Debates of Nov. 16th, 2020

Defibrillators

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Madam Speaker, the tragic death of Robert Dziekanski, tasered by RCMP officers in the Vancouver airport, was caught on video. The result was a media sensation and a commitment to install defibrillators wherever the police use tasers. However, when the very same RCMP officers arrive at someone's house as first responders, they are not equipped with defibrillators.

It is a statistical fact that upwards of 300 lives would be saved every year if each RCMP cruiser were issued a defibrillator, but those heart attack deaths, one a day on average, are not televised, so the media and, therefore, the government do not seem to care. When only visible deaths are taken seriously, Stalin's horrible maxim becomes a truism: one death is a tragedy; a million deaths are just a statistic.

The government could save 300 lives next year with a simple order to the RCMP to put a defibrillator in every cruiser. Surely now is the time to act.

Alex Trebek

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Madam Speaker, Sudbury-born Alex Trebek never forgot his roots. Born to a French-Canadian mother with first nations ancestry and a Ukrainian immigrant father, and raised with a keen interest in geography, Trebek embodied both Sudbury and Canada.

We know him as the most successful game show host in history, having hosted world-famous Jeopardy! from Hollywood for more than 30 years. Trebek had a broad career before that in Canada. He was a news reader at CBC and a morning show host in Toronto. He was even short-listed to host Hockey Night in Canada. Throughout his storied career, Trebek remained a huge advocate for education, having served as the Royal Canadian Geographical Society's honorary president since May 2016 and hosting the Canadian Geographic Challenge numerous times.

Not long after Trebek announced he had pancreatic cancer, I had a chance to give him a gift from the people of Sudbury. Hundreds of residents had written well wishes on City of Greater Sudbury flags and Trebek shared with me how he was deeply moved by this gesture.

He was a first-rate ambassador for his hometown of Sudbury and for Canada as a whole.

His legacy and memory will long be part of Sudbury's and Canada's proud history.

Montreal Island North Health and Social Services Centre

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Madam Speaker, today I rise in the House to acknowledge the work done by the Montreal Island North Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux, the CIUSSS, since COVID-19 broke out in Montreal North, the epicentre of the pandemic. I am especially proud of the accomplishments of the school testing, early childhood intervention and communications teams, as well as those of community organizations, and of the work they continue to do.

This morning, with the honourable senator, Dr. Marie-Françoise Mégie in attendance, I had the honour of awarding the Bourassa MP's medal to Zina Benshila, Sylvie Guibert, Sandra Lalancette, Karine Morier and Danielle Thériault in recognition of their dedication and determination.

I would like the thank the CIUSSS administration and congratulate the recipients and their team.

Métis Week

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

Mr. Speaker, taanshi. Marc dishinihkashon.

I am speaking from Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, the traditional territory of the Katzie and Kwantlen first nations.

I am Cree Métis on my father's side, from Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, with lineage to the Red River Métis settlements. This is national Métis Week. The Métis are the descendants of European fur traders and their indigenous wives in what was known then as the “North West”. Our unique and rich culture took root in the early 1800s, and now has grown to 600,000 strong. Because we are an indigenous people living in so many centres, it takes purposeful effort to build community and strengthen culture.

I honour Métis National Council leader Clément Chartier and all Métis Nation leaders, including B.C. president Clara Morin Dal Col.

Locally, I am a member of the Golden Ears Métis Society. Thanks to all who are building up our Métis associations everywhere. Their efforts are valued, appreciated and vital.

Amicitia France-Canada Monument

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on November 11, as chair of the Canada-France Inter-Parliamentary Association, I participated in the annual Remembrance Day ceremony for the French community at Beechwood.

In tribute to the ties of friendship that unite our two countries beyond interparliamentary relations, the ceremony took place at the future location of the Amicitia France-Canada commemorative monument. The fundraising campaign for the monument will be launched at the French embassy tomorrow.

Not only would this monument be a symbol of friendship and mutual aid, it would also confirm and immortalize the history that Canada and France have long shared on the battlefield. The long-standing friendship between our countries remains strong today, and this monument will be a reminder for generations to come.

Diwali

[Bob Saroya, Conservative, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish all Canadians who celebrated Diwali this weekend a happy Diwali.

Every autumn, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and others from across the globe celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. The celebration heralds more than just the harvest and the beginning of winter. Diwali symbolizes the victory of truth over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. It is a time to celebrate life and to look forward to the year ahead.

During the Diwali festival, people set off fireworks and distribute sweets, also known as mithai, to their families, friends and neighbours. This year, COVID-19 made celebrating a little different. People prayed and celebrated Diwali with their family and friends virtually, in parking lots and in open spaces.

On behalf of the Conservative Party and our leader, I wish everyone celebrating Diwali good health, wealth and happiness. Happy Diwali.

Access to Information

[Leona Alleslev, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the fog of war, nothing is more important than information to make sound decisions on the battlefield. Information is the difference between life and death, success and failure.

To fight this pandemic, we need information to navigate the uncertainty and position for recovery, but the government is waging a relentless campaign to restrict, delay and deny access to critical information. The Liberals will not answer questions, and they paralyze committees, shut down debate and refuse to provide a budget. The Parliamentary Budget Officer does not have the information to track government spending. Access to information laws are being ignored, with less than half of federal agencies processing information requests. The information exists, but the Liberals will not release it.

Information is power. The Liberals must give the power of government information to all Canadians. We cannot survive this crisis without it.

COVID-19 Vaccine

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as COVID cases rise across the country, access to a safe, effective vaccine is critically important to Canadians and their families. While there has been some encouraging news about vaccine candidates, the Liberal government has not been transparent about the deals it has signed with pharmaceutical companies, and it has refused to make them public as other countries have done.

It is alarming to hear reports that Canadians will get the vaccine months after other countries, such as the U.K. and the U.S., and while nations such as Australia, Japan and India have negotiated contracts that allow them to produce the vaccine in their own countries to ensure people get it quickly, apparently the Canadian government has not does this. People are rightfully wondering why.

Canadians have sacrificed profoundly to keep their families and neighbours safe. They deserve to know what the government has agreed to behind closed doors. The New Democrats are going to keep fighting for answers, because when it comes to our health, it is unacceptable for the Liberals to keep Canadians in the dark.

Macadam Sud

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend Danielle Goulet for her 30 years of involvement with Macadam Sud, a community organization in my riding that helps young people aged 12 to 35 in Longueuil and Montérégie.

Ms. Goulet started working with people in need in 1990 as a street outreach worker with Macadam Sud. Since 2000, she has been the executive director, supervising 24 employees, and her organization averages 20,000 interventions with 5,000 people a year. That is an extraordinary level of involvement.

Ms. Goulet also oversees the TAPAJ program, an alternative work day program, and CAPAB, a school that provides customized learning programs for street youth. Ms. Goulet is the type of person who is never short of ideas. In May, anticipating the repercussions that COVID-19 would have on people who are struggling, Macadam Sud collaborated with Repas du Passant and Casa Bernard-Hubert on opening a homeless shelter that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Longueuil is lucky to have someone like Ms. Goulet. I want to offer profuse thanks to Ms. Goulet on behalf of the people of Longueuil—Saint-Hubert.

Max Gros-Louis

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, we were very sad to hear of the passing of Max Gros-Louis, the former Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat First Nation who was a world-renowned indigenous leader, a larger-than-life man and a towering giant in our history.

Max Gros-Louis helped the members of the Wendat nation and indigenous peoples rediscover their pride in their identity. His Wendat name was Oné Onti, which means paddler. Grand Chief Gros-Louis was indeed skilled at paddling through the sometimes troubled waters of political negotiations. He was one of the first to unite the first nations. He was the Wendat Grand Chief for 33 years and was politically active for essentially half a century. He accomplished great things for his nation and for all first nations. He has left an indelible mark on our history. He believed in discussion, dialogue and negotiation. He ardently defended his rights, but he was always respectful. He taught us a lot.

He was known and recognized around the world, garnering the respect of everyone from the Pope to the Secretary-General of the UN, not to mention world leaders and royalty.

We offer our sincere condolences to his family, his loved ones, his nation and the first nations.

2020 U.S. Election

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris on their historic victory.

Biden received over 78 million votes, the highest number of votes of any presidential candidate in history.

Harris is the first black woman and the first woman of Tamil ancestry to be elected to the highest of offices in the United States. In a world that has systematically and repeatedly limited women, especially black women, from achieving their fullest potential, Kamala Harris has shattered the glass ceiling for all. Her election stands as a testament that young women and girls of all backgrounds can achieve their dreams, no matter how big they are. Harris has deep roots in Canada. She lived here during her formative years and graduated from Westmount High School in Montreal.

Democracy works. The American people have spoken decisively, and we congratulate them. We look forward to welcoming President Biden and Vice-President Harris to Canada.

Natural Resources

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economy was showing signs of trouble before COVID-19 hit, with record debt and out-of-control spending. In fact, in March of this year, prior to COVID, Canada lost over a million jobs, many of those in the energy sector.

Since 2015, energy workers have been abandoned by the government, so when Keystone XL was approved in the U.S. in March 2017, there was once again a glimmer of hope for Canadian workers. Those hopes are now at risk.

What will the Prime Minister do to ensure that the Keystone XL project moves ahead in the United States?

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear to energy sector workers, especially those in Alberta who are worried about the future of this project. Our government has been and will be unwavering in its support for Keystone XL. We have been advocating for, and will continue to advocate for, this project to the U.S. government. In fact, the Prime Minister discussed this project on his very first call with the president-elect.

Keystone is a good project. We support it. There are 1,500 Canadians working on it as we speak. We support them.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I would like to remind hon. members to turn off their microphones.

I remind members to mute their microphones.

I would ask the member for Thérèse-De Blainville to mute her microphone.

We seem to have a problem with the microphones. We will look into it.

The hon. member for Portage—Lisgar.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, here is the problem with the Liberals' answer. The Prime Minister said that he wants to phase out the oil sands. He said this in 2017. He attacked pipelines with Bill C-69. He implemented a tanker ban and a job-killing carbon tax. That has meant thousands of jobs lost in the west. Losing Keystone would mean at least 2,800 more jobs lost.

What is the Prime Minister's plan to ensure that the Keystone XL project goes ahead so that more Canadian jobs are not lost?

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister raised this issue with the president-elect on the very, very first call. We have been clear. There is a very strong argument for the project, and that continues regardless of who the President of the United States is. We will continue to make that argument.

One of the strongest arguments for this project is that we have a government that is fighting climate change, that is putting a price on pollution and that is making investments to help our energy sector become more sustainable than ever.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, recently, when asked if a Biden victory would mean the end of Keystone XL, the Prime Minister abdicated, saying, “That's a question for Mr. Biden.” This defeatist tone is unacceptable and provides no reassurances that the Prime Minister will actually fight on behalf of energy workers for this project to move forward.

The success of Keystone XL would create 2,800 Canadian jobs and indirectly support 15,000 additional jobs. With the current COVID crisis, these jobs are more important than ever.

Again, what is the Prime Minister's plan to ensure that KXL is not cancelled?

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, let me quote: “One of the real problems that I think lingers over [Keystone XL] is, before the pipeline question arose, the [Harper government] deliberately went out of its way to be seen as an adversary of environmentalists”. Who said that? It was the former Progressive Conservative prime minister, minister of Foreign Affairs and member for Calgary Centre, the Right Hon. Joe Clark. I look over to the other side. Its record of inaction and failure on the environment nearly doomed this project. We have been unwavering in our support for Keystone. We do not need any advice from the opposition.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Edmonton Manning on a point of order.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot hear the Parliamentary Secretary.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. If I could have your attention for a moment, I just want to remind all the members, not only in the House but especially the ones joining us virtually, to make sure that they are in a place where they have good connections so that we can hear everything they have to say. Everyone is just waiting with bated breath to hear their answers.

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

Official Languages

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent, but I am not in the least proud of the member for Saint-Laurent. Last Thursday, at a parliamentary committee, she had the unmitigated gall to cast doubt on the fragility of French in Montreal.

She said, speaking in English, that she had to see it to believe it. She then used sarcastic air quotes when referring to the “decline” of the French language in Montreal.

It does not take a rocket scientist to understand that French is fragile in Montreal.

Could the Prime Minister, who is the member for Papineau and a neighbour of the member for Saint-Laurent, set the record straight and clearly tell the member that she was totally wrong?

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

Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that both of our official languages are extremely important. We recognize that French is a minority language in Canada and North America, that it is losing ground and that, consequently, we must do more to protect French in Canada and across Quebec.

Given the situation, we stated in the throne speech, for the first time, that we would address this issue and find the means to resolve this problem, this phenomenon, I would call it. Under the circumstances, we will be modernizing the Official Languages Act.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Chatham-Kent—Leamington is rising on a point of order. Normally we do not have points of order during the question period, unless it is a technical issue.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is a technical issue in that the translation and the French were at the same volume and incomprehensible.