Evidence of meeting #1 for COVID-19 Pandemic in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We still have over 10 minutes.

Therefore, if you wish to present a certified petition, please use the button at the bottom of the screen to signal that you would like to speak.

We now have Mr. Reid.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My petition was submitted by some constituents on the subject of the prison farm at Joyceville Institution in Kingston. There is a plan for this to become the site of an intensive goat dairy facility for up to 1,500 goats. The petitioners request that this not be done for a variety of reasons outlined in the petition, including the costs associated with the issue of using prison labour to provide export products, in this case goat milk to China.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Would any other hon. members like to present a petition?

Seeing no further members who want to present a petition, we'll now proceed to questions for ministers.

I would like to remind honourable members that no member shall be recognized for more than five minutes at a time, and that members may split their time with one or more members by so indicating to the chair. Ministers responding to questions should do so by simply turning on their mike and speaking.

The first question goes to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Scheer.

1 p.m.

Regina—Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

Conservative

Andrew Scheer ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I want to ask the Prime Minister a question about the rate at which Health Canada is providing approvals to companies who are looking to offer new testing kits. As provinces start to unveil plans to ease health restrictions, one of the key factors in allowing them to do so will be the ability to ramp up testing efforts. Once again we see an example of government reacting very, very slowly. It can't keep up with entrepreneurs and with the private sector. The latest information indicates that up to 50 companies are waiting for Health Canada approvals.

Can the Prime Minister explain why Health Canada has to this point been unable to implement a fast-track process so that provinces can get the new testing kits they so desperately need?

1 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Chair, I thank the member for his question.

It is really important that we get testing up to speed and that we make sure we have reliable testing across the country, because that is an essential part of restoring some semblance of normality as we move forward, as we look to reopen. At the same time, we've seen around the world problems with test kits that have been faulty or unreliable. One of the huge challenges we might face, if tests are unreliable, is that we could have an undetected resurgence of COVID-19.

We are incredibly pleased by how many innovative Canadian companies and individuals have put forward new solutions. Health Canada is prioritizing and rapidly going through a process of evaluating these tests. At the same time, we cannot compromise on not just the safety of individual Canadians for this test but also the safety of our entire country. We have approved a number of different tests. We will be approving more, but it needs to be done in a safe way with the real recovery of our country as the core goal we're facing.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Andrew Scheer Conservative Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

Mr. Chair, information has come out that a Canadian company called BlueDot was able to track incidents of COVID-19 in China as early as December of 2019. BlueDot has indicated that among their clients are 12 countries, including front-line health care providers here in Canada.

Can the Prime Minister indicate whether the Government of Canada had access to BlueDot's information back in December?

1 p.m.

Liberal

Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC

Mr. Chair, we were advised in early January of the possibility of what became COVID-19.

In China, we made sure that we were monitoring intelligence sources, working with our Five Eyes partners on that. As you highlight, a Canadian company was involved in tracking the spread early on, but we are glad to have that company with us now. Our information on what was going on in China came into us through a range of intelligence services, public accounting and recording, as well as our Five Eyes and other allies around the world.

We continue to work with all those allies to understand exactly what's going on around the world and how we can best position ourselves. We are working with a range of technology companies and innovators to ensure that we're actually doing everything we can to monitor and track the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. There's lots more to do, but Canadian innovation will certainly be a part of that as we move forward.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Scheer, you have about a minute left, with 30 seconds for a question and 30 seconds for an answer.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Andrew Scheer Conservative Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

I have a very quick question, then.

In that answer, the Prime Minister indicated that they had received information in January from a variety of sources. One of those sources of information was Canadian military intelligence experts, who warned that this disease was going to be more serious than the WHO had originally indicated.

We've asked this question several times before. It's a simple yes-or-no question. Did anyone in cabinet or the Prime Minister see the Canadian military intelligence report that was issued in January?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC

The public health officer of Canada convened a conversation with her provincial counterparts as of January 2 to address reports of a virus or a particularly bad strain of influenza that was occurring in China. We got regular updates from our intelligence officials. I cannot share specific briefings with you here, obviously, but I can assure you that our intelligence agents and officials were very active in keeping cabinet and the government apprised of the latest developments.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Before continuing, I just want to remind the honourable members to place their questions through the Chair.

Now we'll continue.

The hon. member for Saint-Jean has the floor.

April 28th, 2020 / 1:05 p.m.

Bloc

Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In 2009, the government amended the Income Tax Regulations. An amendment to section 5907, among others, exempted from taxation the income of companies that do business in certain tax havens, specifically, countries with which Canada has entered into a tax information exchange agreement.

With that simple amendment, the government opened up around 22—

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We have a point of order. Please state your name so that I can see where the honourable member is from.

Mr. Kurek.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Damien Kurek Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB

Than you very much, Mr. Chair.

I'm sorry, but there's an issue with the translation. It's at the same volume as the original audio. It's very difficult to understand.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

What we'll do is pause for a moment. I'll check with the technical team to make sure that everything gets adjusted here. One moment, please. We're taking care of it. Thank you for bringing that up.

There is a technical issue. If you are going to speak English, please keep your translation or your interpretation on the English channel.

If you speak French, please use the French channel. If you want to speak in both languages, choose the interpretation channel. The language you will hear will correspond to the channel you chose.

Therefore, make sure that you stay on the channel for the language that you want to be speaking and hearing, and that should solve the problem.

We'll try it again.

Ms. Normandin, please continue.

1:10 p.m.

Bloc

Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

If I may, I will start my question over. I think I was about 40 seconds in.

I was saying that, in 2009, the government amended the income tax regulations. The amendment of section 5907 made it possible to exempt from taxation a number of businesses that are involved with tax havens. A simple amendment to the regulations helped liberalize about 22 tax havens.

What can be done through regulations can also be undone through regulations. That is actually what our political party proposed in the previous Parliament. According to a principle, when someone can do something, but does not, it's simply because they don't want to.

So why does the government not want to benefit—

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON

On a point of order, Mr. Chair, there's been no change.

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Epp has an issue with the interpretation. Are you on the English channel, Mr. Epp?

1:10 p.m.

Conservative

Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON

Yes, I am.

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Okay.

My apologies, Ms. Normandin.

1:10 p.m.

Bloc

Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

No problem.

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Ms. Normandin, are you using the French channel or the English channel?

1:10 p.m.

Bloc

Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

I turned off the interpretation.

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

That is what the problem is.

Please choose the channel that corresponds to the language you speak.

1:10 p.m.

Bloc

Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Okay. I'm sorry.

As the saying goes, all things come in threes. My question was for the government. I was saying that, when someone can do something, but does not, it's simply because they don't want to.

Why doesn't the government want to benefit from the revenue that could be used for our seniors, for agriculture, to fight climate change, and the list goes on?