House of Commons Hansard #25 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was medical.
Anita Anand Liberal Oakville, ON
Mr. Speaker, at the request of industry, the deadline for preliminary proposals has been extended until June 30. This will not affect the timeline for contract award and delivery.
Our objective remains clear, and that is getting the best plane for the RCAF at the right price, with the most economic benefit for Canadians.
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
Mr. Speaker, families in Toronto are struggling to find a home. The first-time home buyer incentive provided a glimmer of hope before the details were actually known.
One cannot buy half a home in Toronto under the current incentive, leaving families with little option for home ownership under this plan.
When will the Liberals put forward a real plan for families that are just trying to buy their first home in Toronto?
Ahmed Hussen LiberalMinister of Families
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about the national housing strategy, which reintroduced federal leadership in housing after 10 years of inaction by that party when it was in government.
We have ensured that we introduced programs to build more affordable rental stock into the market and more social housing. We signed bilateral agreements with provinces and territories. We introduced the first-time home buyers' incentive so that the dream of home ownership could be within reach for middle-class Canadians.
Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON
Mr. Speaker, forestry contributes over $20 billion to the Canadian economy and employs over 200,000 people. The industry also plays a role in protecting our environment, as forest products are an effective way of storing captured carbon.
This is why many Canadians are concerned with the Liberal plan to restrict 25% of Canada's land from development. Reducing the amount of forest land available for harvest would negatively impact our economic and environmental prosperity.
Could the Minister of Natural Resources confirm whether this plan will impact areas that are currently accessible for harvest, yes or no?
Jonathan Wilkinson LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, we were incredibly proud of the work that was done between 2015 and 2019 to meet our protected area targets of 10% marine and 17% terrestrial protection. That is critically important in terms of protecting biodiversity in the country, and we worked with all sectors, including the forestry sector and the provinces and territories, in doing so.
We have now established a 25% by 2025 target. We will continue to work actively with the provinces and territories, with all sectors, very much including the forestry sector, to ensure we are protecting spaces for years to come, but doing so in a manner that is economically sensitive.
Annie Koutrakis Liberal Vimy, QC
Mr. Speaker, all Canadians know that maintaining a proper work-life balance can often be difficult.
In my riding of Vimy, families in Laval work hard to balance the demands of work, family, and mental, physical and emotional health. Canadians want the government to reflect on the importance of this crucial issue.
Could the Minister of Labour tell us what this government is doing in terms of work-life balance?
Filomena Tassi LiberalMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Vimy has asked a very important question. Our government understands the importance of work-life balance.
We have been working hard for Canadian workers. We have expanded leave provisions for families. We have created new leaves. We have enshrined flexible work arrangements and restored fair and balanced labour relations.
Moving forward, we will modernize health and safety standards, implementing mental health protections.
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, a woman I met in Fort St. James worked for 25 years at the sawmill. She told me that when she was laid off, she lost all her benefits. Now she cannot afford the drugs she needs for her arthritis.
Like the one in five Canadians who cannot afford medication, she has been left behind by the government.
The NDP is ready with a plan to make universal, public, single-payer pharmacare a reality and save Canadians and our health system billions.
Will the minister support our plan for pharmacare?
Darren Fisher LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we are open to collaborating with members of the opposition. We are open to collaboration with members of the NDP. We will look very seriously at this bill. We will work toward coming up with things we can work together on to move forward for a national pharmacare for all Canadians.
Jenica Atwin Green Fredericton, NB
Mr. Speaker, one in five Canadians suffers from a mental health problem or illness in any given year. Mental illness-related costs in Canada are over $50 billion annually.
Social costs are high. People with serious mental illness are at greater risk of living in poverty.
The Minister of Finance has been tasked with setting national standards for access to mental health services.
Could the minister confirm that the upcoming budget will include funding for a national framework that will allow Canadians to access a variety of mental health professionals, including counsellors, and will empower provinces and territories to work together for action on this important issue?
Sean Fraser LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the health of Canadians is a top priority for constituents in every riding from coast to coast to coast.
During the recent federal election campaign, we committed to put billions of dollars to support not just mental health, but to improve access to primary care, to implement pharmacare and to improve in-home care for seniors.
I look forward to continuing my conversations with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to implement a plan through our fiscal framework that will improve the health of all Canadians.
HealthOral Questions
The Speaker Anthony Rota
Before we go to the point of order, I want to say that today was not a great day, but it was a much better day. I want to thank the members who respected others while they were speaking.
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
You might be setting your standards too low, Mr. Speaker.
I rise on a point of order. Earlier we heard the member for Repentigny wrongly label Alberta oil as the dirtiest in the world when we know it is actually Nigeria. I would like to table, please, a report from the Library of Parliament showing that Quebec imported three million barrels of the world's dirtiest oil from Nigeria.
HealthOral Questions
Kody Blois Liberal Kings—Hants, NS
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. On Tuesday, we had a great discussion on Teck Frontier and the oil sands industry writ large in this country. I would like to thank the member for Lakeland for bringing that emergency debate so all members in this House could bring forward their thoughts, and I appreciated having that chance.
During the debate, I had a question for the member for Regina—Lewvan. I asked him about the 38 existing oil sands projects approved, representing 2.7 million barrels of oil, that could start tomorrow, and he asked for the report. I have it here and would like to table it for the benefit of all members.
HealthOral Questions
Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions
February 27th, 2020 / 3:10 p.m.
Vaudreuil—Soulanges Québec
Liberal
Peter Schiefke LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order today to simply point out that there are rules in this House. One of the main rules is that we have a chance to ask questions, as well as to respond to those questions. Unfortunately, today the hon. member for Prince Albert did not follow those rules. During the response of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to a question, he was so loud that I had a hard time hearing her, and I am sitting literally two seats behind her. Following the response to his question, he decided to throw attacks at her and continue to launch insults.
Yesterday, I do not know if the hon. member wore a pink shirt for Anti-Bullying Day. If he did, it was not worth the picture that was printed on it, and I am asking him to apologize to this House.
Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK
Mr. Speaker, I do apologize to the House. I did act irrationally, but I have to justify it in such a fashion that there are farmers right now looking at the weather, looking at the road bans, looking at their financial situations and they need action. The government does not seem to act unless it is a crisis—
Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions
The Speaker Anthony Rota
I am going to accept the hon. member's apology.
I want to remind hon. members that when someone rises on a point of order about respect in the room and then there is shouting afterward, there is an irony there. I wonder if I am missing something.
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, I have a very simple and short question for the government House leader. I would ask him to tell this House what the business is for the remainder of this week. If he knows what the priorities will be when we return after our constituency week, that would also be appreciated.
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue debate at second reading of Bill C-7 on medical assistance in dying.
Tomorrow will be an allotted day for the Conservative Party.
The House will then adjourn for one week, during which we will be in our ridings doing incredibly important work with our constituents.
Upon our return, we will deal with Bill C-4, an act to implement the agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico, and Bill C-7, an act to amend the Criminal Code on medical assistance in dying.
The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-7, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), be read the second time and referred to a committee.