Debates of Dec. 11th, 2020

Public Services and Procurement

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Madam Speaker, that is obviously not enough.

The federal government needs to get an icebreaker built. It can choose between, on the one hand, a Vancouver shipyard that had the contract taken away because it could not fulfill it and, on the other, Davie shipyard in Lévis, Quebec, which is ready to get to work right away.

The Liberals have decided to give another $1 billion to the Vancouver shipyard so it can finish the contract late and over budget, and do the job that Davie can do right now.

It is a bad political decision, a waste of public money and an insult to Quebec.

Why are the Quebec Liberals not speaking out on this?

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

Madam Speaker, the Quebec Liberals work on behalf of Quebec workers. That is why we are working on including Davie shipyard in the national shipbuilding strategy, which opens the door to new contracts on top of those Davie already has, like the $22.1 billion in contracts it has already been awarded.

We will continue to work with this shipyard and we will not listen to the Bloc's twisted facts and fabrications. We have not awarded more contracts to Vancouver and we will work with Davie.

Health

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Madam Speaker, on March 23, the Prime Minister announced, with much fanfare, that Canada would be producing its own vaccine at VIDO-InterVac in Saskatoon.

VIDO-InterVac has since presented to the Clerk of the Privy Council a plan to manufacture not only their vaccine but all vaccines licensed by Health Canada. VIDO has heard nothing but crickets while large multinational companies get billions.

Has the Prime Minister abandoned the idea of manufacturing vaccines in Canada?

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

Madam Speaker, our government has been led by scientists and the best expert advice that we can get from the vaccine task force at every single step during this COVID crisis. VIDO-InterVac has been a key part of that. There have been many other Canadian companies and Canadian research enterprises that have been doing that exact work: $170 million in the National Research Council and $46 million for VIDO-InterVac.

The investments are going to continue, and we are always going to make decisions on the basis of expert scientific advice. It is not going to be partisan, and it is unfortunate that the member opposite is politicizing this.

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley—Aldergrove, BC]

Madam Speaker, amid the COVID crisis Canada is facing another health crisis: opioid overdoses. There are over 100 illicit drug toxicity deaths in British Columbia every month. That number has been going up due to the COVID pandemic. These are ordinary Canadians, hard-working people, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and every one with a heartbreaking story to tell.

There is no vaccine for addiction, but why is the government failing to take effective action to curb this crisis?

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for the very important question. The opioid crisis is the most significant public health issue in Canada's recent history. Our hearts are with those who have lost a loved one.

We have responded. We have taken action by investing over $425 million in emergency responses, restoring harm reduction, approving over 40 supervised consumption sites, and cutting red tape and removing barriers to treatment. We will continue to tackle this epidemic by expanding access to a safe supply of prescription opioids and committing over $700 million towards treatment in the next decade.

Seniors

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Madam Speaker, a resident of my riding who meets all the criteria and met the deadlines was denied her additional $200 guaranteed income supplement payment.

The government's deadline was September 11. Service Canada acknowledged that it received all of this resident's paperwork on August 12.

I would ask the Prime Minister to send the guaranteed income supplement to all seniors who have been victims of the system. Our seniors deserve better treatment.

[Deb Schulte, Liberal, Minister of Seniors]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for raising this very important question. Guaranteed income supplement payments, we know, are critical for seniors. We know that it is important that everybody who should have gotten the payment was able to get it. That is why we were managing this very carefully and making sure that those who could get it and may not have gotten it were assessed, evaluated and got it.

However, there were some of those who missed the deadline for being able to get it and it is unfortunate. Maybe the member could please bring this specific case to our office and we will make sure—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel.

Families, Children and Social Development

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

Madam Speaker, I was very excited about the throne speech promise of a Canada-wide child care system.

Parents have been calling for affordable, accessible child care—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order.

I would ask the member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier to please mute his microphone.

Would the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel please repeat her question?

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

Madam Speaker, I was saying how excited I was about the throne speech promise of a Canada-wide child care system.

Parents have been calling for affordable, accessible child care for decades. My constituents were also impressed by the investments announced in the 2020 fall economic statement.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us about the next steps in setting up this very important program?

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families]

Madam Speaker, I am sure the member is as proud as I am to be part of a government that has advanced $420 million for staffing and training for early learning and child care in the next year. It builds on close to a billion dollars, a historic amount of money invested in the child care and learning system this year, which builds on a $7.5-billion investment and accords with provinces and territories as we move toward a national system.

I was here in 2005 and watched the NDP keep families locked in a house as they gambled for seats in this House. I hope this time around the NDP does not play those childish games, but it will have to wait for its leader to get off TikTok and stop playing video games before we actually find out.

Public Safety

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Madam Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety continues to brag about taking away firearms from law-abiding firearms owners. He has stated that the firearms he banned have no place in a civil society. With all due respect, gangs, criminals and violence have no place in a civil society.

Can the minister inform Canadians how many criminals will be impacted by his firearms ban?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Madam Speaker, I am always happy to answer questions from the gun lobby and to respond to NRA talking points. There are weapons that were designed for the sole purpose of killing people. We have now prohibited those weapons in Canada. It is only one of many measures that we will be implementing to strengthen gun control, to invest in law enforcement and to invest in our kids and communities to keep them safe. There is no greater responsibility for any government than the protection and safety of its citizens and we will do everything necessary to keep them safe.

Air Transportation

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Madam Speaker, while the airline industry lobbies the government for a taxpayer-funded bailout, this very same industry is forcefully demanding that travel agents, 82% of whom are women, return over $200 million in commissions that they made from the sale of airfares and vacation packages. While the airline industry has turned its back on these women, the Liberal government should not.

Will the Minister for Women and Gender Equality do her job and stand up for the women of this country?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Madam Speaker, I have also heard from the industry and share the member's concern.

We know the airline sector needs support, but I want to assure the member that before we do, we will not spend one penny of taxpayer dollars on airlines until Canadians get their refunds, until regional communities retain their air connections to the rest of Canada and Canadian air carriers maintain their status as key customers of Canada's aerospace industry.

Natural Resources

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

Madam Speaker, my gift to the government is a very easy question that it knows is coming because I asked it just a couple of weeks ago. It is a yes or no question, but when I asked it a couple of weeks ago, I got an incomprehensible list of numbers and words unrelated to the question.

Can the government commit that the tens of millions of barrels of oil coming from Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Nigeria will be subject to the same rigorous regulations as oil coming from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland in terms of upstream and downstream emissions?

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, certainly we are committed to making sure that we have the cleanest oil in the world being produced in Canada and being supported from Canada. That is why we have supported the TMX pipeline. We have supported the workers who are creating that pipeline, as well as Line 3, Line 5 and LNG. We are supporting western Canada, western jobs, and are continuing to make sure we have the highest standards so that when we export, we make sure we have the highest standards in the world.

The Environment

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Madam Speaker, investing in nature is an essential tool the government can use to combat climate change. Canada's grasslands, wetlands and peatlands are incredibly important for their ability to absorb greenhouse gases.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain how the $631-million investment in the fall economic statement will help conserve our nature?

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member of Parliament for Kitchener—Conestoga for his deep commitment to taking action on climate change.

Our government recognizes the important role of nature in addressing climate change and our significant new investment of $631 million will help our government put in place natural solutions that reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the loss of ecosystems. This is good news for our environment, good news for biodiversity and, of course, good news for future generations of Canadians.

Health

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Madam Speaker, Vancouver has seen 329 overdose deaths so far this year, making 2020 the worst year on record. To address this escalating crisis, city council voted unanimously to decriminalize personal possession of substances. Premier Horgan, the Vancouver police, Dr. Bonnie Henry and many other experts agree that this will save lives and improve public health.

The federal Liberals rightly listen to public health experts about COVID-19. Will they do the same here and swiftly grant the requested exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act?

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Madam Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the ongoing opioid crisis. All levels of government must reaffirm our efforts to save the lives of Canadians. We are working with B.C. and Mayor Stewart on options that respond to their local and regional needs, guided by the recommendations of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

We will review this request. We will continue our work to get Canadians who use substances the support they need.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Paul Manly, Green, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Madam Speaker, during this pandemic, some private long-term care home operators used government assistance money to pay millions to shareholders and CEOs, and some corporations used wage subsidy programs to pay employees, while their wealthy owners raked in billions. However, this holiday season, the CRA is going after low-income, self-employed Canadians for taking the CERB based on unclear rules.

Will the government stop taking the Conservative approach of punishing the poor, while giving the wealthy who game the system a free pass?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment]

Madam Speaker, our focus since day one has been on supporting Canadians through this crisis. When Canadians needed support the most, the Canada emergency response benefit was there to help nearly nine million Canadians pay their bills and be there for their families.

In some cases, Canadians applied to the CERB in good faith but were not eligible. In those situations, we recognize the financial situation that many people face. That is why the CRA has reached out and will make every effort to work together with Canadians to find a responsible way forward that is responsive to individual needs and circumstances.