Debates of Nov. 19th, 2020

International Trade

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of Small Business]

Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree that the wine industry in Canada is vibrant. It is full of incredible entrepreneurs and producers.

We are really pleased that we came to an arrangement with Australia on this very matter. We look forward to continuing to support Canadian wineries and producers in our country.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Cape Bretoners have been very fortunate in keeping COVID cases low. The Atlantic bubble has been extremely successful, and I thank Maritimers for their vigilance and the commitment to keeping each other safe.

The federal government has been a partner with Nova Scotia from the very beginning, and it is great to see all levels of government working together to combat COVID-19. Can the minister update us on the supports that the Government of Canada has provided to Nova Scotia throughout the pandemic?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his hard work and advocacy for the people of Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia and the Atlantic provinces have been an international leader in slowing community spread of COVID-19, and we have been there to support them from the start. We have sent Nova Scotia 70,992 rapid tests and almost 1.5 million items of personal protective equipment to date. Through the safe restart agreement, Nova Scotia received $290 million to support testing, contact tracing, data gathering and vulnerable people in long-term care.

We have been there for Nova Scotia and we will continue to be there for Nova Scotia.

Small Business

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, the House voted to instruct the Canada Revenue Agency to postpone compliance audits on small businesses receiving the wage subsidy. Canadians expect their government to respect the will of the House and its democratically elected members.

My question is for the Minister of Small Business. Will she stand up for small businesses that are fighting for their very survival and instruct her government to respect the will of Parliament and postpone wage subsidy audits until next June?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government took quick, decisive action to support Canadian workers and the businesses that employ them. The Canada emergency wage subsidy has clear eligibility criteria as well as a verification process for extraordinary or unusual applications. The CRA administers the wage subsidy and conducts independent, impartial assessments according to the eligibility criteria. I thank my colleague for bringing this issue to my attention. However, I cannot comment on specific cases, so I encourage him to follow up with our offices.

Telecommunications

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

Mr. Speaker, recent storms that ripped through my constituency especially ravaged the remote community of Pelee Island with high winds and waves. Isolated in the middle of Lake Erie 14 kilometres south of the mainland, Pelee Island has no fibre links and intermittent cellphone coverage when the power goes out. It does not even have 911 for any emergency services. For Pelee Island, reliable connectivity is not an Internet line; it is a lifeline.

When will the government be there for Pelee Island and deliver this desperately needed service?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is absolutely right. Too many Canadians at the moment do not have access to this essential lifeline.

I would encourage him to reach out to my team and I. We will work with him to see if the rapid response stream, the $150 million we set aside for immediate connectivity projects, would be eligible for his community. If that does not work, we can see if the core UBF program of about $1 billion, which includes cellphone access, would work for his community.

Every Canadian deserves access to this essential service. Our government is there for Canadians, and together we can connect every Canadian to the Internet.

Health

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have all witnessed COVID-19 tragedies, families torn apart, young people losing hope, stress over money troubles. There are long lists of phone numbers to call for help, but in times of crisis, every second counts. For people in distress, help must be easy to find and access. A 988 hotline can save lives. A 988 hotline must save lives.

Will the Prime Minister help us prevent suicide and support the creation of a 988 hotline?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased that the member opposite is raising the deep concern that we all have for the mental health of Canadians. In fact, suicide prevention is top of mind for us as well.

As the member opposite knows, we have been supporting provinces and territories with additional funding for mental health services on top of the wellnesstogether.ca resources that are available to all Canadians free of charge. I have committed to his colleague that I will look into how we can accelerate work on a single-access point for suicide prevention.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, today is an important day. Our government kept a promise we made to Canadians and is taking measures to protect our environment. The science is clear: we need to achieve net-zero emissions to stave off the worst effects of climate change.

Can the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain to the House how this law will enable the current government and future governments to achieve net-zero emissions?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel for her work on climate action.

The Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act will legally require the current government and future governments to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It will set five-year emissions reduction targets and require plans for reaching those targets. It provides for a process based on accountability and transparency.

We are taking an important step toward net-zero emissions, and we fully support the direction that is already being taken by our businesses and innovative industry.

Health

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today, thousands of shoes have been placed on Parliament Hill representing those who died of COVID-19 in long-term care homes across Canada.

For-profit, long-term care homes run by Revera Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, are among the worst in the country for COVID deaths. The Public Service Alliance has called on PSP to end its investments in these appalling facilities.

The government can end the suffering that our seniors and people with disabilities are facing in homes owned by Revera Inc. now. Will the Prime Minister commit to ending the for-profit nature of long-term care homes in Canada?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I think I can speak for all of us to say that we must do better to protect the lives of people who are living in long-term care and communal living settings. It is very important that we work together with provinces and territories to do so, which is why the safe restart agreement included $740 million to provinces and territories to strengthen their processes to protect against infection from COVID-19.

We will do more. The Speech from the Throne committed to national standards on long-term care, and that is exactly what we intend to do with provinces and territories.

Air Transportation

[Marwan Tabbara, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Mr. Speaker, travel agents worry that they will have to return thousands of dollars in commission under the new airline bailout plan. Independent travel agents who have already paid back thousands in earned commission from refunded airline tickets are worried that they will owe thousands more after the minister suggested that any kind of government bailout for the airline industry would hinge on companies issuing refunds to customers.

Can the minister please explain what protections the government has in place for travel agents under the new bailout plan?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I made very clear on November 8, an aid package to the air sector would require certain conditions with the airlines and one of those conditions was to reimburse ticket holders who had been given vouchers, and that is something that we are going to do. We are beginning those negotiations with the air sector. I cannot go into details about how those negotiations will proceed, but our initial position has been made very clear.

Business of the House

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

Mr. Speaker, here comes the traditional Thursday question about the business of the House.

We know that we are in the last stretch before the holidays, with have four consecutive weeks of parliamentary business here in Ottawa. I would like to know what the government has in store for parliamentary business for the next two weeks, and I would especially like to know if the government is going to respond to the proposal we made yesterday to hold a take-note debate about the quality of French in Montreal.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my kind colleague for—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. We would like to hear what is asked and what is replied. I want everyone, if they are going to talk, to please whisper or maybe go to the lobby.

The hon. government House leader.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my kind colleague for the extremely important and very useful question he repeats every week on the status of parliamentary business.

This afternoon we will continue debate at second reading of Bill C-10, an act to amend the Broadcasting Act. Tomorrow we will resume debate at third reading of Bill C-3, an act to amend the Judges Act. Monday of next week will be devoted to the study of Bill C-8, on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to action number 94. On Tuesday, we will begin our study of Bill C-11, an act to enact the Consumer Privacy Protection Act and the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act, which was introduced earlier this week by my colleague, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

Pursuant to Standing Order 81(4), I would like to designate Tuesday, November 24 for consideration in committee of the whole of the main estimates for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Thursday, November 26 for the Department of Health.

Lastly, there have been discussions among the parties, and I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion:

That a take-note debate on the status of the French language in Montreal be held, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, and that, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House: (a) any member rising to speak during the debate may indicate to the Chair that he or she will be dividing his or her time with another member; and (b) no quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

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

Accordingly, all those opposed to the hon. minister moving the motion will please say nay.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

There being no dissenting voice, I declare the motion carried.

(Motion agreed to)

Respect for House Rules

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a second point of order, but first I want to thank the government for making the right decision about holding the take-note debate on the quality of French, which, as we know, sometimes vigorously animates our question period. I congratulate the government on this.

My second point of order is on a somewhat more delicate topic.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that all rules must be respected in this House, even though this is a hybrid Parliament, with a virtual portion and a portion in the House. In this regard, I would like to point out that we should be very vigilant about parliamentarians in the House who, at times, may use their telephones. I remind you that, in the House, we cannot have conversations on the telephone. We can write, text and read, but we cannot speak directly to someone on the phone.

I want to bring this to your attention. I believe I have seen one particular member do this on several occasions. I urge respect for the rules, Mr. Speaker.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I would like to thank the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent and remind all members that using a mobile or other phone is not allowed in the House.

I thank the hon. member for raising this point.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-10, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Broadcasting Act

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport)]

Mr. Speaker, I also applaud the minister's plan to instruct the CRTC to ensure that contributions from online broadcasting services flow to French-language and indigenous creators. I agree with his suggestion that the CRTC consider using incentive-based tools to encourage greater support for creators from equity seeking groups.

The bill would amend the Broadcasting Act to assert that the Canadian broadcasting system should, through its programming and the employment opportunities arising out of its operations, serve the needs and interests of all Canadians, including Canadians from racialized communities and Canadians of diverse racialized backgrounds, socio-economic statuses, abilities and disabilities, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and ages, and reflect their circumstances and aspirations, including equal rights, the linguistic duality, the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canadian society, and the special place of indigenous peoples within that society

This type of language sends a clear message. It underscores that diversity and inclusion are fundamental for our society and that this must be reflected in our broadcasting system.

This message is also filled with hopes and dreams that commit us to working together to strengthen the cultural, political, social and economic fabric of Canada. This work cannot wait. That is why I am pleased to see that the bill also emphasizes that programming that reflects the indigenous cultures of Canada, programming that is accessible without barriers to people with disabilities and a range of broadcasting services in English and in French must be made available to Canadians regardless of resource availability.

Before wrapping up, I want to go back to my initial remarks and my recognition of the indigenous peoples who were here long before us. In my opinion, this bill is particularly important for indigenous peoples.

As highlighted in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action and in the calls for justice issued by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, broadcasting can play a key role in promoting and protecting indigenous languages, arts, cultures, traditions and perspectives.

The bill would support indigenous creators so that they can tell their own stories in their own words. It emphasizes the need for indigenous-run broadcasting services. The bill would contribute to fulfilling the commitments Canada made in committing to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. I am hopeful it will move us further along the path toward reconciliation. We have much to learn and discover from deep, vast and rich indigenous cultures and voices. Hearing them, allowing us to live the stories they tell, will not only have us in awe. It will contribute to reconciliation and mutual understanding.

Broadcasting has the ability to remind us where we came from, to hold a mirror up to our current selves, showing us the good parts and the bad. It also has the ability to point the way to a better future for everyone. This bill points a way toward a Canada that embraces diversity and promotes inclusion. That is the reason I urge all hon. members in the House to support the bill.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a question about the general application of the bill. I am from the Okanagan. The Okanagan Nation Alliance includes many indigenous first nation bands in my area, the Similkameen area and the Colville band in the United States. Much of their culture predates Canada and the United States.

How would this law then apply if a Colville band member or Okanagan band member were to film stories that predate Canada or the United States in Washington state on Colville tribal grounds? Would that count as Canadian content even though first nations see themselves as part of the Okanagan Nation Alliance? I would like some clarity from the member.