Debates of Oct. 29th, 2020

Opposition Motion—Prime Minister's Official Apology

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his remarks. It became clear almost immediately that most of the people who were arrested were nothing more than harsh critics of the Montreal and Quebec governments. A few of my colleagues were among them.

I fully respect the Bloc's initiative to bring this Canadian tragedy to the floor of the House of Commons. It is important that we revisit the rights that were encroached upon and the mistakes that were made in the absence of security information.

I wonder why the Bloc motion does not at least pay passing respect and commemoration to Pierre Laporte, who was politically assassinated, and to his family and friends.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Madam Speaker, I think that Pierre Laporte's murder is absolutely reprehensible. If one thing broke the FLQ movement, it was probably that because Quebeckers are fundamentally non-violent. We wanted to focus on the war measures and on the repression that took place.

I had a meeting on Zoom with Louis Fournier, the author. At the time, I did not realize how much had happened. The scope of this operation was quite incredible.

A police officer involved in the arrests said that he was sent to make arrests in the middle of the night with three of his colleagues. He seemed to be saying that he had been careful. At one point, he raided the home of a young couple who had a sleeping baby. He said he had been careful not to wake the baby up. He also said that he became a separatist the next morning.

It was really disproportionate and unacceptable. All forms of violence must be avoided and dealt with.

The Bloc Québécois motion really targets the violence by the state at the time. I think we must support that motion. We do not deny the violence that was done, but we believe that there must be an apology from the Canadian government.

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

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.

I would remind the House that the NDP and Tommy Douglas stood up for fundamental freedoms.

My colleague is right to say that the raids were extremely broad. A lot of people were arrested. So many houses were searched that it was not at all a police operation to find people who had been kidnapped, but a form of political repression of ideas, particularly against artists and intellectuals.

Why is it so difficult for the Liberal Party, the party of rights and freedoms and of the charter, to agree to apologize 50 years later?

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Madam Speaker, that is a very good question.

Mr. Douglas, who was the leader of the NDP at the time, had denounced these measures. He had also denounced the use of the War Measures Act against the Japanese during the Second World War. The Canadian government apologized for that. We do not understand why it would not do the same for the rest.

I was very young at the time, but I think there was also a movement of anger against Quebeckers in many media outlets in English Canada. Pressure was very strong.

I have heard some testimony. One person told me that his father was searched even though he had no contact with the FLQ. It so happens that he was a member of the Parti Québécois and a university professor. I think he had contacts with the military. They lumped them together. Their neighbour opposite was a printer and he was arrested.

They were mostly people who were part of the executive of the Parti Québécois. It was also political violence and it was deplorable.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and to the Minister of Digital Government]

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my hon. colleague from Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook.

October 1970 was a difficult time for all Quebeckers and 50 years later the memories of these events are still present. We have a duty to remember the innocent victims and their families. These people are always uppermost in our minds when we talk about the October crisis.

It is important to reflect on our history and to study and understand it. We must learn from our history so that it remains rooted in our memories and guides our future actions. Our children and grandchildren must learn from the past. They need to know that violence has never been and will never be an acceptable way to promote political ideas.

Now we are in the middle of a new crisis 50 years later. Although it is different by nature, every necessary effort is being made to combat it. This health crisis is the collective fight of our lives. Today it is COVID-19 that is on the minds of Quebeckers and Canadians who are going through tough times. That is why I want to present our plan to combat this unprecedented health crisis.

The disease continues to pose an unprecedented threat to the health and socio-economic well-being of Canadians and the global community. What are we going to learn from the crisis that we are experiencing today? Canada has a plan to manage this public health crisis.

Over the past few months, Canada has been working very hard to develop its capacity and expertise to manage the resurgence of COVID-19. This plan includes important measures in all areas. The government is working to limit the spread of COVID-19. That is why we must expect our traditional gatherings to be a little different this year. However, I am confident that Quebeckers and Canadians will continue to do their part.

They will need to keep complying fully and consistently with the measures proven to effectively control the spread of COVID-19. The government is aware that Canadians are all tired of following certain public health measures, which have had an immense impact on each one of us. I know that this has been difficult for all of us. It is ruining our year and special moments. Nevertheless, it is clear that individuals play a critical role in controlling the pandemic, and that is why we must all keep doing what we can to protect ourselves and others.

Canada has adopted an evidence-based approach to dealing with the repercussions of COVID-19, an approach backed up by our current understanding of the virus and by scenario planning. Canada's strategy recognizes that our guidelines and our response to COVID-19 will evolve as the evidence evolves. Our approach emphasizes the crucial role that public health and communications will continue to play.

Overall, the Government of Canada's efforts focus on three key objectives. First, we are determined to keep preventing and controlling the pandemic. Second, we are figuring out how to manage COVID-19 effectively with the participation of all levels of government, especially when case counts are rising. Last, we are supporting the development of vaccines and treatments to ensure Canada's long-term recovery.

To achieve these objectives, we have identified 10 crucial areas where the government is taking concrete measures to keep Canadians healthy and help them learn to live with COVID-19.

First is monitoring and data. We are committed to collecting, analyzing, interpreting and sharing information. These measures are essential to making evidence-based decisions that will improve Canadians' health. Our monitoring activities include monitoring cases and outbreaks, early warning systems and lab testing, among other things.

For example, we have strengthened our national approach to data collection and monitoring to continue to monitor COVID-19 across the country.

Secondly, there are the borders. We act before travellers arrive at the border, when they arrive and when they leave. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have used border control measures and traveller health services programs to mitigate the risk of importing and spreading COVID-19. This includes enhanced screening measures at Canadian airports and implementation of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. As a result of our efforts, we have been able to minimize public health risks and reduce the burden on the Canadian health care system.

Thirdly, there are public health measures. The Canadian government continues to work with the provinces and territories on public health measures and communications. We have introduced public health guidelines on how to protect the health and safety of Canadians and reduce the spread of COVID-19. We can see the results of these efforts every day. Basic public health measures are now part of everyday life and conversations. Governments and health professionals at all levels continue to emphasize the need for physical distancing, handwashing, staying at home when sick, and wearing a face—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Order. The hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie is rising on a point of order.

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

Madam Speaker, I have been listening to my Liberal colleague for some time now, and what he is saying has no relevance or relationship to the motion that is being debated here today. I am fine with us having measures to deal with the pandemic, but there is a motion on the floor, and I get the impression that the Liberal member is just trying to skirt the issue.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

I would remind the hon. member to try to relate his comments to the motion that we are debating.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, I hope that my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie will continue to listen carefully to my speech. I began by saying that we are in another crisis. It is a current crisis that Canadians in general, and Quebeckers in particular, are concerned about these days. This is very important. If we ask Quebeckers, they will—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable also has a point of order.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Speaker, I just want to remind my colleague that we cannot do indirectly what we cannot do directly. His answer is therefore unacceptable under the circumstances. I would urge him to return to the subject at hand.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

I would remind the parliamentary secretary that his speech must address the motion.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, as I was explaining to my hon. colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, I am in the process of linking the crisis of 1970 to the one going on today, the COVID-19 crisis. If we ask Quebeckers which is the more important crisis, I think the first thing they will say is that it is the current health crisis. It is important to remember that it is by comparing past and current events that we can learn lessons.

I have two minutes left. I will continue by telling you what matters. It is the capacity of our health care system, the facilities for high-risk populations or the need to have—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The member for Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères also has a point of order.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to echo the comments of one of my previous colleagues and say that the member should speak to the subject matter of the motion at hand. I understand that he may make connections with other subjects sometimes, but it seems like 90% of his speech is on another subject, and I do not think that is acceptable.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

I would remind the parliamentary secretary one last time that he must speak to today's motion.

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, we need to talk about the past. We need to know about it and learn from it. That is essential.

At the same time, we must never forget to think about our constituents who are suffering at this very moment. We must never forget to focus all our energy on getting through this crisis.

In 1970, a political crisis shook all of Quebec and all of Canada. The government responded to the request of the Province of Quebec and the City of Montreal. Today, as we go through this health crisis, all levels of government and all civil society organizations are asking the federal government to show leadership, and that is exactly what we are doing right now.

This concludes my remarks.

[Paul Manly, Green, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Madam Speaker, we are in a crisis now, but this motion is discussing a crisis in the 1970s. I think it is a relevant debate to have today on its 50th anniversary.

My uncle was a Japanese Canadian. He was born in Canada. In 1942, as a child, he went to an internment camp. There was a war at the time. There was a real threat that Japanese Canadians could be working with the imperial military and that would have serious implications, so people were put into internment camps. It was a horrible thing for my uncle Kaz Iwaasa to go through. The purpose of the apology for that time was to apologize to people like Kaz.

I have talked to some friends and colleagues in Quebec who were children during the October crisis and lived in real fear of their parents being taken away at night because of their political involvement. I would like to ask the hon. member this: Does he think those people deserve an apology for the actions that were taken by our government at that time?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Vancouver Island for the link he made to his uncle's experiences during the war. It is important for us to understand and place ourselves in the time when this was happening. We now have the benefit of looking back at history with assurance as to what the results have been because we did not live through them.

We have the assurance of looking back with the knowledge of what transpired, but the people who were involved in it at the time acted on the best information and took the best actions they could at that time. That is why the City of Montreal and the Government of Quebec made a request to the federal government to invoke the War Measures Act and the federal government—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Comments and questions, the hon. member for Salaberry—Suroît.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Madam Speaker, the off-topic speech I just heard leaves me somewhat stunned, flabbergasted even. We might even see it as a lack of respect and empathy for the people who were imprisoned without cause and without a warrant, without even being told why. He did not say a word about André Rousseau, Louise Rousseau, Claude Rousseau, François Roux, Clément Roy, Denis Roy or Jean Roy, who were among the 497 people whose civil rights were suspended without cause.

Before his time is up, does he not think it is time to apologize to these people and apologize for his whole speech being off topic?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, when I think about what happened in 1970, I also remember the people I grew up with who lived through that period or whose parents were involved in the nationalist movement or the federalist movement. Everyone was afraid.

The advantage of time allows me to better understand what happened. We must remember that people were terrified after Mr. Laporte's murder—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Speaker, this being the 50th anniversary of the October crisis, I really wish my Liberal colleague had taken the opportunity to talk about the victims of the crisis, including Pierre Laporte and the 10 other people who were killed. Something very serious happened in Quebec, and we should take this opportunity to talk about these people and honour their memory.

Why did he not do that in his speech?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Madam Speaker, those who do not understand history are doomed to repeat it. I felt it was important to make the connection between the two crises.