House of Commons Hansard #18 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was school.
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, we recognize the extraordinary work being done by the guardian angels, the men and women who have been working diligently from day one, making a difference for so many people by accompanying, helping, feeding and washing them and accomplishing many different tasks. The government recognizes this work and stands by them.
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, we fully support this, but we are simply asking the government to show the same kind of dedication to the guardian angels as they have shown to Quebec's seniors.
We are concerned because, even before COVID-19, Ottawa was taking years to process immigration requests. People had time to settle in Quebec, find a job and start a family before they heard back from the federal government, and then when they did, it was often bad news.
When will the guardian angels finally be able to apply for permanent residence?
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, once again, we acknowledge the work of these guardian angels. I know many of them because they come from my region of eastern Montreal.
I am pleased that the Bloc Québécois raised this issue because it is extremely important to recognize all that these people have done from the very start and the personal and family-related sacrifices they have made. That has not gone unnoticed, and the Government of Canada will work with them.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Speaker, in Nova Scotia, Mi'kmaq fisheries have faced violence and had their property destroyed. In Ontario, Haudenosaunee land defenders had guns turned on them. There are reports that some have been shot by police with rubber bullets. Despite their love of talking about the right thing, Liberals have failed to negotiate in good faith and do the right thing.
The federal government has the power to ensure a peaceful resolution and ensure that we move forward and that no one else is hurt. Why do indigenous people have to fight the government for their very rights every step of the way?
Gary Anandasangaree LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Mr. Speaker, our government believes the best way to resolve outstanding issues is through a respectful and collaborative dialogue that is vital to building stronger relationships and advancing reconciliation for the benefit of indigenous communities and all Canadians. We deeply value our relationship with Six Nations. We are committed to continuing to work collaboratively to address historical claims and land rights issues. Our government is actively working with the community and look forward to meeting at the earliest opportunity.
Matthew Green NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, that is not good enough. This week an Ontario court sided with private developers and applied a permanent injunction against the Haudenosaunee people on their own traditional territory at 1492 Land Back Lane. Last night, the OPP opened fire on land defenders with rubber bullets, setting the stage for a sharp escalation in violence there. This conflict is not new. It is the direct result of the government's refusal to negotiate these land claims in good faith, resulting in this violence. When will the government finally get back to the table with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy council and allow these claims to be peacefully settled?
Gary Anandasangaree LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Mr. Speaker, Canada deeply values its relationship with Six Nations and is committed to continuing to work collaboratively to address the Six Nations historical claims and land issues. We have put in place flexible processes to allow for the exploration of new ways to achieve these goals such as those identified in the Coyle report. This independent report by the fact-finders marked an important first step in opening lines of communication at that time and also helped build understanding of negotiations and discussions that followed.
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB
Mr. Speaker, on numerous occasions the Prime Minister boasted that Canada is back in the business of peacekeeping, but like everything else, it was just another empty promise. In February 2019, the government's officials told the Standing Committee on National Defence the quick reaction force had been entered into the UN capability registry. Now, according to Global Affairs and the United Nations, Canada never registered the quick reaction force. Why did the Liberal government mislead the defence committee?
Anita Vandenbeld LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, we very much regret that it was an honest mistake before the committee, but I do reassure the member that we did promise Canadians that we would renew our commitment to peacekeeping and that is exactly what we are doing. Our aviation task force in Mali provided life-saving medical evacuation and tactical airlifts to the United Nations forces in Mali and, following a temporary operational pause due to COVID-19, the tactical detachment in Uganda completed its mission in Entebbe, Uganda.
James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister made all sorts of promises about his big plans for peacekeeping, but now that he is suffering an embarrassing loss for his coveted UN Security Council seat, all those promised troops have disappeared. In fact, the Prime Minister has let the number of troops that Canada has on UN missions fall to zero, nada, nothing. The Liberal government misled a parliamentary committee into believing Canada had registered the quick reaction force. A tweeted acknowledgement of the error means nothing. Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs do the right thing and table an official apology for misleading Parliament?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, we should be proud of the Canadian Forces, which have been operating around the world on peacekeeping operations.
I had the privilege to spend some time with them in Mali during the MINUSMA. Many of our men and women in uniform are making a real difference, and I assure the member that Canada will continue to be a key component of UN peacekeeping forces around the world.
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, while the Liberals were busy handing a $237-million contract to yet another Liberal Party pal, former MP Frank Baylis, restaurants and bars in Quebec were closing because of COVID-19, and their situation is critical. One way to help them would be to provide access to rapid tests.
Why do businesses, restaurants and the provinces not yet have access to these tests when other countries have been using them for months?
Darren Fisher LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as we have said in the House numerous times, testing is one of the most important tools we have for responding to COVID-19. We are working around the clock to review and approve new testing technologies, and I can tell the member that rapid tests are arriving daily and being moved across the country daily.
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, big countries around the world have been using rapid tests for weeks. We are no different from other countries. Why can we not get the tests?
I talked about restaurant operators and bars, but the aviation sector and travel agencies are also in survival mode right now. They too have been waiting for rapid tests for months.
When it comes to giving money to Liberal Party friends, it does not take long; just a couple of days and it is a done deal. Millions of dollars are being spent. However, when it comes to helping businesses, money to pay for rapid tests is not forthcoming.
Why?
Darren Fisher LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, again, we are approving tests on a regular basis. We are receiving tests on a regular basis. We have our own process through Health Canada. We rely on our own testing data. We have our own approvals process.
From the beginning, we have had faith. We have followed science and data in our response to COVID-19, and we will continue to do so.
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON
Mr. Speaker, Neskantaga First Nation, in my riding, has been under a boil water advisory for 25 years. Now, because of the shutdown of its water treatment plant, many community members are being forced to evacuate. This is, by all accounts, a public health emergency, and one that could have been prevented if action had been taken sooner.
The government has shown that it can spend billions of dollars to address a crisis within a very short time frame. When will it finally eliminate all long-term drinking water advisories on reserve?
Pam Damoff LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply concerned by the shutdown of Neskantaga's water distribution system, and we are actively working with community leadership to find immediate and long-term solutions to this health emergency. We are funding the repairs needed and the temporary evacuation of community members, as well as working with the Ontario government to ensure seamless access to health services and that appropriate public health precautions are taken to safeguard evacuees.
We will not rest until Neskantaga has access to clean and reliable drinking water.
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON
Mr. Speaker, the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls is, unfortunately, very close to many people in my riding. Over the past eight years, half of Ontario's identified cases took place in the Kenora region, so I was very disappointed to learn that the government is planning to sit on the results of the final MMIWG report.
My question is simple. When will the government present a real plan to keep indigenous women and girls safe?
Gary Anandasangaree LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Mr. Speaker, the voices of indigenous women are essential to our journey of reconciliation. The work done by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is essential to a path forward. We will be working with all parties and the indigenous leadership involved to ensure that we meet and exceed the expectations put forward in the report.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, over half of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh had already been displaced because of the conflict that has erupted there, and 90% of those displaced are women and children. Not to mention that this is all happening in the midst of a pandemic.
The Armenian community is on the Hill today to express its profound concern over the escalating conflict. The mayor of Laval also wrote to the Prime Minister to convey the concerns of Quebec's Armenian population, but we have heard nothing but radio silence in response.
Can the government explain what concrete action it has taken to ensure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
As he is well aware, Canada was one of the first voices in the world to express the need to de-escalate the conflict. I was in Europe last week to meet with our partners, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. We will continue to support the de-escalation and try to get a ceasefire.
Yesterday we announced over $325,000 in emergency humanitarian aid. We are all concerned about the Armenian conflict and we will continue to show leadership to bring—
Foreign AffairsOral Questions
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, the atrocious human rights abuses against the Uighur people in China have been going on for many years. Simply put, they amount to genocide. The House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights has officially recognized them as such. The situation is untenable.
The Chinese Communist Party must be held responsible for these acts of genocide. Do the Government of Canada and the Minister of Foreign Affairs agree with the findings of the subcommittee, of which Liberal MPs are members, and do they recognize that the Chinese government is committing genocide against the Uighur people?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question.
We are all deeply troubled by the human rights violations in Xinjiang. We have publicly and systematically called on the Chinese government to end the repression of the Uighurs. I recently raised this issued directly with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Bachelet, to see what the international community could do. More recently, Canada and 37 countries have strongly denounced the violations in this region of China.
Leona Alleslev Conservative Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
Mr. Speaker, the GTA needs a Union Station of the north, but the government refuses to invest. For the citizens in my riding and across York Region, the Yonge subway extension is their top priority. The Ontario government has committed to investing, but five years and two business cases later the government still will not act.
Why will the government not invest in the Yonge subway extension and get this critical project on track?
