Evidence of meeting #25 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.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Mr. Chair, I can confirm that during the votes, appropriate measures were taken to physically distance. That's why the vote at the United Nations started at 9 a.m. and didn't wrap up until 2 p.m.
Conservative
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
This is a very simple question. Were there more or less than 500 people at the vote at the UN?
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Mr. Chair, the reason the vote took from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. was so that a limited number—
Conservative
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
Were there more or less than 1,000 people at the vote at the UN?
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Mr. Chair, again, the United Nations, whose staff have all been working from home for the past three months, specially convened—
Conservative
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
I'm trying to make the point here that the Liberals are absolute hypocrites with respect to shuttering Parliament. They've told Canadians it is unsafe for members of Parliament to meet in this chamber. Then they attend and vote in person in New York City.
I'm asking this once again: Do they know how many people were involved in the vote at the UN?
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
This is totally far from the truth, Mr. Chair. We're here, we're debating, and there are people on the screen. We answer questions every day. We've actually answered 2,965 questions from the opposition since the beginning of the pandemic, 67% more than in the usual Parliament.
Conservative
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
Mr. Chair, I'd say they've responded, but they haven't answered one question over the last three months. I wouldn't say they've answered anything, and no one in Saskatchewan and Alberta thinks they answer a question any day in this chamber.
If the Minister of Foreign Affairs can go to New York City for an in-person vote and the Prime Minister can take a drive to an Ottawa business for a campaign stop, then surely the House should be able to operate safely in full Parliament.
When will the Liberals admit that shutting down Parliament was about avoiding accountability and hiding from Canadians, not about safety?
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Chair, again, we answered almost 3,000 questions from the opposition, way more than in regular sittings, with our colleagues on the screen. Why is the member against the participation of his colleagues on the screen?
Conservative
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
I'm not against my colleagues being on the screen. I'm against you guys being unaccountable.
Residents of Regina—Lewvan want to know how the government plans to pay for the programs that they've rolled out over the last few months.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
One moment. The clock is stopped, so we're not losing any time. We'll just give the minister some time to clock in. Sometimes technology is not the easiest.
The honourable minister may reply.
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Chair, we have prioritized the health and safety of Canadians since day one. Our country is in a very strong physical position, and we will continue to support Canadians and workers—
Conservative
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
How high will the government have to raise the GST to pay for all of their reckless spending over the last five years?
Liberal
Mona Fortier Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Chair, we have been providing support and relief to Canadians since the beginning of this pandemic—
Conservative
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
With the little time I have left, I'll leave my honourable colleagues who are currently in government a little bit of advice.
Canadians will only tolerate inaction and being left leaderless for so long. If there's a second wave and another complete lockdown that will cripple our economy and suspend people's freedoms and personal decision-making abilities, this is not going to fly with Canadians. The Prime Minister will have to find some leadership and start making some tough decisions, instead of hiding under the bed in his cottage and poking his head out just for his 10-minute daily performance.
When will the government put pen to paper and bring forward a plan that puts Canadians first and puts Canada back on track?
Liberal
Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Chair, this government has always put Canadians first. We have been helping our seniors, our students, our families, our workers, our businesses, all Canadians from each and every province, Mr. Chair, and we'll keep on doing that because it's the right thing to do, even if they don't think so.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
The two seconds remaining is not enough for a question and an answer. That's the end.
This therefore brings us to the end of the final meeting of the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic.
I would like to thank the many members who have taken part in these proceedings, not only for their presence, but also for their patience as we learned to navigate through this very different world in which we are operating.
I would like to thank the talented and dedicated employees of the House administration for having made these unique hybrid meetings possible. Despite the many personal and professional challenges posed by the pandemic, they came together from across the organization to fulfill their commitment to support the work of members.
In closing, I would like to wish you a very good summer. It will doubtless be very different from what you had imagined. However, I hope that you will still be able to find some moments of leisure in the company of your loved ones.
I declare this meeting adjourned.