Debates of Nov. 26th, 2020

Health

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, Minister Dubé and I have had a conversation, and we have spoken. Minister Dubé is a participant at the health ministers meeting, which meets every single week to confirm the work that our officials are doing together to ensure that we can deploy the vaccine when it arrives and to talk about a number of other pressing measures.

I will be there for Minister Dubé, as I was for Minister McCann beforehand. We will continue to be there for the people of Quebec and we will work hand in glove.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, will the minister be able to explain to Minister Dubé, who has ensured that all the necessary infrastructure is in place to be ready to vaccinate Quebeckers, why we will not have any vaccines and, if there are any, that it will be in very limited quantities for a small number of Quebeckers?

Why do Quebeckers and Canadians have to wait nearly a year to be vaccinated? Will the minister explain that to Minister Dubé in their next conversation?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite notes, we have the best vaccine portfolio in the world, with the most per capita doses available to Canadians. In fact, three of the promising candidates are under regulatory review right now, expedited review I might say.

We are working with Americans and with the European Union to share data so that we can very quickly review the safety data. As soon as the vaccines are safe, we will be deploying them with Quebeckers and with all provinces and territories.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Australian airline Qantas declared this week that international travellers will be required to prove they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 before they are permitted to fly. If other airlines follow suit, thousands of Canadian families will continue to be separated from their loved ones abroad while other countries with vaccines, like the U.S. and U.K., are able to get back to normal.

The Liberals have no rollout plan for vaccine distribution. Canadians are completely in the dark about this. Now, Canadians could be locked out of international travel because of Liberal mismanagement. I have a simple question: What is the date that vaccines will be available to Canadians?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as I have told the member opposite and the House, in fact, Canada has one of the best portfolios in the world with seven promising candidates; more doses per capita than any other country; three of the promising candidates under regulatory review; and a deployment plan that is being built with provinces and territories, which, by the way, have expertise in immunization and are trusted partners in delivering on their responsibilities in health care.

We will be there together to get Canadians through this. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and I would encourage members opposite to be on team Canada.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on August 31, the Prime Minister said the National Research Council would be able to produce hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses starting in November and millions by the end of this year. Now, not 90 days later, he says Canada has no capacity to produce vaccines at all. Health officials also confirm the government failed to negotiate the right to produce vaccines in Canada as other countries have done. This means Canadians will have to wait for vaccines.

Can the Prime Minister explain his blatant reversal, and why he did not negotiate the right to produce vaccines in Canada?

[William Amos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians understand that before this pandemic began, Canada had no biomanufacturing capacity that was suitable for a COVID-19 vaccine.

We are not going to be taking lessons from the opposition on this, certainly not from the Conservatives, because they sold out our industry at the time. The fabled crown jewel Connaught Laboratories, in the 1980s, went bye-bye and so did so many others.

It is because of these problems, even through the 2000s, when investments in the life sciences were taken away from ISED. We have had to recover territory over time, and these investments that we are making right now are only going to help as we bring forward our vaccine portfolio to the benefit of all Canadians.

Post-secondary Education

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are in the middle of the COVID-19 second wave. Young people across the country are once again feeling the brunt of its economic impacts. New Democrats successfully passed a motion this week calling on the government to re-establish a moratorium on interest on student loans. This would help struggling students who are facing economic hardships.

When will the government introduce that moratorium, when will it provide the support students need and when will it turn its words into action?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, throughout the pandemic, we have put in place significant measures to support students. Our government will continue to make significant investments in students and young Canadians.

To help students get through this difficult time, we put in place a six-month moratorium on student loan payments, helping over a million young Canadians. For students who began resuming their repayment, we put in place measures to help them with their loans. Under the repayment assistance plan, borrowers only pay what they can afford and only start repaying their loans when they earn at least $25,000 per year. We have also doubled Canada student grants and will continue to be there for students.

Employment

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our government has been there to support Canadian workers. More recently, we have transitioned from emergency supports to a more flexible EI system and a suite of recovery benefits for Canadians who are not eligible for EI, are sick, are self-isolating or need to provide care for a child, family member or dependent. Now that we are in the midst of the second wave, some jurisdictions have already announced an extended winter break for students to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Can the minister confirm that parents who cannot work because they must care for a child or family member will be supported through the Canada recovery caregiving benefit?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. In situations where schools are closed for an extended period of time due to COVID-19, workers who have to take care of a child under the age of 12 or a family member who needs supervised care would, of course, be able to receive the Canada recovery caregiving benefit. It is there to support workers: $500 a week for 26 weeks.

We will be there for parents, we are there for workers and we will continue to be there for Canadians.

Procurement

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

Mr. Speaker, tempers are flaring in the Commons today because we are in the second wave of a pandemic, people are getting sick, businesses are struggling and Canadians are seeing millions of citizens of other countries getting vaccines in the coming days and weeks, yet the government will not even answer a question on when we will see them in Canada. The Liberals talk about a team Canada approach, but when we asked in January about flights from China, they called us intolerant. When we asked about masks, they said masks were not important. When we pushed for rapid tests, they blamed the provinces. Now, when we ask about vaccines, they say they are reviewing, not receiving.

When are Canadians going to see the first vaccines?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, our main goal is to get safe and effective vaccines to every Canadian. We are currently in line with Japan, New Zealand, Australia and the EU for vaccine delivery and, in fact, we have secured a contract with Moderna, one of the most promising candidates, while the U.K. only secured its agreement last week.

We have the most diverse portfolio in the world. We are working very closely with Health Canada, in terms of the regulatory process, and when a vaccine is ready, we will be ready, too.

Foreign Affairs

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the government's message on China is confusing.

The minister was at committee this week and delivered two contradictory messages. The Canadian Press reported the government has already put in place a new framework on China, while the National Post reported that the government has not put in place a new framework. If we cannot figure it out and the media cannot figure it out, then how on earth is China, or anyone else, supposed to figure it out? To be effective, Canada must act in a rational and predictable way. The Liberal policy on China is anything but that.

When will the government get its act together and develop a clear, coherent policy on China?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to answer this question again. I think the member asked me that question, and I am sure he listened to me when I testified.

It is very simple. We are going to be firm and smart. We have been firm and smart when it comes to asking for the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor and obtaining consular access. We have been firm and smart when it comes to the Uighurs and asking China to uphold its international human rights obligations. We have been firm and smart when it comes to Hong Kong, and we are going to continue to be firm and smart. That is Canadian policy when it comes to China.

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

Mr. Speaker, what a ridiculous response that was. “Firm and smart” seems to mean doing absolutely nothing, and maybe on a good day sending thoughts and prayers to the victims of the regime.

On the issue of foreign interference and elite capture, John McCallum told us at committee that he cannot divulge the names of clients, but if the government were to bring in a foreign agents registry, he would find a way to do that. I want to ask the government to do John McCallum a favour and give him the opportunity to disclose the names of his clients by bringing in a foreign agents registry.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as I said at committee, reports of harassment and intimidation of individuals in Canada are deeply troubling, and allegations of such acts being carried out by foreign agents are taken very seriously.

Chinese government representatives in Canada, like all foreign government representatives in Canada, have a duty under international law to respect the laws and regulations of Canada.

As we have said, the safety and security of Canadians is paramount. We will take all appropriate measures to protect their safety.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is lagging behind our trusted allies and being soft on China, and failing to stand up for pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.

The limited Liberal economic immigration program for Hong Kong excludes pro-democracy activists, like 24-year-old Joshua Wong. He is facing a five-year prison sentence for unlawful assembly, which is an equivalent crime in Canada, however it is widely understood that these prison sentences and charges on pro-democracy activists are politically motivated and influenced by the Communist Party of China.

Will pro-democracy activists like Joshua be barred entry into Canada, yes or no?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, to suggest that Canada is not being tough when it comes to Hong Kong does not bear with any facts.

In fact, Canada was the first country in the world to suspend our extradition treaty, to suspend exports of sensitive equipment, to impose new measures on travelling and to introduce immigration measures complementary to those of our Five Eyes partners.

We will continue to be at the forefront of the response. We will continue to be firm and smart when it comes to responding to the imposition of national security law in Hong Kong.

Official Languages

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last night was a first in the House of Commons. Four hours of emergency debate on the status of the French language in Montreal is unprecedented for the federal government.

There was four hours of fine speeches on the importance of Quebec's national language, but how many solid proposals were made by the government? None.

French has to be the language of work and the common language of all Quebeckers. That is why the Bloc Québécois is introducing two bills.

Why is this government unable to say that it will support us?

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague. We had a very nice evening yesterday. We expressed our love for French. It was nice to see and it was very inspiring. I think that we are sending the right message to Quebeckers and Canadians across the country.

The Bloc Québécois's current strategy is to be confrontational. They are creating a scenario where there has to be an enemy or an antagonist. However, the reality is that we all agree.

We agree on protecting the French fact in Quebec and across the country and we will work together on achieving our common goal.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is the problem. Everyone is giving speeches on the importance of the French language, but who wants to do something about it?

This requires strong messaging. In Quebec, things happen in French. That is why an adequate knowledge of French must be a condition for citizenship. It is our common language. That is why Bill 101 must apply to federally regulated businesses. It is our language of work. These are two longstanding and concrete Bloc Québécois proposals.

Will the Liberals finally take action to counter the decline of French in Montreal?

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

Mr. Speaker, we should ask ourselves who in the House can take action to counter the decline of French across Quebec and Canada.

The reality is that we are there and we will take action. I just want to reassure my colleague. We will do it properly, of course, and together with Quebeckers, Canadians and all francophones in the country because this issue is just too important. We have an historic opportunity and we must seize it.

Health

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, at the health committee, Dr. Tam admitted that because of a lack of access to testing and delays in results, the COVID app is not effective. In fact, only 5% of Ontario coronavirus cases used the COVID Alert app to report their infection. Clearly, the $10-million Liberal COVID app is not a silver bullet. To ensure the app is effective, Dr. Tam said absolutely access and rapid turnaround are important.

When will the health minister provide Dr. Tam the tools she needs? When will she ensure and provide rapid and home-based testing to all Canadians?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I think the member opposite is slightly confused about who provides testing in this country. Canada does not provide the testing. It is solely within the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories, which have the responsibility for providing health care to Canadians.

Here is what we are providing. We are providing the tools the provinces and territories need: well over five million rapid tests since the beginning of October for the provinces and territories, personal protective equipment procurement and a variety of other tools and medical devices the provinces and territories need. We are going to continue to be there.

In terms of the COVID Alert app, I would encourage all members to download it to encourage the members in their constituencies to download the app. Certainly the more Canadians who use it the more useful it will be.