Mr. Speaker, my question is this. Why could the member not, as well as recognizing this national tragedy, recognize and sympathize with the family and friends of the assassinated politician Pierre Laporte in his motion?
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 55% of the vote.
Business of Supply October 29th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, my question is this. Why could the member not, as well as recognizing this national tragedy, recognize and sympathize with the family and friends of the assassinated politician Pierre Laporte in his motion?
Business of Supply October 29th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my Bloc Québécois neighbour for his remarks.
It is true that most of the people who were arrested and detained in the cells on Parthenais Street were just Quebec nationalists. I knew one of them, Nick Auf der Maur, a journalist, politician and activist who became a friend of mine.
I remember standing on Parthenais Street and gazing at the prisoners at the window.
It is true, terrible mistakes were made that infringed on the rights of activists, nationalists and those who were speaking for change in Quebec. It is true, history tells us with hindsight, that the federal government, properly fulfilling a panicked request from the mayor of Montreal and the premier of Quebec, made a historic mistake. The Liberal government, which has been so free with its apologies over the years, should make an acknowledgement, if not a formal apology, and should at least recognize that a mistake was made. My question—
Employment Insurance October 29th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, even before COVID, notices of debt were often delayed for many months. Now, they are not going out at all. This does not involve deep mathematical computation. The employer knows the severance package amount, the government knows how much EI has been paid, and simple subtraction should release the balance.
Why will the Liberals not act to ensure that more Canadians are not pushed into poverty?
Employment Insurance October 29th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, many thousands of unemployed Canadians, after claiming EI benefits, negotiated severance packages with former employers, either individually or through lawyers, but now they are stuck with no income at all. That is because Service Canada is not issuing notices of debt, leaving severance packages frozen in trust accounts while EI has been cut off pending back payment of portions of those packages.
Does the minister realize what is happening?
Business of Supply October 29th, 2020
Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his remarks. It became clear almost immediately that most of the people who were arrested were nothing more than harsh critics of the Montreal and Quebec governments. A few of my colleagues were among them.
I fully respect the Bloc's initiative to bring this Canadian tragedy to the floor of the House of Commons. It is important that we revisit the rights that were encroached upon and the mistakes that were made in the absence of security information.
I wonder why the Bloc motion does not at least pay passing respect and commemoration to Pierre Laporte, who was politically assassinated, and to his family and friends.
Business of Supply October 29th, 2020
Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. colleague that the Bloc motion is unfortunately somewhat truncated regarding the history of that time. However, I disagree with his challenge of the Bloc's right to bring this important topic to the floor of the House of Commons 50 years after a great Canadian tragedy. It is important to remember both Mr. Cross, who was thankfully rescued and released after his months of captivity, and that we express sympathy on this 50th anniversary to the family and friends of Mr. Laporte.
History has shown us, based on the realities on the ground at the time, that the War Measures Act was quite possibly not warranted. The federal government responded to a panicked response from the mayor of Montreal and the premier of Quebec. However, with the Liberal government so freely giving apologies over the years, I wonder if there cannot be a more formal acknowledgement that a historic mistake was made albeit on the basis of the lack of security intelligence.
Business of Supply October 29th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his remarks.
I remember the events of 1970 like it was yesterday. At the time, I was working as a reporter in Montreal.
It is clear that, after the War Measures Act was declared, those arrested in the police sweeps were merely highly vocal critics of the governments of Montreal and of Quebec. They were Quebec nationalists; I had friends among them.
At the same time, and given that many historians today recognize the realities on the ground in Quebec at the time did not justify the War Measures Act, the Prime Minister of the day, Pierre Trudeau, had little choice when he received the panicked request from Mayor Drapeau and Premier Robert Bourassa for the Government of Canada to act. They believed there was much more going on than the reality on the ground, which was a number of thuggish murderers.
Does my colleague recognize the fact that, were a similar request made today, the Government of Canada, lacking the facts on the ground, would have to act in a similar way?
Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply October 5th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I will always accept a compliment from my hon. colleague.
I must say that we cannot link P3 projects with the scandal that occurred with regard to those girders that were rejected. What we need to see in projects like this, however they are structured financially, is that they abide by the standards and the safety specifications that are set by Canadian and, in this case, the Government of Ontario's MTO standards.
It is quite obvious that the government's awarding the contract or overruling the respect and recognition of the Canadian company's more than capable tender bid has to be recognized and remedied.
Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply October 5th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
I must correct the member. When it comes to the spectacular cutting of health transfers to the provinces, it was the Liberal government, and former prime minister Paul Martin, who downloaded, causing problems right across this country, which we are still recovering from today. With regard to the Harper government, in which I was pleased to serve, we did not cut the health transfers. We reduced the future transfers by 3%, because the provinces were not spending that money.
With regard to the provinces' request for a greater share of health transfers, there are serious discussions to be taken, but the Liberal government did not even mention them in the Speech from the Throne.
Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply October 5th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I must say that I am always gently amused by the revisionist history of my colleague from Winnipeg, and I will, with respect, correct him. The government, after its election in 2015, did not build all those wonderful projects that he is talking about. It made promises to build projects, but could not get the money out the door.