COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on May 19th, 2020

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Yes, I am asking the minister through the chair.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, in fact it is a complicated question that the member is asking, because it's hard often to count those kinds of things in a way that would give him satisfaction right now.

I can tell you that Statistics Canada is keeping a very close count on the number of deaths across Canada, and we'll have a better sense in the next quarter.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

If you don't know how many people have died because of the postponements, then how many elective surgeries were postponed? I ask through the chair.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

It seems the member needs another reminder that in fact health care delivery—

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

I understand it comes through the provinces.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I want to remind the member for Calgary Confederation that he's to allow the minister to respond.

The honourable minister may respond.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm glad to see that civility still exists, even in our virtual realm.

It is important to remember that health care delivery, and in fact the collection of statistics that are are related to that delivery, reside within the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories. Now we know—

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

I'll take that as “I have no idea how many people died because of postponement”.

Can the minister tell us how long it will take to address the new backlog of surgeries?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Thank you very much.

In fact it will be different from province to province and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, depending on the level of load and requirements in those particular areas. It's important to—

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Go ahead, Mr. Webber.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Many of my constituents are not happy with the World Health Organization's early handling of this pandemic. As the minister is aware, the health committee has been stonewalled by the World Health Organization in our attempts to get Canadian, Dr. Bruce Aylward, to testify.

We know the minister and her government support the World Health Organization with Canadian taxpayer money.

Madam Chair, does the minister believe the World Health Organization should allow Dr. Aylward to testify?

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

There's not much time left. I will allow the minister to respond.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Madam Chair, we fully support the independent nature of House of Commons committees.

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

What specific actions—

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

We will go to the honourable member for Flamborough—Glanbrook, Mr. Sweet.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I just want to join my colleagues in sending our condolences and prayers to Captain Casey's family as well as our prayers for a speedy recovery to Captain MacDougall and, of course, our hearts go out to the whole Royal Canadian Air Force.

Madam Chair, last week the finance committee heard from the Auditor General that his office had been severely constrained, and today, the newly nominated AG stated the same at committee. What measures are being taken to correct this lack of accountability and transparency?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Madam Chair, I'm happy to take that question.

We continue to support the Auditor General. We are of course pleased to have a new Auditor General being appointed, and we will look forward to working with her to make sure that her good work can continue.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Madam Chair, four audits have been delayed to 2021 and six others are incomplete at a time when we have unprecedented federal spending, rocketing deficits and debt. Canadians want a commitment to accountability now. How will the minister demonstrate this?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Minister of Digital Government]

Madam Chair, if the Auditor General identifies a need for additional resources, we will work with the Office of the Auditor General to ensure that the office has the resources to continue fulfilling its mandate efficiently and effectively. Our government worked with the Auditor General to increase funding levels in 2018-19, and they were able to add the equivalent of 38 new full-time staff to their team.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Madam Chair, the Office of the Auditor General has already requested $10.8 million in funding to meet the new demand that this government has placed upon them, and the newly appointed Auditor General today at committee was clear that this previous funding was all eaten up by IT improvements to very dated equipment.

Now what they're asking for is six one-thousandths of a percentage point of the federal COVID-19 spending. When will the government give Canadian taxpayers the assurance that the Auditor General's office will be properly funded?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Madam Chair, as I mentioned, our government is fully committed to supporting the important and ongoing work of the Auditor General, who is an independent officer of Parliament. We will work with the Auditor General's office to ensure they have the resources they need to fulfill the very important mandate they have on behalf of Canadians.

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Madam Chair, no Auditor General has ever come to Parliament complaining of a lack of funding until now, and today the newly nominated AG was saying the same thing, that they require more sustainable, predictable funding.

When will that be available? It's very clear what they need. When will the minister deliver it?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Madam Chair, I appreciate the concern of the member from the Conservative Party, but he should recall that major cuts to the Auditor General's office happened when the Conservatives were in government, and our government committed to restoring that funding, and increased funding levels, and we continue to be respectful of the Auditor—

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Madam Chair, apparently the minister did not hear me. No Auditor General has ever come to Parliament complaining of lack of funding. Any past reduction was done in consultation and with the agreement of the Auditor General's office. While health care workers, grocery store workers, prison guards and more have been hard at work, the government refuses to allow the official opposition to bring back to the chamber a reduced number of members to demonstrate the commitment to accountability. Now the Auditor General's office is crippled as well.

Does the minister not agree that this is looking more and more like an untenable double standard?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Madam Chair, as my colleague says, the role of Parliament and parliamentarians is fundamental for the government. So is respecting the advice and rules from Health Canada, so we're trying to look for a balance, and this is what we have through the events like today, or physically in the House tomorrow.