Questioning the Minister on civilian oversight of CSIS
Questioning the Minister on civilian oversight of CSIS – Libby Davies
Questioning the Minister on civilian oversight of CSIS
Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, we know that members of the House were in attendance at the funeral of Corporal Nathan Cirillo today, and I know that we all were there in spirit, even as we continued our work today here in the House. Yesterday the government tabled new proposals to expand the powers of CSIS. These measures require careful study, particularly the role of special advocates.
Alongside providing more powers to CSIS, will the government also be moving forward on improving civilian oversight at the same time?
Hon. Steven Blaney (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague, the member for Vancouver East, for paying tribute to Corporal Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent. Today, our entire country is mourning a courageous man, a symbol of the best Canada has to offer. We are able to be parliamentarians and govern today because people sacrificed their lives and protected us.
Today we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.
Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the minister’s words, but we also come back to the business at hand before the House. The Arar commission concluded in 2006 that improved civilian oversight of CSIS was needed, but for eight years, the Conservatives have ignored this recommendation. In the 2012 budget bill, the Conservatives eliminated the CSIS inspector general, and now there are two vacant positions on the Security Intelligence Review Committee.
After three consecutive years of cuts, is the minister re-examining the resources available to CSIS?
Hon. Steven Blaney (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, CPC): Mr. Speaker, regarding the hon. member’s two questions, there are provisions in the bill tabled today that would take into consideration the privacy rights of individuals. It is a good tool that would improve the safety of our country, and we intend to move forward. With regard to oversight of our intelligence, we have strong and robust oversight. We formerly had NDP members sitting on the advisory committee on that oversight body. I expect that our intelligence will follow up on its recommendations.
Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the reality is that SIRC is already overstretched and is not getting the co-operation from CSIS it needs. The minister does know this.
In fact, the report tabled on Friday noted that this small oversight body, now with only three members, reported “significant delays” in receiving information from CSIS. In one case, it said it was “seriously misled”.
I ask the minister again: Will he ensure that there will be enhanced civilian oversight to go along with any expanded powers of CSIS?
Hon. Steven Blaney (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I expect that the committee that oversees the operations of our intelligence agency will be properly completed. I thank the committee for its important report on the intelligence activities. It is important to maintain trust between our Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the review committee, the government, and Canadians, and all for the sole purpose of protecting the public. We will continue to support the efforts of the review committee so that it can achieve its mandate and be accountable to all parliamentarians.
Press Releases
Ebola outbreak: NDP wants details on emergency plan for Canada
Ebola outbreak: NDP wants details on emergency plan for Canada
New Democrats are asking the federal government to be more transparent about the steps being taken to prevent an Ebola outbreak in Canada and to produce a vaccine for the deadly virus. NDP health critic Libby Davies has written Health Minister Rona Ambrose, arguing that Canadians need to be kept well-informed in order to maintain confidence in the Public Health Agency's ability to handle the crisis. Canadians, she writes, should "feel certain that we are well-equipped to deal with the scope of the crisis in West Africa and the potential of an outbreak here in Canada." Davies specifically asks Ambrose to answer some specific questions, such as who is responsible for ensuring quarantine and treatment protocols in hospitals and who is responsible for ensuring health workers have the appropriate equipment.
The original article, Ebola outbreak: NDP wants details on emergency plan for Canada was published on October 15, 2014 in CBC.ca. Author(s): CBC.ca
Letter to Premier Christy Clark on raising Social Assistance Rates
Letter to Premier Christy Clark on raising Social Assistance Rates
October 14, 2014
Premier Christy Clark & Hon. Don McRae, Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
Box 9041
Station PROV GOVT
Victoria, BC V8W 9E1
Dear Premier Clark and Minister McRae,
RE: Raising Social Assistance Rates
I am writing on behalf of many constituents who receive social assistance, and are in dire financial straits every day. Specifically, I respectfully request that you raise welfare rates.
The typical rate of $610/month is grossly inadequate to meet basic needs. This amount means that there is only $26/week remaining to cover not only food but also clothing, medication, transport, childcare, education, hygiene, and other fundamental necessities – a task that cannot be realistically achieved. The current welfare rates are abysmal and ensure that people will remain destitute.
It is difficult to put into words the sense of anger and despair shared by those stuck in the poverty trap. This is a wealthy province, so why does our province have the highest poverty rate in all of Canada? This is often passed off as due to individual failings, but I have seen an abundance of motivation and capacity amongst those living below the poverty line. The problem is due to a failure of public policy.
I know that it is our collective hope that our poorest citizens have a better life, and a better future. But first they need stability. And stability is only achieved with a decent income. The rates need to be raised immediately – and I ask that your government do so.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Libby Davies, MP (Vancouver East)
Letter to Premier Christy Clark on raising Social Assistance Rates
Today I questioned the Minister of Health on why the Ebola vaccine from Canada is being held-up
Canada’s delays in shipping Ebola vaccine to West Africa and Minister’s failure to act on Drug Safety
Canada’s delays in shipping Ebola vaccine to West Africa and Minister’s failure to act on Drug Safety
Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary has just confirmed again that this urgently needed vaccine is still sitting in a Winnipeg lab despite the promises that were made weeks ago to get a vaccine to West Africa. In the meantime, the number of Ebola cases is doubling almost every three weeks.
Rather than passing the buck and trying to blame someone else, we want to know, and could the minister tell us, what steps is she taking now to deliver on Canada’s promise for this vaccine?
Ms. Eve Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, CPC): Mr. Speaker, everybody understands that the vaccines need to get to the people most affected, but there are logistical issues. In fact, the World Health Organization in discussions with our Chief Medical Officer ascertains that consent needs to be provided. Obtaining this consent is an issue. Ensuring that the vaccines are refrigerated is an issue.
What I can assure the House is that we have donated 800 to 1,000 doses of this vaccine. It is being made available. As soon as the World Health Organization can make use of it, we will ship it.
Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I can say that Canadians expect their government to be proactive, not sitting around waiting. Let us look at drug safety. While the U.S. takes drug safety seriously, this minister has been improvising. Five months ago the U.S. banned imports from Apotex. Health Canada politely asked Apotex to stop and did nothing when it refused. This week Conservatives finally imposed a ban, but then they got the product list wrong.
Could the minister confirm that she was told about the problems with Apotex in April and did nothing, or is she suggesting that she is not responsible for her own department?
Ms. Eve Adams (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, CPC): Mr. Speaker, we will not tolerate drug safety risks. As soon as Health Canada was made aware of the issues at the plants in India, it acted immediately. A quarantine was put in place. All of the medications were reviewed and now there is an import ban against these medications.
Vanessa’s Law would allow Health Canada to enact tough new fines on companies that put any Canadian lives at risk. It will also allow Health Canada to not have to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, but to simply ban them.