Evidence of meeting #13 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 chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will now go to Mr. Bagnell.

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT

Mr. Chair, it is a great honour to speak to the House of Commons today from Whitehorse, Yukon, here on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta'an Kwäch'än Council.

As a great historic Canadian event last week, Yukon became home to Canada's first university north of 60. Yukon University will provide Yukoners with educational opportunities closer to home, expand our research capabilities and expertise on the Arctic and climate change and allow those who want to study northern and first nations governance to do so in the north. I encourage all students living in the northern half of Canada to look at the many programs and degrees at Yukon University to continue their studies—in some cases this year, virtually—by remaining in the north.

I want to congratulate the staff of Yukon College, who spent the last decade working towards this transition, and especially the outgoing president, Karen Barnes. I wish her all the best in her retirement.

Thank you, merci, mahsi cho and sóga senlá.

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll now go on to Ms. Hutchings.

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

Gudie Hutchings Liberal Long Range Mountains, NL

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

First of all, from the Long Range Mountains, I too want to send my condolences to my colleague, Mr. Rogers from Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, on the tragic loss in St. Lawrence. We're all communities that rely on the sea, and we understand the importance and the tragedy, and the hard work it is being fishers.

However, today, colleagues, I want to mention, as my colleague from across the way said, that it's national tourism week, so please take the time to get out and thank the tourism and hospitality businesses in your ridings.

Most businesses around the world were hit hard by COVID-19. The tourism economy was hit very hard, especially seasonal and rural operations and the 1.8 million people the industry employs. However, this industry knows how to work hard. They know how to partner. They know how to look after their employees and their guests. They will find new and innovative opportunities and experiences. They will build new business and they will continue to attract visitors.

We know that the domestic and local markets will recover first. I know that the operators in my riding are getting ready just for that. It's exciting to speak with them about how they're working on their “new normal” and how it's going to be developed and implemented here in the Long Range Mountains.

Remember too that many of our national parks are opening on June 1, so get out and explore the park in your backyard.

I look forward to working with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Destination Canada and my colleagues so that when we turn the corner of this pandemic, we are ready to rebuild a stronger tourism economy.

Friends, go out and discover the tourism treasures in your province. They need your support. Tourism matters.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

12:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Gourde, you have the floor.

12:15 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Some people were already too few in number and already burdened with heavy responsibilities even before the COVID-19 crisis occurred.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my admiration for the dedication of all the essential workers who stepped up in the riding of Lévis—Lotbinière. This crisis has created pressing needs and unprecedented emergencies. Fine men and women committed to human dignity, volunteers, retirees, and you, who have wisely agreed to stay home, you have been part, to varying degrees, of this great equation to minimize the impact of the spread and avoid the worst.

The snow has melted, the flowers have arrived. Many children are happy to be able to expend their energy again; our seniors are being cuddled, with great care, and our essential workers in the riding are still dedicated to the job.

I say “bravo”, “thank you” and “don't give up”, even though you have already earned your place in heaven.

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Ms. Bendayan.

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

Rachel Bendayan Liberal Outremont, QC

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My father, who is now retired, was a researcher for over 40 years. He was involved in many medical discoveries. From his laboratories at the Univeristé de Montréal, he worked with CHUM and the Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte—Justine, renowned institutions in Outremont. In Fact, Outremont is full of professors, scientists and researchers. They are Quebeckers, Canadians, who are at the forefront of discoveries that save and will save lives.

Since coming into office, our government has reversed the funding cuts to medical research and has invested billions in science. Recently, we announced new funding for COVID-19 research for fundamental science and supports for academic researchers. We are working very hard to find a vaccine for COVID-19, and our fundamental research is helping us to understand viruses that we don't even know the names of yet. It is this work that will help us stay ahead of the curve rather than flatten it.

To all our Canadian scientists and to my dad, thank you.

12:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll now continue with Ms. Alleslev.

May 28th, 2020 / 12:20 p.m.

Conservative

Leona Alleslev Conservative Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON

Mr. Chair, citizens in my riding of Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill are showing incredible compassion as they help their families, their friends and even strangers during this difficult period. They are our community champions.

The Aurora Chamber of Commerce and the Richmond Hill Board of Trade are helping businesses navigate in these difficult times. Organizations like The STEAM Project and Ganesha Temple are making and donating face masks for those in need. The Aurora Museum & Archives is collecting artifacts to document the pandemic for future generations. The Aurora Farmers' Market is bringing local farmers and businesses to us, but this year with one key person missing. Our community has lost one of the farmers' market's founders, our jam lady, Jan Freedman. We were deeply saddened by her passing, and she will be sorely missed.

My sincere thanks to everyone who's working to ease the burdens on one another during this crisis. It's not easy, but this too will pass, and we will be stronger for it.

In the meantime, stay safe, and let us all do our part to be community champions.

Thank you.

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Deltell, you have the floor.

12:20 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Chair, we all understand that a crisis like the one the world is currently experiencing generates deficits. We also know that a deficit is a bill we send to our children and grandchildren, which is why it is important to be prudent, to make wise choices and, above all, to know where we are going.

It's a shame that every time we ask the government a question, no minister can tell us how big the Canadian deficit is.

We aren't the only ones concerned about the deficit and the government's lack of transparency. In fact, last Tuesday, at a parliamentary committee meeting in the Senate, the Parliamentary Budget Officer made some very scathing remarks about the government. He said he was concerned. He said that there had to be a deadline or we'd be heading toward taxation levels that haven't been seen in generations in this country because there is not a lot of ammunition left before we go into a large structural deficit.

I'm not the one saying it; it's the Parliamentary Budget Officer. For weeks, almost every day, the Prime Minister has been announcing cash injections for Canadians. We agree with that. However, hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent without any idea of the deficit.

That's why we're sounding the alarm and calling on the government to be careful. The Prime Minister needs to know that we can't play Santa Claus every day, because the bills in January come in fast, and they are high.

12:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will now go to Mr. Garrison.

12:20 p.m.

NDP

Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC

Mr. Chair, making sure science informs our health policies is critical during a pandemic. That's why I'm so disappointed that the Liberals have maintained the ban on blood donations from gay men and trans women. There is no science behind this ban. Not only does it reinforce homophobia and transphobia, it also reduces our blood supply at this critical time.

Now we've learned that the ban will also result in rejecting plasma donors, when plasma is so critical in emerging COVID-19 research and treatment. More than 17 countries, including Argentina, Italy and Spain, have no deferral period for men who have sex with men. They know that behaviour-based screening provides better security for the blood supply than discriminatory identity-based rules.

I have asked the minister many times to lift the gay blood ban and I do so again today, but today I also call on the family and friends of gay men and trans women to step up now and donate blood in place of those of us who cannot. When it comes to blood donations, we really should all be in this together.

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Desilets, you have the floor.

12:25 p.m.

Bloc

Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair. I've missed you, by the way.

On another note, the emergency wage subsidy was created for people who fear for their jobs or their businesses. It's for people who need it, not for millionaire political parties like the Liberals and Conservatives. In Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, as in many other ridings, we respond daily to businesses that don't have access to it.

Unfortunately, there are people in our ridings who won't have the opportunity to hire staff this summer. There are businesses that are losing less than 30% of their revenues; they are losing 29%. These businesses won't have access to it. Everywhere we look, there are businesses that are falling through the cracks. Meanwhile, the Liberals and the Conservatives are getting the wage subsidy to fund partisan activities. I repeat: it is to fund partisan activities. The Liberals and Conservatives don't even do it on the sly; they do it openly.

These two parties have raised millions of dollars since January. Every dollar that's taken comes out of the taxpayers' pockets. It's the workers' money, not the political parties'. It's so embarrassing that it's shameful, disrespectful and ridiculous.

The Liberals and the Conservatives have to pay that money back. I think that's obvious. For the Bloc Québécois, its immeasurably clear. It's a question of ethics, morality and respect for citizens.

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll now go to Mr. Schmale.

12:25 p.m.

Conservative

Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON

Thank you, Chair.

This week is Paramedic Services Week, and I would like to take a moment to thank these men and women who work tirelessly at the best of times to protect and save lives. Their efforts during COVID-19, like the services provided by many front-line workers in health care, such as personal support workers, doctors, nurses, janitorial and clerical staff, lab technicians and many others, have been extraordinary and truly beyond the call of duty.

I hope this week all Canadians will take a moment to thank a paramedic or any front-line health care worker in their community for the amazing services they have been called upon to perform and will continue to provide in the challenging days ahead.

Chair, I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention another unfortunate consequence of the current pandemic, the cancellation of the Kinmount Fair, a renowned event that has been running since 1870. This year the fair was to mark its 150th anniversary, but in true Kinmount spirit, this heartbreaking decision will not deter organizers from planning an even bigger and better event in 2021.

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Now we will go to Ms. Dhillon.

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

Anju Dhillon Liberal Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC

Mr. Chair, I'd like to thank the members of the Canadian Armed Forces from the bottom of my heart for their invaluable assistance in the long-term care facilities.

Their deployment came at a critical time, when many seniors desperately needed them. Through the observations and testimonies of these members, we saw the extent of the nightmare that many seniors had endured for a long time.

These are human beings who could not fend for themselves. They were treated with profound cruelty and carelessness. Among many other loathsome details, they were left to starve, were abused and lived in filth, their cries of anguish ignored. They were tormented and left in their agony.

There is no excuse for this. No one ever deserves to be treated the way they were. I am talking about humanity, about compassion and mercy.

It is up to each and every one of us to make sure no elderly person is ever hurt in this vile manner again. I take this moment to honour these victims.

12:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Before moving on, I want to remind the hon. members that, as the rules state, statements by members should be 60 seconds. That's one minute. Usually there are a few extra seconds, which doesn't matter, but some of them have gone quite a bit over time, so starting Monday we'll be cutting them off at 60 seconds.

I encourage everyone to practise them or take a look at them, and try to keep them within the 60 seconds so that we don't go over our allotted time.

We will now proceed to the questioning of ministers. I would like to remind members to speak fairly slowly so that the interpreters can understand what they're saying.

I know sometimes we get excited in the House and we speak a little quickly. Just be conscious of it. I'm sure it will be appreciated by the interpreters and those at home who are listening in, as then they can make out the important questions and answers that are being given in this chamber.

We will go to our first question. We will begin with Mr. Barlow.

12:30 p.m.

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The government has consistently worked to shut down Parliament and undermine personal sittings and has argued that the business of this country can be done by Zoom. However, for work of the G7 the Prime Minister said, “there’s no question that in-person meetings...are much more effective than even virtual meetings.”

By pushing to go virtual, is it the Prime Minister's goal to make Canada's Parliament less effective?

12:30 p.m.

University—Rosedale Ontario

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Chair, it is absolutely not. In fact, I am pleased to be here in person meeting with members from across the country and pleased that our colleagues who live further away from Ottawa than I do have the opportunity to join us.

Parliament plays an essential role in our democracy, and it's—

12:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will go back to Mr. Barlow.