Motions
Opposition Motion – Yves-François Blanchet
Our first Opposition Motion comes from Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc, Quebec, Beloeil—Chambly)
That the House:
- Stand in solidarity with and express its support for all those affected by the current forest fires
- Acknowledge that climate change is having a direct impact on people’s quality of life, and that it is exacerbating the frequency and scale of extreme weather and climate events (floods, tornadoes, forest fires, heat waves, etc.)
- Recognize that the federal government must do more to combat climate change, prevent its impacts and support communities affected by natural disasters
- Call on the federal government to invest more in the fight against climate change, which is at risk of becoming increasingly expensive for both the public and the environment
- Demand that the federal government stop investing in fossil fuels and develop incentives, while respecting the jurisdictions of Quebec and the provinces, to promote the use of renewable energy and public transit.
This one’s pretty straightforward, not a lot to talk about. It passed with 210 in favour and 115 against.
| Party | For | Against | Paired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | 151 | 0 | 2 |
| Conservative | 0 | 114 | 1 |
| Bloc Quebecois | 30 | 0 | 1 |
| NDP | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Green Party | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Independent | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Private Member’s Motion – Shaun Chen
Next up we have a Motion from Shaun Chen (Liberal, Ontario, Scarborough North):
In the opinion of the House the government should
- Condemn anti-Asian hate and all forms of racism and racial discrimination
- Ensure all anti-racism policies and programs address the historical and present-day racism, discrimination, stereotyping, and injustices faced by people of Asian descent
- Highlight the lived realities of racism and barriers to inclusion experienced by people of Asian descent in national consultations on issues of anti-Asian racism
And the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security should conduct a review of anti-Asian hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents across the country
Again, a nice straightforward Motion that doesn’t need much explanation. It passed with everyone voting in favour of it.
Bill Updates
C-35 – Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act
Michelle Ferreri (Conservative, Ontario, Peterborough—Kawartha) proposed an amendment to remove the short title for C-35. All this would do is result in it being referred to as An Act Respecting Early Learning and Child Care in Canada. Yeah, I’m not sure I get it either. I took a look in the debates and all I see is argument over whether or not C-35 is a good idea. Nothing there about why this should be done.
The amendment failed with 114 voting in favour and 211 voting against.
| Party | For | Against | Paired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | 0 | 152 | 2 |
| Conservative | 113 | 0 | 1 |
| Bloc Quebecois | 0 | 31 | 1 |
| NDP | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Green Party | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Independent | 0 | 2 | 0 |
The committee changes to C-35 were then approved with everyone voting in favour of them. C-35 will now go up for its Third Reading.
It doesn’t look like there were any substantial changes to C-35 by the committee. Everything just clarifies that the program should provide high-quality service, be accessible to everyone regardless of location, and be able to adapt to the needs of different cultures. (Including Indigenous and French cultures)
S-246 – Lebanese Heritage Month Act
By unanimous consent S-246 was skipped straight through its Second Reading, the committee phase, and its Third Reading. It’s now waiting to receive Royal Assent
C-294 – An Act to amend the Copyright Act (interoperability)
C-294 went up for its Third Reading and passed with everyone voting in favour of it.
C-22 – Canada Disability Benefit Act
The House sent back a response to the Senate regarding their amendments to C-22. First, they disagree with the part that would prevent contracts/insurance plans/etc from being able to claw back disability payments. The argument is that insurance companies fall under provincial jurisdiction, and as such the feds don’t have the ability to pass legislation that affects them.
They also want to change the part that allows people to appeal decisions on if they qualify for the program and how much they would get from it. First, the appeals will be subject to regulations. Second, the appeals will now also be able to be made regarding anything designated by regulations.
Closing Fun
And that’s all for the week! Have a quote!
Mr. Speaker, the member talks almost exclusively in bumper sticker slogans that the Conservative Party recycles. Recycling slogans is the only environmental plan it has.
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