Evidence of meeting #21 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

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

This gives me the opportunity to tell my colleague that, not long ago, I had a conference call with all Chantier Davie's suppliers, from Sherbrooke, from the Quebec City area, from the Côte-Nord, and from elsewhere. So I can say once more how important the strategic role of Chantier Davie is in Quebec, not only where it is currently located, but also because of its whole network of suppliers.

2 p.m.

Bloc

Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Actually, the network of suppliers is not just in Quebec, it is all over Canada. Chantier Davie would be a fantastic partner in getting the recovery going. The recovery could begin with the icebreaker contract.

When will Chantier Davie have its contract?

2 p.m.

Liberal

Anita Anand Liberal Oakville, ON

As I have already said, the decision will be made in due course.

I would like to be clear, however, that our government has announced support for Chantier Davie. It was preselected to become the third strategic partner in the national shipbuilding strategy. That is a very major position.

We will be making a decision in the future.

2 p.m.

Liberal

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

Mrs. Vignola, you have the floor for about 15 seconds.

2 p.m.

Bloc

Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Does that mean the near future or the distant future? When hell freezes over, will we get our icebreaker?

2 p.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

Madam Chair, the future, by definition, is tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, or in a month. I don't know when the future is. It all depends on which future you are talking about.

However, it is certain that Chantier Davie and its suppliers play an absolutely extraordinary role. We will be here for them.

2 p.m.

Liberal

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

We'll now go to Mr. Calkins.

2 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, my central Alberta riding has been hit with a triple whammy: the government's anti-business policies, its anti-energy policies and now COVID-related shutdowns.

How will the government ensure that traditional businesses in my riding will be able to compete on the world stage as our economy reopens?

2 p.m.

Liberal

Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON

Madam Chair, I want to thank the honourable member for that question.

Right from the very beginning, we have been here to help our small businesses, but as the Minister for International Trade, it gives me great pleasure to continue to work with our Canadian small businesses, like those in Alberta, so that we can help them grow and grow into the export global marketplace.

2 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, recently the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce surveyed its membership. Its membership has seen relatively low uptake in federal programs because they simply don't meet the qualification criteria. Seventy-three per cent of business owners expect the economic recovery to be slow, and less than 10% plan to fully rehire laid-off staff. They don't feel like this government has their back.

What message does the minister have for these businesses that face incredible hardship because they were pushed out into the cold several years ago and now seem completely forgotten?

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mélanie Joly Liberal Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC

Madam Chair, obviously we know that Alberta has been hard hit. We know many of the business owners are going through difficult times right now. That's exactly why, in order to make sure that they would not fall through the cracks, we doubled the budget of Western Economic Diversification, which is the regional development agency for Alberta, the prairies and B.C.

We will be there for them. If my colleague has clear examples, please contact me, contact my office. Let's work together to find solutions.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, Parks Canada is now enveloping long-term lease conditions in its annual business licensing process.

Can the minister explain to these businesses why?

2:05 p.m.

North Vancouver B.C.

Liberal

Jonathan Wilkinson LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change

Madam Chair, Parks Canada has ongoing planning processes with respect to a whole range of different issues within the national parks. We were very pleased to announce last week that we would be ensuring that rent relief was provided to businesses that operate within the parks, and we certainly are interested in seeing those businesses and those communities that are adjacent to the parks succeed as we go forward.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, to the public safety minister, since his announcement on May 1, where does the RCMP keep its list of newly prohibited firearms?

2:05 p.m.

Scarborough Southwest Ontario

Liberal

Bill Blair LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Madam Chair, the answer is that the RCMP maintains, through the Canadian firearms program, the public firearms reference table, and it's being updated as quickly as possible. I would refer the member to check with that table.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Chair, to the minister, is that firearms reference table actually available to the public?

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON

I would suggest that the member or the people he represents should contact the Canadian firearms program in the RCMP to obtain that information.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

So the answer is that there is no direct public access to the firearms reference table.

If they have to access it through the RCMP, is there a way that members of the general public don't have to go through a second or a third party in order to access the firearms reference table?

The minister wrote a letter to all firearms owners across this country and told them they need to check their firearms for legality, yet he gives them no direct mechanism to do so. Why?

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON

There is very little time to correct all the mistakes in what the member just said, but let me repeat that if the member opposite wishes to check with the Canadian firearms program of the RCMP on what is on the public firearms reference table, he should contact them.

Second, the letter to which he was referring was not sent out by me but by the Canadian firearms program. I hope those facts help the member have a better understanding of how this is actually done.

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

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

Please ask a very short question.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

How many shotguns has the minister banned since May 1?

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

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

Please give a very short answer.

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON

The answer is none, because none of those were included on the order in council. However, we did ban the frames and receivers of AR-10s and AR-15s, and the RCMP is now updating the firearms reference table to include the prohibition of those weapons containing those prohibited items.

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

John Nater Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON

Madam Chair, on a point of order, I would just like to remind you that the length of these questions is related to the answers. They are supposed to be the same length. That last one was more than three times as long.

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

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

If you want to get an answer, I have to give the minister the time to detail what he is answering. That's the question of providing the answer, and there was no time left anyway. There was 15 seconds.

Therefore, the committee will resume its work on Monday, June 15, 2020, at noon.

The meeting is adjourned.