Debates of Oct. 21st, 2020

Ethics

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I would not want people to worry. We are currently using 10% of our ventilator capacity. We have received more than 3,500 and we will be taking delivery of more ventilators in the coming weeks.

As far as the contract is concerned, we are acting on the recommendation of an expert review panel and at the request of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Public Services and Procurement Canada officials awarded a contract for 10,000 ventilators to FTI. PSPC has no involvement with agreements reached between FTI and its suppliers.

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

Mr. Speaker, a 10% result means the Prime Minister is failing Canadians once again. Yesterday the Prime Minister was willing to call an election to cover up the truth as to who was getting contracts from the government.

This morning we learned that former Liberal MP Frank Baylis signed a contract with the government that pays his company over $200 million for ventilators. Even in a once-in-a-century pandemic, Liberals find a way for Liberals to help themselves to taxpayer dollars.

How many more contracts did the Prime Minister hand out so that the Liberals could make money during a COVID pandemic?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, since day one we have taken action to ensure that we have the supplies needed to keep Canadians safe and healthy. Canada is well equipped with ventilators. We are now using less than 10% of our current capacity. We have received thousands and will be receiving thousands more in the coming weeks.

Following the recommendation of an expert review panel, and at the request of PHAC, PSPC officials awarded the contract to FTI for 10,000 ventilators. PSPC has no involvement with agreements reached between FTI and its suppliers.

Post-Secondary Education

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

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, we heard the Liberals say “Canada is back” on the international stage. Then there was the Aga Khan scandal. In 2019, we wanted to talk about the environment, but then there was the first part of the judicial appointments scandal. In 2020, we wanted to invest in the fight against COVID-19, but instead we are investing in the WE Charity scandal. Again in 2020, we want to talk about helping struggling businesses, but we are talking about the Liberal Party's wage subsidy scandal. We never get to talk about what people care about and are interested in. I want to know what the Prime Minister thinks about an issue that is of interest to Quebeckers.

What does he think about the censoring of a University of Ottawa professor?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we all need to be conscious of the power of our words. We support respect for others and listening to communities. Our priority is to always take real action to combat racism in all its forms.

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

Mr. Speaker, it seems the Prime Minister forgot to put maple syrup in the Pablum. It tastes a little bland.

This week, we wanted to revisit the matter of the WE Charity, but we had to talk about the judicial appointment process again. When we wanted to talk about the judicial appointment process, we had to talk about the $237 million that was given to a Liberal friend, so we know that a friend is a friend.

The Prime Minister has gotten to the point where he is trying to hide his scandals behind other scandals. However, the real scandal is that there are young people who are really concerned about racism and there is a professor who is truly afraid.

What does he think about that?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, our chief concerns during this pandemic are the health and safety of Canadians and ensuring equal opportunity for all. That is what we will keep doing by working directly with Canadians.

However, I can understand why the Bloc Québécois might feel worried and distressed when it sees the federal government take concrete action every day for Quebeckers. Our federal government is helping Quebec families. Our federal government is helping Quebec businesses. Our federal government is working hand in hand with the Government of Quebec to help Quebeckers. That must be a nightmare for the Bloc Québécois.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has created major challenges for students. Students are having a hard time paying tuition fees and finding work.

The Prime Minister promised $900 million to help students, but instead of helping them, he helped his good friends at WE Charity.

Would the Prime Minister rather trigger a federal election or help students who need help?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this pandemic has put students and recent graduates in an extremely difficult situation.

We announced a solid plan to support them, including the Canada emergency student benefit, which is helping more than 700,000 young people, as well as the creation of jobs, placements and training opportunities, including over 84,000 summer jobs, up to 40,000 student work placements and 9,500 other opportunities through the youth employment and skills strategy. We have also doubled the Canada student grants. Young people are at the heart of our recovery. We will always be there for them.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the entire WE scandal was based on trying to help students, and instead of helping students, the government helped its close friends at WE. Now it has become very clear that while students are struggling, while they are afraid, while they are worried, while they cannot pay their bills and while they are not sure if they will find jobs, the government would rather risk plunging our country into an election than help students.

Were they just empty words, as I said, when the Prime Minister promised to help students, or will the Prime Minister get to work and actually help those in need?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, not only have we pledged to help students but we have helped students.

Students have been at the heart of the challenges faced by this pandemic. Therefore, we announced a comprehensive $9 billion plan to support them, including the Canada emergency student benefit, which provided direct financial support to over 700,000 students and recent grads. We created jobs, placements and training opportunities, including over 84,000 Canada summer jobs, up to 40,000 student work placements, an additional 9,500 opportunities through the youth employment and skills strategy. We have doubled the Canada student grants.

We will continue to be there for our students all through the country.

Health

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, today, with tens of thousands of businesses closed across the country and limits on gatherings everywhere, the Prime Minister is on the edge of calling an unnecessary election to cover up his scandal.

Polling locations for a federal election are often in schools or community centres, even in long-term care facilities and hospitals where there are restrictions related to COVID-19.

Before the Prime Minister made this afternoon's vote a matter of confidence, did he consult with Dr. Theresa Tam about how a federal election could spread COVID-19 and, if so, what advice did she give him?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect their Parliament to work to deliver for them through this pandemic and indeed over the past many months we have done that.

The government has worked with Parliament to deliver on the Canada emergency response benefit, deliver on the wage subsidy, deliver supports for seniors and for youth. We have also worked with manufacturers to create PPE. We have moved forward on testing. We have moved forward with the provinces on keeping Canadians safe, and we will continue to focus on that.

We certainly hope the opposition parties choose to continue to make Parliament work constructively because we want to keep delivering for Canadians.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, let us be really clear. This threat of an election is all about the Prime Minister wanting to go to an election. He is out there doing this and that. However, he did not answer the question.

We have restrictions across the country on the size of gatherings. He is asking Canadians to sacrifice, and he is not willing right now to say if he consulted with Dr. Theresa Tam on what would happen if we had a federal election and how much that would spread COVID-19. Why?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, throughout this pandemic we have reassured Canadians that Parliament continues to function, that our institutions are strong, that our democracy remains strong. We watched parliamentarians work together to deliver a historic aid for Canadians.

Obviously we do not want an election; Canadians do not want an election. However, Canadians need to know their Parliament continues to work constructively. It does not mean we need to agree on everything, but it does mean we need to be able to come together and deliver concretely for Canadians. That is exactly what we plan to do on this side of the House.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, never before in parliamentary history has the creation of a committee become a confidence motion. That is all on the Prime Minister.

We are in the middle of the pandemic. He has shut businesses down and there are restrictions on gathering sizes. On October 6, Elections Canada said it needed at least four months to prepare for a general election in the middle of the pandemic. Today, the Prime Minister cannot even say if he talked to Dr. Theresa Tam.

This is what I want to know, very clearly. Did the Prime Minister consult with Dr. Theresa Tam about a federal election potentially spreading COVID-19 and, if so, will he make her advice public?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have been engaged with Elections Canada and other officials from the very beginning, as people reflect on the possibility of an election, which could theoretically happen at any time in a minority Parliament.

However, our focus is on delivering for Canadians. Our focus is on working with all members of the House to deliver concretely for Canadians. We want the House to work constructively, as it has in the past. What the members opposite now get to face, in a few minutes, in the vote is whether or not they want Parliament to work constructively for Canadians.

Public Services and Procurement

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Baylis Medical says it was approached on March 26 about producing ventilators. On March 31, Rick Jamieson created FTI Professional Grade. On the same day, the government announced the end of the bidding period. On April 11, Ottawa signed a $237-million contract with FTI. On April 16, FTI signed a contract with Baylis to produce the ventilators.

How is that contract any different than the sponsorship scandal?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, an important part of our strategy to ensure the health and safety of Canadians consists in developing partnerships with industry to secure a safe supply of ventilators.

We are well equipped already, but we are waiting for even more ventilators to arrive. We are acting on the recommendations of an expert panel and at the request of the Public Health Agency of Canada. PSPC officials awarded the contract to FTI for 10,000 ventilators. PSPC has no involvement with agreements reached between FTI and its suppliers.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows full well that FTI is a shell company. It was created specifically to be able to connect with Frank Baylis and his business. It is all there. In my first question, I mentioned the dates. It is clear. A shell company receives a government contract for $237 million that is transferred to Frank Baylis. The Prime Minister knew full well that Frank Baylis could not get the contract directly.

Why is he agreeing to play this type of game?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, Public Services does not have a contract with Baylis Medical for ventilators. We acted in accordance with the recommendation of an expert review panel. PSPC officials awarded a contract to FTI for ventilators. PSPC had no involvement with the agreements reached between FTI and its suppliers.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

What a good deal, Mr. Speaker, a $237-million contract to a company that did not even exist. On top of that, we were paying double the price for ventilators manufactured by Medtronic. This means we overpaid by $137 million for ventilators purchased from a company that did not exist one week earlier. Baylis has that contract. The Prime Minister cannot convince me that this was not all planned.

How many other Liberal Party friends have gotten contracts like this since March?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, from day one we have taken action to ensure we have the supplies needed to keep Canadians safe and healthy in this unprecedented pandemic.

We worked with industry and partners to obtain ventilators. We will continue to purchase the supplies needed to keep Canadians safe during this pandemic.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government decided to make today's vote on WE Charity a confidence vote. It is the same government that told us earlier that next week it will introduce legislation to support businesses. When we talk about support for businesses we are talking about wage subsidies, rent subsidies and support for companies in red zones.

What exactly are they telling us? Either we stop talking about Liberal scandals or they will forget about businesses. Essentially, we are being blackmailed.

Who do they think they are to be holding businesses hostage?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, from the beginning, we have been working to support businesses, Quebec families and workers across the country. We have continued to work with the opposition parties to ensure that we are serving Quebeckers and all Canadians well.

If the Bloc Québécois members have decided that they have had enough of a federal government that takes real action every day for Quebeckers and Canadians, then that is their issue. Perhaps that is why they want an election.

We do not want an election. We want to continue to meet our commitments to Quebeckers and all Canadians every day.