COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on June 3rd, 2020

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

I'm honoured to recognize the outstanding work that the Dashmesh Culture Centre, through the leadership of president Amanpreet Singh Gill and the entire executive committee, has displayed throughout this pandemic.

The gurdwara has a food bank run by some amazing youth and, through kind donations of the community at large, is never low in supply. They see about 25 hampers given out daily. They have their hard-working volunteers make and serve 500 meals, hot meals that are given through their drive-through service or through delivery. They provide 100 hot free meals to our hard-working truck drivers daily. They deliver 400 meals with The Salvation Army, and brown bag lunches for those kids who don't have access to lunch. These services are helping the most vulnerable during this difficult time, including our seniors.

Sikhs believe in the concept of seva, or selfless service, and the Dashmesh Culture Centre, through the hard work of the executive committee and the volunteers, has fully displayed this by stepping up during the pandemic.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll now go to Ms. Martinez Ferrada.

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Chair, at one point in our lives, my family and I used food banks. I understand the tremendous anxiety that people feel in front of an empty fridge, especially with young children.

Today, I would like to thank Benoist, from the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve community kitchen, and his team, who have provided more than 56,000 meals to 17,500 families in Hochelaga. I would also like to thank Tonia, from Bouffe Action, and all her volunteers who, every Friday, donate 200 baskets and over 600 bags of fruits and vegetables.

Those organizations would not have managed without the pedalling of the Cyclistes solidaires pour la santé alimentaire. I would like to thank Agathe for mobilizing dozens of volunteers to deliver food efficiently, quickly and, above all, in an environmentally responsible manner. Thanks to these dedicated and community-minded people, fewer residents of Hochelaga have empty stomachs.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The floor goes to Mr. Généreux.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to acknowledge the work of all the constituents in my riding who, since the beginning of the pandemic, have put in countless hours. Whether they are workers in the health sector, the food sector, public services or volunteers, they make an essential contribution to the collective good of our communities. I would like to thank them on behalf of everyone who crosses their path.

I also commend the resilience of our entrepreneurs and businesses as they reopen, despite the difficulties they have encountered and the challenges still to come. My team and I remain vigilant and continue what we have been doing for the past three months to help people and provide solutions, just as we have been working to improve the government's emergency plan so that our businesses are not left behind.

I am proud to represent the people of Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup. I am extremely proud of them.

Let's keep going. We will get through this.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We will now go to Mr. Kitchen.

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Chair, as Canadian democracy crumbles and the government silences any kind of political opposition, it can be challenging to see the good in the world. Thankfully, the people in my riding of Souris—Moose Mountain are shining a light in the darkness by sharing stories of people coming together to help those in need.

One such story is of Fast Trucking, based in Carnduff, which was struggling to keep going during the Liberal attack on the oil industry. When they were hit with COVID-19 pandemic, company president Dennis Day was forced to lay off 250 of his employees. Realizing that this would leave many in limbo while waiting for government assistance, Dennis bought $50,000 worth of Co-op grocery gift cards and distributed them to those he had laid off.

This kindness in the face of adversity truly exemplifies what the people of Saskatchewan are all about. Fast Trucking has shown that while they are a business, they are a family first.

Thank you to Dennis, his mother Vi and his family, and thank you to all my constituents for showing such bravery and unity in these uncertain times.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We will go to Mr. Bachrach.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Chair, many owners of small businesses in northwest B.C. are hurting as a result of the pandemic. It includes those in tourism, retail and the restaurant sector. I am talking about small local businesses, lots of them family-run, and many of them with only one or two employees. There is a real risk that some of these won't survive the pandemic. For some, it's already too late.

Despite the dire outlook, I've seen local business people respond with resilience, resourcefulness and optimism. With the help of local chambers of commerce and groups like Community Futures, they're finding ways to weather the storm. This government needs to have their back. That means fixing the commercial rent relief program, starting with a moratorium on business evictions. It means targeted support for tourism operators. It means keeping programs like the wage subsidy around long enough to help businesses get back on their feet.

Our small towns depend on local businesses, their owners and their employees. We must do more to help them survive.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The floor now goes to Mr. Beaulieu.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Chair, Gilles Duceppe often said that Canada truly has two official languages: English and simultaneous translation.

During the COVID-19 crisis, even translation has often taken a back seat, whether for the labelling of hazardous goods or for daily press briefings.

As the crisis drags on, one-third of Franco-Ontarian organizations are afraid that they will be closing within six months, and half within a year. Francophone and Acadian communities are mobilizing for the survival of Campus Saint-Jean, the only francophone institution west of Manitoba.

While the Liberal Party is dipping into taxpayers' money with both hands by generously helping itself to the wage subsidy, I would like to remind them that French-language services in Canada were already largely underfunded before the crisis.

I am therefore asking the government to show the same spirit of generosity toward francophones in Canada as it has toward the employees of the Liberal Party.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Now we go to Mr. Kent.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, it's a pleasure to be back in the House. This chamber is effectively the beating heart of our Canadian democracy. Unfortunately, the heartbeat of this place is suffering a prolonged arrhythmia, brought on by the disgraceful neutering of responsible government by a Liberal minority, aided and abetted by the NDP, who voted for closure not only of debate but of Parliament until late September.

Folks watching this temporary committee at home may think they're watching a parliamentary sitting. It is anything but. It will take more than the defibrillators scattered around this building to shock this place back to life and enable the holding of this hubristic Liberal government to account through the continuing COVID-19 health and economic crisis.

That's what Canadians expect. That's what Canadians deserve. Canada remains in crisis. The heart of our democracy should be beating on all cylinders, with appropriate health and safety protocols.

Please excuse the mixed metaphor.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Mr. Arya is next.

[Chandra Arya, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm thankful to the many individuals and organizations in Ottawa that have worked very hard to combat this COVID-19 crisis.

In particular, I would like to thank the Chinese Community Association of Ottawa, its president Jin Sheng, and his team, who raised $165,000 to purchase ventilators for The Ottawa Hospital and personal protective equipment for front-line health care workers.

I would also like to recognize the Indo-Canadian Community Centre, its president Kanwal Talwar, and his team, who donated $77,000 to The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, the Shepherds of Good Hope, the Ottawa Food Bank and The Ottawa Mission.

In addition, the Indo-Canadian community also donated meals, masks and gowns to front-line medical staff of all Ottawa hospitals.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We will now go to questions to ministers.

Please note that we will suspend the proceedings every 45 minutes in order to allow employees who provide support for the setting to substitute for each other safely.

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

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

The government created the Canada Infrastructure Bank in June of 2017. It gave this bank $35 billion. It appointed a CEO in May of 2018. The CEO left on April 20, 2020. The Prime Minister gave the departing CEO a massive bonus, a bonus so big he is afraid to tell Canadians what it was.

I have a simple question for the Prime Minister. How many projects did the Canada Infrastructure Bank complete since its inception?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Chair, we created the Canada Infrastructure Bank to leverage private capital along with public money to create more projects, because we knew that investing in infrastructure for communities, growth and Canadians was significantly important. It has invested in a number of large projects that are under way. We know infrastructure investments will make Canada better.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

How many projects have been completed through the Canada Infrastructure Bank?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Chair, large infrastructure projects take many years to create, but they have a positive impact on communities. That's why we've invested in infrastructure—

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Now we'll go back to Mr. Scheer.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Chair, the Prime Minister said the Liberals came up with this scheme to build more infrastructure projects, so how many projects have been completed?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Chair, we know that building infrastructure is a way to build stronger futures for Canadians. That is exactly what we are doing.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Chair, how many projects were completed?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Chair, a number of projects are under way right now, and there are more to come.