Evidence of meeting #16 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

Jean-Yves Duclos  President of the Treasury Board

1 p.m.

Liberal

Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC

Mr. Chair, the CCB is based on the income of the family. There is a pro-rated amount per child. If you have a child with a disability, it is increased.

Again, I can provide details of CCB eligibility to the member after this meeting.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

There has been no additional tax filing since these new increases were instituted. Will Canadians who received the CCB top-up in error be asked to repay it come tax time?

1 p.m.

Liberal

Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC

Mr. Chair, we are working on a number of different ways to ensure that any repayments by any people or any families are done as respectfully as possible. Service Canada will be reaching out to individuals.

I would suggest—

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Back to Ms. Kusie.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Will this government direct Service Canada to ensure that the benefit money is recouped from families who received the payments in error?

1 p.m.

Liberal

Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC

Mr. Chair, Service Canada is working to ensure that every payment made either in error or in duplicate will indeed be recouped. Although I can't give the member specific details on specific payments, know that Service Canada is working very hard on this file.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Will the government deliver the July CCB increases to families who qualify for the CCB, and which families would this be?

1 p.m.

Liberal

Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC

Mr. Chair, the CCB is helping hundreds of thousands of families, especially in this time of need. Families will be getting their CCB payment in July. I can assure the member that we will ensure that they get the right amount.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Mr. Chair, the debates commission came out Monday with their report on the 2019 election debates. They recommended against many of the unilateral rules the Liberal government imposed because they delegitimized the commission.

They recommended that the commission be established through legislation so that there would be parliamentary accountability. They recommended that next time, all political parties in the House of Commons should be consulted on the appointment of the commissioner. Finally, they recommended that the participation criteria should be set by the commission and not the Liberal government.

Will this Liberal government admit that their dictatorial approach to this debates commission was an affront to Canadian democracy?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister.

1:05 p.m.

Beauséjour New Brunswick

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada

No, Mr. Chair, it won't surprise my honourable colleague that we won't admit to that because she knows it's not accurate.

We have always believed that debates play an essential role in the electoral process. They should be fair. They should be put together in a transparent way. We've taken note of the Right Honourable David Johnston's report. We're obviously looking at it carefully, and I look forward to receiving suggestions from all members on how we can implement the recommendations of this very worthy report.

Unlike the Conservative government, under former prime minister Harper, we don't seek to—

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll now go back to Ms. Kusie.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB

Thank you very much for the “mansplanation”.

As the former shadow minister for democratic institutions, I think I know very clearly how the debates commission was set up.

Will the Liberal government start respecting democracy and apply these crucial recommendations for the next election debates?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB

Again, Mr. Chair, we take no lessons from the Conservatives on respecting democracy.

We're proud of the report. We look forward to working with all members to implement those recommendations in the appropriate way.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will now continue with Mr. Blanchet.

1:05 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Mr. Chair, in Quebec, the issue of long-term care homes raises health and safety concerns and the need to save lives. Everything else can only be secondary.

The few military members I know say about themselves and their colleagues that they are particularly proud to be able to contribute to protecting and helping people, some of whom are their grandparents or parents. We know that in this period of crisis, time is of the essence. Every day stretched out or every day lost jeopardizes the continuation of operations.

In this context, can the government again agree, as it wisely did at the beginning of the crisis, to depoliticize the issue, to put an end to its narrow-minded stubbornness and accept Quebec's nuanced request—which is prepared to discuss terms—to ensure that military personnel remain in the long-term care homes for as long as necessary, given the urgency of the situation?

1:05 p.m.

Honoré-Mercier Québec

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his question.

At no time has this issue been politicized, on the contrary. From the beginning, the Canadian Armed Forces were ready and happy to lend a hand. I have spoken to several members of the military, and they know that they are helping to improve the situation.

We will continue to talk with Quebec to help our seniors, the most vulnerable people in our society.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

I would simply like to clarify something, Mr. Blanchet. You have 43 seconds left: do you want to give your time to Mr. Ste-Marie?

1:05 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Yes.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Mr. Ste-Marie, go ahead.

1:05 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Chair, I thank my leader for his generosity and his 43 seconds.

I'm going to continue on the same subject. Quebec is asking for the army's help in its long-term care homes until September. What is the government's response to that request?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

Mr. Chair, we're aware of the fundamental role played by our men and women in the Canadian Armed Forces. We recognize the contribution they are making in the long-term care homes.

It's obvious that we are continuing to talk with Quebec. There are many ways to help our seniors. We will continue to be present.

1:05 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Chair, I fully agree with the Government House Leader about the fact that there are many ways to help our seniors in our long-term care homes and in our health care system.

The permanent solution isn't complicated: fund health care. We know that in the mid-1990s, the Liberals chose to slash health care funding. Nothing has changed since then. This has led to the health care system under pressure that we know today, which is especially striking with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does the government acknowledge that our health care services are in a pitiful state because Ottawa has chosen to manage its finances on the backs of seniors and the sick for the past 25 years?

1:10 p.m.

Thunder Bay—Superior North Ontario

Liberal

Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Chair, all parts of our government are working together to protect Canadians against COVID-19. We have increased funding to the provinces and territories by $500 million to help them prepare for COVID-19 outbreaks. This is in addition to the $40 billion that we already provide to the provinces and territories each year.

We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to fight COVID-19 together.

1:10 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Chair, that's all well and good, but we see the spending is increasing faster than the federal portion, which ultimately gives us a net decrease. If you take the $500 million announced for COVID-19, Quebec's share is $115 million. The Government of Quebec says that it will cost $3 billion. So we realize that the federal government isn't even paying 4%. The federal government is paying only 4%, but it's taking the liberty of lecturing and saying how the provinces and Quebec should manage the health care system.

Does the government acknowledge that it must provide more funds to the health care system and our long-term care homes?