Evidence of meeting #18 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

2 p.m.

Liberal

The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

Ms. McPherson is next.

2 p.m.

NDP

Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will be sharing my time with the member for Courtenay—Alberni today.

I rise again on behalf of people in my riding and across Canada who are living with disabilities. I am shocked by this government's announcement last week. They cynically waited until Friday of AccessAbility Week to announce supports for people living with disabilities. That was 12 weeks after the start of the pandemic and five weeks after they promised to deliver without delay, even though their corporate friends and big banks got funding within days of the pandemic being declared, and as usual, it was way too little and way too late.

Does the minister realize that over half the people living with disabilities in Canada—over 60%—will not be able to access these funds?

2 p.m.

Delta B.C.

Liberal

Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Employment

I thank you, Madam Chair, and the member opposite for her important question.

Last Friday was indeed a really important day for our citizens with disabilities. We announced an investment of $550 million to over 1.25 million Canadians with disabilities.

Madam Chair, we've been working with the disability community from the beginning of this pandemic. We've been careful to make sure that we are supporting initiatives on the ground in local communities, working with provinces to make sure our efforts were complementary and ensuring as we rolled out initiatives such as the student benefit that students with disabilities were explicitly considered in our measures, and I will not apologize for what we delivered on Friday.

2 p.m.

NDP

Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

By tying this help to the disability tax credit, the government is intentionally leaving out the poorest people living on disability. Can the minister tell us what percentage of people eligible for the CPP disability tax credit will receive this support?

2 p.m.

Liberal

Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC

Madam Chair, Canadians who get the DTC are by far the largest cohort of citizens that we provide service to at the federal level for people with disabilities.

I can advise the member that a significant portion of CPP and QPP disability recipients are indeed covered by the DTC, but approximately 40% of those eligible CPPD recipients are not currently claiming the DTC.

2 p.m.

Liberal

The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

You have 10 seconds, so make it very short, please.

2 p.m.

NDP

Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Why is this government so focused on excluding people instead of helping as many as possible? Will this government finally put supports in place so all Canadians with disabilities are protected?

2 p.m.

Liberal

The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

The honourable minister may give a very short answer, please.

2 p.m.

Liberal

Carla Qualtrough Liberal Delta, BC

Madam Chair, I can assure you that we're working very hard to do just that.

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

We will go now to the honourable member for Courtenay—Alberni, Mr. Johns.

2:05 p.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

Madam Chair, on the one-year anniversary of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report, Chantel Moore, a wonderful young Nuu-chah-nulth mom, a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht nation, was shot dead by a police officer.

The minister expressed outrage and wondered aloud how this could have happened, but no amount of outrage will bring Chantel back. Implementing the 231 calls for justice of the national inquiry will save the lives of others like her. When will the government table and implement the promised national action plan, with dedicated funding and timetables?

2:05 p.m.

Toronto—St. Paul's Ontario

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett LiberalMinister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

I thank the member for the question. Our hearts go out to the family of Chantel as well.

All of the survivors and all of the families of the missing and murdered girls deserve our support, and we will not let them down. We will go forward with the kinds of commitments that have to be there to deal with the systemic racism that is at the root of all of this, with the misogyny that means that indigenous women and girls have been—

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

Go ahead, Mr. Johns.

2:05 p.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

Madam Chair, indigenous people and all Canadians are waiting for action. They have been sitting on this for a year. Why is the government dragging its feet on such an important issue?

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON

It is really important to recognize that this is a national public inquiry, not a federal one, and it is has been really important as we work with all of the provinces and territories and the national organizations, the local organizations and the families and survivors to build a national action plan from the bottom up that will be the concrete action to stop this national tragedy.

2:05 p.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

The family and loved ones of Chantel Moore want answers about why and how she was shot dead by a police officer, but they will have to wait for an investigation and rely on what those involved in her death say happened.

What will the government do to change how calls like this are responded to? Does the minister really think that police are the right answer for wellness checks?

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland Liberal University—Rosedale, ON

We absolutely agree that this very tragic death should have been avoided, and we absolutely agree that it behooves all of us to have root-and-branch reform of how these cases are handled.

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

Mr. Savard-Tremblay has the floor.

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The aerospace industry in Quebec, a strategic and extremely important sector, is going through troubled times. I think everyone will agree on that. Bombardier has almost reached a dangerous threshold where it can be bought out unconditionally and without compliance, under the inadequate Investment Canada Act.

Obviously, the industry is much more than just Bombardier. It represents about 40,000 jobs in Quebec and 200 businesses. It's safe to say that the industry and the various actors in civil society are concerned.

Why isn't the government acting now, with the same willingness and speed as it did for the automobile sector in 2008, or as it does for the oil and gas sector almost all the time?

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Malton, ON

Madam Chair, unfortunately, I disagree with my colleague.

Our government understands the importance of the aerospace industry. That's why we've invested in this sector since 2015. Our government understands the importance of investing in research and development, and these investments are going to improve the situation for aerospace industry workers.

We're going to continue to work each and every day to improve the situation of this sector.

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

What I understand from what the minister is telling us is that we will continue in the same direction, which isn't encouraging. As for the good work that the government is boasting about, if I listen to the Government of Quebec, which is concerned, the verdict is not at all the same.

It's the same story for the industry itself, which sent a letter to the Prime Minister last week to question him about this issue.

The same goes for the Institut du Québec, which was co-founded by the Conference Board of Canada. So it isn't exactly a bastion of independence. We will agree that it isn't prejudiced against Ottawa.

Furthermore, the study in question, which specifically mentioned Ottawa's inaction in the area, is signed by a man named Alain Dubuc, who isn't exactly from our gang, either.

So what concrete steps are coming up?

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Malton, ON

Madam Chair, once again, unfortunately, I don't agree with my colleague.

In fact, we've invested a lot of money in the aerospace industry since 2015. Our position is very clear. We must continue working with the Government of Quebec and the sector. Our position is also very simple: we are going to continue investing in the aerospace industry because it's very important for workers.

2:10 p.m.

Bloc

Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Let's talk about that. Canada is pretty much the only country with a real aerospace sector that doesn't have a policy to match the sector. If I understand correctly, there will be some money. With a bit of imagination, that's what I can detect in the minister's response.

If we've learned one thing from the Bombardier situation in Quebec, it's that money must not be given unconditionally to companies. That money must be invested in innovation and must go to workers, not just senior executives. A few weeks ago, I myself asked, with regard to the assistance provided, whether there could be a cap on executive compensation.

In addition, could there be conditions related to the ecological transition, for instance, or a guarantee that activities and jobs remain here? In other words, are there any conditions that will accompany this?

A few weeks ago, when I asked about a completely different kind of assistance, I was told that the conditions were important.

So I'm asking, again, what conditions will accompany the concrete measures that we don't yet know about?

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Navdeep Bains Liberal Mississauga—Malton, ON

Madam Chair, our position is very clear. We are going to continue to invest in the aerospace sector, which is very important for our economy, for the future and for our workers. That's why we will continue to work with the Government of Quebec and with the industries.

I'm sure our strategy will improve the situation. Unfortunately, in the short term, we'll continue to have problems, but I'm sure that, in the long term, we'll have a very robust sector, which is essential for our economy and, in particular, for workers.

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Acting Chair (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

We'll now go to Mr. Richards.