Debates of Oct. 8th, 2020

International Trade

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, yet Canada's poultry, egg and turkey farmers are still waiting for support measures that they have been promised by the Liberal government as a result of trade concessions. The government is not acting thankful to these farmers who have been working hard and giving to ensure Canadians are fed. The time for talking and platitudes is over. The time to deliver results is long overdue. It is almost Thanksgiving.

How much longer do these farmers have to wait to get their concessions?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague and all poultry and egg producers that we will proceed with the compensation. We have committed to making the announcement before the end of the year for the compensation related to CETA and the CPTPP, and the conversation is ongoing for NAFTA.

We care about our farmers. This agreement was very important for the Canadian economy and very important for the agricultural sector as a whole as well.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 2020 has been a tough year for farmer Tim Bose, from my riding. First, the new U.S. trade agreement hurt his turkey production, costing him a hundred grand. Next, the COVID-19 restrictions put salt in the wound. When he thought it could not get worse, last weekend sections of his popular corn maze were destroyed. Tim is heartbroken, like many Canadian farmers who are asking their government for the support they need to keep putting food on our tables.

When will Tim get the help he was promised?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I know how hard it has been for our farmers in the last year. They have had to face many challenges, and we want to thank them, because we were able to rely on them to have good food on our tables.

Members know that I am working very hard with my provincial colleagues to improve the business risk management programs. These programs are there for support, and we are committed to making them even better. For our supply-managed producers, we will also proceed with the compensation, as promised.

Regional Economic Development

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since last spring, business owners and small and medium-sized businesses have been hard hit by the economic impact of COVID-19, particularly given the current situation in Quebec this month.

I met with business owners and families from my riding who shared their concerns about the Canadian economy with me.

Can the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages tell us what the government has done to restart the economy in the greater Montreal area and, more specifically, the east end of Montreal?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel for her important question and her excellent work.

Here is why the Prime Minister and I announced good news last Friday. It is because we know that our businesses and workers need help in the midst of the lockdown in Montreal. That is why we invested an additional $600 million in our regional economic development agencies.

For Montreal specifically, we invested $30 million in PME MTL and $750,000 in the recovery plan of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.

We will always be there for Montrealers, particularly those who live in Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel and eastern Montreal.

Taxation

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Speaker, once again a Liberal government policy is causing unnecessary financial stress to taxpayers.

Daryl is a pensioner in my riding who relies on the GST credit to make ends meet. He filed his taxes on time, yet received a letter from CRA stating he now has to repay the GST credit, even though his income has not changed. Why? It is because, although the Liberal government extended the filing deadline, it failed to tell people that this could cost them the GST credits.

Why can the government not simply reassess the credits after filing? Why is it adding the financial stress to Canadians?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government agrees that this is a difficult time for Canadians. Our government will always do what it takes to support them. The CRA remains committed to putting people first and providing high-quality services to Canadians.

I invite my colleague opposite to contact my office staff. We will follow up on his request.

Infrastructure

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, communities in my riding are ready to start their infrastructure projects now. Aging water and waste-water systems, roads, recreational centres and utility upgrades need repairs. Small rural communities are in need of support in order for these projects to move forward. The Liberal government's utter failure on completing infrastructure projects does not provide them much hope, however.

My communities are waiting and want to know this: Where is their help?

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, what this difficult time has shown us is that every dollar we invest in public infrastructure can and must do triple duty. Our government is investing in infrastructure projects that are creating jobs across this country and growing our economy. We are investing in infrastructure so that everyone gets a fair shot at success wherever they live in Canada. We are investing in infrastructure that makes our communities cleaner and more resilient.

Over the next two years our government is committed to creating one million jobs and building strong communities through investments in infrastructure, like public transit, clean energy, broadband, affordable housing for indigenous peoples and the pipe services that my friend just mentioned.

Public Services and Procurement

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government solicited bids in March to purchase PPE for the Canadian health care system. A company in my riding, which has been doing business with Health Canada for 20 years, went through the bidding process. Unfortunately, the company tells me that there were irregularities in the approval process. I wrote to the minister in August.

Could the Prime Minister assure me that the minister will not favour Liberal friends for these contracts and that she will respect Canadian companies?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to communicate with the member opposite about the specific company in question later. However, I will say that in general, the regulators have very strict protocols to ensure that all products meet specificity about accuracy, about integrity and about the ability to actually do what they purport to do.

Indigenous Affairs

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since 2015, our government has made it a priority to improve water infrastructure on reserves. We have come a long way in ending long-term drinking water advisories on reserve and preventing short-term advisories from becoming long term. In my riding, many constituents and groups, like the Rotary Club of Guelph, Water First, Wellington Water Watchers, University of Guelph researchers, Shared Value Solutions and many other businesses, care about these efforts and the vital work that still needs to be done.

Could the Minister of Indigenous Services please speak to the outcomes we have already achieved and update the House on the important next steps?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, despite being in a global pandemic, on Monday I was proud to congratulate residents of Grassy Narrows First Nations, Asubpeeschoseewagong, on their recent elimination of all long-term drinking water advisories affecting their communities.

We are working aggressively to meet the spring 2021 deadline, and to date, 96 long-term drinking water advisories, the result of decades of government neglect, have been lifted. While we have more work to do, we will not stop until every community on reserve has access to safe and clean drinking water.

Aviation Industry

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, COVID is having a devastating impact on the financial viability of airports across northern Canada. This summer, for example, Timmins airport suffered an 89% drop in passengers, while Sault Ste. Marie suffered a 99% drop. This is unprecedented, yet northern airports remain on the front lines for medical services, food transportation and dealing with forest fire refugees.

My question is to the Minister of Transport. When is he going to step up and answer the call of the northern mayors to address the financial crisis that we are facing with airports in a time of COVID?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it is, indeed, very important that we ensure that northern parts of our country are provided with essential travel for medevacs and for the provision of essential food and supplies. That is why we put in place a program earlier this summer that will provide up to $174 million to specifically take care of 140 northern communities. That is our recognition: We must provide those services to the north.

Natural Resources

[Jenica Atwin, Green, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, when most people think about the future of energy, they will refer to wind farms, geothermal and solar, but far too often we forget about the power reclaimed through energy efficiency. Let us also not ignore the fact that some will try to make us believe that nuclear energy can still be considered clean, safe and reliable. The reality is that it is pointless to dream of a greener future if we are not investing massively today enough to preserve our energy, reducing demand.

My question is for the minister of energy resources. How much precisely is the government projected to invest to intensify energy efficiency in comparison with the upcoming investment to increase Canada's reliance on nuclear power?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, certainly energy efficiency is a critical piece of moving forward with an effective climate plan. It is also an opportunity for us to think about how we create jobs and economic opportunity for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. It is part of a plan that will obviously need to include a focus on renewable energy and how we actually reduce emissions in all sectors across the country. The announcement today by the Prime Minister and Premier Ford with respect to zero-emission vehicle manufacturing is a critical piece of that plan as well. We will be moving forward to address all of those issues.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There have been consultations with the other parties and, if you seek it, I hope there is unanimous consent for the following motion:

I move that the House, (a) recognize that the wait times at Veterans Affairs Canada are exceedingly long, leaving some veterans without an income with which to support themselves and their loved ones while receiving the care they need; (b) recognize that government ministers and members encouraged Canadians to apply for the Canada emergency response benefit, CERB, that these members said the government would address issues with eligibility in the future, and that a small number of veterans applied for and received the CERB as a means to bridging their personal finances until such a time that their Veterans Affairs Canada applications are processed and they receive the payments they are owed with which they intend to repay the CERB; and, (c) call on the government to ensure that no veteran is fined or otherwise punished for having received the CERB when they did not meet the eligibility criteria and that those veterans not be required to repay the CERB they received until their applications at Veterans Affairs Canada are processed and their pensions are paid.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

This being a hybrid sitting of the House, for the sake of clarity I will only ask those who are opposed to the request to express their disagreement.

Accordingly, all those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We do not have unanimous consent, unfortunately.

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am asking the hon. members for unanimous consent to complete my S. O. 31. Unfortunately, I was cut off due to technical difficulties.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

This being a hybrid sitting of the House, for the sake of clarity, I only ask those who are opposed to the request to express their disagreement.

Accordingly, all those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay.

I believe we have unanimous consent. I will let the hon. member proceed with his S. O. 31, and then we will go to the next standing order.

The hon. member for Mississauga East—Cooksville.

Mississauga Food Bank

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. members.

I am so proud and humbled to be part of a community that has proven time and again what true resilience and strength are. Throughout the past several difficult months of this pandemic, the true Canadian way has been on display by our families, neighbours and community members, even through these challenging times.

An integral part of my constituency in the city of Mississauga is The Mississauga Food Bank. Its staff and supporters have worked tirelessly to help put food in the hands of our most vulnerable and needy citizens. For the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, Mayor Bonnie Crombie and the City of Mississauga are doing a Thanksgiving food drive. I am really proud to say that my family and friends have joined, along with generous supporters from Cooksville, to rise to this challenge and raise tons of food. We were pleased to see that compassion and care take us a long way in our path to help those most in need.

I wish everyone celebrating Thanksgiving a wonderful holiday and time to reflect, keeping in mind that precautions and staying apart must be exercised over the next several weeks. I know it will be hard to stay away from our families, but again, as per our Canadian way, we will all get through this together.