COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on June 15th, 2020

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Will the minister and the government commit to facilitating such a meeting of this committee virtually?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Madam Chair, the decisions of the committee are the committee's, so I'm sure that this will be a discussion within the committee, but if called, I will certainly be pleased to come with my officials to provide the committee with whatever support and information it needs to contribute to this very important discussion.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Mr. Harris, you have 40 seconds.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

In light of what we've seen with Chief Adam in Fort McMurray and the RCMP accepting that the actions were reasonable, will the minister commit to a full review of the use of force by the RCMP, in particular the philosophy, tactics and training that is given to RCMP officers in dealing with the public?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

I thank the member and I want to assure him, first of all, that this is work that is ongoing, not just in the RCMP but throughout the police community.

May I also take this opportunity, Madam Chair, to say that I think all police training has to begin with one very important principle, and that's the preservation of all life and the respect for all Canadians.

We also know the importance of de-escalation training. We're committed to continuing to work with indigenous communities, racialized communities and with police services and all participants in the criminal justice system to make sure that it is fair for all Canadians.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

We will go to the honourable member for London—Fanshawe, Ms. Mathyssen.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Madam Chair, we need more justice for black, indigenous and racialized people in Canada. They can't be asked to keep waiting. This government recognizes that systemic racism exists but refuses to collect race-based data that would allow us to quantify and truly address this injustice. We need data to protect Canadians.

When will this government do the right thing and start collecting race-based data?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth]

Madam Chair, our government agrees that it's important that we collect data, and that's exactly why, in the anti-racism secretariat and the anti-racism strategy, there is a commitment to have money go to Statistics Canada to collect race-based data. We look forward to working with all members to ensure it happens.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Madam Chair, we know that Statistics Canada will start to collect job numbers based on race. This will allow us to identify systemic racism where it is and where we need to ensure a fair and more equal job market for black, indigenous and racialized people in Canada. Why is this government refusing to follow suit so we can tackle systemic racism everywhere, in every sector?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Madam Chair, I'd like to thank my honourable colleague for her question. She's absolutely correct in her assessment that we need to collect more data, reliable data, data that will help us deal with some of the challenges we're seeing with systemic discrimination, but, more broadly, we want to make sure that we continue to engage with an anti-racism strategy that will allow us to collect that disaggregated data. That is why we allocated $6.2 million to that initiative through Statistics Canada, but we know we must do more and we will do more.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

We know that all people are susceptible to catching COVID-19, but health authorities are clear that parts of cities like Montreal and Toronto have been more impacted than others. For black and racialized people living in these cities, this data is a matter of life and death.

Will the government collect and share disaggregated data so we can identify and erase systemic racism, yes or no?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Madam Chair, making decisions based on science and evidence is essential for our government. We took that practice from day one. It is exactly the step we will take moving forward and that's why we are making those investments to ensure that data exists. We are working across all departments. My mandate letter is public. I look forward to continuing to work not only with all ministers, departments and agencies, but all allies and all parties to get this work done.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Mr. Blaney, the honourable member for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, has the floor.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Last week, my plumber told me that, each time Justin Trudeau comes down the steps to make announcements totalling several billion dollars, he feels like someone is rifling through his pockets.

My question is simple and goes to the Minister of Finance: where is this money coming from?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Madam Chair, I would like to thank my honourable colleague for his question.

Currently, the health and safety of Canadians are our top priorities. We have implemented an emergency economic plan to support Canadians, workers and companies.

We will continue to support them during this crisis.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

The answer I would have liked is simple: we are borrowing the money and we are going to have to pay it back one day.

That is another Liberal craze: they borrow money, they make campaign promises, and off they go.

Under the Conservative government, the Chantier Davie in Lévis had 1,700 workers for the supply ship Asterix. In the election campaign, the Liberals promised icebreakers. When are the Liberals going to award the icebreaker contracts to the Chantier Davie?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Madam Chair, we are very proud of the Chantier Davie and we completely understand its role in the system. We are currently assessing those requests.

We are going to establish the process for the polar ice-breaker, which is essential for the work of the Coast Guard in northern communities, and we are going to make sure that—

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Mr. Blaney has the floor.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

The workers do not need words; they need contracts and jobs.

The same is true for young people who want to work. There is money in the Canada summer jobs program: in my constituency alone, $150,000 has been approved. Companies want young people to work and want to hire them.

What is the minister waiting for in order to confirm those positions? In my constituency, and everywhere else in the country, our young people want to work. What is the government waiting for in order to send some cash to the Canada summer jobs program?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, we are proud of the Canada summer jobs program. We are introducing flexibilities into the system to enable employers to be able to hire summer students. We recognize the importance of this program to provide both financial resources and necessary experience for young people. We believe in continuing to invest in the Canada summer jobs program.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

The workers, the young people and the employers have been waiting for weeks. The money is available; where is the announcement?

Madam Chair, our young people are not the only ones who want to work. There are also the temporary foreign workers. Let me use Jessie Gito as an example; he has been working at Plate 2000 in Saint-Anselme for years. When the time came to renew his work permit, he found out that he has to have some biometric tests. But he cannot get them because the offices are closed.

Is the minister going to allow Jessie Gito and the thousands of other temporary foreign workers who want to work to be able to do so until the government biometric testing centres reopen?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Madam Chair, it is important for the honourable member to recognize that we are in the early recovery stage of the pandemic. Employers are slowly reopening businesses. We will ensure that we support both our students and our temporary foreign workers to make sure we get the recovery right. We will continue to invest in the Canada summer jobs program. We've introduced flexibilities into the program to ensure that employers are able to take advantage of the program and give opportunities to young people.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

It is very simple. Jessie Gito is a foreign worker, who is in a company that provides an essential service. He needs a decision that will let him go to work, rather than staying home and doing nothing. Then, when the government's biometric testing centres are open again, he will gladly go to one.

Young people want to work in agriculture as well, and the minister has told us that the government wants young people working and that their files will be processed as quickly as possible. She wants to create 700 positions and she knows that people can fill in an application on a first-come first-served basis. Of those 700 positions, how many have been confirmed to date? The good weather has arrived, the corn is starting to grow, and this is the time when farmers need the young workers.

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Madam Chair, the program for young workers in agriculture is open. I also encourage agricultural producers to register for it. This is a program that is not only intended to provide summer jobs, but also to interest young people in making a career in agriculture.

As I have said before, the department is processing files as quickly as possible. Each employer will have an answer very shortly.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

We will now take a short break.

Okay, we are ready to start again.

We will go to the honourable member for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte.