Debates of Dec. 8th, 2020

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, only 15¢, not $15, of every $100 the government spent during the pandemic was used to fund health care.

Every day, we see the number of people who are falling victim to COVID-19. What we do not see is the number of people who do not have access to care, or who are not getting the surgery they need or their cancer treatments. We do not see the number of people whose quality of life is deteriorating while they are left on waiting lists because there is a shortage of health care workers.

That is what happens when there is not enough funding for health care. One-time funding will not make it possible to hire health care workers. When will the Liberals wake up to what is happening and sustainably increase transfers?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, throughout this pandemic, the federal government has been there for provinces and territories. In fact, $8 out of every $10 spent on responding to COVID-19 has been spent by the federal government.

We have been there for provinces and territories, with direct transfers for things like testing, contact tracing and data management, but also to help with crisis, through the investment of the Canadian Red Cross going into nursing homes and support right on the ground to help bring down outbreaks.

We will be there for provinces and territories. They need to spend the money to get ready for whatever comes next.

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

Mr. Speaker, experts have testified about the devastating impact COVID-19 lockdowns have had on the mental health of Canadians.

Alcohol and substance abuse is exploding, so is domestic violence, opioid deaths and suicide. Some have described these impacts of COVID lockdowns as epidemics in and of themselves.

With Christmas fast approaching, a time when mental health is always an issue for many, and COVID lockdowns still in place, does the government feel it has done enough to prevent a second wave of suicides, domestic violence and overdoses over Christmas?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, for a very long time, we have been focusing on mental health and substance use in the government. In fact, we did more as a government than the previous government ever did on the issue of substance use. I am proud of the work that we have done to treat people who use substances like human beings.

Furthermore, we have invested, through COVID-19, by direct transfers to provinces and territories, by setting up wellness together, a federal support to overlay that transfer to provinces and territories. I would encourage all Canadians to visit wellnesstogether.ca to receive support and access to professionals to help them through this difficult time.

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

Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Canadians have been separated from immediate family members for months due to COVID lockdowns and border closures, and there are four million Canadians who live alone.

For some of these people, sitting alone through Christmas lockdown might exacerbate mental health issues. For Canadians who live alone and who are desperate to reunite with family during the holidays for the sake of their mental health, what advice is the federal government offering them on how to safely reunite and mitigate the mental health impacts of isolation while preventing the spread of COVID-19?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, every step of the way we have asked Canadians to sacrifice tremendously and we know that. All across the world, in fact, people are sacrificing to contain COVID-19 and protect their loved ones.

I do not underestimate that sacrifice. In fact, I thank Canadians for protecting each other, for protecting their communities. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though. We do have successful vaccines coming onboard.

I will remind all Canadians that if they need help and they do not have access in their own particular jurisdiction, to please reach out to wellnesstogether.ca in both official languages and translation into 200 others.

Indigenous Affairs

[Gary Vidal, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, during the 2015 and 2019 elections and as recently as this summer, the Prime Minister repeated his now broken promise to lift all drinking water advisories by March 2021. The government has used COVID as a cover, but that excuse does not hold up under scrutiny.

The member for Kenora has been in contact with several indigenous community leaders in his riding who have been able to continue with infrastructure projects, including water, during the pandemic.

Will the government admit that the clean drinking water promise to indigenous people was empty from the beginning?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, we are not backing away from our commitment to ending all long-term drinking water advisories to first nations on reserve, but instead making a more profound commitment to the long term. In every community with a long-term water advisory there is a project team, an action plan and people dedicated to lifting it.

Last week, we announced $1.5 billion to accelerate the access to clean water in the short and the long term as well as the stability necessary to ensure this occurs, not only by spring 2021 but after that.

While we cannot underestimate the impact of COVID-19 on long-term drinking water timelines, we are—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. member for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River.

[Gary Vidal, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, last week, instead of owning up to his own failure to indigenous communities, the Prime Minister hid behind his minister and forced him to take responsibility for not meeting this March 2021 promise.

When it was time for an election promise, the Prime Minister was more than glad to be in front of the camera, centre stage and to be in the spotlight. Now that this promise has been broken, he is nowhere to be found on this. That is not leadership.

How can indigenous people trust the words of the Prime Minister and his government?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, let me complete what I was about to say.

While we cannot underestimate the impact of COVID-19 on long-term drinking water timelines, we are optimistic that by spring 2021 the number of communities under long-term drinking water advisories will be down to 12.

We are committed to working with these communities in partnership for the long term. That is what the announcement last week of $1.5 billion to communities was about, and, yes, that is my responsibility to get it done as a minister of the Crown.

Natural Resources

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today's report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer shows that any scenario where the Trans Mountain pipeline would be profitable is a fantasy. Construction costs have soared to over $12 billion and any additional climate action, like the government's own net-zero legislation, will mean the project is not viable, yet the Prime Minister is determined to push ahead with this environmental and economic disaster.

When will the Prime Minister stop selling this fantasy, throwing away billions of dollars, and instead make the investments we need to fight the climate crisis and create good, sustainable jobs?

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

Mr. Speaker, there are many factors that go into determining whether a pipeline is necessary, such as contractual support, shipper choice and the nature of the markets that would receive the products delivered by the pipeline. TMX is a good project that has created more than 7,000 jobs for Canadians. There is a very strong business case for the project and construction will continue.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only is the Liberal pipeline wasting taxpayer money, but the Liberal government also has a terrible record when it comes to the climate crisis.

The climate change performance index makes the Liberals' failure clear. Canada is ranked 58th out of 61 countries. That is embarrassing and irresponsible.

A petition signed by 110,000 Quebeckers was just submitted to the National Assembly to speak out against the GNL Québec project. Quebeckers are showing that they want a sustainable green transition.

When will the Liberals take the climate emergency seriously and invest in electric transportation and renewable energy?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, we have implemented a lot of measures to deal with the climate emergency under the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change.

Of course, we know that we need to do more. In the coming weeks, we will do more with a new plan to fight climate change.

Health

[Jean Yip, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as we continue to see a record-breaking number of cases in regions across Canada, I know that families in my community of Scarborough—Agincourt are concerned about the safety of their loved ones of all ages. Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced that 249,000 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine will be available in Canada before the end of the year.

With hope on the horizon, what would the Minister of Health say to reassure families, not just in my riding but in communities across Canada?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, of course, the arrival of vaccines in Canada is a very hopeful symbol that the light is, indeed, at the end of the tunnel. I know that families all across the country are worried about their loved ones. I thank them for the incredible efforts they are making to keep each other safe.

Work is well under way with provinces and territories to make sure that we have a quick and efficient way to deploy these vaccines. I want to thank the provinces and territories for working at all levels to make sure that, when vaccines arrive in Canada, we can deploy them.

Public Services and Procurement

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

Mr. Speaker, we all read or heard fairy tales when we were young. The latest one is called “Frank Baylis and His Liberal Friends”.

It is a simple but damning story. The problem is that none of the main characters can agree. They do not all consider each other friends, even thought the facts suggest otherwise.

My question is simple: Did the minister grant other contracts to shell companies like FTI Professional Grade, a company created just days before the government signed the $237-million contract that was given to its friend, Frank Baylis?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

To date, we have received over 3,000 ventilators for Canadians. That is a big part of our nationwide efforts to help all Canadians and people in hospitals.

We are here for Canadians. Our government has stocked up on PPE and all sorts of medical equipment. Businesses from across this country have stepped up and we are so grateful to those businesses and to Canadians at large.

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

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Baylis's ventilators had not even been approved by Health Canada at the time the contract was granted. In addition, Mr. Baylis admitted to the committee that he needed money. He had to refinance his business and his buildings because he was having problems.

Did the government pay twice as much because Frank Baylis was having money troubles?

Was the contract written in such a way as to hide extra expenses?

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

Mr. Speaker, that is an interesting tale, but it is not at all true.

Following a thorough review by a group of independent experts, we granted a contract to FTI Professional Grade Inc. It was for Canadians and for hospitals. We are here for Canada.

Foreign Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to give the government the opportunity to clarify its policy on China. I have a very simple question, and I hope that it will be answered.

Has the government already put in place its new framework on China, yes or no?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for giving me the opportunity to talk about our policy with China.

Canadians who are watching at home understand that our relationship with China is both complex and multi-dimensional. Canadians at home understand that the China of 2020 is not the China of 2016, and that our strategy needs to evolve as China is evolving. As I have said many times in committee, where the member asked me many questions, our policy is based on our interests, on our values and principles, including human rights, and on building a global partnership and abiding by international rules.

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

Mr. Speaker, that answer demonstrates why this government's policies are such a mess. The Liberals cannot answer a simple question.

Two weeks ago, the minister appeared in front of committee and gave contradictory messages. The Canadian Press reported that the government had already put in place its new framework on China. The National Post at the same time reported that the government had yet to put in place this new framework. If we cannot figure it out and the media cannot figure it out, how on earth is anyone else, including China, supposed to figure out this government's policy on China?

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

Mr. Speaker, I think it is very clear. Canadians have figured it out. Maybe the opposition has not, but I can assure the member that Canadians understand that the China of 2020 is not the China of 2016. After two and a half hours of questioning, if the Conservatives do not have the answer yet, I think they have a problem because Canadians understand.