Opposition Motions
First Opposition Motion of the week comes from Don Davies (NDP, British Columbia, Vancouver Kingsway)
Given that,
- During the 2021 federal election, the Prime Minister was harshly critical of the Conservative proposal to encourage “innovation” in health care by expanding for-profit provision of publicly funded services
- The Prime Minister has now dramatically changed his position and has lauded as “innovation” Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s proposed expansion of for-profit clinics
- For-profit clinics would poach workers from the public system and lead to longer wait times
- There are multiple public reports of two-tier health care in Canada, where people are charged for faster access to care
The House call on the government to:
- Express disappointment that the Prime Minister has promoted Ontario’s for-profit health plans as “innovation”
- Ensure that the recently announced health care funding is not used for the expansion of for-profit health care, but instead used to rebuild and innovate within the public system by hiring more staff and reducing wait times
- Enforce the Canada Health Act and immediately move to close loopholes that allow for the growth of two-tier health care in Canada
| Party | For | Against | Paired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | 0 | 153 | 1 |
| Conservative | 0 | 112 | 1 |
| Bloc Quebecois | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| NDP | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Green Party | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 0 |
The Motion failed with 26 For and 298 Against.
The general opinion from the Liberals, Conservatives, and Bloc is that healthcare is Provincial jurisdiction and as such the Federal government shouldn’t get involved.
Old Bills
C-295 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code (neglect of vulnerable adults) went up for its Second Reading Vote and passed with everyone in favour. It will now be sent to Committee!
| Party | For | Against | Paired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | 150 | 0 | 1 |
| Conservative | 112 | 0 | 1 |
| Bloc Quebecois | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| NDP | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Green Party | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent | 2 | 0 | 0 |
C-39 – An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying) – finished its run through the Senate, was passed, and was given Royal Assent.
And that about covers it for the week! There were a number of new Private Members’ Bills introduced, as well as debate on a few other Bills, but not much else was actually resolved. The House is now adjourned for a week, and will return on the 20th!