. To help reduce stigma in police interactions with people who use drugs and to avoid causing more harm, Public Safety Canada launched an online training module specifically designed for law enforcement members in September 2020. The training raises awareness of the harms associated with substance use stigma and provides law enforcement members with practical tools to support their interactions with people who use drugs.The federal government is committed to using every tool at its disposal and examining all evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country. The Government is working to divert people who use drugs away from criminal justice systems and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health services and social supports, when needed. For example, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act was passed into law in May 2017, providing some legal protection from simple drug possession charges for individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose.Furthermore, Bill C-5, which received Royal Assent on November 17, 2022, made legislative amendments to the Criminal Code and to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Among other measures, the amendments encourage police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures – including diverting individuals to treatment programs – instead of laying a criminal charge or prosecuting individuals for personal drug possession. These amendments also repealed mandatory minimum penalties for certain offences in the CDSA to reflect the Government’s public-health-focused approach to substance use. These measures are consistent with the August 2020 Guidelines issued by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada directing prosecutors that alternatives to prosecution should be considered for the personal possession of drugs, except where public safety concerns arise.In May 2022, at the request of the Province of British Columbia, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health granted a time-limited exemption under the CDSA so that adults 18 years of age and older in the province will not be subject to criminal charges for personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs. Instead, where appropriate, individuals may be provided with information regarding local health and social services. Upon request, they could also receive assistance to connect with those services. British Columbia requested this exemption, and it is an additional way that the federal government is supporting the province’s comprehensive approach to the overdose crisis. This time-limited exemption will be supported by rigorous monitoring and a third-party evaluation to gather evidence and data on its impacts and outcomes. The results will help inform Canada’s comprehensive approach to addressing substance use harms. We have also received a request from Toronto Public Health, and we are working in close partnership to ensure both public health and public safety considerations are included. We will continue to work with willing jurisdictions to use all the tools at our disposal, including approaches related to decriminalization, to respond to this crisis.Moving forward, under the mandate of the new Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Health Canada will continue working with its partners and stakeholders to advance a comprehensive federal strategy to address substance use in Canada, including the toxic drug and overdose crisis. Canada will continue to support provinces, territories and Indigenous communities to improve access to a full range of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services, in addition to leading efforts to reduce stigma and create national standards for substance use treatment programs. The Government of Canada believes that substance use is a health issue and is committed to examining all options and evidence to respond to the tragic increase in overdoses and to help save lives, while also ensuring the safety of communities across the country.
DecriminalizationDrug use and abuseOpiates and opioidsPublic health
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01439441-01439 (Business and trade)LouiseChabotThérèse-De BlainvilleBloc QuébécoisQCMay 11, 2023June 20, 2023May 4, 2023Petition to the House of Commons of CanadaWhereas:
  • some Canadian companies contribute to human rights abuses and environmental damage around the world;
  • people who protest these abuses and stand up for their rights are often harassed, attacked or killed. Indigenous peoples, women and marginalized groups are particularly at risk; and
  • Canada encourages companies to stop these harms from happening in their global operations and supply chains, but does not require them to.
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call on the House of Commons to adopt legislation on due diligence for human and environmental rights that:
  • would require companies to prevent any negative impact on human and environmental rights throughout their global operations and supply chains;
  • would require companies to exercise due diligence, including a careful assessment of how they might contribute to human and environmental rights abuses abroad and ensuring access to remedies if any harm occurs; and
  • would set out significant consequences for companies that fail to exercise adequate due diligence and report on it; and would establish a statutory right for persons harmed to seek justice in Canadian courts.
Response by the Minister of LabourSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Terry SheehanThe Government of Canada is committed to upholding human rights as well as labour and environmental standards. The Minister of Labour, with support from the Ministers of Public Safety, Public Services and Procurement, as well as International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, remains committed to introducing legislation to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains, while also ensuring that Canadian businesses operating abroad do not contribute to human rights abuses.In March 2022, the Government of Canada published the Labour exploitation in global supply chains: What We Heard Report, which provides a summary of past consultations on possible measures to address labour exploitation in supply chains. Stakeholders were invited to review the Report and to share feedback. Submissions were received from a range of organizations and individuals. The Government continues to consider the results of these consultations, as well as best practices and other inputs received during continued engagement with numerous civil society organizations, industry associations, foreign governments and other stakeholders.On May 3, 2023, Members of Parliament passed Senate Public Bill S-211, Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. The bill received royal assent on May 11, 2023. The Act imposes an obligation on government institutions and certain private-sector entities to report publicly on the measures taken to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour is used by them or in their supply chains. The Act also amends the Customs Tariff to allow for a prohibition on the importation of goods manufactured or produced, in whole or in part, by forced labour or child labour as those terms are defined in the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act. Public Safety Canada is responsible fo the implementation of this Act. Bill S-211 has sparked important dialogue and helped bring attention to the issue of forced labour in supply chains. The Government recognizes that S-211 may serve as an important first step, however, more is needed. The Government of Canada committed, as part of the 2023 federal budget, to introduce legislation in 2024 to help eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains and to strengthen the import ban on goods produced using forced labour by 2024. The legislation will be strong, effective, and enforceable. For example, whereas S-211 only requires entities to report on forced labour in their supply chains, government legislation would include due diligence measures to ensure they take action to eradicate it.  Supply chain legislation is just one tool, among many, needed to address forced labour and other forms of exploitation. The Government of Canada also has in place a variety of other initiatives to prevent and address exploitation in global supply chains and to promote responsible business conduct abroad. For example, Canada is part of a number of conventions aimed at protecting human rights and works to negotiate into Canada’s free trade agreements enforceable obligations to address child and forced labour. Trade sanctions or financial penalties can also be imposed on free trade partners that do not live up to these obligations.In addition, the Government of Canada introduced the prohibition on the importation of goods produced in whole or in part by forced labour, which came into force under the Customs Tariff on July 1, 2020. This implemented an obligation in the Labour Chapter of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and applies to all goods regardless of country of origin.Furthermore, the Government’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking enhances Canada’s efforts to combat human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labour, both domestically and internationally. It is a multi-department horizontal initiative centred on prevention, protection, prosecutions, partnerships, and survivors’ empowerment. Within the National Strategy, the Government of Canada committed to promoting ethical corporate practices by encouraging industry partners to implement changes in their supply chains to prevent and reduce the risk of forced labour.On the public procurement front, Canada has strengthened its contracting regime to ensure that federal suppliers adhere to the highest ethical standards and treat their workers with dignity. To this end, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has updated its Code of Conduct for Procurement to include expectations for suppliers and their subcontractors on human and labour rights. In addition, PSPC has implemented new anti-forced labour contract clauses to ensure that they can terminate contracts where there is credible information that goods have been produced in whole or in part by forced labour or human trafficking. The clauses also enable contract termination if goods do not clear customs because of breaches under the prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour in the Customs Tariff. PSPC also recently awarded a contract to map international due diligence obligations for businesses to report on actions taken to address the risks of forced labour, human trafficking, and human rights violations in their supply chains. This research will inform ongoing activities designed to ensure that suppliers of goods and services apply the highest ethical and sustainability standards across their supply chains.At the September 2022 G7 Trade and Investment Ministers Meeting, G7 partners committed to strengthen cooperation and collective efforts towards eradicating the use of all forms of forced labour and child labour in global supply chains. This commitment includes measures that promote corporate due diligence, as well as working to further enhance predictability and certainty for businesses.The Government of Canada expects Canadian companies operating abroad to abide by all relevant laws, to respect human rights in all their activities abroad, and to adopt best practices and internationally respected guidelines, such as the United Nations (UN) Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the International Labour Organization Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy. To this end, Global Affairs Canada released its RBC Strategy in April 2022, which sets out priorities for the Government of Canada to support Canadian businesses active abroad – no matter their size, sector, or scope – to integrate leading responsible business practices into their operations, including throughout their supply chains and to help them mitigate risks. The Strategy strengthens Canada’s balanced approach to RBC, which includes preventative measures, legislation in select areas, and access to dispute resolution.In terms of access to dispute resolution, the Government of Canada supports Canada’s National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE). The NCP is mandated to offer facilitated dialogue and mediation to all sectors on issues covered by the OECD Guidelines, including disclosure, labour issues, human rights, environmental issues, and bribery. The NCP can address complaints directed at the activities of multinational enterprises in Canada and the operations of Canadian multinational enterprises operating abroad. The CORE can review complaints of alleged human rights abuses by Canadian companies operating abroad in the mining, oil and gas, and garment sectors. The CORE also has the ability to receive complaints and undertake a review at its own initiative.Canada expects that Canadian companies will participate in good faith in these dispute resolution processes. If a Canadian company has not acted in good faith during the course of or follow-up to a review process, both the NCP and the CORE can recommend the withdrawal of Trade Commissioner Service support and that Export Development Canada, and the Canadian Commercial Corporation also withdraw future support. The CORE and the NCP work with complainants and companies to find a solution through fact-finding, discussion and mediation. The two mechanisms can offer effective and accessible alternatives to judicial processes, although they do not preclude a party from addressing the issues in other fora. The Government believes that a whole-of-government approach, including supply chain legislation, will be essential in addressing labour exploitation in Canadian supply chains. We look forward to working closely with Parliamentarians, stakeholders and international partners to strengthen Canada’s approach and global efforts to address forced labour and other forms of exploitation.
Canadian companiesCivil and human rightsSocial responsibility
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2023441-01438441-01438 (Culture and heritage)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMay 11, 2023June 20, 2023March 17, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADAWHEREAS
  • In April 2022, the Government of Canada announced it would be contributing $454,112 and the Province of British Columbia would be providing $9,545,888 towards a new regional aquatic centre in the District of Kent;
  • In the months since this announcement, inflation and supply chain challenges have increased the cost of construction by approximately 30 per cent and the District is in need of additional funding;
  • The Government of Canada has been open to funding flexibility when it comes to projects in rural communities and in support of reconciliation;
  • Indigenous families living on-reserve in the areas surrounding Kent District utilize many services in the community and would be well served by this aquatic centre; and
  • The District of Kent received written support for the project from surrounding communities, including the Seabird Island, Cheam, Stó:lo, Sts'ailes, Sq'éwlets, Skawahlook, Popkum and Peters First Nations, the Village of Harrison Hot Springs and the Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Areas 'C' and 'D'.
THEREFOREWe, the undersigned residents of the District of Kent, Harrison Hot Springs, the Seabird Island, Cheam, Stó:lo, Sts'ailes, Sq'éwlets, Skawahlook, Popkum and Peters First Nations and the Fraser Valley Regional District Electoral Areas 'C' and 'D', call upon the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities to provide additional funding to support the construction of the Lets'emot Regional Aquatic Centre.
Response by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Jennifer O'ConnellThe Government of Canada is committed to renewing the relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership, as well as implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. This includes making significant infrastructure investments in Indigenous communities that improve socio economic conditions and community well being.Since 2016, the Government of Canada has made significant infrastructure investments in British Columbia, with more than $5.5 billion in Federal funding provided for projects in the province, which includes just under $2.86 billion under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. Over $240 million has been allocated to community, culture, sport and recreation projects through Infrastructure Canada’s various programs.On March 2, 2022, Infrastructure Canada approved $454,112 in funding for the District of Kent Aquatic Centre. The project was prioritized through the final provincial intake under the Community, Culture, and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which is managed by British Columbia’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs. This final intake allocated all remaining funding under the Community, Culture and Recreation stream in British Columbia. The combined federal and provincial funding totals $10 million, representing a 73% cost share on the District of Kent Aquatic Centre project.With respect to infrastructure projects experiencing cost overruns, it is important to note that Infrastructure Canada provides a contribution toward the total estimated eligible cost of a project, and that contribution is capped at a maximum amount at the time of approval. Infrastructure Canada is not in a position to increase federal funding to cover cost overruns.As of March 31, 2023, no further projects can be submitted by British Columbia under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, and the program allocation available for projects in the province has been fully committed.Nevertheless, following the March 31, 2023 project submission deadline for provinces, new time-limited flexibilities may be available to redistribute funding that remains unused in projects as a result of cancellations, cost savings or descoping. For example, provinces may request the decommitment of unused funding for its reallocation to other projects to accommodate scope increases and, in exceptional cases, revised cost estimates. These flexibilities are time-limited. All requests for decommitments and reallocations should be submitted by the Province of British Columbia through established program communication channels. Any such requests would be reviewed by Infrastructure Canada and approved at Canada’s discretion.These flexibilities acknowledge the ongoing volatility in the construction sector, and are intended to ensure the ongoing availability and maximal use of federal funding for provinces and municipalities.Additional federal funding may be available for the project under the Canada Community Building Fund, which is managed by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Please note that the maximum funding from all federal sources for municipal projects approved under the Community, Culture and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Instructure Program cannot exceed forty percent of total eligible costs. For questions related to the current availability of funds in British Columbia under the Canada Community Building Fund, it is recommended that you contact the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.As some of Infrastructure Canada’s largest infrastructure funding programs have reached full allocation, the department is taking stock of existing programs and gaining an understanding of needs, which will help to inform the development of the next suite of federally-led infrastructure programming. Infrastructure Canada recognizes that infrastructure programs will need to be efficient and flexible, and attuned to regional and local priorities, while delivering the economic, social, and environmental outcomes that Canadians expect.
AgassizSport and recreation facilities
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 19, 2023e-4340e-4340 (Foreign affairs)KarenRodmanSalmaZahidScarborough CentreLiberalONMarch 2, 2023, at 11:18 a.m. (EDT)April 1, 2023, at 11:18 a.m. (EDT)May 4, 2023June 19, 2023April 3, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The February 2023 earthquakes in Syria and Turkey have been devastating, with thousands of people dead, injured and without homes, and critical infrastructure destroyed;Aid must be provided urgently to all affected areas of Syria, as it has been to Turkey;Canada's unilateral coercive economic sanctions are impeding aid reaching many areas in Syria;The UN Charter recognizes that economic sanctions are an act of war, and thus, reserves the right to solely establish these economic measures under the United Nations Security Council;Syria is not sanctioned by the United Nations;Unilateral economic sanctions are incompatible with the general principles of international law;Canada has placed unliteral coercive economic sanctions on Syria;The United States has suspended some sanctions on Syria, in response to the earthquake;There has been a call by international human rights and humanitarian organizations, and faith groups to remove sanctions so needed assistance can reach all areas of Syria; andUrgent humanitarian assistance is required immediately, and there will be a critical need for aid to rebuild and recover for many months and even years.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately and permanently end its unilateral economic sanctions on Syria so all impacted Syrian civil society can receive urgently needed resources.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada remains deeply concerned by the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye, which have claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and injured many more. In response, Canada announced that it is providing $50 million in humanitarian assistance to support the international response to this emergency, $20 million of which is dedicated to Syria. This contribution is actively helping support emergency medical services and providing shelter, food and other essential items to populations most effected in Syria and Türkiye. This is in addition to the $50 million Canada allocated in humanitarian assistance for Syria in 2023.Canada first imposed sanctions against Syria in May 2011, in response to the Syrian government’s violent crackdown on peaceful protestors. Canada’s sanctions are enacted under the Special Economic Measures Act, and target members of the Syrian regime responsible for human rights violations and resulting breach of international peace and security in the region. They are not targeting the Syrian population at large. As an added measure to ensure that Canadian sanctions do not inadvertently impact humanitarian activities, Canadian sanctions include legislated exceptions, including for humanitarian activities led by international organizations with diplomatic status; United Nations agencies; the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement; and NGOs that have entered into a grant or contribution agreement with the Global Affairs Canada. As such, it is not prohibited under Canada’s Special Economic Measures Act for individuals or entities to make goods or services available to those entities, as long as those goods and services are for the purpose of safeguarding human life, or providing food, medicine or medical supplies or equipment. Canadian sanctions also include exemptions for disaster relief, democratisations or stabilisation under certain circumstances.Humanitarian assistance from Canada and the international community has continued unabated in order to support the Syrian people. Canada has delivered over $685 million in humanitarian assistance funding in Syria since 2016, and has worked successfully with principled humanitarian partners on the ground in Syria. Canada is one of Syria’s largest humanitarian partners, and will continue to stand by the Syrian people when in need, and advocate strongly for accountability and justice in Syria.
EarthquakesEconomic sanctionsHumanitarian assistance and workersSyria
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 19, 2023441-01425441-01425 (Foreign affairs)BradVisMission—Matsqui—Fraser CanyonConservativeBCMay 4, 2023June 19, 2023April 26, 2023PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA WHEREAS:
  • Worldwide there are nearly half a million recipients of a United Kingdom (UK) state pension that is “frozen” at the same amount as when it is first received – i.e. a pension lacking an annual cost of living increase;
  • The UK is the only OECD country in the world to discriminate based on country of residence for providing annual inflationary increases to pension payments;
  • This policy is discriminatory and unevenly applied: recipients residing in the United States of America (numbering approximately 127,000) receive “unfrozen” pensions, while the pensions of recipients in Canada (approx. 128,000) are “frozen.”;
  • The Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners have long advocated for unfreezing UK state pension payments;
  • The Government of Canada is not proactively addressing this matter, with the former Minister for Seniors stating, “Canada remains prepared to engage with UK officials should they choose to reconsider their non-indexation policy,” April 2021. The Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement (Canada-UK TCA) came into force on April 1, 2021 - required following Brexit, the Canada-UK TCA primarily rolls-over of the Canada-Europe Trade Agreement, and a new agreement is expected; and
  • Any future Canada-UK trade agreement must include a reciprocal social service section with an “unfrozen” pension policy ensuring ex-patriot British pensioners have 'equal rights' and are not discriminated against.
THEREFORE: We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to ensure any future Canada-UK trade agreement unfreeze UK state pensions paid to Canadian recipients, and that the relevant Ministers provide regular updates on these efforts to the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners.
Response by the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic DevelopmentSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Arif ViraniUnder UK law, UK State Pensions are paid anywhere in the world. For many UK pensioners living in countries outside the UK, including in Canada, pensions are not adjusted for increases in the cost of living. Pensions are paid at the same rate as when pensioners became entitled, or the date they left the UK if they were already pensioners.Over the years, the Government of Canada has sought to address this issue with the UK, including by proposing that the two countries negotiate a comprehensive social security agreement (SSA) that would provide for the indexation of UK pensions.To date, the UK has maintained its long-standing position that it cannot consider the indexation of UK pensions paid into Canada. The UK policy of non-indexation is codified in UK domestic law. A bilateral agreement with Canada is not required if the UK chooses to pay indexed pensions into Canada.In 2020, the British Secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Frozen British Pensions launched an inquiry regarding the impact of the UK Government’s approach to UK State Pensions paid to UK pensioners living abroad. The final report was released in December 2020. The Government of Canada presented a submission on the issue regarding the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada, for the APPG’s consideration. The submission is consistent with Canada’s position of support for UK pensioners living in Canada.In November 2020, Employment and Social Development Canada officials wrote to the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions, seeking their interest in concluding a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK.In March 2021, motions were presented in both the House of Commons in Canada and the UK regarding the UK’s non-indexation policy, urging the UK to negotiate a SSA with Canada that would allow for the indexation of pensions.In June 2021, the former Minister of Seniors, in her capacity as the Minister responsible for concluding SSAs on behalf of the Government of Canada, sent a letter to the UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to formally request the conclusion of a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK, which would provide for the indexation of UK pensions.In April 2022, the Minister of Seniors met with the British High Commissioner to Canada, to reiterate Canada’s longstanding position that UK pensioners who live in Canada should be recognized for the contributions they have made to society and should be treated equally, regardless of where they live.In June and October 2022, the Minister of Seniors, wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions to reiterate Canada’s request to conclude a comprehensive bilateral SSA that would provide for the eligibility of benefits and the payment of indexed UK pensions.Most recently in April 2023, the Minister of Seniors together with the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department of Business and Trade, requesting her assistance in encouraging the UK government to resolve this issue.Negotiations towards a comprehensive Canada-UK Free Trade Agreement are focused on advancing specific trade-related issues. Canada’s negotiating objectives were tabled in Parliament in 2022 and were informed by extensive public consultations across Canada.The Government of Canada will continue to raise this issue with the UK through various channels, where appropriate.
Response by the Minister of SeniorsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Darren FisherUnder UK law, UK State Pensions are paid anywhere in the world. For many UK pensioners living in countries outside the UK, including in Canada, pensions are not adjusted for increases in the cost of living. Pensions are paid at the same rate as when pensioners became entitled, or the date they left the UK if they were already pensioners.Over the years, the Government of Canada has sought to address this issue with the UK, including by proposing that the two countries negotiate a comprehensive social security agreement (SSA) that would provide for the indexation of UK pensions.To date, the UK has maintained its long-standing position that it cannot consider the indexation of UK pensions paid into Canada. The UK policy of non-indexation is codified in UK domestic law. A bilateral agreement with Canada is not required if the UK chooses to pay indexed pensions into Canada.In 2020, the British Secretariat of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Frozen British Pensions launched an inquiry regarding the impact of the UK Government’s approach to UK State Pensions paid to UK pensioners living abroad. The final report was released in December 2020. The Government of Canada presented a submission on the issue regarding the non-indexation of UK pensions paid in Canada, for the APPG’s consideration. The submission is consistent with Canada’s position of support for UK pensioners living in Canada.In November 2020, Employment and Social Development Canada officials wrote to the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions, seeking their interest in concluding a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK.In March 2021, motions were presented in both the House of Commons in Canada and the UK regarding the UK’s non-indexation policy, urging the UK to negotiate a SSA with Canada that would allow for the indexation of pensions.In June 2021, the former Minister of Seniors, in her capacity as the Minister responsible for concluding SSAs on behalf of the Government of Canada, sent a letter to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, to formally request the conclusion of a comprehensive SSA between Canada and the UK, which would provide for the indexation of UK pensions.In April 2022, the Minister of Seniors met with the British High Commissioner to Canada, to reiterate Canada’s longstanding position that UK pensioners who live in Canada should be recognized for the contributions they have made to society and should be treated equally, regardless of where they live.In June and October 2022, the Minister of Seniors wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions to reiterate Canada’s request to conclude a comprehensive bilateral SSA that would provide for the eligibility of benefits and the payment of indexed UK pensions.Most recently in April 2023, the Minister of Seniors together with the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade, requesting her assistance in encouraging the UK government to resolve this issue.Negotiations towards a comprehensive Canada-UK Free Trade Agreement are focused on advancing specific trade-related issues. Canada’s negotiating objectives were tabled in Parliament in 2022 and were informed by extensive public consultations across Canada.The Government of Canada will continue to raise this issue with the UK through various channels, where appropriate.
International relationsPension indexationReciprocal social security agreementsUnited Kingdom
44th Parliament229Not certifiedJune 19, 2023e-4451e-4451 (Culture and heritage)LauriePangmanScotDavidsonYork—SimcoeConservativeONMay 17, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)June 16, 2023, at 2:43 p.m. (EDT)June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Canadian passports are an important reflection of our national identity, culture, and heritage;The Liberal government is replacing the current version of the Canadian passport and removing references to important iconic Canadian history such as Terry Fox, the Vimy Ridge Memorial, Nellie McClung, the Stanley Cup, and the Fathers of Confederation; andThis redesign of the Canadian passport has replaced these important depictions of Canadian history and heroes with meaningless images of a squirrel eating a nut, a man raking leaves, and a boy jumping into a lake.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada., call upon the Government of Canada to respect our country’s history by retaining the important references to our Canadian heritage in the updated passport design.Cultural symbolsPassports and visas44th Parliament220CertifiedJune 19, 2023e-4450e-4450 (Culture and heritage)ElaineAllanHon.Kerry-LynneFindlaySouth Surrey—White RockConservativeBCMay 17, 2023, at 2:40 p.m. (EDT)June 16, 2023, at 2:40 p.m. (EDT)June 19, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:Instead of tackling backlogs in Canadian passport offices, the federal Liberals have chosen to spend taxpayer dollars erasing iconic national symbols that are uniquely Canadiana, such as Terry Fox, trailblazing women's rights advocate Nellie McClung, and the Vimy Ridge Memorial;The Liberals removed a portrait of Terry Fox - a young man who ran halfway across Canada on one leg to raise awareness about cancer, and replaced it with an image of a man raking leaves;The Liberals have removed Nellie McClung, a women's rights pioneer and a member of the 'Famous Five' who championed for women to legally be recognized as persons under the law in Canada, and replaced it with a boy swimming in a lake; andThe Liberals removed the Vimy Ridge Memorial from Canadian passports, which recognized 3,598 Canadian troops who were killed on the battlefield, and replaced it with an image of a squirrel eating a nut.We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stop erasing the unique and iconic Canadian images from Canada's passports and restore the symbols that are uniquely Canadian immediately.Cultural symbolsPassports and visas44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01424441-01424 (Consumer protection)KevinLamoureuxWinnipeg NorthLiberalMBMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023March 22, 2023Petition to the House of CommonsWe, the undersigned, residents of the Province of Manitoba, draw the attention of the House of Commons to the following:Whereas:The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is reporting a rise in money laundering and fraud with the set-up of synthetic or false bank accounts where money is being sent from duped seniors' savings accounts and potentially going towards terrorist financing;The Government of BC estimates that $46.7 billion was laundered through the Canadian economy in 2018;FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) states requirements are not sufficient to prevent fraudsters from moving money illegally under the pretense of legitimacy through the wire transfer system in Canada;Our growing retiree population in Canada are increasingly becoming the target of fraud given they have built up wealth over a lifetime to help them support their retirement years and are vulnerable due to lack of controls and protection through the transmission of money within the Canadian banking system; andSeniors are seeing their savings built up over years removed due to the sophistication and disguised deceit and trickery foisted on them by professional fraudsters to exploit them and the current Canadian banking system.We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to undertake a serious and comprehensive review of the current transit system of Canadian citizens' money in this country with the aim of putting more stringent procedures, protocols, and safeguards in place to protect seniors in particular from losing their lifetime savings and wealth to fraud.
Response by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Chrystia FreelandThe Government of Canada is committed to a strong and comprehensive Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) Regime. The government continually reviews the Regime to ensure that it is responsive to evolving risks. Since 2019, the government has made investments of over $319.9 million and a number of legislative and regulatory changes to enhance the effectiveness of the Regime.Budget 2023 proposes legislative amendments to strengthen the investigative, enforcement, and information sharing tools of Canada’s AML/ATF Regime. These amendments will complement the government’s Budget 2022 commitment to establish a new Canada Financial Crimes Agency to become the lead enforcement agency against financial crime.In keeping with the requirements of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, the government of Canada will launch a parliamentary review of this act this year. This review will include a public consultation that will examine ways to improve Canada's AML/ATF Regime, as well as examine how different orders of government can collaborate more closely.Illicit funds laundered by criminal actors are often generated illegally through fraud, including fraud that targets seniors. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canadians from these types of crimes. One major way it does so is through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which is the central repository for fraud information and intelligence in Canada, and is jointly operated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Competition Bureau of Canada. As a National Police Service function, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre gathers intelligence on fraud affecting Canadians, and assists all law enforcement agencies across Canada with fraud prevention and enforcement. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has a Senior Support Unit entirely supported by volunteers who are dedicated to reducing the impact of fraud across Canada. The Senior Support Unit is a critical component of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, providing advice, education and reassurance to vulnerable Canadians targeted by fraudsters. The Senior Support Unit receives reports referred by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s Intake Unit, after identifying that further assistance for a senior or vulnerable individual is needed.
Banks and bankinge-SecuritySenior citizens
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01423441-01423 (Justice)TedFalkProvencherConservativeMBMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023December 12, 2022Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposes aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, is being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she is trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would actually make pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would only apply where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could unintentionally result in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation is inconsistent with its stated purpose and we have concerns that it is yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01422441-01422 (Justice)MarcDaltonPitt Meadows—Maple RidgeConservativeBCMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposes aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, is being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she is trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would actually make pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would only apply where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could unintentionally result in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation is inconsistent with its stated purpose and we have concerns that it is yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01421441-01421 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposes aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, is being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she is trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would actually make pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would only apply where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could unintentionally result in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation is inconsistent with its stated purpose and we have concerns that it is yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01420441-01420 (Justice)CathayWagantallYorkton—MelvilleConservativeSKMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023April 21, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposes aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, is being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she is trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would actually make pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would only apply where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could unintentionally result in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation is inconsistent with its stated purpose and we have concerns that it is yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01419441-01419 (Justice)DamienKurekBattle River—CrowfootConservativeABMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023January 25, 2023Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament AssembledWhereas:
  • It is well established that the risk of violence against women increases when they are pregnant;
  • Currently, the injury or death of preborn children as victims of crime are not considered aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code of Canada;
  • Canada has no abortion law. This legal void is so extreme that we don't even recognize preborn children as victims of violent crimes; and
  • Justice requires that an attacker who abuses a pregnant woman and her preborn child be sentenced accordingly. The sentence should match the crime.
We, the undersigned citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to legislate the abuse of a pregnant woman and/or the infliction of harm on a preborn child as aggravating circumstances for sentencing purposes in the Criminal Code.
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Parliamentary Secretary Gary AnandasangareeOur Government will always defend a woman's right to choose. Women, and women alone, should decide what happens to their bodies. Private Member’s Bill C-311, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (violence against pregnant women), which proposes aggravating factors that would apply to sentencing cases involving pregnant victims, is being used as a stepping stone toward opening the abortion debate in Canada. The sponsor of this legislation has specifically noted she is trying to fill a so-called void on abortion law in Canada. Canadian women fought for decades to ensure they have access to abortion services here in Canada and our Government will prevent the right to choose from being undermined in any way. Any attempts to introduce abortion into the Criminal Code will be vigorously opposed by our Government.Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, has no place in Canada and our Government has made it a priority to end it in all its forms. Committing an offence against a pregnant victim is already an aggravating factor for sentencing purposes at common law.The Criminal Code’s sentencing provisions require offenders to receive sentences that are proportionate to the gravity of the offence and to their degree of responsibility, taking into account aggravating factors, including evidence that the offender abused their intimate partner or a member of the victim’s or the offender’s family (paragraph 718.2(a)(ii)), and evidence that the offence had a significant impact on the victim, considering their age and other personal circumstances, including their health and financial situation, which includes consideration of a victim’s pregnancy (subparagraph 718.2(a)(iii.1)).Bill C-311 would actually make pregnant women less safe by narrowing the circumstances in which existing aggravating factors that protect pregnant victims apply. Specifically, the Bill’s first proposed aggravating factor would only apply where there is evidence that the offender knew of the victim’s pregnancy. This could unintentionally result in sentencing courts refusing to treat a victim’s pregnancy as an aggravating factor in cases where there is no such evidence.The legislation is inconsistent with its stated purpose and we have concerns that it is yet another backdoor attempt to re-open the abortion debate in Canada, which should remain firmly closed.
Fetus and embryoSentencingVictims of crimeViolence against women
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01418441-01418 (Environment)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023February 8, 2023PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLEDWhereas:
  • The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C clearly communicates that the future of humanity is at risk without “rapid and far-reaching” changes to mitigate a 1.5°C temperature rise in the next 11 years and to achieve zero emissions by 2050;
  • Canada is on course to significantly overshoot our 2030 Paris Agreement target (Auditor General's Report 2018) with oil and gas and transportation emissions continuing to rise (Government of Canada);
  • The World Health Organization has clearly stated that “climate change is the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century”; and
  • The health impacts from climate change, including lung disease, heat-related illness, spread of infectious diseases, displacement, famine, drought, and mental health impacts, are being felt in Canada and abroad and are expected to accelerate across our planet at an unprecedented rate threatening "human lives and viability of the national health systems they depend on” (Lancet Countdown 2018, Lancet Countdown Briefing for Canadian Policymakers, 2018).
We, the undersigned, Physician Mothers of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:
  • Act upon the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment “Call to Action on Climate Change and Health” report (February 5, 2019), which has clearly outlined specific measures towards zero emissions;
  • Prioritize the elimination of emissions and preservation of a healthy environment as part of every portfolio and in every decision made by our federal and provincial parties;
  • Implement a nationwide carbon pricing strategy;
  • Commit to the rapid elimination of fossil fuels and coal from our economy;
  • Commit to rapid incorporation of green energy and net-zero infrastructure across the country; and
  • Eliminate single use plastics.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe science is clear that accelerated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, are necessary in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The economics are clear too – to build a strong, resilient, economy for generations to come, we must harness the power of a cleaner future.The Government of Canada recognizes this reality, and since 2015 has taken significant, ambitious steps to reduce emissions, protect the environment, spur clean technologies and innovation, and help Canadians and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change.In 2016, the Government of Canada developed the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, in collaboration with provinces and territories, and with input from Indigenous peoples. Building on this national effort, the Government of Canada released its Strengthened Climate Plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, in December 2020, to deepen emissions reductions across the economy, create new, well-paying jobs, make life more affordable for households, and build a better future.In 2021, the Government of Canada committed to achieving an enhanced 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 40-45 per cent below 2005 levels under the Paris Agreement and adopted legislation to enshrine this Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), as well as the commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act (the Act) provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on these commitments. The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to set subsequent targets for 2035, 2040, and 2045, at least 10 years in advance. The Actalso holds the federal government accountable as it charts Canada’s path to achieve net-zero emissions by establishing a transparent process to plan, assess, and adjust the federal government’s efforts to achieve our national targets based on the best scientific information available.As an early deliverable under the Act,Canada published the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan in 2022. The plan lays out the next steps to reaching Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target, including a suite of new mitigation measures and strategies, and builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions. The plan also reflects input from thousands of Canadians, businesses, and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces, territories and the Net-Zero Advisory Body.Measures introduced by the Government of Canada since 2015 include:
  • Bringing into force the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act ensuring that every Canadian jurisdiction has a price on carbon. The price on carbon pollution started at $20 per tonne of emissions in 2019 – and has been rising at a predictable rate of $10 per year to reach $50 in 2022. Starting in 2023, the price will start rising by $15 per year until it reaches $170 per tonne in 2030;
  • Committing to accelerate our G20 commitment to eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies from 2023 to 2025, and develop a plan to phase out public financing of the fossil fuel sector including by federal Crown corporations;
  • Accelerating the phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation, and positioning the oil and gas sector to cut pollution by working with stakeholders to implement a cap on oil and gas sector emissions;
  • Building Canada’s renewable electricity future by continuing to advance the Clean Electricity Standard to enable Canada to achieve at net-zero electricity grid by 2035, and making significant investments to support renewable electricity and grid modernization projects;
  • Helping to reduce energy costs for homes and buildings, and boosting climate resiliency;
  • Driving progress on clean cars and trucks through investments in zero-emission vehicles charging and refueling infrastructure, and the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program;
  • Establishing of the Canadian Center for Climate Services which provides climate information and support to help Canadians consider climate change in their decisions, including health-related adaptation decisions via the collaborative climate information portal, ClimateData.ca; and,
  • Developing a climate lens to integrate climate considerations throughout Government of Canada decision-making.
Furthermore, the Government of Canada is taking a multi-faceted approach towards zero plastic waste and the transition to a circular economy focused on eliminating plastic pollution at its source and on keeping plastics in the economy and out of the environment.The Government has developed a management framework for single-use plastics that provides a transparent and evidence-based approach to monitoring risks to the environment posed by single-use plastics. The framework includes four criteria to determine if a single-use plastic should be banned: if the item is prevalent in the environment, poses a threat of harm (e.g., to wildlife and their habitat), is difficult to recycle, and has readily available alternatives. Using these criteria, the Government identified six categories of single-use plastics, and on June 22, 2022, published the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations. These Regulations prohibit the manufacture, import and sale of checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws. Single-use plastic flexible straws will remain available, under certain conditions, to allow continued access to those who require them for health and accessibility reasons. The Government is also developing regulations to require that all plastic packaging in Canada contain at least 50 per cent recycled content by 2030. The same regulations will also include labelling rules that prohibit the use of the chasing-arrows symbol unless 80 per cent of Canada’s recycling facilities accept, and have reliable end markets for, these products. Working with provinces and territories, the Government will also implement and enforce an ambitious recycling target of 90 per cent for plastic beverage containers. The Government has also committed to supporting provincial and territorial producer responsibility efforts by establishing a plastics registry that would report annually on plastics in the Canadian economy.Actions such as these, as well as ongoing efforts with provinces and territories to ensure that producers are responsible for the cost of managing their plastic waste, will help address the issue of plastic pollution from single use plastics.The Government of Canada also recognizes that a more ambitious, strategic and collaborative approach is required to adapt to the impacts of climate change including higher temperatures, variable precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, severe floods, wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events. Working with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, Indigenous peoples and other key partners and stakeholders, the federal government is developing Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy. This Strategy will advance a shared vision for climate resilience and provide a blueprint for whole-of-society action to help communities and residents of Canada better adapt to and prepare for the impacts of climate change.These and other historic commitments aim to increase Canada’s climate and environmental ambition, and to help people living in Canada be more resilient to climate impacts. These commitments will benefit all Canadians, in particular those groups that are disproportionately affected by the negative effects of climate change including children, low-income communities, seniors, and Indigenous peoples.    
Canadian Association of Physicians for the EnvironmentCarbon pricingFossil fuelsGreenhouse gasesPlasticsRenewable energy and fuel
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01417441-01417 (Foreign affairs)MatthewGreenHamilton CentreNDPONMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023April 17, 2023Petition to the Government of CanadaWhereas:
  • Over 50,000 people in Syria and Türkiye were killed and 100,000 injured by devastating earthquakes;
  • Syria was already ravaged by 12 years of war;
  • UN Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, Alena Douhan, condemned sanctions on Syria as "suffocating" in 2022 and called for their "immediate lifting". She stated: "No reference to good objectives of unilateral sanctions justifies the violation of fundamental human rights. The international community has an obligation of solidarity and assistance to the Syrian people";
  • The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (2023), which has been entrusted by the Government of Canada to distribute its aid in Syria, also "appeal[ed] for the lifting of the economic embargo";
  • The United States has suspended some of its sanctions on Syria, in response to the earthquake. "However, [UN experts] wish to recall that such systems of humanitarian carve-outs may not be sufficient to address the long term negative effects of sanctions, as well as business over-compliance with sanctions and financial de-risking" (UN, 2023); and
  • Clare Daly (2023), Member of the European Parliament, cautions "thousands more may die" if the embargo against Syria does not end.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately end sanctions against Syria, urge other sanctioning states to follow suit, and amplify its aid and rescue efforts to all in the region.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada remains deeply concerned by the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye, which have claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and injured many more. In response, Canada announced that it is providing $50 million in humanitarian assistance to support the international response to this emergency, $20 million of which is dedicated to Syria. This contribution is actively helping support emergency medical services and providing shelter, food and other essential items to populations most effected in Syria and Türkiye. This is in addition to the $50 million Canada allocated in humanitarian assistance for Syria in 2023.Canada first imposed sanctions against Syria in May 2011, in response to the Syrian government’s violent crackdown on peaceful protestors. Canada’s sanctions are enacted under the Special Economic Measures Act, and target members of the Syrian regime responsible for human rights violations and resulting breach of international peace and security in the region. They are not targeting the Syrian population at large. As an added measure to ensure that Canadian sanctions do not inadvertently impact humanitarian activities, Canadian sanctions include legislated exceptions, including for humanitarian activities led by international organizations with diplomatic status; United Nations agencies; the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement; and NGOs that have entered into a grant or contribution agreement with the Global Affairs Canada. As such, it is not prohibited under Canada’s Special Economic Measures Act for individuals or entities to make goods or services available to those entities, as long as those goods and services are for the purpose of safeguarding human life, or providing food, medicine or medical supplies or equipment. Canadian sanctions also include exemptions for disaster relief, democratisations or stabilisation under certain circumstances.Humanitarian assistance from Canada and the international community has continued unabated in order to support the Syrian people. Canada has delivered over $685 million in humanitarian assistance funding in Syria since 2016, and has worked successfully with principled humanitarian partners on the ground in Syria. Canada is one of Syria’s largest humanitarian partners, and will continue to stand by the Syrian people when in need, and advocate strongly for accountability and justice in Syria.
Economic sanctionsForeign policyHumanitarian assistance and workersSyria
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 16, 2023441-01416441-01416 (Environment)MatthewGreenHamilton CentreNDPONMay 3, 2023June 16, 2023February 3, 2023Petition to the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeWhereas:
  • The government of Ontario has proposed Highway 413, a new 52-kilometer mega-highway which would pave over 2,400 acres of land including the protected Greenbelt, farms, forests, wetlands, and the traditional Indigenous lands of the Mississauga, Haudenosaunee, Huron-Wendat, Chippewa, and Six Nations;
  • Highway 413 would increase greenhouse gas emissions by over 17 million tonnes by 2050, resulting in $1.4 billion in damages from said emissions;
  • Highway 413 would cost taxpayers $6 billion for a project that would do little to reduce traffic congestion and is redundant given its proximity to Highway 407;
  • Construction of Highway 413 would further endanger at least 29 federally-listed species at risk;
  • In the midst of the climate crisis, the Highway 413 project would only increase transportation emissions for a province that is already not on track to meet its targets for emissions reduction;
  • Ontario is attempting to undermine the provincial environmental impact assessment by allowing construction to begin before the assessment is completed and attempting to make highways less than 75 kilometers exempt from environmental assessments;
  • The majority of municipalities that would be affected by Highway 413 are opposed to the project and have passed motions requesting a federal environmental impact assessment; and
  • The impacts of the proposed highway fall under federal jurisdiction, such as, greenhouse gas emissions, federally-listed species at risk, and treaty rights.
We, the undersigned residents of the province of Ontario, call upon the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to commence a complete and thorough federal environmental impact assessment to identify, predict and evaluate the environmental effects of the Highway 413 project and conduct public hearings prior to the start of its construction.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTThe Impact Assessment Act (the IAA) and its regulations establish the legal framework for federal impact assessments. On May 3, 2021, the former Minister of Environment and Climate Change determined that the Highway 413 Project (the Project) warranted designation under the IAA. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (the Agency) awaits the submission of an Initial Project Description from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (the Proponent). Once the Agency determines that the Initial Project Description conforms with the Information and Management of Time Limits Regulations (the Regulations), the impact assessment process will begin with the 180-day Planning Phase.During the Planning Phase, the Agency will conduct a public comment period during which Indigenous communities, the public, other jurisdictions, federal authorities, and other participants will have an opportunity to provide input and identify key issues of concerns about the Project. The Agency provides these key issues to the Proponent as a Summary of Issues. The Proponent must then provide a Detailed Project Description to the Agency, which includes a response to the Summary of Issues that explains how it intends to address the issues raised. Following receipt of a Detailed Project Description that conforms to the Regulations, the Agency will decide whether an impact assessment is required for the Project. The Agency’s decision, including reasons, will be posted on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (the Registry).If an impact assessment is required, the Agency continues to engage with Indigenous communities, the public, other jurisdictions, and federal authorities to develop the Public Participation Plan, the Indigenous Engagement and Partnership Plan, the Cooperation Plan, the Permitting Plan, and the Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, which includes the scope of the factors that are considered as part of the impact assessment. The Agency must then issue the final Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines and plans to the Proponent, and post a Notice of Commencement of the Impact Assessment on the Registry before the end of the 180-day Planning Phase.  
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