COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on June 3rd, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I call the meeting to order.

Welcome to the 16th meeting of the House of Commons Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This will be a hybrid meeting. Members will be participating via video conference or in person.

A reminder that, in order to avoid issues with sound, members participating in person should not also be connecting by video conference.

Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name and please direct your remarks through the Chair.

For those joining by video conference, I would like to remind you to leave your microphone on mute when you are not speaking.

Also, please note that, if you want to speak in English, you need to choose the English channel, and if you want to speak in French, you need to choose the French channel. Should you wish to alternate between the two languages, please change the interpretation channel to the language that you are using.

Should members participating by video conference need to request the floor outside their designated speaking times, they should activate their mike and state that they have a point of order. Those in the chamber can rise in the usual way.

Please note that today’s proceedings will be televised in the same way as a typical sitting of the House.

I understand that we do not have any ministerial statements this morning, so we'll go straight to presenting petitions.

The first petition goes to Ms. May.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm honoured to rise to present a petition. The focus is on the appalling practice that petitioners draw to our attention of unethical organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners held in the People's Republic of China. They ask this House to enact legislation that would require mandatory reporting of transplant tourism or of patients who need aftercare in Canada.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The next petition goes to Mr. Johns.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Chair, it's an honour to bring this petition forward on behalf of people from Courtenay—Alberni. They're concerned about the 12,000 deaths of their brothers, sisters, daughters, fathers and other family members who have died due to preventable overdose from fentanyl-poisoned sources. This is timely, Mr. Chair, as the community action team in Port Alberni identified that we've had 10 times as many deaths from opioid poisoning since the COVID outbreak. In fact, in April, in British Columbia alone, we had 117 people die of overdose, Mr. Chair.

They're calling on the government to declare the current opioid overdose and fentanyl poisoning crisis a national public health emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it, with the aim to reduce and eliminate preventable deaths; to reform current drug policy to decriminalize personal possession, which is supported by the B.C. chief medical health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry; and, to create with urgency and immediacy a system to provide safe, unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances experimentally, recreationally or chronically are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.

Mr. Chair, I would also like to give a shout-out to our chief medical health officer on central Vancouver Island, Dr. Hasselback, who is retiring and has done great work in standing up for people who are suffering from opioid addiction and for the most marginalized.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I just want to remind the honourable members when presenting petitions to be as concise as possible. It would be appreciated and it is asked of you.

We'll now go on to Mr. Genuis.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I don't think this has ever happened before, but I'm going to agree with Ms. May and also present a petition on the issue of forced organ harvesting. I hope that we'll be able to see a broad consensus among all parties for making the 43rd Parliament the one that finally gets a bill passed to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll go on with presenting petitions.

Go ahead, Mr. Lamoureux.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's with pleasure that I table a petition from the residents of Winnipeg North highlighting the very important issue of establishing a national pharmacare program. They are calling upon the Prime Minister, the government and in fact all members of Parliament to do what they can in working with other jurisdictions, particularly the provinces, to come up with a national pharmacare program.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Very good. Seeing no further petitions to be presented, we'll continue to Statements by Members. The first one goes to Ms. Dzerowicz.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Chair, bom dia.

For the third year, Canada is celebrating June as Portuguese Heritage Month, when we highlight and appreciate the great contributions of Canadians to Canada.

Since Portugese immigrants began arriving in Canada in the 1950s from all regions and islands in Portugal, Canadian society has been enriched by Portuguese culture, traditions, history and language. Canadians now listen to fado music, share the Portuguese great love of football and appreciate Portuguese port, wines and cuisine, whether it is churrasqueira, bacalhau or pastéis de nata.

Portuguese Canadians, a community that is now 500,000 strong, have also contributed greatly to building a better Canada, whether it be through world-renowned artists such as Shawn Mendes and Nelly Furtado, professionals such as Superior Court Justice Madam Linhares de Sousa or athletes such as Toronto Maple Leaf John Tavares or Olympian Meaghan Benfeito.

I am so proud to represent Canada's largest Portuguese community as the member of Parliament for Davenport.

[Witness spoke in Portuguese]

[English]

Happy Portuguese Heritage Month.

Obrigado, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll now go to Mr. Vidal.

[Gary Vidal, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Today I rise to recognize people from all corners of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River. From north to south, east to west and all points in between, people have selflessly stepped up to make life a little easier for others.

The young and the young at heart made masks for health care workers, delivered food and supplies to seniors and other vulnerable residents, and decorated for parades to encourage their communities. One lady even communicated in Dene to demonstrate how to make and wear masks, how to properly wash your hands and how COVID-19 might spread in your community.

Others cut out paper hearts to place in windows. They encouraged and thanked front-line workers with gift baskets, and many businesses changed the way they operate by instituting preventive measures to protect their staff and their customers. To all I say a great thank you.

Mr. Chair, my riding is the third-largest among the provinces, but at times like this it seems like one small town.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll go on to Mr. Oliphant.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Chair, as this is my first time speaking at this special parliamentary committee, I want to thank you and your team and the Clerk's team for your tremendous efforts in keeping the people's House open through this unprecedented time.

There have been extraordinary efforts across the country, including in the neighbourhoods of Don Valley West in midtown Toronto. To recognize them, I have launched a pandemic heroes award program, encouraging people to nominate exceptional residents of Don Valley West who are helping others to ensure they are healthy, safe and economically able to survive if not thrive through this time.

Many of those heroes are at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in the heart of our community. Sunnybrook admitted the first COVID-19 patient in Canada, and since then has continued to offer care to countless others. I salute the nurses, physicians, attendants, caretakers, cooks, administrators, funders and researchers who have set a standard of care that is second to none.

To all pandemic heroes across the country, thank you. May you be healthy and safe as we beat this virus.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Ms. Bérubé, you have the floor.

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Chair, one year ago today, the report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was tabled. It has been already one year since the conclusion of two years of work and more than 1,400 meetings with survivors of violence and the families of victims.

Indigenous communities had to take action for years to obtain this commission. One year after the report was tabled, we must commend them for their solidarity and tenacity, but above all, we must demand that the government not shelve this report. The violence, racism, discrimination, the disproportionate number of incarcerations and especially the murders of indigenous women must stop.

We have a duty to reconcile with the first peoples. For too long, we have all turned a deaf ear to the cries of distress from indigenous communities. We must not forget, so that it does not happen again.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I will now give the floor to Mr. Schiefke.

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Mr. Chair, I am honoured to rise in the House today to recognize the exceptional work of the members of my community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges.

As we go through the difficult period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I wish to thank each and every front-line worker and volunteer who is helping to fight this crisis. I am thinking of the nurses, who are working overtime, the firefighters, who are showing their solidarity with the CHSLDs, the food banks, which are providing food to families in need, and the many community organizations and SMEs that are helping vulnerable people.

Their hard work is honourable. I speak on behalf of our entire community when I applaud their dedication to their neighbours.

You have represented and continue to represent the best of our community as the fight against COVID-19 goes on. Mr. Chair, I extend my sincere thanks to all those in my community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges who continue to go above and beyond every day. We are and continue to be stronger together.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We now go on to Ms. Findlay.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Chair, our world is in turmoil. We are told to stay home, and yet thousands crowd in the streets. Parliamentary oversight is gone, and our national debt is unknown. My B.C. constituents think that I should be in Ottawa, not on a laptop screen.

The UN says we must shift into a green new build-back-better world order, with redistribution of wealth in the trillions. This government seems fully on board, but hasn't told Canadians yet. We should forge a Canadian way, not take orders from the UN, Asia, the EU or U.S. consultants. We cannot live on our knees in deference to faraway third parties. We must care for the environment and seniors, help employers, workers and youth move forward and look to our foundational resources that the world needs and wants.

We are a free nation under God, with true patriot love. We are strong. Our land is glorious.

Notre histoire est une épopée.

Central planners, get out of our way.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We're now going to Mr. Louis.

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Chair, in Waterloo region, we are flying pride flags at all our public schools. To kick off Pride Month in Kitchener—Conestoga, the theme of my weekly virtual town hall was inclusivity and our LGBTQ+ community. I want to thank Washington Silk from KW Counselling's OK2BME program for joining in this discussion and I thank everyone who participated.

Conversations in support of equality and inclusion are essential, especially at a time when we are challenged by a global pandemic and heightened injustices. Pride events will be virtual this year. Though we're not walking together in parades, know that we are standing together in solidarity for everyone to be who they are and love whom they love.

I'm proud to support our friends in the LGBTQ+ community, and as we celebrate progress, we must also commit to the work that still needs to be done. Discrimination still exists, and as long as it does, we must always stand up and speak up for LGBTQ+ rights.

As pride flags are unfurled, let us stand together across our communities and throughout Canada.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll now go to Ms. Damoff.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Chair, since the pandemic began, I've been working with urban indigenous organizations to ensure that they have the support they need to deliver their services. The majority of indigenous people in Canada live in urban areas or off reserve, and we know that they're facing unique challenges. Organizations like the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council have had to change their service delivery models to provide food, shelter and culturally appropriate services.

Recently the Prime Minister announced $75 million to support indigenous peoples living in urban centres and off reserve. This funding is in addition to the $15 million allocated in March to urban indigenous organizations.

June is National Indigenous History Month, and on June 18 I will be hosting author Jesse Thistle to talk about his memoir From the Ashes, which highlights many of the issues that indigenous peoples face in urban centres.

I'm proud of what our government is doing and I know there is still more work to do.

[The Chair, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We'll now go to Mr. Hallan.