Debates of Sept. 19th, 2025

Youth Criminal Justice Act

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-231, An Act to amend the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a great deal of emotion that I rise today with the support of my wife, Caro, who is at home, to introduce my first bill, the friends of David bill.

This bill aims to help teenagers who are struggling with addiction at a very young age to access treatment programs so that they can get help rather than being punished by the justice system.

This enactment amends the Youth Criminal Justice Act in order to

(a) clarify the measures governing addiction treatment programs for young persons;

(b) enable, in some cases, the youth justice court that finds a young person guilty of an offence to delay sentencing to enable the young person to participate in an addiction treatment program;

(c) enable the youth justice court to include in certain orders the condition of attending an addiction treatment program;

The Criminal Code already gives judges this option when sentencing adults. I hope my colleagues will support my bill to make this option explicitly available when young people are being sentenced as well.

I would like to thank everyone who helped us draft this bill for David's friends.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Corrections and Conditional Release Act

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-232, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (maximum security offenders).

Mr. Speaker, enough is enough. After 10 years of Liberal soft-on-crime policies and reforms, Canadians are now looking to us to restore common sense to our criminal justice system in Canada. My private member's bill would help do exactly that, and it is a response to concerns raised by not only the constituents in my riding of Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake, but also those across the Niagara region and across this country.

On May 29, 2023, Correctional Service Canada downgraded Paul Bernardo from maximum security prison to medium security. This shocking prison transfer should never have happened. This bill would amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to require that inmates who have been found to be dangerous offenders or convicted of more than one first-degree murder be assigned a security classification of maximum and confined in a maximum security penitentiary or area in a penitentiary.

Weak and soft Liberal laws are putting the interest and care of criminals ahead of victims and their loved ones. This must change, and confidence must be restored in Canada's criminal justice and corrections system. My private member's bill is an important part of the solution, and I hope members of all parties can stand together and support this common-sense bill to do what is right.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Export and Import Permits Act

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-233, An Act to amend the Export and Import Permits Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce my private member's bill, an act to amend the Export and Import Permits Act, otherwise known as the no more loopholes act. I want to thank my colleague, the member for Winnipeg Centre, for seconding this bill.

Canada signed on to the Arms Trade Treaty with the promise that we would not allow our arms exports to contribute to war crimes or the violations of human rights. However, promises are not enough. Words are not enough. We need to close loopholes. We need accountability and we need transparency.

Canada and arms exporters based here should never be complicit in fuelling war crimes, human rights abuses or the suffering of innocent people, yet right now, loopholes in our laws allow weapons, parts and technologies made here in Canada to end up in the hands of regimes that violate international law, commit atrocities and devastate communities. When Canada signed on to the Arms Trade Treaty in 2019, the government exempted all exports to the United States from scrutiny. This loophole has become a back door for Canadian weapons, components and technologies to fuel some of the bloodiest conflicts on earth.

This week on Parliament Hill, installations of children's shoes are on display as the names of children are read out to commemorate the deaths of 20,000 Palestinian children in Gaza. This bill is about closing those loopholes. It would make sure no country is exempt and that weapons, in part or in whole, cannot be exported under blanket permits. It would strengthen the criteria the minister must apply before approving any exports, would require clear end-use certificates and would bring in transparency by enhancing public reporting to Parliament.

This legislation is about standing up for peace, human rights and justice. It is about making sure that Canadian weapons are never used to harm the very values we claim to defend, and it is about showing the world that Canada will live up to its commitments.

Civil society organizations and legal experts have been calling for this legislation. I urge all members of the House to support this bill, because when it comes to protecting human rights and preventing war crimes, there can be no exceptions, no excuses.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Charitable Organizations

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to speak to recommendation 430 of the House of Commons finance committee's pre-budget report proposing removing the advancement of religion as a recognizable charitable purpose under the Income Tax Act.

Religious organizations are more than just places of worship; they are pillars of civil society. Every day, they run programs, food banks, shelters, counselling services and services that governments alone could never provide. They mobilize volunteers, teach our children, comfort the elderly and create bonds of trust to hold together our beautiful communities.

Studies have shown that people active in faith communities give more, volunteer more and strengthen the very social fabric that keeps our country resilient. To deny them charitable status would be to deny the countless Canadians who rely on these services.

If the Liberal government is so desperate to find different ways to tax Canadians, this is the wrong place. Recognizing religious organizations and their tax-exempt status is not a privilege; it is an acknowledgement of the essential role they play in serving the common good.

Highway 1

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise as the representative for Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies to present e-petition 6554, signed by 764 concerned Canadians.

The petition calls on the government to twin Highway 1 through Yoho National Park in order to increase safety for the growing number of vehicles that use this highway daily for travel and commerce, and to create wildlife overpasses and underpasses and fencing along Highway 1 through Yoho Park as part of the twinning construction.

This section of the highway is truly outdated and often sees serious and fatal accidents. The government owes a duty to its citizens to keep them safe. It is time to get this highway done and fixed.

Gaza

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Uqaqtittiji, I am happy to present a petition from Canadians regarding what has been going on in Gaza. They are quite concerned, for example, that the Geneva Conventions have not been respected.

The petitioners, citizens and residents of Canada, call on the Government of Canada to do five different things: publicly and unequivocally reject the militarized aid model currently used in Palestine, demand the full restoration of access for UN agencies and established humanitarian NGOs, including UNRWA and the World Food Programme, insist on safe and immediate entry for Canadian health care workers and other international humanitarian personnel to Palestine, withhold Canadian—

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

I must interrupt the member. There is a point of order from the member for York Centre.

[Roman Baber, Conservative, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think the member is allowed to read the petition word for word.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

That is a fair point of order, but members have wide latitude when tabling petitions to refer to the content of the petition.

The member for Nunavut may continue.

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Uqaqtittiji, I will finish with the last two points: withhold Canadian funding from any entity or model that does not comply with principles of neutrality, impartiality, independence and humanity, and ensure that all Canadian aid to Gaza is delivered through internationally recognized humanitarian channels.

Penticton Shooting Sports Association

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to stand on behalf of the petitioners for petition e-6572, which is in regard to the Penticton Shooting Sports Association.

The petitioners want people to know that the Penticton Shooting Sports Association, which is located on land managed by the Government of Canada, provides essential training facilities for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, other law enforcement agencies and community members. The association also does a lot of other things, including hunter education, firearms safety courses and proper firearms training for youth and cadets, as well as of course being a welcoming space for families.

The proposed divestment of the land by the Government of Canada jeopardizes this important asset, so the petitioners have asked the government to halt the divestment of the land occupied by the Penticton Shooting Sports Association and secure a renewed lease to ensure its continued operations as a community, public safety and family-oriented recreational facility.

I would like to thank the member for Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay for her advocacy.

Along with me and other Conservative members, petitioners are trying to impress upon the government that it is not too late to stop the process and continue the good works of the facility.

Invasive Species

[Jacob Mantle, Conservative, York—Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of rising today to present a petition from my riding and the residents of York—Durham, specifically the residents in the town of Georgina along Young's Harbour, about a new invasive aquatic species in Lake Simcoe called water soldier.

Water soldier was discovered in Cook's Bay last year and has been confirmed by the water soldier working group, which is a group of civil society members, including the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. Water soldier is an invasive species. It threatens human health. It crowds out native species in the lake. Overall, it reduces the enjoyment of our jewel, Lake Simcoe, in Ontario, but there is hope. There are remediation efforts available.

The petitioners call on the government, therefore, to do three things. First, identify water soldier as an invasive species. Second, select a single point of contact for the water soldier working group. Third, provide sufficient financial and technical resources to the water soldier working group so that it can get this under control.

I thank the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and the Chippewas of Rama First Nation for bringing this to my attention.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all questions be allowed to stand at this time.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, given that debate on Bill C-3 was able to conclude this morning, I suspect if you were to canvass the House, you would find unanimous consent at this time to see the clock at 2:30 p.m. so the House may adjourn.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker, Tom Kmiec]

It being 2:30 p.m., the House stands adjourned until Monday at 11 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 12:20 p.m.)