House of Commons Hansard #11 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was training.
Erin O'Toole ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, Senator Salma Ataullahjan is running to be the president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Senator Ataullahjan would be the first Canadian, and would also be the first Muslim Canadian, to be put forward by Canada for a prestigious position like this.
Will the Prime Minister join me today in formally endorsing Senator Ataullahjan's candidacy for president of the IPU?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from Conservatives when it comes to gender equality or diversity. We recognize Senator Salma Ataullahjan's important work on human rights issues. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had a great conversation with her about her candidacy last week—
The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
I am going to interrupt the hon. Prime Minister.
I am having a hard time hearing. There are not a lot of people, with COVID, and we are doing this virtually as well, but the noise is starting to get up and people are more than making up for the small numbers.
Now that everything is quiet, I will sit down and let the right hon. Prime Minister continue.
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Foreign Affairs had a great conversation with Senator Salma Ataullahjan last week about her candidacy, and we will be speaking with her again.
As has long been the case, the government does not support candidates for roles in inter-parliamentary organizations like the IPU. That is for members in the House and parliaments of the world to decide, and we wish the Senator well in her campaign.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canada's relationship with the first peoples is a nation-to-nation relationship. Therefore it is for the premiers to manage.
The tragedy in Joliette is rooted in the social problems experienced by indigenous communities. That is the source of the prejudice and racism.
Has the Prime Minister spoken to Joyce Echaquan's husband, to Chief Paul-Émile Ottawa and to Chief Constant Awashish to commit to addressing the social problems that are a direct legacy of the shameful Indian Act, one of the worst examples of systemic racism in the history of Canada?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we would like to extend our condolences to the family of Joyce Echaquan and the entire community, which has suffered a terrible loss.
People across the country were shocked by this video. Frankly, the indigenous people I spoke to said they were shocked but not surprised. This is the reality lived by far too many racialized or indigenous people.
For that reason, on this side of the House, we recognize that systemic racism does exist. That is why we will continue to work with all communities to eliminate systemic racism.
Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, clearly we recognize it as well. However, the Prime Minister should have said it to Ms. Echaquan's spouse or the Atikamekw chiefs, not Parliament.
Does he realize that the government of the Quebec nation contacted the family and the community, met with the Atikamekw chiefs, ordered a public inquiry and promised to implement the recommendations of the Viens report?
Does the Prime Minister realize that despite his words and sometimes his tears, he has not lived up to his claims about his relationship with indigenous people, and that it is Quebec who is acting as a friend of indigenous nations?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to commend the leader of the Bloc Québécois because I believe I heard him admit that systemic racism exists. I think it was time. It is important for us to be there to fight against systemic racism every day.
I can say that the Minister of Foreign Affairs attended Joyce Echaquan's funeral yesterday. The Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and the Minister of Indigenous Services have been in contact with the community and the family. We will continue to work hand in hand to fight systemic racism and move further along the path of reconciliation with Canada's indigenous people.
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Mr. Speaker, we are obviously in the midst of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. People are concerned. They are worried about the future. In order to help allay those concerns, will the Prime Minister commit today to guaranteeing that, when a vaccine is ready, it will be available to everyone for free?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, from the beginning of this pandemic, our government has been doing everything it can to support Canadians and to reassure them during these tough times that are causing intense anxiety. We have been there to support the provinces with their health care systems. We have been there to support workers, families and small businesses. We will continue to be there.
With respect to the vaccine, we have set up a panel of experts to make recommendations on the best way to ensure that the vaccine is distributed free of charge and that is exactly what we will do.
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to be very clear on this question. People are worried. They are deeply concerned, and something that would help Canadians right now is a clear commitment, because it was unclear yesterday.
I will ask one more time, very clearly. Once a vaccine is ready, will the Prime Minister commit, clearly, that the vaccine will be freely available to all Canadians, yes or no?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we deeply cherish our universal health care system, and that means that things like life-saving vaccines are free for Canadians.
Indeed, we put forward a committee of independent experts to help counsel the government on the best way to ensure that the vaccines are distributed fairly, equitably and in the right priority so that Canadians can be as safe as possible as the vaccines are discovered. I can, however, highlight the extraordinary work of our procurement minister, who has ensured that we have great access to vaccines from around the world as they become available.
Richard Martel Conservative Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Parliamentary Budget Officer said that the federal government's innovation superclusters initiative has very little chance of meeting its targets. My mother often told me that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Canada's aerospace industry is in decline. Thousands of existing jobs are in jeopardy.
How does the government explain the fact that it is shooting this flagship Quebec industry down in mid-flight?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we all recognize that this pandemic is hitting some sectors harder than others, for example, the tourism industry, the aerospace and airline industries and the oil industry.
We are there to help workers across the country in every industry weather this crisis. We did that with the CERB and the Canada emergency wage subsidy. We will continue to work with innovative companies in our aerospace industry to move forward and protect them.
Richard Martel Conservative Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, if our aerospace industry loses any more feathers, Canada's credibility and influence around the world will also suffer. Canada's aerospace industry is Magellan Aerospace in Winnipeg, Pratt & Whitney in Longueuil and CAE in Bagotville. The aerospace industry provides jobs and promotes the economic development of many of Quebec's regions, not just Montreal.
Why is the federal government focusing all of its efforts on the superclusters initiative, which is in a tailspin?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we are investing across the country to help the innovative industries that will prepare us for the future and create the jobs of tomorrow. That is why we are investing so much in the aerospace industry and the superclusters, because we believe in innovation and in the future that Canadians are building every day. We will continue to be there to support workers in industries across the country as we have always done. We will continue to do that.
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister shut down Canada's early warning system on the pandemic, and he says that he was briefed at the end of January, he was relying on WHO data that countries around the world admit was opaque and less than transparent, to be generous, from China. Then they fumbled around for weeks talking about how masks were not effective and that there was no human transmission. We were flying blind. Now, going into Thanksgiving weekend, the Prime Minister is asking people to cancel their Thanksgiving dinners because of his failure.
Very simply put, will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians for this massive failure?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives try to score cheap, partisan points, we remain focused on Canadians.
This is an unprecedented pandemic that hit hard in countries around the world, and we pulled together across orders of government, even mostly across party lines, to deliver for Canadians the health measures that would keep them protected, but also the economic supports, things like the Canada emergency response benefit and things like the wage subsidy that made a huge difference in Canadians' being able to be confident in their present and their future.
We will continue to have Canadians' backs.
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Mr. Speaker, the inconvenient truth for the Prime Minister is the fact that it has only been since Parliament resumed, after he shuttered it, that Canadians have seen action on things like rapid tests. We still do not have answers on when they are actually going to get here, though. That answer was so trite and so glib, because if he actually cared about Canadians, he would have access to rapid tests, he would be trying to fix things like shutting down the early warning system and he would be doing the right thing and taking accountability for his lack of action and his failure to protect Canadians.
This is my simple question: How many rapid tests are Canadians going to get and when?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, one point on which I vehemently disagree with the member for Calgary Nose Hill is that I believe every single parliamentarian in this place cares deeply about Canadians. No matter how much I disagree with the member for Calgary Nose Hill on a number of things, I know she cares about Canadians, and I think she should expect that all of us care about Canadians deeply, because we have come together in this time of pandemic to deliver for Canadians. Health Canada has stepped up, Canadians have stepped up, the provinces have stepped up, and yes, the federal government continues to step up.
John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea dared speak truth to power by pointing out how veterans would receive less in the Liberals' so-called pension for life scheme, he was publicly attacked by the former minister of veterans affairs, who wrote, “individuals like Sean Bruyea" are stating “mistruths about Pension for Life...to suit their own agenda.”
Bruyea sued the minister for defamation, seeking $25,000 in damages. The Liberals then used the full weight of the government to defend the minister against a veteran who, it turned out, was right, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
I am asking for the Prime Minister to justify this to Canadians.
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, an agreement was reached in this case, and as part of that agreement we will not be commenting on it further.
However, I will highlight that service delivery and support to veterans and families have been a priority since the very beginning. Since 2016, we have invested nearly $10.5 billion in new money for our veterans and their families. This funding was invested in new centres of excellence on chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, and includes financial compensation and more, which stands in stark contrast to the Conservative approach, including from the now Leader of the Opposition, which was to close offices, fire staff and gut Veterans Affairs.
John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON
Mr. Speaker, when it came to defending a case against a convicted terrorist, Omar Khadr, the Prime Minister had no problem rolling over and giving into Khadr with a $10.5-million payday, but for those who served and defended this country, like Bruyea, and let us add Admiral Mark Norman to this, after attacking their integrity and honour, the Prime Minister and his minister spent millions in legal fees defending themselves.
Since the Prime Minister could not kick Bruyea out of cabinet or caucus like he did to Jane, Celina and the former AG, who all spoke truth to his power, will he at least apologize to Bruyea, and while he is at it Admiral Norman, for the assault on their reputations?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, once again we see the extent to which the Conservatives like to wrap themselves in the flag while they actually have a record of nickel-and-diming our veterans by cutting their services, by cutting off opportunities for their families and by shuttering nine Veterans Affairs offices right across the country at a time when veterans needed proper help.
These are the things we have worked on over the past number of years, investing $10.5 billion in our veterans, when the Conservatives did nothing for them for 10 long years.