✘ C-331 (International Promotion and Protection of Human Rights)

Bill

C-331: An Act to amend the Federal Courts Act (International Promotion and Protection of Human Rights).

Second reading.

Vote

Nay.

Rationale

Bill C-331 does not align with our existing approach to corporate social responsibility abroad, nor is it likely to provide more meaningful redress for victims. Instead, it may create ambiguities and uncertainty in the law, which could result in lengthy and costly litigation.

Result

Defeated.

✔︎ C-58 (Access to Information and Private Acts)

Bill

C-58: An Act to amend the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

Third Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

These reforms support campaign promises and mandate letter commitments of the President of the Treasury Board, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Democratic Institutions. Our government is committed to openness and transparency, and this legislation is another important step in this regard. The Senate amendments serve to further strengthen and clarify our government’s intent to strengthen and reform our Access to Information regime.

Result

Passed.

✔︎ C-48 (Oil Tanker Moratorium Act)

Bill

C-48: An Act respecting the regulation of vessels that transport crude oil or persistent oil to or from ports or marine installations located along British Columbia's north coast

Senate Amendment.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

The Senate is proposing to modify C-48 in a number of ways; most substantively by requiring a two-stage review: firstly, a regional assessment which would be led by the Minister of the Environment under authorities established under the (yet to be passed) C-69. The Minister of Environment would be required to invite the provincial governments of B.C, Alberta and Saskatchewan as well as indigenous communities in the moratorium area to enter into an agreement or arrangement respecting the joint establishment of a committee to conduct the assessment and the manner in which the assessment is to be conducted. This body would then be required to start their work 180 days after coming-into-force of C-48 and could take up to 4 years after coming-into-force to present their report to Parliament. This would then feed into the second stage, a Parliamentary Review, which would take place 5 years after coming-into-force, and which would consider evidence gathered by the Regional Assessment and conduct further study and hearings before presenting its report to the Minister of Transport.The requirement to hold a regional assessment is problematic because it would carry unresolved financial implications that were not considered during the House debate of the Bill, and it would result in a lack of clarity over whether the authority provided to the Minister of the Environment in Bill C-48 would be inconsistent or in conflict with the authority provided to the Minister of the Environment in Bill C-69. Lastly there is significant consultation fatigue in the part of Coastal First Nations after years of reviews and studies and over 40 years of work to try and formalize the moratorium. It is unreasonable to ask them to participate in yet another review only 180 days after coming-into-force of C-48.

Result

Passed.

✔︎ C-88 (Arctic Oil and Gas)

Bill

C-88: An Act to Amend the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and the Canada Petroleum Resources Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts.

Third Reading.

Vote

Yes.

Rationale

Bill C-88 seeks to repeal parts of Conservative legislation passed in 2014 that the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories found violated the rights of Indigenous governments.It also duplicates parts of that legislation which were impacted by the injunction but are unrelated to the restructuring of the boards. Bill C-88 also seeks to implement the goals of the Joint Arctic Leaders’ Statement of December 2016, in which the Prime Minister issued an indefinite moratorium on new oil and gas rights in the Arctic offshore, tested every five years through a science-based review. This legislation would allow the Minister to institute a moratorium on offshore oil and gas licenses in the Arctic while maintaining existing licenses during the science-based review.

Result

Passed.

✘ C-101 (Reasoned Amendment)

Bill

C-101: An Act to amend the Customs Tariff and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act (Reasoned Amendment).

Second reading.

Vote

Nay.

Rationale

Given present distortions in the global market, Canada needs flexibility to take necessary actions to protect Canadian industry and workers. The proposed amendments to the Customs Tariff do exactly that, by removing the two-year moratorium on the imposition of safeguard measures on products that were recently subject to safeguards. These amendments would provide additional flexibility to the Government to respond quickly and appropriately to situations where a substantiated surge of imports harms, or could harm, Canadian producers and workers. These amendments are intended to be temporary - the Government is proposing that the amendments be only in effect for a period of 2 years. There are also consequential amendments necessary to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act. The Government continues to monitor steel imports and their impacts on the Canadian steel industry closely. The conditions for the application of safeguards, as provided for under the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act and the Customs Tariff, remain unchanged and still need to be met in order for any safeguard measure to be put in place.

Result

Defeated.

✔︎ C-97 (Budget 2019)

Bill

C-97: An Act to Implement Certain Provisions of the Budget Tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2019 and other measures.

Third Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

The Budget Implementation Act provides the legislative framework to implement key campaign commitments that were reiterated in Budget 2019. Through this Bill, we are taking the next step in our ambitious plan to grow our economy by focusing on the middle class and helping those working hard to join it.

Result

Passed.

✔︎ C-93 (Cannabis Suspensions)

Bill

C-93: An Act to Provide No-cost, Expedited Record Suspensions for Simple Possession of Cannabis.

Third Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

I voted for the time allotment for this bill because it aligns with the government’s values and beliefs.

Result

Passed.

✔︎ C-92 (An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis Children, Youth and Families)

Bill

C-92: An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis Children, Youth and Families.

Third Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

I voted for this bill because it aligns with the government’s values and beliefs.

Result

Passed.

✘ S-243 (Reporting on Unpaid Income Tax)

Bill

S-243: An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (Foreign Contributions).

Second reading.

Vote

Nay.

Rationale

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) already publishes research and estimates on various components of the tax gap and has a strong public commitment to continue to do so. Therefore, adding a legislative requirement to collect, compile, analyze and abstract statistics on the tax gap in the CRA’s annual Departmental Results Report is unnecessary.

Result

Defeated.

✔︎ C-266 (Respecting Families of Murdered and Brutalized Persons Act)

Bill

C-266: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (increasing parole ineligibility).

Second Reading.

Vote

Yea.

Rationale

A life sentence is the most severe punishment that can be imposed for some of the most heinous and horrific crimes that can be committed. While life sentences never expire, inmates with life sentences are eligible for parole hearings after 25 years. When an inmate who has virtually no chance of ever being granted parole attends those hearings it can often lead to re-victimization for family members of the deceased. While the government cannot retroactively change parole eligibility for convicts currently in the criminal justice system, changes can be made on a go-forward basis.

The Bill proposes to amend the Criminal Code to direct that a period of parole ineligibility between 25 and 40 years be imposed on individuals who have been convicted, in respect of the same victim and the same series of events.

Result

Passed.