Debates of Oct. 8th, 2020

Niagara Ports Trade Corridor

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, Canada has always been a trading nation, and as the throne speech stressed, the value of the multi-trillion dollar blue economy is not to be underestimated. In fact, the maritime chamber of commerce confirms that inland and coastal shipping are key drivers in both the Canadian and U.S. economies. I am pleased to see this government take advantage of existing resources in the post-COVID-19 economic recovery effort.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River navigation system, including the Welland Canal located in my riding, is an efficient marine superhighway that connects our businesses to limitless opportunities and global markets. I am pleased to see this government harness the blue economy by supporting initiatives like local strategic trade corridors.

In Niagara, we are advancing the development of three multimodal hubs along the Welland Canal. To the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority and the cities of Port Colborne, Welland and Thorold, I say congratulations and thanks for moving forward on establishing the Niagara Ports multimodal trade corridor.

I thank this government for showing foresight and innovation by supporting and fostering all the blue economy has to offer.

Volunteerism in Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry

[Eric Duncan, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while this pandemic has certainly taken its toll, it has not been able to dampen the spirits of countless volunteers who continue to do everything they can to give back. The wonderful volunteers in my region are no exception, and several have been recently recognized for their efforts.

Constable Jeff Lalonde, a 20-year veteran with the Cornwall Police Service, was honoured with the Governor General's Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.

Gloria Waldroff, with the Friendly Circle Seniors' Club in Long Sault, was named volunteer of the year.

Mountain Township & District Lion Ted Ceelen was presented with the Melvin Jones Fellowship, and Lion Bill Havekes was presented with the Helen Keller Fellowship Award.

Bernie McGillis was named volunteer of the year for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cornwall & District. He was just one of the many volunteers acknowledged in that organization.

I would need about a 10-minute statement to recognize all of the wonderful individuals who volunteer throughout Cornwall, the United Counties of SD&G and Akwesasne. I give all of our volunteers my grateful and heartfelt thanks for all that they do, particularly during these difficult times.

Thanksgiving

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this Thanksgiving takes place at a time of great trial for Canadians and their families. This year we celebrate differently: more quietly, limiting our gatherings.

Unfortunately, for many families, there will be a void as they mourn the death of a loved one. Let us take this opportunity to recognize the courage and determination of our essential workers. Let us honour them and thank them for their dedication and sacrifice.

Across Canada, we face both health and economic crises of historic proportions. We are worried, but we also know that our families and our governments stand together, supporting each other. When we walk through a storm here in Canada, we hold our heads up high and we will not be afraid of the dark.

We are a great country, united in our fight against the virus. That is the very spirit of Thanksgiving, to help each other in times of trial.

Canada, walk on. Walk on with hope in our hearts because we never walk alone. We never walk alone, even when everyone is doing their part by staying apart to save lives.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Housing

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

On behalf of the residents of my riding, I would like to wish you, Mr. Speaker, the House and of course everyone in Canada a happy but safe Thanksgiving.

I would also like to thank Fort York Food Bank, Alexandra Park Community Centre and countless other volunteers in the riding, like the people of ReportTO who, this weekend, will be donating food and care to make sure as many as possible feel included in community, but safe, hosted Thanksgiving celebrations.

For homeless Canadians, for people living in tents and parks, for women who may be couch surfing and for young people who are fleeing to the safety of shelters, Thanksgiving weekend is a difficult time and not necessarily a moment to give thanks. The national housing strategy has legislated the right to housing, and last month, we added $1.2 billion to the $55-billion program to address these situations with even greater focus.

Homelessness can be ended, and our government is working hard with municipalities, indigenous housing providers, provinces, territories and people who have experienced homelessness to do just that: end it. I invite the opposition to work with us to realize this goal. Canada, let us get to work.

Families

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago, people in Vancouver were shocked to see ads seeking to shame those who have more than one child. One such ad declared, “The most loving gift you can give your first child is to not have another” beside the picture of a Black baby. This ad reminds us of the racist undertones that have often been associated with the population control movement, targeting minority communities in particular with the message that they should have fewer children.

It also perpetuates the false and disproved idea that large families are bad for society. In reality, parents who make the sacrifice of raising children into productive citizens should be celebrated and not stigmatized. Honestly, parents of large families have enough to worry about. Having a larger population of younger people entering the workforce helps to ensure that there are enough taxpayers supporting the needs of our seniors.

My riding association is fighting back. We are taking out ads on buses in Vancouver, sharing one of my favourite quotes from Mother Teresa: “How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers”.

I will continue to stand up for families.

Community Support in Markham—Stouffville

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, throughout the pandemic, organizations in my riding of Markham—Stouffville have stepped up to support our community. Stouffville's Royal Canadian Legion fundraised over $10,000 so it can continue to provide services to local seniors and veterans, including virtual services to reduce social isolation and the resulting depression.

Also, the Canadian Mar Thoma Church in Stouffville donated more than $26,000 to the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation toward the purchase of a new ventilator, and I recently attended the Yikang Seniors Club of Markham's celebration of the mid-autumn festival, where hand sanitizer, masks and of course mooncakes were provided to seniors.

These are just a few examples of how people in Markham—Stouffville are supporting each other. Actions like these are what make our communities stronger and they are a reminder that by working together, we can defeat COVID-19 and move Canada forward.

Nagorno-Karabakh Region

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise as chair of the Canada-Azerbaijan parliamentary friendship group to express my deep concern regarding the ongoing military conflicts in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The violence must end, as there can be no long-term solution through military action. I urge both Armenia and Azerbaijan to step back from the precipice, adhere to the historical ceasefire and protect all civilians, regardless of their nationalities.

Nations with ulterior motives, other than the preservation of human life, need to step back and let the peace process take hold. The territorial integrity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan must be respected and the right to self-determination supported by the international community. I call on the Government of Canada to work quickly with the global community to secure peace and to back the resumption of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe negotiations within the framework of the Minsk group process.

Petrochemical Industry

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the Government of Alberta announced the 10-year, $30-billion strategy to attract petrochemical and associated recycling investment to the province, with the goal of becoming an environmental and recycling leader in North America. Then, in a hastily called press conference the following day, the federal government jeopardized Alberta's long-term plan. Investors in Alberta's comprehensive plastic strategy now face increased uncertainty for the future of the petrochemical industry.

These generational plastic investments have the potential to create a world-leading $1.4-billion recycling industry, employing a projected 19,000 workers for 50 years or more. The petrochemical industry will be a key partner in developing green, reusable plastic products, yet the government seems intent on banning development opportunities for sectors vital to our recovery and banning jobs for workers.

Why is the government so intent on destroying jobs in Alberta?

Housing

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, people in my community are struggling with the economic impacts of COVID-19 but also with the housing crisis and growing economic inequality. At the same time, the people at the very top in Canada have gotten richer and richer. The Liberals and Conservatives have set up systems that allow their corporate friends to get sweet deals while avoiding paying their fair share.

People in my riding need housing. We used to have a federal government in the 1970s and 1980s that invested in housing. If we made corporations like Amazon and Facebook pay their fair share, if we taxed wealth over $20 million and the excess profits of corporations that are profiting off of this pandemic, if we cracked down on offshore tax havens, we would have billions and billions of dollars to invest in things like building affordable, sustainable housing.

The B.C. government has invested historic amounts in housing. Our federal government needs to step up, at least match the provincial funding, take care of Canadians who are just trying to keep a roof over their heads and start making the wealthiest pay their fair share.

Dylan Delaury

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, very few of us are given the opportunity to be a real hero in our lifetimes. It is perhaps even rarer for a teenager, which makes it even more impressive. That is what happened to Dylan Delaury on September 28, 2020, the day he became a hero.

As he and his best friend were sleeping in a cabin where they had settled in for the night, the cabin became a veritable inferno. Woken up by the smoke, Mr. Delaury immediately rushed to save his friend, without a second thought. It was instinct. His heart took over. They both managed to escape almost entirely unscathed.

I wanted to tell everyone in the House today about this heroic, courageous, generous and eminently human act. This young man from Baie-Comeau listened to his heart and saved two lives that night.

Dylan, I know you think what you did was not a big deal, as you said yourself, but I assure you, that is not the case. I thank you for your actions. I look forward to meeting you, because you are a role model not only for me, but also for my children, everyone in this House, the people of the North Shore and all Quebeckers.

Energy Industry

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government continues to take Saskatchewan for granted. The throne speech failed to even mention western alienation and deliberately ignored the serious challenges facing our leading economic drivers. To add insult to injury, when asked this week for a real plan for energy workers and their families, the Deputy Prime Minister responded by boasting about the delivery of the CERB program in western Canada. That response demonstrates just how out of touch those in the government benches are.

Our hard-working energy workers are not asking for a handout. They are asking the Prime Minister to stop favouring foreign energy, to support an economic sector that contributes so much wealth to our entire country and to stop going out of his way to attack their livelihoods and their ability to put food on their tables.

It is time that the Prime Minister take his head out of the sand and fight for all Canadians.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada had a world-renowned pandemic alert system, but in 2018, the Liberal government revoked the mandate of Canadian experts. It did not want to contradict official data from the Chinese government.

Why does the Prime Minister prefer to listen to the Chinese government rather than our Canadian experts?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, that is completely untrue. We have been listening to the advice of public health experts and scientists all along.

Funding and staffing levels at the Global Public Health Intelligence Network have remained stable since 2015. We are concerned about reports that analysts were unable to do their jobs. Several weeks ago, the minister ordered an independent review to ensure that their important work could continue.

We have taken this pandemic seriously from day one. We are working with the experts and have been doing so all along.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister just said that he listens to the experts, but he forced his decision on them. Senior officials have said that the Liberal government's decision was incomprehensible. These are Canadian experts criticizing the Prime Minister's ideological decisions.

Why does the Prime Minister trust Chinese data over our Canadian scientists?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is talking nonsense.

We have been working with and listening to scientists all along.

Funding and staffing levels at the agency he is referring to have remained stable since 2015. We listened to the concerns from officials and launched a review several weeks ago to find out exactly what happened and to ensure that we can continue working with scientists as best we can.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister said that he would follow what our allies were doing when it comes to Huawei. As part of the Five Eyes, we share intelligence with the United Kingdom. This morning, their House of Commons found that Huawei is strongly linked to the Chinese state and the Chinese Communist Party, despite claims to the contrary.

Why is the Prime Minister ignoring all the warnings about Huawei in Canada's 5G network?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, again, that is simply not true. We have worked very closely with our allies and Five Eyes partners around the world to ensure the safety and security of Canadians, and of our infrastructure.

We will continue to make decisions based on expert advice from our intelligence and security professionals as we move forward to do what we need to do to keep Canadians safe in an increasingly interconnected world.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's security experts are reading the reports out of the U.K. that found Huawei had been financed by the Chinese state to the tune of $75 billion in the last three years. It also found that Huawei had engaged in a variety of intelligence, security and intellectual property violations around the world. In Canada, the National Post has reported that Huawei theft may have led to the downfall of Nortel.

Four of the Five Eyes have spoken when it comes to Huawei. Why is the Prime Minister the only one with his eyes closed?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we continue to be very focused on keeping Canadians safe. We are certainly aware of all these reports and are looking very carefully at them, but we trust our experts in our security realm and in our intelligence realm to make fact-based recommendations to us. They are gathering information from our partners. They are looking at this situation. We will move forward in a responsible way that keeps Canadians safe, as we have every step of the way.

Natural Resources

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

Mr. Speaker, the potential closure of the Come By Chance refinery could mean up to 1,400 job losses across Newfoundland and Labrador. It would affect dozens of harbour and outport communities in the province. We are also learning that it could create a severe propane shortage, leaving 2,000 households relying on ferry services during the winter. The head of the local steelworkers union said that the natural resources minister has been silent.

When will the minister finally speak up for the people of Arnold's Cove and the citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is lovely to hear the Conservatives finally realizing there is a Newfoundland and Labrador that we need to preoccupy ourselves with. We have been working with them very closely, both our Minister of Natural Resources and the new premier, whom I spoke to just days ago to talk about how we can continue to work to support workers in Newfoundland and Labrador and indeed in the energy sector across the country.

We will continue to be there to stand up for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We will continue to be there to support our workers right across the country as we move forward through this difficult time and into decades to come.

Ethics

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when I asked my question yesterday, before I even finished saying the word “machine gun”, the Prime Minister immediately stood up and started talking about political party financing. The links people make in their heads between different ideas can be odd, at times.

Then I simply asked him if he knew Wei Wei, a criminal arrested in Toronto. He immediately started talking about the Liberal Party's financing. That is when I realized that Wei Wei must be important to the Liberal Party.

My question is simple. Is it because Wei Wei and his gang stopped giving money to the Liberal Party that the Liberals asked for the wage subsidy?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is no.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the National Post reported that a wealthy businessman from Toronto, Wei Wei, was arrested on charges of firearms possession and operating an illegal casino. Wei Wei met with the Prime Minister on May 16, 2016, with the founder of the Wealth One Bank. Three days later, he met him again. He meets with him almost as often as he meets with the Ethics Commissioner. The Prime Minister discussed trade relations between China and Canada.

My question is simple. How many of these meetings between the Prime Minister and wealthy investors from Toronto's Chinese community have proven beneficial to the Liberal Party?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, our federal system has some of the strictest rules governing political donors. The Liberal Party's rules are even stricter. All of our fundraising activities are public and we even invite journalists to attend to observe what is going on.

Instead of acting in secret, the other parties like the Conservative Party and the Bloc Québécois should make their fundraisers public so that the public can see who is funding them.