Debates of Oct. 29th, 2020

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister is correct. We have to work together. We have to learn the lessons, so we would like to learn who made the wrong decisions in her government. A news report this morning revealed that the Deputy Prime Minister disagreed with the health minister's handling of the early pandemic. Particularly, she was in favour of closing the border immediately and the health minister wanted to keep the border open.

My question to the Deputy Prime Minister is simple. Why did the Prime Minister overrule her decision and favour the health minister's decision to keep our borders open, letting in thousands more cases of COVID-19?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, when the global pandemic hit Canada, we introduced tougher restrictions on the Canada-U.S. border than had existed in Canadian history. What I am especially proud of is that we have managed to have those restrictions in place without harming the vital trade between our two countries. That is a real accomplishment for the Canada-U.S. relationship. It is an accomplishment by all Canadians.

I want especially to thank Canadians living along the border, who have really enthusiastically understood the value of these restrictions and supported them.

Terrorism

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, France is under attack. Our values of openness and freedom of speech are the targets of these Islamist attacks. After the horrific murder of teacher Samuel Paty, it took the Prime Minister 10 days to mention the attack. Ten days of silence is a long time.

Is the Prime Minister reluctant to stand up for our values and our allies?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his very important question.

I think all Canadians are truly horrified by this heinous attack in Nice, and I think I speak for all members of the House when I say that our hearts go out to the people of France and the people of Nice.

France is one of Canada’s closest, dearest and most important allies, and we will always stand in solidarity with France.

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

Mr. Speaker, if France is under attack, all democracies are under attack.

Here in Canada, the Prime Minister promised to create deradicalization centres. It was another promise he did not keep. Protecting citizens from terrorist attacks is one of the Prime Minister's primary duties.

Why is he refusing to show leadership on this issue?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we never refuse to show leadership when it comes to protecting the lives of Canadians, and that is why protecting Canadians, here in Canada and around the world, is a priority for our government.

I want to emphasize one more thing, because it is very important: now and forever, Canada stands in solidarity with France and its people.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when the Canadian army was deployed to arrest 497 people and intimidate thousands of others in October 1970, René Lévesque said that the wolves had been unleashed. He called it a shameful day.

The military burst in on innocent people in the middle of the night, brandishing machine guns, and then arrested these people without cause and detained them without explanation for days on end. Fifty years later, the victims of these war measures deserve an official apology.

Your father said, “Just watch me.” Prime Minister, we are watching. Will you give them justice?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, my father did not say, “Just watch me”, but I think this is an important question.

It is important to remember that the period surrounding October 1970 was difficult for all Quebeckers. We must think about the family of Pierre Laporte, for whom this anniversary brings some painful memories.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in hindsight, the use of the War Measures Act has been criticized by members of all parties.

The Liberal justice minister, John Turner, opposed it, and Pierre Elliott Trudeau's Quebec lieutenant, Jean Marchand, described it as being like using a cannon to kill a fly.

The Conservative leader at the time, Robert Stanfield, said the act was cruel and based on claims that were never proven.

Why is this government refusing to do as many key actors did at the time and admit to an abuse of power that requires an apology?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the period surrounding October 1970 was very difficult for all Quebeckers, but this is an opportunity for us to reflect on how far we have come since then.

We can be proud that we live in a country where we choose to express our ideas in a peaceful, non-violent way, and we can be proud that we live in a country where the government allows democratic discussions like the one we are having in the House today.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, more than 10,000 people have died as a result of COVID-19, and 80% of those deaths occurred in long-term care centres. The Canadian Armed Forces had to be sent in to protect our seniors, and still the problems persist.

The Prime Minister promised to work with the provinces and territories to establish national health care standards.

What has become of those standards?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question.

As our country is in the midst of the second wave of this pandemic, now is really the time to be thinking about our seniors once again. Yes, our women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces stepped up in the spring to protect our seniors. Today, we must continue to work with the provinces and territories to protect our seniors during this difficult second wave.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we have to take in these numbers. There are 10,000 Canadians who have died because of COVID-19, and 80% of them have been in long-term care homes. What is even more staggering is how clear the evidence is that the worst conditions were found in for-profit long-term care homes.

The evidence makes it clear, so my question to the Prime Minister is this. Knowing that the worst conditions are in for-profit homes, does he still believe the federal government should be in the business of for-profit long-term care homes?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right that there have been particular concerns about how our elders have fared in for-profit long-term care facilities. We cannot turn a blind eye to this, and I very much agree that all options need to be on the table when we think about how we run, operate and regulate our long-term care facilities in the future.

The lives of our elders must be a priority. Our country as a whole has not done well enough, and we need to do better going forward.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the government is not transparent or consistent about applying its pandemic rules. It is another day and there is yet another revelation that a wealthy U.S. executive was granted a quarantine exemption when he entered Canada on October 19 to push Teamster union workers to accept a new contract. The first time this kind of thing happened, the minister said it was a mistake, but he has not fixed it. Quarantine restrictions are enforced on everyday working Canadians, their small businesses and their family members.

So, I have a very simple question. Why is there still one set of rules for wealthy, well-connected elites and a different set for everyone else?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, that is an important question. There are not two sets of rules. Canadians have the right to enter Canada at any time if they follow the proper health and safety protocols.

As to the member's question, our top priority is the health and safety of Canadians during this pandemic. Decisions on exemptions by officials are only issued after approval by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the relevant province or territory. We will continue to protect the health and safety of all Canadians.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, everyday Canadians are concerned and confused about the obvious double standard. They do not know what to expect. People, for example, who go to the border for a visa or other issue stay in their cars, remain in the neutral zone and do not even cross into the U.S., but when they turn around they are told that they have to put their lives on hold and quarantine for two weeks. However, if someone is a U.S. billionaire who wants to come to Canada and travel around freely, the Liberals say, “No problem, the door is open. Come on in and take our jobs while you are at it.”

When will the government show the same compassion and fairness to everyday working Canadians as it does to U.S. billionaires?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. There are not two sets of rules. Canadians have a right to enter Canada at any time when they follow proper health and safety protocols.

To the member's question, as I said, the health and safety of Canadians is the top priority of all members of the House during the pandemic. It is also essential, and I am sure the member would agree, to keep our economy moving during this pandemic, and to protect our critical and essential businesses. Exemptions have been granted after extensive consultation by Global Affairs Canada officials, with the Public Health Agency of Canada and the provinces and territories.

Canadians understand that we need to—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Carleton.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with our unemployment being the highest in the G7, the 1.8 million Canadians without jobs are wondering what the economic plan is. Yesterday, we learned that the finance minister's plan is debt-fuelled government spending. The Bank of Canada governor's plan is debt-fuelled consumer spending. It is the credit card strategy. How will we pay it all back? We will cross that bridge when it collapses.

When will the government realize that Canadians want paycheques, not bigger credit card bills?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, let me start where the member opposite started, which is something that is so important for this government: jobs for Canadians.

Let me point out to everyone in the House that the job recovery in Canada has been stronger than in the United States. TD pointed this out in a report that it issued on October 20. This is what was said:

No matter how you slice the data, the Canadian labour market has been on a steadier road to recovery relative to the U.S. This is true for both full and part-time employment despite similar depths of decline.

We are working hard for Canadians and Canadian jobs.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member quoted bankers because bankers are thrilled with all the printed money that is being pumped into their profit margins, but she forgets to mention that we still have the highest unemployment in the G7: higher than the United States, in fact. What do we have in response? So far, we have had no budget in a record 18 months, no number to associate with the deficit, no spending levels to report and no date for the fall economic update. The last time we had those biweekly reports on COVID spending was back before Bill Morneau became Bill “No More.”

When are we going to get some facts about the recovery?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, what is really important is for Canadians to understand that our work to support Canadian jobs is working. Canada has recovered particularly on employment, which is such an important measure for us all. Canada has recovered much more strongly than the economy with which we are most connected, the United States, and more strongly than economists predicted. That is because Canadians want to work hard. They are working hard, and it is because we have put the economic measures in place to allow that jobs rebound to happen.

Official Languages

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

Mr. Speaker, we are learning this week that our francophone public servants are being left to fend for themselves. The President of the Treasury Board said he is aware of the situation, but today the Commissioner of Official Languages is sounding the alarm. This is not the first time he has spoken out about it, but nothing has been done. The government is all talk and no action.

Why is the government ignoring the alarm bells rung by francophone public servants and the Commissioner of Official Languages?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Commissioner of Official Languages for his report and for the important work he does. It goes without saying that during a pandemic, Canadians must be able to access information in the official language of their choice to ensure their health and safety.

While we were in the midst of managing a crisis, the Commissioner of Official Languages did raise some concerns. He also noted in his report that we reacted quickly at the time. However, I agree with him and with my colleague that we still need to do more, and we will.