Viviane Lapointe
Sudbury, Ontario · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize National Mining Week. When we talk about mining, we are not just talking about extraction. We are talking about an important foundation for Canada's economic security, defence and global competitiveness.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the memory of Vinod and Shilpa Patel, two constituents of Sudbury who tragically lost their lives on April 7 in a highway accident on Highway 69. This is not an isolated tragedy. Sadly, Highway 69 has claimed too many lives.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleagues from all parties who have spoken to Bill C-238 . What we have heard during debate across all party lines is something important. There is broad agreement on the problem. Members spoke about the toll of addiction, trafficking and exploitation in their communities.”
“At the same time, those who profit from that harm are not being held accountable in a way that reflects the full scope of the damage they have caused. The bill would close that gap. Police respond to the same overdose calls night after night. Outreach workers are stretched to the breaking point.”
“I have met with frontline workers who already track detailed data every day for funding and for reporting. They know exactly what it costs to respond to an overdose. They know what it costs to keep a shelter open overnight. They know what it costs to support a survivor of trafficking. These are not abstract numbers.”
“Restitution already exists in the Criminal Code. Judges already have the discretion to order it. Bill C-238 would clarify that restitution can include community organizations when they can demonstrate measurable costs tied to the offence. This is not duplication, but direction.”
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“Mr. Speaker, in the work that has been done on this report, and with the multiple consultations that have been undertaken in the formulation of the report and all the recommendations, those concerns have been incorporated and are being looked at. They form part of the monthly progress reports that are provided to the Minister of National Defence. The discussions around those continue.”
“Bill C-11 proposes to help us implement some of the recommendations from former justices Arbour and Fish to ensure that members of our forces have a safe and professional work environment to carry out the difficult tasks ahead of them.”
“It is clear that our government has been working diligently to make real, tangible progress on the recommendations in front of us, but we know that there is more to do. At its core, this legislation is about protecting, supporting and empowering our people. We know that members of the forces and their families have our backs, and it is our responsibility to have theirs. As a supporter of our Canadian Armed Forces, I am proud to see the investments our government is making in the defence of our people, both through new financial commitments and our commitments to lasting cultural change. Let me be very clear. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces maintain an unwavering commitment to implementing the recommendations of former Supreme Court justices Arbour and Fish.”
“The repeal of the duty to report came into effect on June 30, 2024, and we continue to work with the leadership to ensure we are prioritizing trust and safety in our reporting as well as the agency and choices of victims, survivors and affected persons. Recommendation 48 calls for the Minister of National Defence to appoint an external monitor to oversee the implementation efforts of the IECR's recommendations. We took swift action on this important measure. The minister at the time appointed Madame Jocelyne Therrien as external monitor. Madame Therrien provides monthly progress reports to the Minister of National Defence on the implementation of the report's recommendations.”
“Justice Arbour carefully reviewed all policies, procedures, programs, practices and culture in National Defence and the military justice system. The final report included 48 recommendations, 17 of which could be immediately acted on. The previous minister of national defence accepted all 48 recommendations on May 30, 2022. I would like to highlight two key recommendations that Justice Arbour made and share the progress we have made on them thus far. Recommendation 11 relates to the repeal of the duty to report regulations. In the findings, Justice Arbour concluded that these regulations took away the agency and control of survivors in the reporting process, which would potentially lead to the revictimization of these individuals.”
“The steps we are taking to respond to Justice Arbour's 48 recommendations and those from the other reports will ensure that future generations of the Canadian Armed Forces have access to more resources and a healthy and respectful work environment. However, we know there is a lot more work to do. Bill C‑11 is just the first step. I would now like to discuss the measures that National Defence is taking. [ English ] To provide context and set the scene, we should start with Justice Arbour's report, “The Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review”, also known as the Arbour report. In April 2021, Justice Arbour launched a comprehensive review with the aim of examining harassment and sexual misconduct in the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. This was a comprehensive review that spanned over 12 months.”
“The centre and its resources are available to current and former defence team members, cadets, junior Canadian Rangers aged 16 and older, and family members of the defence community. This means we are able to provide real support to all those who are affected. We also doubled down on our efforts with the creation of the chief professional conduct and culture in 2021. [ Translation ] That individual is responsible for developing policies and programs to address systemic misconduct, improving tracking mechanisms for reports of professional misconduct, and leading efforts to develop a professional conduct and culture framework that tackles all types of discrimination, harmful behaviour, biases and systemic barriers.”
“[ Translation ] The amendments proposed in this bill aim to reform the military justice system by making it more transparent and responsive to the needs of Canadians. However, these crucial institutional changes are only one aspect of our efforts. National Defence is grappling with the difficult realities and experiences of our military and civilian members, including some who have been the targets of wrongdoing, harassment and crimes of a sexual nature. The Minister of National Defence has therefore started taking important steps to prevent this problem and find possible solutions. (1340) [ English ] One of the principal examples of our efforts is the creation of the sexual misconduct support and resource centre. This centre is a major step forward in providing supports to our members.”
“The proposed amendments to the National Defence Act seek to, first, modify the process for the appointment of the Canadian Forces provost marshal, the director of military prosecutions and the director of defence counsel services; second, expand the class of persons who are eligible to be appointed as a military judge to include non-commissioned members; third, affirm the judge advocate general's respect for the independence of authorities in the military justice system while exercising its superintendence of the administration of military justice; fourth, expand the class of persons who may make an interference complaint and provide that a member of the military police or person performing policing duties or functions under the Canadian Forces provost marshal's supervision must make such a complaint in certain circumstances; and fifth, change the title of the Canadian Forces provost marshal to the provost marshal general to align with the titles of other senior designations in the Canadian Armed Forces, such as the surgeon general, the chaplain general and the judge advocate general.”
“These include the independent external comprehensive review and third independent review of the National Defence Act, which were overseen by former Supreme Court justices Louise Arbour and Morris Fish, respectively. These reports speak to the need to reform and modernize the Canadian Armed Forces to ensure that misconduct in any and all forms is a thing of the past. This is about restoring trust in our institutions and proving to our members that when they come forward with any concerns regarding misconduct in the workplace, these concerns will be taken seriously. Before delving in to the broader cultural change efforts being undertaken at National Defence and in the Canadian Armed Forces, I would like to lay out the changes that are proposed in the bill in question.”
“Our forces also deploy here at home to support Canadians, as we have seen in some specific incidents. As the Minister of National Defence and many of my colleagues have already mentioned, it is our job to support our brave men and women in uniform. They carry out crucial work to keep Canadians safe, and it is our responsibility to create a professional and safe work environment for them so they can strive to reach their fullest potential. This is what Bill C-11 is all about. Bill C-11 proposes to reform the military justice system to ensure it is more transparent so that it can respond effectively and efficiently to the needs of our members. Over the past few years, National Defence has received various external reports and reviews.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of Bill C-11 , the military justice system modernization act. [ Translation ] As a member of the Standing Committee on National Defence, I know how important this bill is to the military community and to veterans. [ English ] I would like to spend some time today talking specifically about the importance of creating lasting and meaningful cultural change in the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as our efforts toward the modernization of the military justice system. All members of the House know the outstanding work that our Canadian Armed Forces carry out on behalf of Canadians both here and abroad. Our forces deploy all over the world, responding to regional crises, participating in international exercises and so much more.”
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the frontline service support workers who are doing great work in keeping our communities safe and resilient. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)”
“Bill C-238. Introduction and first reading moved for leave to introduce Bill C-238, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (restitution orders) . She said: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in the House today to present my private member's bill, which is calling for amendments to the Criminal Code in crimes related to drug trafficking and human trafficking. We have all seen the devastating impacts that these crimes have had. The impacts are far-reaching for victims, their families and also communities, specifically the community agencies that are providing support services, often life-saving services, to the victims. Criminals who are charged with these crimes should be made to pay. They should make restitutions to victims and their families, and certainly to the community agencies.”
“Mr. Speaker, it was interesting when the member talked about natural resources. Certainly, as the MP for Sudbury, the mining capital of Canada and, I would say, the world as well, I know that mining is very important. Critical minerals are of increasing importance as well. The government invested $3.9 billion in the critical minerals strategy, which the member's party voted against. I would be interested to know whether the member understands the need to support that. I will give one example: The United States is dependent on 80% of nickel from Ontario, essentially Sudbury, for its aerospace and defence work, so the importance of investing in our natural resources, and certainly in critical minerals, with $3.9 billion—”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the MP on their first address in the House. I have to tell members that both my parents and grandparents grew up on farms. They were proud farmers. I too have values similar to the ones the member stated. My father repeated to me often that my word is everything. As it relates to Bill C-4 , we are offering a tax break for young families trying to buy their first home. I am wondering if the member supports that move in helping those young families attain their first home.”
“Mr. Speaker, Sudbury, like Canada, has everything it takes to be an economic powerhouse: a skilled workforce, abundant natural resources and world-class research institutions. Throughout the campaign, I heard from researchers, innovators and business leaders who wanted to know how the federal government could help them through this period of uncertainty. Can the Minister of Industry tell the House how we will fight to protect and build a prosperous Canadian economy?”