Debates of Nov. 27th, 2020

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

Consecutive Sentences in the Case of Multiple Murders

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

Madam Speaker, four years ago, six Canadians were murdered at the Quebec City mosque. The murderer was sentenced to 40 years in prison without parole, which is what the law allows for in the case of multiple murders.

Yesterday, the Quebec Court of Appeal reduced that sentence to 25 years. The president of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City said:

It's a sad day...It's not enough...he can get out in 25 years with good behaviour...but the people who died are gone, they will never come back.

The consecutive sentencing provision for multiple murders was enacted in a law passed in 2011. This is not a Conservative law. Yes, it was passed by our government, but it has remained in force for five years under the Liberal government. The appeal court judges called this law absurd, heinous and cruel.

In our mind, what is absurd, heinous and cruel is for six Muslim Canadians to gather at the Quebec City mosque and be murdered by a criminal.

Vancouver Island Waterways

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Madam Speaker, the coastal waters of southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are truly beautiful and home to a vast array of life and delicate marine ecosystems. They are among the most diverse in the world's temperate waters and offer fantastic recreation opportunities, including scuba diving, whale-watching, sea kayaking and coastal cruising.

For untold centuries, these waters have supported vibrant first nations coastal communities and continue to do so today. Unfortunately, the natural beauty of this area is under threat from the presence of large freighters that are using our waters as an overflow industrial parking lot for the Port of Vancouver.

At the same time, the federal government is actively pursuing the establishment of a national marine conservation area here. If the Liberals truly believe in the work to establish this NMCA, I urge them to support my bill, Bill C-250, which amends the Canada Shipping Act to prohibit freighters from anchoring in these waters.

Social Economy Month

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to note that November is social economy month.

To my colleagues from other provinces who are not so familiar with this concept, since it is another thing specific to Quebec, the social economy is about co-operatives, not-for-profit organizations, and collective and inclusive entrepreneurship in service of the community.

It is about courageous people coming together to serve the people in their community, their fellow citizens. It is about the 22 centres playing a pivotal role in Quebec's economic development and an even bigger role outside the major urban centres.

The social economy refers to 11,200 businesses that generate $48 billion in revenues. It refers to 220,000 employees and 269,000 volunteers who stimulate an economy of proximity that is 100% Quebec based, with spinoffs that are 100% local.

On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I want to thank all those people for their initiatives, their creativity, and their commitment to their community. I hope they continue to innovate together. Long live the social economy—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Haldimand—Norfolk.

Deans of the Conservative Caucus

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honour the Deans of the Conservative Caucus: the member for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke and the member for Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston. They both are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their elections to this great chamber.

These two members have always been steadfast in their dedication: one to good governance and Constitution matters, the other to our Canadian military and common sense. I can say first-hand that they both approach their jobs today with the same passion and conviction as they did when I first met them, over 16 years ago. They both remain fearless when it comes to voicing their and their constituents' views.

I invite the House to join me in thanking and congratulating these two hon. members for a combined 40 years of service to our great country.

Derek Selleck

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the life of a remarkable man, Master Corporal Derek Selleck. Derek served as a loyal member of the Canadian Armed Forces for over 20 years. He was a recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. He served his country valiantly, as well as his community.

Humber River—Black Creek was where Derek called home. It is where he founded a multicultural women's organization that empowers women from all cultural backgrounds through sport, specifically soccer.

He was a selfless, generous man, who was proud of his legacy in the Armed Forces. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his brothers and sisters, and to all the community who have suffered a significant loss.

Justice

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

Madam Speaker, the murderer who killed six Canadians at the Quebec City mosque four years ago had his sentence reduced from 40 years to 25 years. The Quebec Court of Appeal rendered that decision yesterday. The court found the law allowing for consecutive sentences unconstitutional.

That law was passed by the previous Conservative government and has been upheld by the current Liberal government for the past five years. This law is a Canadian law. We fervently hope the Attorney General of Quebec will appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

What does the government think?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Madam Speaker, I rise today as the parliamentary secretary, but also a Muslim Canadian member of this chamber. This decision will rekindle a great deal of hurt and anger among those who were affected by this terrible crime, including people like me in this chamber, as well the victims, their families, their friends, and people in Quebec and across the country.

Important questions are raised by this judgement, and we are going to examine this judgement fully. Our thoughts remain with the families and with the survivors. We have stood with them throughout, and we will continue to support them through this awful tragedy.

Health

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

Madam Speaker, Canadians are unfortunately at the back of the pack when it comes to COVID-19.

The government was late in closing the borders. The government was late when it came to rapid tests, and now the government is late on vaccines.

I have a simple question for the government. When will Canadians be able to get the vaccine?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, let's be very clear.

Every Canadian who chooses to be vaccinated will have access to a vaccine. This government has taken a dynamic, responsible approach to acquiring vaccines. We now have the best, most diverse portfolio of vaccines in the world. We have also laid the foundation for a distribution and logistics system, and we have been working with the provinces day and night since May to deploy it.

We will make sure that, when the vaccines are ready, Canada is ready.

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

Madam Speaker, the problem is that the vaccines are ready.

In just a few days, the British will be getting their first vaccines. In the coming weeks, the Americans and Germans will be getting theirs. By Christmas, which is just a few weeks away, over two billion people around the world will have gotten their vaccines before Canadians. One thing we know for sure is that we will not be getting vaccines for Christmas.

Can the government tell us if Canadians will get a vaccine before February 1?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, I do not know if the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent knows people at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but I do not think it is responsible to speculate about what another country's regulatory body will do.

As we have been saying for a long time, we are in this with our allies, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the European Union. We have a very substantial and comprehensive portfolio of vaccines, and we can assure Canadians that the vaccines will be available when Canada is ready, when—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Edmonton Mill Woods.

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Edmonton Mill Woods, AB]

Madam Speaker, the Liberals spent hundreds of millions of dollars on Canadian production of the COVID-19 vaccine. In August, they announced that Canada would be able to make 250,000 doses by November. It is now the end of November, and the Prime Minister is saying that we do not have any domestic production capacity.

The reality is that, because of Liberal failures, Canada will be getting the vaccine after one third of the world's population does. What happened?

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

Madam Speaker, when this pandemic began, Canadians understood that we did not have significant biomanufacturing capacity, and that was certainly not helped by the previous anti-science Conservative government. However, we have made significant investments, both prior to the pandemic and now during the pandemic, to augment our biomanufacturing capacity to enable life sciences investments at ISED.

We are continuing to do the right things and make the right investments, and our biomanufacturing capacity is increasing thanks to those investments.

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Edmonton Mill Woods, AB]

Madam Speaker, just having a contract for a vaccine is very different than actually knowing when most Canadians will receive that vaccine.

What we do know is the Americans will be vaccinating 20 million of their population in December, and 30 million in January. By the middle of January, the U.S. will have vaccinated the equivalent of the entire population of Canada.

I am asking again, why is Canada at the back of the line when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, from the outset, we have clearly recognized the unparalleled undertaking of procuring vaccines for Canadians and the challenges that come with it.

We have been working around the clock with our officials and provinces since May on a vaccine distribution system. We will continue to deliver the strongest possible response to COVID-19. We have said it in this chamber, and we have said it in committee. We have said it to the media and the public, and are happy to repeat it here again.

We will be receiving COVID-19 vaccines in the first quarter of 2021. We are confident in our position. Canadians can be very proud of the position that Canada is in. When a vaccine is in ready in Canada—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Saint-Jean.

Justice

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, the Liberals have even admitted that they filter the appointment of judges through a partisan tool, the “Liberalist”, to check the political connections of candidates.

According to reports yesterday from the Journal de Montréal and the CBC, the Liberals held an in camera vote to stop a committee investigation into patronage appointments to the bench.

The Minister of Justice keeps repeating that the appointment process is open and transparent. If the process is so open and transparent, why did the Liberals need to vote in secret to stop an investigation?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Madam Speaker, we have brought in an open and transparent appointments process.

In 2016, we made essential reforms, including the reform to the judicial advisory committee. This led to the appointment of more than 400 exceptional legal experts to the bench.

The diversity of these appointments is also unprecedented. Of the judges appointed under the new process since 2016, 10% are from racialized communities, 5% identify as LGBTQ2, 3% are indigenous and 1% are people living with disabilities.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, if the process is as good as the parliamentary secretary says it is, he should not be afraid if we ask some questions. That said, the media is reporting that the Liberals blocked a study in committee on the partisan appointment of judges. They were abetted by the NDP, once again, and it happened in camera, behind closed doors.

What did they offer the NDP to stifle the judicial appointment scandal? Was this the reward for extending eligibility for the wage subsidy to political parties, or will we start seeing NDP judges?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Madam Speaker, the Canadian Bar Association sent a letter to all parliamentarians.

It stated that the Canadian Bar Association had not accused the government of interfering in the process by appointing its friends, nor had it suggested that the process has resulted in the appointment of unworthy candidates.

It reiterated that merit must determine the best candidates, who also reflect the diversity of Canada's populations.

In 2016, our government made essential reforms and put in place an open and transparent appointment process.

Indigenous Affairs

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

Madam Speaker, this week the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered the government to apply Jordan's Principle to non-status first nations children living off reserve who are recognized by their community.

The Liberal government has already received nine non-compliance orders from the tribunal regarding the racist treatment of indigenous children in care. Will the minister please commit today to not appealing this decision? Will the government do this, or will it continue to fight indigenous kids in court?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services]

Madam Speaker, we welcome the order of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. I would note for the member opposite that our department is currently reviewing and revising what was said in the order, but we are looking forward to the implementation of this definition, which expands the definition of first nations children. It is so important for closing the socio-economic gap between non-indigenous and indigenous children.

I would note for the member opposite that, since 2016, we have provided 750,000 supports, and behind every support is an indigenous child, as well as budget investments of $1.2 billion in 2019 to close that gap as we continue to implement the order.