SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 132 - Nov/22/22

Nov/22/22 6:57:47 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is obvious the hon. member does not want to hear the answer and ignores what I have been saying. Listings under the Criminal Code provide the legal and institutional framework to implement measures to freeze and forfeit terrorist property and to help investigate and potentially prosecute someone for certain offences. Canada is committed to standing up for human rights and to intervening against those who violate them. Canadians can have confidence in the continuing efforts of the government to further constrain the actions of Iran that threaten public safety and violate basic human rights.

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Mr. Scott Reid (Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, CPC)

Nov/22/22 6:58:32 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, this evening I am following up on a question that I raised in the House on October 28. The question I raised at that time was a follow-up on some encouraging news that had been passed on to me by the hon. member for Oakville North—Burlington: that the Minister of Public Safety would, for the first time since the Liberals took office seven years ago, be initiating a discussion with the RCMP on the subject of placing automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, in police cruisers. As I always note when I am speaking on this subject, placing AEDs in all RCMP cruisers would save over 300 lives per year at a one-time cost of only $2 million. That boils down, over a 10-year period, because AEDs last about 10 years, to about $3,000 per life saved. I also noted on that occasion that 300 lives per year is about 30 lives per month. I suppose I could have added that this is a little less than one life per day, so time is of the essence. Since each human life is as precious as yours, Madam Speaker, or mine, it seems to me that every day that passes is a day too long. That said, I note that the minister's response to the question I raised on October 28 was very encouraging. He said, “I have engaged my office to be in touch with the RCMP to ensure that it has all of the tools it needs.” Nearly a month has gone by since that time, which means that another two dozen or so Canadians, whose lives could have been saved had there been an AED in the RCMP cruiser responding to their particular 911 call, have now died. Of course, this cannot be blamed on the minister, whose sincere interest in the subject I do not doubt, but bureaucracies move slowly, and naturally I would like to know what kind of progress has been made on the minister's promise. What kind of engagement, to use the minister's term, has been undertaken? The hon. member for Oakville North—Burlington, who is of course also the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, has very generously offered to give me a private briefing. I am very grateful to her for making such a generous offer, but I think it would be good to get the progress that has been made so far onto the public record. I will therefore ask her to provide the House with this information, and I will listen with considerable interest to her response. I note as well that my interest in learning the details is sufficiently great that I will also take advantage of the option of placing a question on the Order Paper with regard to this progress so that further details can be made part of the public record. I am very grateful indeed that the parliamentarians who came before us had the wisdom to include that particular wonderful tool of openness in government in our standing orders. Finally, I note that the parliamentary secretary mentioned, in response to an earlier question that I posed to her on October 17, that the possibility exists of using public-private partnerships to fund the acquisition of AEDs. Specifically, she stated, “If the hon. member had a private company that wanted to donate AEDs to all RCMP vehicles, I would be happy to work with him on that.” I remain interested in this possibility, as the parliamentary secretary knows, and I would ask if she could offer any further details on what the government might be willing to consider.

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Ms. Pam Damoff (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)

Nov/22/22 7:02:04 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member again, not only for his interest in placing automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, in RCMP vehicles, but also for the work he has done to ensure that his local police service has AEDs. Since our last discussion in this place, I have reached out to the RCMP to ask about a private donation of AEDs. I also reached out to the hon. member to suggest that perhaps he and I could have a conversation in person rather than through question period or late shows to try to advance his idea, which I would be more than happy to work with him on. The information I can provide him tonight is that any donation would need to be accompanied by a detailed proposal outlining the amount of money being donated, which individuals or entities are proposing to donate the funds, and the rationale behind such a donation. Additional steps would be needed to determine what device or series of devices would be required for use nationally in RCMP vehicles. While the RCMP procured a limited number of AEDs, these devices were purchased for use primarily within facilities or for short-term events. An in-depth needs analysis would be required to evaluate operational parameters such as climate, temperature and durability. A needs analysis is needed to ensure that any device purchased would operate to a known standard regardless of the weather, temperature or location in Canada, as AEDs generally cannot be stored in sub-zero temperatures. Given the operating environment of RCMP members across Canada, this is an important consideration. Furthermore, the analysis would need to consider the best place to house these devices within RCMP vehicles, being mindful of the other equipment officers require for their daily duties. Beyond the requirements of an in-depth analysis, there are several operational rollout and financial considerations that would need to be assessed, including the additional costs required for the ongoing maintenance and replacement of the devices. Furthermore, given the unique contract policing role that the RCMP plays in Canada, decisions taken by provincial, territorial and municipal governments play a significant part in how the RCMP purchases, trains, maintains and equips frontline members with new equipment. The procurement of AEDs would be subject to the same consultation process with our contract partners. Finally, any other ethical obligations and due diligence related to such a donation would be carried out. While AEDs are not mandated, as we know, the RCMP recognizes the benefits of AEDs in specific locations and has developed a limited AED program, which is guided by the RCMP national occupational safety manual. In the context of RCMP facilities, AEDs have been approved for installation and use in select operational areas. The RCMP are committed to the communities they serve. In maintaining this commitment, all officers are required to be trained and recertified every three years. I will reiterate to the hon. member that this is something we absolutely can work on together. I think it is going to be hard to work together on this in this format in the House of Commons, though.

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Mr. Scott Reid

Nov/22/22 7:05:57 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, that was a very informative answer from the parliamentary secretary. It was very helpful. This is not so much in the nature of a question, but rather a comment on the response that the RCMP gave to the parliamentary secretary. Some of the issues that are presented are, I understand, real issues, but some of them are red herrings. I just want to alert her to that. An example is the storage and weather issue, and the idea that batteries, including those in AEDs, do not work as well in cold weather. These are problems that have been overcome in other police forces. Defibrillators can be put into a heated pack and stored in the back of a police car, where typically it is not as cold as the ambient outdoor temperature. These are problems that exist for the Ottawa police, for example, for the Toronto police, which also have AEDs, and for numerous other police forces in Canada. I would note that the parliamentary secretary also mentioned the fact that officers are already required to get training, so training costs are in fact zero. The cost I cited to her, which I would be happy to demonstrate, is one that includes battery replacement and necessary servicing.

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Ms. Pam Damoff

Nov/22/22 7:07:26 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to reiterate to the hon. member that there is absolutely no doubt that AEDs save lives. I think some of his comments are valid. However, the weather in Ottawa is very different from what it would be in Nunavut. I think those are considerations, but I do not think those considerations are ones we cannot overcome. However, I think we need to work together. Again, I will give the member my commitment, and perhaps we can find some time to sit down together and come up with a plan on how to present a proposal to the RCMP to move forward on the suggestion, which I have no doubt whatsoever would save lives.

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Mr. Kevin Vuong (Spadina—Fort York, Ind.)

Nov/22/22 7:08:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my hon colleague for spending his evening with me on this very important matter. As I mentioned last week, Izabela and other parents from my riding of Spadina—Fort York have told me about the proliferation of illegal cannabis shops operating in our community. Many of these illegal stores are using targeted ads and promotion to attract children, and these unscrupulous illegal businesses are also selling copycat edibles that look like candy. However, some of the products have actually poisoned children. The problem exists because there has been a serious lack of enforcement of the many regulations that legitimate Canadian cannabis businesses must follow. Ignoring these rules has allowed the black market to flourish. Many of these illegal businesses make upwards of $50,000 a day, according to some reports. Most are operating 24-7, selling their unregulated and contaminated products that, and I cannot emphasize it enough, target children. Some have even set up businesses right across the street from a school. Some parents have tried to organize against these illegal cannabis shops, but they have been warned to stay quiet or face retaliation. People are also afraid to even sign a petition against these operations using their real names, and they only do so anonymously. Parents are left feeling threatened, helpless and hopeless. The growth in these illegal businesses is unacceptable and very dangerous to our youth. Moreover, the millions that are gained from selling illegal cannabis is often used to buy firearms and fund organized criminal activities, major crimes like money laundering and human trafficking. While I commend police in Spadina—Fort York, especially 14 Division, for their work in trying to shut down these illegal stores, they cannot do it alone. I hope the federal government will assist police in closing these illegal operations, so I want to ask my hon. colleague what the government is prepared to do to crack down on these illegal pot shops.

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Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport, Lib.)

Nov/22/22 7:10:34 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his conscientious concern on this issue and his consistency and advocacy on behalf of his constituent Izabela, whom I have also heard from on Twitter. I would also like to take a moment to thank Izabela for her community advocacy and her concern, particularly for youth and their health in Toronto. The Cannabis Act is there to protect the health and safety of Canadians while serving as a flexible legislative framework that adapts and responds to the ongoing and emerging needs of Canadians and helps displace the illegal cannabis market. The act also established a national framework to strictly regulate and to restrict youth access to cannabis in Canada, and under the Cannabis Act, federal, provincial and territorial governments share responsibility for overseeing cannabis production, distribution and sale in Canada. It is the responsibility of the provinces and territories to determine how cannabis is distributed and sold in their jurisdictions. This includes establishing rules concerning how cannabis can be sold, the location of stores, the eligibility conditions for working in cannabis distribution and cannabis retail outlets. The government shares the concerns regarding illegal cannabis sales, which is why the Cannabis Act contains strict penalties for those who sell illegal cannabis, which includes the sale of cannabis to minors. Individuals convicted of illegally selling or distributing cannabis are subject to sanctions, including those set out in the act, which range from fines to imprisonment for up to 14 years. Government departments across Canada are working closely together to address illegal cannabis sales. Federal, provincial and territorial governments and law enforcement agencies all work closely together to disrupt the illegal cannabis market and inform Canadians about the health risks of these unregulated products. Law enforcement plays a critical role in directly supporting the purposes of the act. The act provides law enforcement with the authority to take action against illegal cannabis retail sales and hold those who operate outside the legal framework accountable. We have invested in public education campaigns to educate Canadians about the risks of illegal cannabis and how to recognize the difference between legal and illegal cannabis, including the packaging. The government launched the “Reduce your risk: Choose legal cannabis” campaign in May 2022. Additionally, in response to reports of the accidental ingestion of illegal edible cannabis products by children, Health Canada has issued two advisories to raise public awareness of the dangers associated with illegal cannabis products. The most recent advisory included images of illegal cannabis products to show Canadians how similar some of the products look to popular name-brand snack foods, and tips for recognizing legally sourced cannabis. We also provided guidance on how to store cannabis securely to prevent access by children and youth. The government will continue to support its provincial and territorial partners, as well as law enforcement agencies in the fight against the illegal sale of cannabis. We remain determined to take measures to prevent young people from having access to cannabis, to protect the health and safety of Canadians from untested and unregulated products and to eliminate the illegal cannabis market. I would like to thank the member for his attention to this important concern and underscore that this is fundamentally a matter of shared jurisdiction across all levels of government, in this case municipally with the Toronto Police Service, provincially with the OPP and provincial licensure of sales licences, and of course federally as I have laid out today in this response.

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Mr. Kevin Vuong

Nov/22/22 7:14:29 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to share one more example of what is happening on the ground in my community. These illegal pot shops actually enticed children into their illegal dispensaries with popcorn during Halloween. They are plastering promotions throughout the neighbourhood. Without any fear of the authorities, they are targeting children with their ads. Canada prohibits tobacco and alcohol ads that target minors. Would my hon. colleague agree that targeting ads used by illegal cannabis shops to attract children should also be prohibited?

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Mr. Adam van Koeverden

Nov/22/22 7:15:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, before I continue my rebuttal, of course I am opposed to any illegal advertisement. If the advertisements are indeed illegal, then they are contrary to all of our laws. If they are an illegal product, then advertising an illegal product in an illegal means is clearly an infraction of the law. At this point, the government's priority continues to be protecting young people from the health risks of cannabis. That is why, in addition to complying with all the provisions of the act, cannabis licence holders must comply with strict requirements under the cannabis regulations, which include using child resistant packaging and using plain packaging and labelling that is not appealing to youth. Absolutely, all of the concerns that my colleague has laid out tonight demonstrate a wilful opposition to the laws. In addition, I am happy to continue this conversation at some other time with my colleague. I know we are running short on time this evening. I want to thank him again for his attention to this important matter.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Nov/22/22 7:16:11 p.m.
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The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 2 p.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1). (The House adjourned at 7:16 p.m.)

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