Debates of Nov. 18th, 2020

Official Languages

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of the court challenges program, I would like to remind the House that we are the ones who reinstated that program after the Conservatives scrapped it twice. We reinstated it so that people would be able to defend themselves when their rights are violated, and those people include the many francophones who want to be able to live in their own beautiful language. That is and always will be important to us.

With regard to Bill 101, we recognize that, in order for Canada to be bilingual, Quebec must first and foremost be francophone. That is why we support Bill 101 in what it does for Quebec, and that is why it is important to manage official bilingualism across the country.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, he is going to make the front page.

The last time the subject of citizenship came up, the Leader of the Government literally blew a gasket and said that the Bloc was seeking to divide on the basis of language, culture and colour.

If the Prime Minister acknowledges that the French fact is under threat and is suddenly in love with Bill 101, will he tell his caucus to vote in favour of the bill that the Bloc Québécois will be introducing tomorrow?

The bill would require newcomers to have a basic knowledge of French if they are applying for Canadian citizenship in Quebec, the same way knowledge of English is required in Canada. I am confident that our Conservative friends will support this bill.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is a little strange and worrisome that the Bloc is working so closely with the Conservatives on the issue of the French fact in Quebec and Canada, given that the Conservative Party has a tradition of chipping away at the rights of francophones outside Quebec and attacking the French fact by refusing to commit to appointing only judges who could speak French to the Supreme Court.

We will always stand up for the French fact in Canada. We will always stand up for the French language and the French identity in Canada. That is something people can count on the Liberal Party to do.

Health

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister just said that it would be months and months before a vaccine is available in Canada, so we need to use other tools right now. Yesterday, Anthony Fauci said that Canada must test widely in the community for asymptomatic spreaders in order to stop the spread of COVID. To do this, we need things like at-home tests that people can easily buy and frequently use. Today, the U.S. approved this type of test.

When will Prime Minister allow Canadians to have this life-saving and job-saving tool?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, $25 billion, that is what we have sent to the provinces so they can invest in testing, in contact tracing. We sent that over the summer for vulnerable people, for back to school, to support their health systems. We understand how important it is for the federal government to be there to support Canadians directly and to support the provinces.

I certainly look forward to continuing to work with the provinces on delivering these tests that they need. We delivered rapid tests to all the provinces and hopefully soon some of the provinces will start deploying those rapid tests that we have delivered to them by the millions.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, just to remind the Prime Minister, it is actually his job to approve technologies like at-home tests, which the Americans just approved today. He might not realize in his rich privilege that people might not be getting tested because of the stigma. If we could have at-home tests that people could use in the privacy of their homes frequently, it could be a game-changer. It could keep things open, it could keep kids in schools.

When will the Prime Minister stop blocking Canadians from having access to at-home tests?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it concerns me that in the middle of a pandemic, where health is on everyone's mind, the opposition health critic does not understand that it is not my job to approve tests, it is not the job of the Prime Minister or any politicians to approve tests; it is the job of our professional independent public servants, who we trust to do those jobs.

Maybe she thinks it is all about politics. It is not; it is about protecting Canadians and saving lives. That is what has guided this government every step of the way in this pandemic, science not politics.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

What the Prime Minister does not understand, Mr. Speaker, is that it is his job to go to the bureaucracy and tell it we need both. We need a rapid test review. We need to have that sanctity and that thoroughness of review, but we need to have it quickly so that we can save lives. At-home tests should be something the government is encouraging Health Canada to do a fulsome review on in a short period of time so we can have access to these tests and stop the pandemic in its tracks.

That is his job and it is his lack of ability to get this done that is preventing Canadians from having access to these tools. Why?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, every step of the way this government has worked closely with scientists and health professionals to ensure they have the tools to do their jobs and can make the best recommendations possible to Canadians. We have amplified those and ensured that Canadians right across the country, from public health officials to premiers, can make the right decisions to keep people safe. We have told them we know they are going to face difficult decisions about whether to shut down quickly or try and stretch it out a little. We have made that job slightly easier by saying we will have the backs of their citizens, we will have the backs of their businesses. We will give them those supports so they can make the decision to shut down quickly. That is what we have been there to do for the provinces and we will continue to be there to support all Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, what concerns me is the arrogance of the Prime Minister. We ask questions, hoping for a better response from the government.

Science above politics. A year ago the government shut down the early warning pandemic system to focus on vaping, a system that for 20 years protected Canada from an outbreak like this. For 20 years scientists were tasked to rely on their own intelligence, not on China.

Excuse me if we are bothering the Prime Minister with these questions. We want to save lives. We want to save our economy.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure that I did not just hear the Leader of the Opposition say that because of something we did last year, Canadians are now facing a pandemic. The level of political attacks the Conservatives are actually tossing out is irresponsible at a time when Canadians are looking to government and political leaders to pull together.

That is exactly what we have done. We have been working, hand in glove, with the provincial governments. We have been working with local health authorities. We have been ensuring that indigenous communities get the supports they need. We have been working directly with Canadians. We will continue to have the backs of Canadians every step of the way.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this government has refused to be transparent about the vaccine deals it has signed with drug makers or its plans to deliver COVID vaccines to Canadians. Just today, we learned from the Ontario health minister that six million doses of vaccine will apparently be delivered to Canada between January and March, with almost half for Ontario alone. This is just a fraction of the doses the Prime Minister claims he has secured.

Why are we hearing national vaccine plans from a province, and when will this Prime Minister reveal full vaccine distribution details for Canada?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, from the summer onwards, we have worked extremely hard to sign deals with as many potential vaccine producers as possible around the world. As a result, Canada has the strongest portfolio of potential vaccines of any of our peer countries, because we have been there to support Canadians.

We know that getting those vaccines out to Canadians across the country is going to be a significant challenge, because there are so many different types of vaccines and so many Canadians who need to get them. However, as we have been every step of the way, we will be there to deliver for Canadians to get us through this pandemic.

Indigenous Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, Leesee Qaqasiq came to Ottawa from Nunavut to treat a broken pelvis. In the hospital here, she was denied water and staff refused to change her diaper. She called 911, and emergency services brought water to her room. This strong indigenous woman said, “We're done...we're not going to be treated like that anymore”.

First nations and Inuit health is a federal responsibility, and this is another example of the racism indigenous people face in the health care system. Indigenous people are done with racism. When will the Liberals be?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, systemic racism against indigenous peoples, against racialized Canadians, continues and is something that this government is committed to fighting against.

We made a commitment and are moving forward on distinctions-based health legislation that will ensure that we are doing a better job of supporting indigenous peoples through their health challenges. We will continue to work hand in hand with them and ensure that, through provincial systems as well, there is better treatment for indigenous peoples.

We have a lot of work to do, but this government is committed to doing it, and we will continue to do exactly that.

Infrastructure

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today, Brampton got its fair share. This morning, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities announced that my community of Brampton South will receive almost $39 million from our government towards a transformative downtown development project. It is expected that this will create 23,000 jobs and impact the local GDP to the tune of $1.4 billion.

Can our Prime Minister tell us how local sustainable infrastructure projects, like Brampton's Riverwalk, will play a part in Canada's economic recovery?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Brampton South for her tireless advocacy for her community.

Climate change and the severe weather it can bring has increased the risk of flooding in Canada. We are committed to helping communities overcome these new challenges. That is why we announced improvements for the downtown Brampton flood protection project. It will reduce the risk of flooding for hundreds of families across the downtown core, while attracting new investment to the city and creating good jobs for the future.

Persons with Disabilities

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, recently at the justice committee we heard moving testimony from individuals in the persons with disabilities community who are gravely concerned about the government's Bill C-7 and its impact on their community. Krista Carr, executive vice-president of Inclusion Canada, said that if Bill C-7 passes, discrimination on the basis of disability would once again be entrenched in Canadian law.

Will the Prime Minister do the right thing, listen to the voices of Canadians living with disabilities and support our amendments that would reinstate safeguards to protect vulnerable Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning we have worked closely with advocates within the disability community to hear their concerns and to look at how we can get the balance right. We know how important it is to move forward with a medical assistance in dying bill that is constitutional and that both maintains and protects people's rights while at the same time protects the most vulnerable. It is something we did as we moved forward a number of years ago. We are continuing to move forward, while listening to people, to try to get a very difficult balance right, but Canadians deserve us to get this right.

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

Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister is listening, he has heard from physicians who have referred to Bill C-7 as a massive failure of compassion. He might have heard from disability advocates from across the country who have raised alarms that the bill goes too far and devalues their lives. One of the witnesses at committee said that she believed all her doctor saw when looking at her was a woman alone, sick, tired and probably tired of living.

Let us get the balance right. Why is the Prime Minister rushing the bill when so many people fear the vulnerable will be impacted? Can he listen and have amendments that will protect society's most vulnerable?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite well knows that the courts have ruled on this and that there are pressures and questions from many different Canadians on all sides of this, wanting to get this bill right and move it forward. We continue to work as a government should, and indeed as a Parliament should, listening to different perspectives and trying to get that balance right because we know that what we need to do is to ensure that all Canadians' rights are protected, while at the same time we protect the most vulnerable. As this Parliament has in the past, I look forward to good, robust conversations as we work to get something very important just right for Canadians.

International Trade

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister stated he thought a trade agreement with the United Kingdom was an easy one to move on, and then he blamed delays on the U.K. lacking bandwidth. U.K. representatives have denied this claim. The Prime Minister patronized one of our most trusted allies.

The government has had years to work on this agreement and now there are only 23 more sitting days of Parliament to make this happen. When is the Prime Minister going to be bringing an agreement to Parliament?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it has been many years that we have been working on moving forward on a seamless transition for the U.K., following its Brexit, to ensure that the trade relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom continues on the same rhythm.

We are hopeful that we are going to be able to get to an agreement very soon, because, indeed, we know that the transition to Brexit is happening in a matter of weeks. We continue to work to ensure protection for Canadian companies, access for Canadian consumers and certainty for our U.K. friends.

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

Mr. Speaker, the government spent five years chasing a free trade agreement with Communist China until the foreign minister just recently gave up this summer. However, with our oldest ally, the United Kingdom, the government has been missing for 18 months. Yesterday, in the United Kingdom's House of Commons, a minister for the British government suggested that our Prime Minister's statements should not be taken seriously. It has taken them five years to realize what we have known from day one.

Will the Prime Minister commit today to having a Canada-U.K. free trade agreement completed and presented to Parliament by the end of the year?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we are working extremely hard with the U.K. on ensuring that they get a seamless transition. They chose to leave the CETA, the European Union agreement with Canada.

We look forward to seeing that roll over in a seamless transition, but it is really entirely up to the U.K. to get that done. We are there to sign it, and we are very hopeful that we will be able to move forward shortly. We respect the sovereignty of the U.K. and its ability to make its own decisions.