Debates of Dec. 1st, 2020

Finance

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to remind the member opposite that our approach is already bringing jobs back.

In fact, 79% of the jobs lost during the crisis have been restored in Canada, compared to 54% in the United States. Moreover, in the third quarter, Canada's GDP increased at a record annualized rate of 40.5%. That is success.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, today the Prime Minister said that it would be September before most Canadians would be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs said early January, and then just January. Today, the Deputy Prime Minister said before the summer.

My question is for the health minister. Is she content to keep letting her colleagues give their best guess on a very important issue to Canadians or will she finally take responsibility and give us an actual date?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, every step of the way my colleagues and I have worked incredibly hard hand in glove with the provinces and territories to (a) secure the best portfolio of vaccines in the world, (b) secure the most doses per capita in the world and (c) strengthen the regulatory process at Health Canada to give them every resource they need to accelerate their work.

Canadians should be proud and confident we have a plan. They will get vaccinated when the vaccines are perfectly safe and effective.

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

Mr. Speaker, so the answer is no. The Prime Minister said September for vaccine delivery. The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs said January or early January. The Minister of Public Services and Procurement said the new year. The Deputy Prime Minister said before summer, and today the health minister said early 2021.

COVID-19 is a deadly disease that is crippling our economy. Why is the health minister content to keep allowing her and her colleagues to play vaccine date bingo with Canadian lives?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I invite the member opposite to get a briefing on vaccine work, as I repeatedly offered her for testing. Her remarks indicate that she does not understand how many moving parts there are in vaccine delivery.

I want to say this to Canadians—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am very interested in hearing the responses, just as I am interested in hearing the questions. When it gets loud, it is very difficult for everyone to hear, so I want to remind everyone that we want to hear the answers and the questions.

The minister can continue.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, we have the best portfolio of vaccines in the world. We have the most doses per capita in the world. We are working hand in glove with companies like Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. In fact, we were the first country in the world to receive applications from the four leading companies. Do members know why? It is because our Health Canada regulators are the gold standard. The world looks to Canada for safety and efficacy, and we are here for Canadians.

Seniors

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how could the government write a 223-page economic statement in the midst of a pandemic without mentioning seniors?

This statement does not contain a single measure for seniors, even though they have been hit hardest by the pandemic. It does not mention health transfers, even though Quebec needs money to maintain quality of care. It does not increase pensions to support their purchasing power. It does not even offer a second special payment, even though we know that the pandemic will drag on for another year because the vaccines will be late in coming.

How can the government explain this to seniors?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, from day one, we have been working with the provinces and territories to protect the most vulnerable Canadians, including by supporting the work of the Canadian Red Cross and deploying members of the Canadian Armed Forces to a certain number of long-term care homes.

In the fall economic statement 2020, we are committing up to $1 billion for safe long-term care so we can continue to help the provinces and territories protect our seniors.

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I was talking about putting more money in seniors' pockets, not the army's.

In the throne speech, the government raised the possibility of increasing the old age security pension. It was not enough, but the possibility was there. Today, there is not a word about seniors in the economic update. The Liberals have abandoned them.

Seniors are the ones suffering the most because of COVID-19. They are the ones dying from it. They are the ones experiencing the most stringent lockdown measures. They are the ones who will be spending Christmas alone this year, because they want to stay safe.

How can the government abandon them today?

[Deb Schulte, Liberal, Minister of Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, for many months we have been providing support for seniors through tax-free payments and enhanced community supports. The fall economic statement reiterated our government's support for seniors by establishing a new $1-billion safe long-term care fund that will help the provinces and territories protect seniors in long-term care. We are also committing $38.5 million to support training of up to 4,000 personal support worker interns, and we will move forward in establishing the foundational elements of national universal pharmacare. It is clear that we will always stand with seniors.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister had a hard time managing crises before COVID-19. His management of the COVID-19 crisis is yet another example of his poor management skills. Last Friday, the Prime Minister told everyone that the majority of Canadians would be vaccinated by September. I asked the minister yesterday whether that meant 51%. She told me that 70% of Canadians would be vaccinated.

Can the minister provide specific documentation to back up this figure, or did she make it up during question period?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we are working hard to ensure that Canadians can get vaccinated when the time comes.

Once we have a vaccine in Canada, we will work with the provinces and territories to create a distribution plan so that Canadians can get vaccinated. Our approach has always been based on science and facts, and that will not change.

We will work in collaboration with experts like the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and other public health experts to ensure that Canadians are protected from COVID-19.

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

Mr. Speaker, speaking of planning, let us look at the example of our allies.

Yesterday, there was an interesting report on the CBC that showed that, while Germany still does not have an approved vaccine, it has a very detailed plan for logistics and distribution. The plan was shared with citizens two weeks ago. It is so detailed that we know that it is going to take two minutes to vaccinate each German citizen. The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and France have also prepared detailed plans for their citizens. While all this is happening, what is Canada doing? We are looking foolish in front of everybody.

When will the government present a detailed plan with specific dates and specific quantities of vaccines?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are trying to play politics on the issue of the vaccines. They are trying to scare Canadians. That is completely unacceptable.

They do not like to hear it, but we have been working with the provinces for months to prepare for the distribution process. Former NATO commander Dany Fortin has just been appointed to lead the Canadian operation. The provinces are setting up their task forces.

We are working together. The Conservatives do not like to admit it. We will get the job done for Canadians.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, while millions of people around the world will start getting vaccinated for COVID-19 next week, Canadians will be stuck at home watching it all happen on TV. The Liberals say they have a plan, but they are keeping everyone in the dark. Canadians deserve to know how many troops will be deployed to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. Who is the top logistics officer who will be in charge of this distribution? Where is the plan?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite, I understand, has a great deal of knowledge about the Canadian Armed Forces. He should be expecting the same level of excellence that he would have come to know during his time with the forces. We are so pleased that Major-General Dany Fortin has embedded himself and his team within the Public Health Agency of Canada. This builds on the partnerships across the government to safely deploy vaccines. I will tell members that we will not deploy vaccines until we are certain they are safe in Canada. That is the role of Health Canada. We are world-class regulators. Canadians can be confident in this.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have confidence in the Canadian Armed Forces. I do not have confidence in the government. It says it has the plan, but it does not sound like it has a plan. How can Canadians trust the Liberal government when it refuses to answer simple questions?

Canadians deserve answers, so I will try this again. How many personnel are being trained to inoculate Canadians against COVID-19? How many military aircraft are ready to deploy and distribute these vaccines? Where is the plan?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite does not realize that immunization is actually done by provinces and territories. In fact, they have the jurisdiction to deliver health care and the federal government is stepping up to help them in that responsibility by acquiring vaccines and by ensuring we have a logistical plan to deploy the complicated vaccines.

Let me says this: The provinces and territories have successfully, over the last few weeks, vaccinated 16 million Canadians for influenza. They have the expertise. They have the people to do that. We are going to support them.

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week, the U.S. received vaccines on American soil, so they are ready to distribute once approved by the FDA. In contrast, Canada has either refused or neglected to accept vaccines while waiting for Health Canada's approval. Clearly, making arrangements to accelerate vaccinations is smart policy. Having vaccines on Canadian soil ready to be rolled out once approved will save time and lives.

The Liberals are either refusing to receive vaccines now or are unprepared to do so. Which is it and why are they falling behind the United States?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I stay focused on Canada's plan and I can tell members it is one of the best in the world. It is because we have seven of the most promising vaccines in our portfolio. We have more doses per capita. We are working closely with manufacturers like Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca. Johnson & Johnson just applied on Monday. We were the first country in the world to get their application. Moderna's chief medical adviser said, “Canada's in the front row.” That is because we acted early, we secured contracts early and we are well-placed to vaccinate Canadians.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, that was not an answer to my colleague's question. In Canada, we have learned that only three million doses of the vaccine will be available by March, while other countries are stocking up so that there is no delay in getting it to their citizens once approved. If we do not take swift action, Canadians will have to live with the pandemic for months longer than other countries. The toll on seniors, families and small businesses is already significant.

Why will the Prime Minister not ensure that Canada can stock up on the vaccine while we wait for Health Canada approval?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I will just repeat that we have the best portfolio in the world. In fact, we have the most doses per capita in the world. That is because of an aggressive procurement strategy at the very beginning. Not only that, but we are working hand in glove with manufacturers around the world. Canada is well situated. The manufacturers themselves are saying we are well situated. On top of that, we have the expertise and a public health care system that knows how to vaccinate Canadians. I have confidence in Canadians. I have confidence in the regulators. I have confidence in the provinces and territories that will get this done.

The Environment

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Canadians and people in my community in Etobicoke Centre want clean air, healthier communities and also a strong economy, while protecting the environment for our children and our grandchildren. That is why constituents in my riding of Etobicoke Centre want government to take real and meaningful action on climate change.

Today is the coming-into-force day of the amendments to the Federal Sustainable Development Act. Could the minister share with this House and with my constituents in Etobicoke Centre how this is helping us in the fight against climate change?