Debates of Oct. 20th, 2020

Ethics

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, if we learned anything from the WE Charity scandal, it is that this government has a double standard, with one set of rules for the Liberals' friends and another for the rest of Canadians. This government's scandals are undermining Canadians' confidence.

When will the Prime Minister stop governing for his friends and start governing for all Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of this pandemic, we have been focusing on helping Canadians. Yesterday, there were 2,400 new cases of COVID-19, and we will continue to focus on helping families, businesses, workers and grandparents. We will continue to focus on Canadians and keeping our commitments to them. We will continue to try to keep this Parliament running because now is the time to rise to the challenge for Canadians, not to follow the Conservatives into an election.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a trust problem with the Prime Minister. It is because he keeps looking after people who need his help the least.

Canadians want to know what powerful friend he is protecting now. Whose name is beneath all the black ink on the WE documents? Who did he prorogue Parliament for? Who was promoting schemes that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars? Who was he protecting when he instructed his Liberal MPs to filibuster for hours at committee? Who and what is the Prime Minister covering up with these latest threats of an election?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, with what the Leader of the Opposition said this morning, with the motion he put forward in his own name and even with the question he is asking, he is demonstrating clearly that he has lost confidence in the government's ability to manage the pandemic. The question he has put before the House, which will be voted on tomorrow, is whether or not the government has lost the confidence of Parliament.

We believe we need to continue to work together in Parliament to deliver, which is why we are proposing a special committee to look into government spending. That is why we will continue to focus on Canadians, while Conservatives focus on politics.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the stress, suspense and tension have become unbearable. Will there be an election? That is the big question, but the government itself says that this is a vote of confidence. It is daring us. Either a deal has already been cooked up somewhere or the government thinks it will never happen, but either way, the government does not want to take the blame. Can the government just tell us what is what so we can all stop wasting our time? We have other things to do.

Does the Prime Minister want an election or not?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we do indeed have other things to do in the House. Every day, we work to deliver the goods to Canadians, to small businesses struggling because of COVID-19, to seniors in long-term care facilities who are worried, and to Canadians across the country who are concerned about our health care system, the public health situation and the future of their children.

That is why those of us on this side of the House are working so hard to deliver the goods for Canadians. That is what we will keep doing, and we hope the opposition parties will keep trying to make this minority Parliament work.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that sounds nice but is not very believable.

Someone who does not want to ride a bicycle should not buy a bicycle only to wind up pedalling. The Prime Minister does not want an election. Can he tell his neighbour to the left that it was a close call, but this is not a confidence motion, that a committee will be struck and we will get to the bottom of this WE Charity scandal because he prorogued Parliament to try to avoid that? It would be clear, we will not have an election, and we will do our work.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is the Bloc Québécois, not us, that has been talking about an election for months now. We remain focused on the work we need to do for Canadians. We will continue to deliver the goods every day, through the business subsidy, direct assistance to accounts and assistance that continues through the CERB, which has transitioned to EI. We will stay focused on Canadians and we hope the opposition parties will continue to work with us to deliver for Canadians.

It is up to the opposition to decide if they want an election.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are hiding behind the opposition to justify triggering an election in the middle of a health crisis. Instead of shedding light on the scandal with their friends at WE Charity, they prefer to hold the public hostage by abusing democratic institutions. That is irresponsible. Let's be clear: If the Prime Minister wants to call an election he can go see the Governor General any time he wants. If not, he can work with the opposition and set up a committee to give Canadians answers. People deserve to know the truth.

What are the Liberals afraid of?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have proposed a special committee to review government spending and investments. We are more than happy to make this Parliament work and that is what we are proposing. During this time of crisis, we will be working for Canadians. Yesterday, there were 2,400 new cases of COVID-19 and there are 22,000 active cases of COVID-19 in Canada. We will continue to focus on the current health crisis and economic crisis. We will be there to protect Canadians and deliver the goods and we hope that the opposition will do the same.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are in the worst medical and economic catastrophe in a century, yet the Prime Minister has stated his willingness to plunge the nation into a pandemic election, and all over the procedural wrangling of a committee. Seriously? This is the same Prime Minister who prorogued Parliament and monkeywrenched the work of our committees. If he wants to take advantage of the pandemic, he can go to the Governor General any time. He does not need to hide behind the opposition. Or he can show some maturity and let Parliament do the work we are all here for.

What is it going to be? Is he going to keep up the cover-up, is he going to let Parliament do the work or is he just going to go to the Governor General?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we want Parliament to work, which is why we have proposed a special committee to look into government spending in the exceptional circumstances of this pandemic. However, the Conservative opposition put forward a motion that very clearly outlines a fact the Leader of the Opposition himself admitted earlier today: He does not have confidence in this government to manage the pandemic.

Now the opposition parties have a choice. Do they want to make Parliament work and work for Canadians, or do they want to vote non-confidence and trigger an election? The choice is theirs. On this side of the House, we are going to keep working for Canadians.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, there is a troubling pattern with this Prime Minister. When he is backed into a corner or does not get his way, he elbows, he bullies, he fires and he threatens. He is doing that again right now as his cozy relationship with WE is being exposed. He is threatening to plunge Canadians into an election during a pandemic.

It has been said that those with nothing to hide, hide nothing. When will the Prime Minister stop the threats, stop hiding and come clean with Canadians?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we proposed the creation of this committee where all members can ask questions, an important committee for important work.

What the Conservatives are doing is trying to jam the government. They focus only on their party. This is an ultrapartisan move that does nothing to serve Canadians. It just serves their own interests. It is irresponsible and they should be ashamed of it.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, these Liberals should be ashamed of themselves. We are in the middle of a pandemic. Kids cannot go out for Halloween. People cannot visit their dying loved ones. Restaurants and small businesses are being shut down, but the Prime Minister must have his way and if he does not he is going to force everyone into an election. These are not the actions of an honourable leader. These are the actions of a self-serving emperor with no clothes.

Will the Prime Minister stop the cover-up, stop holding Parliament hostage and back off from his threats of an election if this motion passes? He should show some leadership.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we are in the middle of a pandemic. We are working hard for Canadians on health issues and on economic issues. We are asking for collaboration from all members of the House, yet the best thing they find to do is to come up with this ultra-irresponsible motion. The Conservatives got together, they thought they put their best brains together and they said, “Hey, this is the best way to help Canadians: Let us jam the government.” That is unacceptable.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I just want to remind hon. members that there are folks who are participating hybrid and we want to make sure that they hear everything, so we want to keep the sounds down. I know there is a bit of chatter and that is part of it, but some of the members have wonderful voices and they are very strong and they do carry quite well and we do not want them drowning out the person who is speaking.

The hon. member for Carleton.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, they have absolutely nothing to hide and they are willing to bring themselves down to hide it. That is effectively the position of the government. The Liberals are prepared to defeat themselves in order to stop anyone from asking them questions about the Prime Minister's gift of a half-billion dollars to a group that gave his family a half-million dollars. We want to put all of this in one committee so that the rest of Parliament can work for Canadians' lives and livelihoods across the House of Commons.

What do they have to hide?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we are proposing the creation of this committee with members from all parties who can ask all the important questions and do the important work. We put that in contrast with what the Conservatives are doing at this moment, when people are suffering, people are looking for jobs and people are worried for their loved ones. The best idea, with all their brains around the table, that they came up with is a motion that wants to jam and paralyze the government. That is totally unacceptable.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about all the brains around that table over there. They tried to cover it up by shutting down Parliament, but then Parliament came back. They tried to cover it up by giving 20 hours of speeches, but then they ran out of things to say. Could any of the smart brains around the table come up with a better idea to cover it up? They said, “I know; let us call an election”. That is the best that they can come up with.

We have millions unemployed. We have lives at risk. We should be working for Canadians. Why are they trying to upturn all of that important work to cover up their scandal?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague across the aisle wants to give the impression he is an expert on everything. Let me quote something for him. It is that “the decision on what to reveal is made by non-partisan public servants, for whom it has long been a tradition not to reveal cabinet confidences. That has been the case going back to all previous governments of all party stripes.”

Who said that? It was the member for Carleton.

Official Languages

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' federal gong show will never change. Term after term, it is always the same thing. They have no respect for our public funds. They have no respect for Canadians' money. In the midst of a pandemic, they took advantage yet again and greased the palms of their friends at WE Charity. Not only did the government fail ethically, but it also failed our official languages by having the program administered in English only.

Why did the Prime Minister prioritize WE Charity over the French language?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, why is the opposition prioritizing a completely partisan and irresponsible motion over working with the government to protect the health of Canadians, the health of our seniors and the health of our businesses? Why has the opposition chosen to play inappropriate petty politics rather than work with us?

We have reached out, and we are still reaching out. Let us work together for the well-being of Canadians, rather than playing petty politics.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, from what I understand, the Prime Minister was in a rush to dole out money, but he was not in such a rush to help Quebec's aerospace industry, to support a long-term plan for green aluminum or to add the Davie shipyard to the shipbuilding strategy. The truth is that the Liberals were in a rush to help their friends and no one else.

How could the Prime Minister, who hails from Quebec, deliberately ignore francophones in Quebec and Canada?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the government stands up for francophones every single day. It stands up for Quebeckers, for Quebec industries, for the Davie shipyard, for our seniors and for our health care system.

We will stand up for Quebeckers every single day. We will be there for Quebec during and after this pandemic, unlike the Conservatives, whose idea of doing the right thing and standing up for Quebec is to create a partisan committee.