SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 197 - May/15/23

May/15/23 6:54:30 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I suspect if you were to canvass the House you would find unanimous consent at this time to call it 7:20 p.m. so we can begin the late show.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/15/23 6:54:40 p.m.
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Do we have unanimous consent to see the clock at 7:20 p.m.? Some hon. members: Agreed.

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Mr. Taylor Bachrach (Skeena—Bulkley Valley, NDP)

May/15/23 6:55:10 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-47

Madam Speaker, on April 25, I asked the Minister of Transport a question regarding air passenger rights, the response to which I found wholly lacking, and so I am glad I have a chance this evening to speak at greater length to this issue. As a quick recap, the Liberals brought in their first air passenger rights framework in 2019 promising that Canada's approach was going to be one of the strongest in the world, and yet what we have seen over successive travel seasons is anything but. We have seen thousands of passengers greatly inconvenienced, sleeping on airport floors, out thousands of dollars and having their much-awaited travel plans uprooted. Last September, the Liberals brought in further changes, again promising that this was going to make it one of the strongest in the world, and yet the complaints have piled up. Now there are over 40,000 air passenger complaints before the Canadian Transportation Agency, and we see the government going into its approach yet again and trying to finally fix what is clearly broken and not working. The European Union has had an effective approach in place for over decade, an approach that gets passengers the compensation they deserve. However, instead of copying that approach or following my private member's bill, which is based very closely on the European approach, this minister and this government have taken a circuitous, complex and bureaucratic tack in trying to finally put in place something that protects air passengers. I want to highlight some of the specific concerns, the first of which is the concern that I raised on April 25, which is that as part of the mediation process envisioned in Bill C-47, the budget implementation act, passengers who enter into mediation to resolve their complaints with the airlines would be forbidden from speaking about any matter that was covered as part of that mediation. This is a confidentiality clause that I do not believe any air passenger who has a grievance with an airline would want to commit to. Passengers deserve transparency, they deserve a process that is open and transparent, and so this confidentiality clause, which was the topic of my question on April 25, seems entirely misplaced in the legislation. There are other concerns too. There has been much said about a loophole in the current approach that allows airlines to deny passengers compensation for reasons within the airline's control but on what they deem to be required for safety. Now, the minister has stated very vehemently that the legislation before us would close that loophole, and yet we see the phrase “required for safety” repeated time and time again in the legislation we are debating. Much of the meat of this approach the minister has put off to regulations, which will not get debated in the House, and he has gone one step further. He has given the Canadian Transportation Agency the ability to establish guidelines that will set out the extent and manner in which the agency enforces the regulations, which are based on the legislation. We need accountability, and when we see an agency that is supposed to be at arm's length from this government given such great powers to determine the extent to which it upholds the spirit of the legislation, that is very concerning indeed. We need an approach that is transparent and has air passengers' backs. We are not seeing it in this legislation, and we certainly intend to bring forward amendments that will finally get air passengers their due.

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Ms. Annie Koutrakis (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Lib.)

May/15/23 6:58:58 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-47

Madam Speaker, protecting the rights of air passengers when air travel does not go as planned is a priority of our government. Creating the air passenger protection regulations provided an important framework for travellers' rights; however, lessons learned throughout the pandemic, which began shortly after the regulations were implemented, have provided the Government of Canada with valuable information, including areas that need strengthening. Legislative amendments to the Canada Transportation Act have been introduced to clarify and strengthen Canada's passenger rights regime while increasing air carriers' accountability and streamlining the process for administering air travel complaints by the Canadian Transportation Agency. With these changes, air carriers would be required to pay compensation to travellers unless they can demonstrate that a disruption was caused by specific allowable circumstances. These allowable circumstances would be predetermined and regulations would be established by the agency in consultation with the Minister of Transport. Our government recognizes that changes are needed to ensure that passenger complaints are dealt with as quickly as possible. Legislative changes are being proposed to streamline the process by which dispute resolution services are provided to Canadians and to help reduce the agency's backlog of complaints. The current process involves three steps, including time-consuming and resource-intensive adjudication. The new process is simplified with mediation and a decision, if no settlement is reached. This would ensure Canadians obtain decisions more rapidly while having their complaints thoroughly addressed. It is important to note that the mediation process for air passenger complaints has always been confidential, since we introduced these protections in 2019, becoming the first Canadian government to enshrine the rights of air travellers in legislation. The amendments being proposed in Bill C-47 do not impose any new restrictions. While a confidentiality obligation is typical in mediation processes to allow a frank and open discussion between a complainant and an air carrier, the new process has been designed to ensure that more passengers have access to the information they may need to claim compensation. Under the new process, the agency would be required to make public a summary of each case, including the flight number and the date, as well as the reason for the flight disruption and whether compensation was awarded, which would provide insightful information to other passengers on that same flight. In addition, because compensation amounts are publicly available in the air carriers' terms and conditions of carriage, there is nothing to prevent the agency from publishing this information. I expect the agency to do just that. Our government is confident that the proposed changes will improve transparency while allowing for more timely resolution of air travel complaints.

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Mr. Taylor Bachrach

May/15/23 7:02:38 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-47

Madam Speaker, I appreciate that the parliamentary secretary believes that this third approach at getting it right is going to finally work. However, we have some grave concerns. From a passenger perspective, this is a complex approach that they have to navigate. It is not two steps. First of all, passengers have to complain to the airline about the disruption that has impacted their lives. Then, when the airline gets back to them and denies them compensation, they have to enter this mediation process, and possibly go on to a third stage of obtaining an order. One of the things we are very concerned about is the fact that an order of these mediation processes is not considered to be a decision of the agency. Therefore, the passengers who file the complaint would not have the ability to pursue an appeal under the provisions of the Canada Transportation Act. We are very concerned that Bill C-47's air passenger rights actually reduce the ability of passengers to pursue the full compensation that they are due.

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Ms. Annie Koutrakis

May/15/23 7:03:43 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-47

Madam Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that travellers' rights are respected by airlines when air travel does not go according to plan. The proposed amendments to the Canada Transportation Act will increase airlines' burden of proof by requiring them to compensate travellers unless they can prove that a disruption was caused by a circumstance set out in the list of exceptions. The proposed measures would also streamline the processes for administering air travel complaints at the Canadian Transportation Agency and requires the agency to make public a summary of each decision made by complaint resolution officers. This would inform passengers on that same flight whether compensation has been awarded.

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Mr. Richard Cannings (South Okanagan—West Kootenay, NDP)

May/15/23 7:04:42 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, this adjournment debate arises from a question I asked the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry on May 1. On that day, as I was asking the question, on the lawn of Parliament Hill, there was a crowd of young researchers from Ottawa universities demanding to be heard by the government. They were part of a cross-country demonstration that day that involved nearly 10,000 graduate students, post-docs, faculty and supporters. They had walked out of 46 institutions across Canada. Their question for the government was simply this: Why are grad students are getting paid the same amount today as they were being paid 20 years ago? Their wages, which come in the form of federal scholarships and fellowships, cover the full-time work they perform doing their research, and that work is the backbone of our university research in Canada. These are scholarships, so these are not average students, but our best and brightest, yet the federal government pays them below minimum wage. They are forced to live below the poverty line. Master scholarships have been pegged at $17,500 per year for 20 years. Ph.D. students get a bit more at $21,000. Therefore, my question for the minister is this: Why have these scholarship amounts not changed since 2003? Last week, at the Standing Committee on Science and Research, we were studying the same question. One of the witnesses was Sarah Laframboise, a Ph.D. student from the University of Ottawa, who had organized the May 1 walkout. She had appeared before our committee exactly one year ago on the same subject. This time, and I am quoting from the blues, she stated, “It is frustrating, however, that in the last year since my appearance there has been no action by our government to solve these problems. During this time, we have 7,000 scientists and 40 scientific associations sign an open letter. We had 3,500 signatures on a petition...delivered to the House of Commons. We rallied on Parliament Hill in August. We spoke to MPs, ministers, media and the public about our cause, and sent over 2,000 emails to our MPs. But this wasn't enough. Budget 2023 contained no new funding for graduate students and post-docs.” Also testifying was Dr. Maydianne Andrade, a professor of biology at the University of Toronto. She said, and I am again quoting from the blues, “Our current system is a massive filter. It is a filter that is filtering out people as a function of their finances, not as a function of their excellence, not as a function of the likelihood that they might be the next Canadian Nobel prize [winner]. “We are filtering out people who can't take the mental load of living in poverty, those who don't have credit ratings that allow them to take out loans, those who are unable to manage incredibly challenging research agendas while holding down several jobs. “We are filtering out mature students who have dependents, and we're filtering out anyone whose family can't help support them through this without massive debt.” The science and research committee recommended last year that these scholarship amounts be increased. We have the advisory panel report on the federal research support system, headed by Dr. Frédéric Bouchard, and commissioned by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry himself, recommending that these scholarship and fellowship amounts be increased and indexed to inflation. I spoke with Dr. Bouchard recently, and he was mystified as to why these recommendations had not been followed. Therefore, I will repeat my question: When will this be fixed? When will we start paying our young researchers a living wage so they will stay in Canada, where we need them to be, instead of leaving for any number of countries that would happily pay them twice as much as they receive here?

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Mr. Andy Fillmore (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Lib.)

May/15/23 7:08:54 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am happy to respond to the comments made by the hon. member for South Okanagan—West Kootenay regarding federal investments in science for our graduate students, scientists and researchers. Canada is a leader in science and research, and the government is committed to ensuring that this continues. Every day, Canadian researchers stand at the forefront of new scientific discoveries and research breakthroughs, and the Government of Canada has continued to invest in Canadian researchers, the key drivers of innovation who are helping to build a healthier and more prosperous future for us all. 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. Enhancing the opportunities available to researchers has been a priority that the government has backed up with significant investments in successive budgets. In terms of targeted investments to support students and post-doctoral fellows, the government recognizes 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. Budget 2019 provided $114 million over five years, with $26.5 million per year ongoing, to create more than 500 master's level scholarship awards annually and 167 more three-year doctoral scholarship awards annually through the Canada graduate scholarships program. That same budget, budget 2019, also invested $37.4 million over five years and $8.6 million ongoing to expand parental leave coverage from six months to 12 months for students and post-doctoral fellows to help young researchers better balance work and family. Looking ahead, to deliver an equitable, accessible and effective suite of scholarships and fellowships, the Government of Canada continues its work to promote equity, diversity and inclusion. Budget 2019 invested in bursaries and scholarships for first nations, Inuit and Métis students through a $9-million investment in lndspire, while the granting agencies, the tri-agency, have partnered with indigenous peoples to develop a national research program to advance reconciliation. Furthermore, through Budget 2022, we invested $40.9 million to support targeted scholarships and fellowships for Black student researchers. Looking forward now, the Government of Canada remains committed to supporting a strong federal system that fosters new ideas, breakthroughs and advancements. 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, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary 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, the Bouchard report. The government is carefully reviewing the findings and recommendations and taking them under consideration. As we advance efforts to support the research ecosystem and Canada's top talent, the government understands it is important to provide a research environment that is supportive of Canada's top talent and to promote science in this country.

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Mr. Richard Cannings

May/15/23 7:12:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am sure the government thinks it is doing the right thing for science and research, and it has made some investments in that regard over the past five years or so, but it is clearly missing an obvious investment here, an investment that would be relatively small in comparison to some of the other programs it has initiated, an investment that would have a huge payback, and that is to invest in our young researchers and graduate students. They have literally been forgotten for 20 years. That is the only way I can explain this. Many of these students are moving to other countries or dropping out of their studies altogether. We need them to keep working here to make sure our country is the innovation powerhouse it should be. We know what needs to be done. We need to pay them a fair wage. We know what needs to be done, so let us do it.

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Mr. Andy Fillmore

May/15/23 7:13:27 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to assure my colleague that the government has heard the calls from the research community to increase the value of the scholarships and fellowships, as I have heard them, and I will continue to work with governments, the federal granting agencies and the research community to explore ways to support our next generation of researchers and top talent. The Government of Canada recognizes that for Canada to achieve its full potential and for Canadians to achieve their full potential, support for science and research must respond to the evolving needs of our science and research ecosystem.

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Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)

May/15/23 7:14:04 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, my questions are timely, given the debate earlier today on Bill S-5, the strengthening environmental protection for a healthier Canada act. When I originally asked about the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link project back in February, it was before the budget was announced. Since then, budget 2023 has mentioned the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link. This is now the second time this major Nunavut clean energy project is mentioned in a federal budget. Unfortunately, this is also the second time a budget failed to give this transformative project the direct funding it needs to proceed to its next stage of development. By failing a direct and immediate funding commitment, the government is not addressing Inuit self-determination and is disregarding the almost decade-long efforts invested in the project. By avoiding the funding of this project, the government is failing to meet its international obligations to combat climate change. Communities will continue to rely on diesel, rather than transition to the use of renewable resources to power Nunavut communities. The Kivalliq hydro-fibre link project would meet the whole territory’s greenhouse gas emissions target for 2030. It would create generational socio-economic opportunities for Nunavummiut, and it would secure the Arctic in very tangible ways. Inuit were led to believe that the government would walk the talk. Promises keep being made, yet Inuit see nothing. Inuit are treated under a one-size-fits-all approach of tax credits and Natural Resources Canada’s funding. Being mentioned within the tax credits section of the budget announcement does not meet the promises made by the government. These tools are great for big corporations and Crown corporations with extensive balance sheets. Outside of these tax credits and small funds, what is the government’s plan for the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link project?

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Mr. Terry Duguid (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

May/15/23 7:16:26 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague from Nunavut for bringing up this important issue, and I would like to acknowledge that I am speaking to members from the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people. Northerners are very aware of the impacts of climate change, including the Inuit, with their deep connection to the land. Indigenous and northern communities are on the front lines. Climate change is having real impacts on their infrastructure, livelihoods, cultures and way of life. The federal government has been working to mitigate and reduce the impacts of climate change. In the north, we have been learning from the traditional knowledge and expertise of indigenous peoples to assist with innovative projects in response to climate change. There are many examples of indigenous communities taking the lead to build a more climate resilient future. They are involved in climate monitoring, adaptation solutions and the transition to clean energy. For example, the northern REACHE program helps indigenous and northern communities reduce their dependence on the use of diesel fuel for electricity and heating. Program officials have also been working to implement an indigenous and remote communities clean energy hub. The hub, recently gifted the indigenous name Wah-ila-toos, delivers funding using a community-centred, single-window approach. This simplifies access to funding and resources to better support indigenous, rural and remote communities in developing and implementing clean energy—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/15/23 7:18:06 p.m.
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I am sorry to interrupt. There are conversations being had while there is business being done. I would ask members, if they want to have conversations, to take them out of the chamber. The hon. parliamentary secretary.

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Mr. Terry Duguid

May/15/23 7:18:18 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, so far, the northern REACHE program has invested more than $53 million to support 176 clean energy projects across the north. Examples of the projects funded by REACHE include solar panels and biomass installations in community buildings, as well as feasibility studies and project planning. The program has also funded capacity-building initiatives for local communities. These include energy coordinators, workshops, skills development, and mentorship programs. All across the north and the Arctic, indigenous peoples are playing a critical role in the effort to mitigate climate change. Our government continues to support the Inuit-led Kivalliq hydro-fibre link project connecting communities in Nunavut. This project will help Nunavut meet its climate change targets, connect communities and reduce the use of costly polluting diesel for energy. I am particularly enthusiastic as a Manitoban that Manitoba will help provide power through Manitoba Hydro. I can also tell members about a project in Inuvik in the Northwest Territories. With federal support, Nihtat Energy, an indigenous owned and operated company, is developing a one megawatt solar farm in Inuvik. The project is expected to displace 824 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year and improve local air quality. This project is creating jobs as well as training and capacity-building opportunities for local community members, and it is saving the community money instead of importing costly and polluting diesel. The project builds on the success of several other solar panel initiatives in Inuvik that were developed by Nihtat Energy, and I would like to acknowledge its climate and community leadership and innovation. Madam Speaker, there is much noise coming from the other side, and I would appreciate the hon. members' attention. However, I will stand down and assure the hon. member that we very much have Inuit and Nunavut in mind in both fighting climate change and providing them with clean energy.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/15/23 7:20:50 p.m.
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I want to remind members again, if they wish to have conversations, to please take them out into the lobby. There is business being done right now in the House. The hon. member for Nunavut.

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Ms. Lori Idlout

May/15/23 7:21:04 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, it is quite clear that it is one thing to have this in mind, but it is another thing to see action. I am going to turn to the other side of what is important here, which is Canada's need to meet its international obligations on emissions reductions. The Liberal government has committed to a 40% GHG emissions reduction below 2005 levels by 2030, a 90% non-emitting electricity grid by 2030 and net-zero emissions economy-wide by 2050. This is just a short list. How is the government addressing the very unique needs of Inuit-led clean energy projects while meeting its international obligations to combat climate change?

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Mr. Terry Duguid

May/15/23 7:21:59 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I have given some examples of the types of projects that the federal government is funding in the north. I can also tell members about the national adaptation strategy, which will provide an additional $50 million in funding over four years starting in 2023-24. The funding will enhance support for indigenous adaptation projects and priorities through existing climate adaptation programs. One of the government's highest priorities is adapting and responding to the impacts of climate change, particularly in Nunavut. From the initiatives I have spoken about, it is clear that the government has been working closely with indigenous peoples in the north to ensure they are highly engaged in the fight against climate change. I want to thank the hon. member for the question.

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The Deputy Speaker

May/15/23 7:22:49 p.m.
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Pursuant to Standing Order 81(4), the motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been withdrawn, and the House will now resolve itself into committee of the whole to study all votes under Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

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The Chair

May/15/23 7:24:23 p.m.
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Today's debate is a general one on all votes under Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The first round will begin with the official opposition, followed by the government, the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party. After that, we will follow the usual proportional representation. Each member will be allocated 15 minutes at a time, which may be used for both debate or for posing questions. Members wishing to use this time to make a speech have a maximum of 10 minutes, which leaves at least five minutes for questions to the minister. When a member is recognized, he or she should indicate to the Chair how the 15-minute period will be used, in other words, how much time will be spent on the speech and how much time will be used for questions and answers. Also, pursuant to order made earlier today, members who wish to share their time with one or more members shall indicate this to the Chair. The Chair will receive no quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent. When the time is to be used for questions and comments, the minister's response should reflect approximately the time taken to pose the question, since this time will be counted in the time originally allotted to the member. Pursuant to order made earlier today, the time provided for debate tonight may be extended beyond four hours, as needed, to include a minimum of 16 periods of 15 minutes each. I also wish to indicate that in committee of the whole, comments should be addressed to the Chair. I ask for everyone's co-operation in upholding all established standards of decorum, parliamentary language and behaviour. We will now begin this evening's debate. The hon. leader of the official opposition.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

May/15/23 7:26:33 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, eight years ago, the then Liberal leader, now the Prime Minister, promised that he would “make it easier for Canadians to find an affordable place to call home”. At the time, the typical house in Canada cost $452,000. What does it cost today?

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