Debates of Nov. 6th, 2020

Aerospace Industry

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is nonsense.

The aerospace industry is the largest manufacturing industry in Canada, not just in Quebec. It does not take a rocket scientist to see that the pandemic has hit airplane manufacturers particularly hard. Since so many planes have been grounded, no one is buying them. It is simple.

It is also difficult for SMEs that manufacture parts for those aircraft. The entire economic fabric of Quebec's aerospace industry, the third largest in the world, is at risk of falling into the hands of foreign interests because Ottawa refuses to act. What will it take for the government to launch a comprehensive policy for the aerospace sector?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I rarely get angry, but when a colleague tries to lecture me on Canada's aerospace industry, I simply cannot accept comments of that nature, because I know this sector intimately, including the Quebec sector.

As I said, we are working on a comprehensive plan. What does he want?

Health

[Nelly Shin, Conservative, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Roman is 21. He has suffered his whole life with cystic fibrosis: his lungs function at 40%. Physiotherapy and hospital visits fill up his days. Trikafta can save Roman's life, but it is not here in Canada. When I asked the minister why, she said she was waiting for Vertex to apply, but the real reason is the government has failed to fix PMPRB pricing regulations that keep innovative drugs like Trikafta out. It is being fast tracked in other countries, so why is Canada lagging?

When will Roman have access to Trikafta?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I am with Roman and his family, and I understand how desperately patients with cystic fibrosis and their families are seeking new treatments that can ameliorate their conditions. We have worked with Vertex and encouraged it to apply to Health Canada. We have had promising conversations with Vertex and we stand by, ready to rapidly review the drug using evidence from other regulatory bodies.

I encourage Vertex to accelerate its work with Health Canada to make sure that we can ensure people like Roman and his family have access to the drug here in Canada.

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

Mr. Speaker, that is the problem. That all sounds nice, but those are not measurable achievements.

The minister will recall that we had a conversation in June. I even handed her a personal letter about the case of a woman in my riding.

Cystic fibrosis can affect anyone. There is a drug that exists and is being used in some countries, but we have been waiting months and months and months for the Health Canada decision.

Can the minister give us a bit of hope and do her part to give victims of this disease a bit of hope?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I share the member opposite's concern that we have not had an application yet from Vertex. Of course, the department has reached out to Vertex, has spoken with the company and has encouraged it to apply.

Let me be clear. Patients like Roman and the member opposite's constituent can apply to the special access program at Health Canada with their doctor's recommendation, so they can access Trikafta in Canada. The majority of those applications are approved, and I would encourage them to reach out to my office if they need any help with those applications.

Veterans Affairs

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Mr. Speaker, needless to say, I was surprised, but even more disappointed this morning to read that Whole Foods Market has taken the decision to ban employees from wearing poppies. As someone who has served in our military to defend rights, Whole Foods may have the right to establish its own dress code, but taking away rights from its employees, and banning poppies that Canadians wear in remembrance of those who have made the supreme sacrifice, is just plain wrong. What I do know is that it is within all Canadians' rights to no longer shop at Whole Foods.

Premier Ford has indicated he will introduce legislation to prohibit employers from banning poppies. Will the Prime Minister do the same?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, of course this is absolutely unacceptable and I know all of my colleagues in the House would join me in condemning this move and making sure the poppy is worn so veterans are remembered and honoured for all their great service.

Veterans' Week is a time for every Canadian to come together to show their unwavering support for veterans. Veterans provided our peace and democracy. They deserve our respect and this government will make sure they get it.

Natural Resources

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in September, 2019, one year ago, the Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would plant two billion trees in 10 years. In September, 2020, one year later, we found out that zero trees had been planted. Then, at the natural resource committee just last week, we found out that not only had trees not been planted, but there was no plan and no budget for it; zero trees planted and no plan in place.

I know the Prime Minister thinks that the budget will balance itself. Does he also believe that trees will plant themselves?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely committed to planting two billion trees. We have been developing a plan based on the areas of land to be planted, the types of trees to be planted, how best to prepare the sites and how to monitor trees for survival. All of this work has been going on in the middle of the pandemic.

We are talking about increasing forest cover by an area twice the size of P.E.I. by year 10, and we look forward to releasing our plan.

Veterans Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, the Royal Canadian Air Force Association, 427 Wing, is an incredible resource for veterans in London. It has two museums and resides in a historical canteen from the 1940s.

This group has fought hard to keep the wing from shutting down forever because of COVID-19. When this group reached out for assistance from the people of London, they showed up. However, I wrote the Minister of Veterans Affairs and the Minister of Canadian Heritage over eight months ago and I have still heard nothing.

Will the government finally commit more than just pretty words this Remembrance Day and provide immediate financial support to the wing and veterans?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, it has always been my priority to ensure that we provide financial support for organizations that do so much for our veterans, and that is exactly what we included, $20 million in Bill C-4 to do just that.

I have worked with some of these groups over the years and I can assure my colleague that we will always be there to support the groups and veterans right across the country. We owe that to our veterans and this government will continue to support them.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture has been quoted several times over the past week, stating that outstanding compensation for Canada's dairy farmers will be paid before the end of the year. What is unclear is whether the minister meant the end of the calendar year or the end of the fiscal year.

Despite their repeated promises to stand up for supply management, it was the Liberals who traded away our domestic market in successive trade deals.

The entire process for compensation is shrouded in mystery. When can dairy farmers expect compensation for year two?

[Neil Ellis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the crucial role supply management plays in keeping our rural communities vibrant and we will always be there to defend it. That is why, during the new NAFTA negotiations, we protected supply management from American efforts to dismantle it.

Our commitment to make available $1.75 billion over eight years for full and fair compensation is firm. We came through with our commitment to CETA and CPTPP and we will always do the same thing now that the new NAFTA has been ratified.

Public Safety

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, recent offences involving places of worship, homes of faith leaders and the other instances serve as a stark reminder that we cannot take for granted our hard fought freedoms. They have an impact not just on the individuals targeted, but on the communities at large.

This matter hits close to home in my riding of Brampton East, where we have a diversity of faiths and communities, all of whom have a right to worship peacefully without fear for their safety. Recently, BARIC mosque reached out to me to let me know that it intended to apply for the security infrastructure program, but expressed concerns about meeting the deadline due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety please update the House on what the government is doing to ensure that those who want to apply are able to do that?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian, regardless of their race, background or religion, needs to feel safe where they live, where they work, and where they gather to pray.

Through the communities at risk: security infrastructure program, our government is supporting vulnerable communities by helping them feel safe in their local centres, their schools, and their places of worship.

This program has given the community in my riding a greater sense of safety by helping it improve its security infrastructure so that there are places where community members feel safe.

In order to leave enough time to submit an application, and given the real tensions that various organizations are experiencing because of COVID-19—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The time has expired.

The hon. member for Lambton—Kent—Middlesex.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture said last week that year two compensation payments to dairy farmers under CETA and CPTPP would be paid by the end of the year. However, what was unclear from the minister was if she meant the end of the calendar year, December 31, 2020, or the end of the government's fiscal year, March 31, 2021, or the end of the dairy year, July 31, 2021.

Will the government keep its word and tell Canadian dairy producers now that it will pay year two compensation for CETA and CPTPP no later than December 31, 2020?

[Neil Ellis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, on August 19, we announced a compensation package of $1.75 billion over eight years for all dairy producers, with amounts distributed according to their respective quotas. Less than one year ago we sent a first cheque to all dairy farmers who asked for it. We have kept our promises and that is exactly what we will continue to do.

It was very important to ratify this agreement for the agriculture sector, which will help it grow, with continued access to our largest trading partner.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers in my riding like Jane Shier are asking why the Prime Minister holds agriculture in such contempt. The Liberals' two-year delay on negotiating the trade compensation payments demonstrates a lack of understanding of the impact these concessions and the pandemic are having on Canadian farmers and their families.

The Conservatives understand how hard our farmers work and the costs involved in feeding Canadians and protecting our food security. When will the Prime Minister make agriculture a priority?

[Neil Ellis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the crucial role supply management plays in keeping our rural communities vibrant. We will always be there to defend it.

That is why, during the new NAFTA negotiations, we protected our supply management from an American effort to dismantle it. Our commitment to make available $1.75 billion over eight years for full and fair compensation is firm. We kept to our commitment for CETA and CPTPP and we will do the same thing now that the new NAFTA has been ratified.

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, supply managed-producers, including dairy producers, do everything they can to ensure that Canadians' food is safe. They expect the government to honour its own commitment to pay the compensation promised more than a year ago.

Last week, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food assured producers that they would receive a payment before the end of the year. We know that this government likes to bend the truth.

Will this payment really be made before December 31, 2020?

[Neil Ellis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, in August 2019, we announced a compensation package of $1.75 billion over eight years for all dairy producers, with amounts distributed according to their respective quotas. Less than one year ago, we sent the first cheque to all dairy farmers who asked for it.

We have kept our promises and that is exactly what we will continue to do. It was very important to ratify this agreement for the agriculture sector, which will help it grow, with the continued access to our largest trading partner.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, our dairy farmers produce the highest-quality milk in the world, but recent trade deals have given away more of Canada's dairy market to foreign farmers.

The Liberals promised a multi-year compensation package to our farmers for granting this access, but they refuse to provide details on the timelines of when this payment will be made for year two. The farmers in my riding do not need the parliamentary secretary to read them a story and give the same answer he has just given four times in question period.

On what date will compensation be paid to farmers across the country?

[Neil Ellis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, again, our government recognizes the crucial role supply management plays in keeping our rural communities vibrant, and we will always be there to defend it. That is why, during the new NAFTA negotiations, we protected supply management from American efforts to dismantle it.

Our commitment to make available $1.75 billion over eight years in full, fair compensation is firm. We came through on our commitment for CETA and CPTPP and we will do the same thing now that the new NAFTA agreement has been ratified.