Evidence of meeting #54 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cbsa.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Minister, I'm just going to help you along here.
The big six outsourcing companies have gone up fourfold under your government. That's 400%. They're $15 billion a year. It's out of control.
All I'm asking today is if you're going to put an end to it. What are you going to do?
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
Marco Mendicino Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Johns, listen. I appreciate the urgency of your question. The government has committed.... You heard me say in my introductory remarks that Minister Jaczek and other ministers are undertaking a review of this situation so that we get not only best value for dollar but also all of the essential services that are required to be delivered to Canadians.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Minister, across the country, thousands of people have died from a toxic drug crisis, including young people. Two 17-year-olds died yesterday in my community of Port Alberni from the toxic drug crisis. Family members, workers and loved ones are dying because of the toxic opioids that are on our streets.
We learned that McKinsey & Company received millions of dollars from your government, as we know. This is a company that settled on an $800-million lawsuit for their role in the opioid epidemic in the United States. What's the threshold for your government for companies that have been embroiled in scandal?
I'm not going to put all of the toxic drug crisis on McKinsey, because your government has taken an incremental approach to this health crisis. Incrementalism kills when it comes to a health crisis. The Conservatives spread misinformation. Misinformation kills people in a deadly health crisis as well.
I want to know what your threshold is.
4:05 p.m.
An hon. member
I didn't kill anybody.
March 6th, 2023 / 4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
On a point of order, Chair, is this The Gong Show that's going to go on here today? I'd invite, through you, Mr. Chair, Mr. Johns to withdraw that assertion.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
I appreciate what you're getting at, Mr. Johns, but it was very inappropriate.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
How about an apology?
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Okay, Mr. Barrett and Mr. Johns....
Mr. Johns, please, we've been working well together with this. I would ask you to please apologize to Mr. Barrett for the comment about killing people. It was very inappropriate, and the comment about the Conservative leader—
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
I didn't appreciate being chirped at while I'm trying to ask questions. I'll apologize for that comment.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Is the apology forthcoming?
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Kelly McCauley
Thank you. Let's have no more of this, please. Thank you very much.
Continue, Mr. Johns.
4:10 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
I mean, I find it ironic that your government is investing $33 million in the substance use assistance program, and McKinsey is getting $32.5 million in contracts from your government.
As the public safety minister, do you feel that if there was toxic alcohol, toxic lettuce or toxic Tylenol, it would be your job to step in to do something about it?
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Marco Mendicino Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
First, Mr. Johns, I want to be clear that I would hope that all parliamentarians are united in tackling the opioid crisis and indeed all of the public health concerns that revolve around substance abuse. That is one of the reasons this government has been working around the clock to finalize a new health care agreement with provinces and territories that will amount to approximately $198 billion, which is why we are taking additional steps to take a public health care approach to the challenge of the opioid crisis, including in your home province—
4:10 p.m.
NDP
4:10 p.m.
Liberal
Marco Mendicino Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
—of British Columbia, where we have a very good collaboration with the Eby government.
Mr. Johns, I'm going some way here to assure you this is a government that believes in taking—