House of Commons Hansard #41 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Other MattersGovernment Orders
Québec Québec
Liberal
Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, there is unfortunately not enough time to commend the work of the Auditor General and to say how much work we need to do. We look forward to working with her.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Other MattersGovernment Orders
The Speaker Anthony Rota
We will now break for a short time so that our staff can safely change position and continue to provide the great service that they have been providing over the last little while.
The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes
We are now ready to resume the sitting.
The hon. member for Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères.
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Manicouagan.
After Air Canada ruthlessly announced that it was cutting service to all of the regions of Quebec, many carriers came forward and said that they would be prepared to take over. However, they are afraid of losing everything if Air Canada decides to barge back in because they have all too often been the victims of Air Canada's anti-competitive practices.
Can the Minister of Transport guarantee that no further assistance will be provided to Air Canada? Can he reassure us in that regard?
COVID-19 Pandemic and Other MattersGovernment Orders
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount Québec
Liberal
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Madam Chair, Air Canada's decision to cancel about 30 of its regional flights was unfortunate. That is disappointing for all those affected. At the same time, we can certainly understand the situation that Air Canada is in. It is operating its aircraft at near-empty and losing a lot of money right now. We are closely monitoring the situation.
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
Madam Chair, service in the regions is an essential service for airlines. Air Canada has received $800 million from the federal government, on top of the emergency wage subsidy. Air Canada benefits not only from its monopoly, but also from frequent protection by the federal government.
What will the government do to ensure that the regions keep this essential service? Small carriers want to offer this service, but they want Air Canada to stay out of their territory because they know that Air Canada engages in anti-competitive practices.
Will the minister stand up for them?
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Madam Chair, we are well aware of the situation. It is very disappointing for the affected regions. People rely on air transportation. We are monitoring the situation very closely.
At the same time, we need to recognize that Air Canada is currently flying planes that are often far from full, and the company loses money every time it does that. We are currently looking into the situation.
Xavier Barsalou-Duval Bloc Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC
Madam Chair, I have a simple question.
Does the minister work for Air Canada or for Quebec's regions? The regions need this service.
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Madam Chair, I work for all Canadians and I am proud to do so.
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Madam Chair, in eastern Quebec, across Quebec, in Val-d'Or, Mont-Joli, Baie-Comeau and Gaspé, people are going through very hard times. Air Canada has cut back services, closed counters and eliminated connections. People tell us that is very disappointing, but I think it is more than that.
I am thinking of people in my riding, such as Megan Henley, who are going after Air Canada because it is refusing to refund their tickets. Air Canada counters are now closing. People cannot even reach Air Canada, and the company is not refunding their money.
I am thinking of elected representatives and reeves all over eastern Quebec and Abitibi who are talking about finding made-in-Quebec solutions. I am also thinking of my colleagues from Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia and Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, who are working with people and who are here to advocate for this initiative.
I would like to know what the Minister of National Revenue has to say about all this. She does not seem to have much to say about it. I would like to know if she supports our regions too.
Marc Garneau Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Madam Chair, I do not want to repeat myself, but I understand what this means for the affected regions. Much of the time, the planes flying there were nowhere near full. Air Canada was losing money. We are taking a close look at the situation. I discussed the matter with Minister Bonnardel last week, so I am very aware of the situation and people's concerns across the country.
Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC
Madam Chair, I am not going to repeat myself.
What I would say to the hon. Minister of Transport is that passenger numbers were up 30% in eastern Quebec. I think it was in Mont-Joli. Those were the most recent numbers, so his reading of the situation is not quite correct. I did hear the Minister of Transport repeat himself. Rather than make him repeat himself again, I will direct my question to the Minister of National Revenue. This issue significantly affects her riding, including both Gaspésie and the Magdalen Islands, yet I have not heard her reaction.
Will she support a Quebec initiative and refuse to bail out Air Canada?
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Madam Chair, the Minister of National Revenue fights for her constituents and her region every day. She has spoken out publicly on this issue. She has also spoken with the Quebec government and the Minister of Transport. She is very actively involved in this issue and does not need to take lessons from the Bloc Québécois.
Emmanuella Lambropoulos Liberal Saint-Laurent, QC
Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Fleetwood—Port Kells.
For the last few months, our government has been doing its best to protect Canadians against the COVID-19 pandemic. We followed the advice of our public health officials and allowed science to guide us down the right path. While the number of cases in Canada has gone down significantly and continues to do so, we know that a second, more deadly wave of the virus may be around the corner. With provinces reopening their economies and loosening travel restrictions, many seem to have forgotten that this virus is still a threat, and others remain worried and scared about the second wave that is coming.
Given that a second wave of COVID-19 is within sight both here and around the world, and that our neighbours to the south have not yet managed to contain their first wave, it is all the more essential that we stay cautious in how we relax our travel restrictions and open our borders to the rest of the world.
Worried constituents have reached out to me to ask why we are allowing Canadians to travel abroad this summer if travel is what brought the virus to Canada in the first place. While I do trust that we are prepared and are enforcing safety measures to prevent those who choose to travel from spreading the virus, I would like to ask the Minister of Health what specifically our government is doing to protect the health and well-being of Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically with regard to travel regulations.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Other MattersGovernment Orders
Thunder Bay—Superior North Ontario
Liberal
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health
Madam Chair, I thank the hon. member for Saint-Laurent for the question.
We are continuing to encourage Canadians to avoid all non-essential travel. The member is absolutely right. As we flatten the curve here in Canada, and we are making great progress in that regard, the cases around the world are rising, in fact at astronomical rates in some countries. We continue to provide the travel advice to Canadians that it is best to stay home. We will continue to evolve our advice based on the evolution of the pandemic and how it evolves in other countries.
It is important for Canadians to remember that if they can avoid travel, they should do so. Also, it is really important that if people are pursuing essential travel, they stay home if they are sick. Nobody needs to travel who is unwell or concerned about his or her health. When people are travelling, if they are pursuing travel as Canadians, it is very important to monitor their health closely and report to local public health as soon as possible should they develop any symptoms, so that they can be properly assessed—
Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC
Madam Chair, communities across British Columbia have been looking for signs of economic recovery during the global pandemic. Public infrastructure projects are a key driver of economic stability and renewal, and they also serve to make sure all British Columbians have access to the services and cultural networks they need to build resilient communities.
That is why I was really pleased to see the federal government's commitment of more than $44.5 million last week for 21 projects across the Lower Mainland under the investing in Canada plan. The announcement included the Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House redevelopment project. This is an amazing project that will allow the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of B.C. to provide better services to metro Vancouver's vulnerable population. It will include spaces for child care, supportive seniors services, a commercial kitchen, community gatherings and a space for an outdoor garden.
Can the President of the Treasury Board tell the House what the government is doing to improve community outcomes and create jobs in my home province?
Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Madam Chair, I would like to thank the member for Fleetwood—Port Kells for his support for his community.
Our government's investments in community, recreation and cultural infrastructure are promoting the health and well-being of British Columbians and building strong, dynamic communities. I would like to note that more than $19 million of the federal and provincial funding we announced just last week is going to nine projects in indigenous communities.
I am also happy to say that a second intake for projects in B.C. was announced on June 25. It will examine a new round of investments under the community and recreation funding stream and under the rural and northern funding stream. These new projects would be eligible for a total of up to $159 million in federal investments.
I can also assure this House that many more infrastructure projects are coming in the next few months. Canada and British Columbia are working very well together to support jobs, improve our communities and safely and sustainability restore economic growth.
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Madam Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Elmwood—Transcona.
The government encouraged people to apply for the CERB and deal with complications after, and that is exactly what has occurred: complications. In Manitoba, the Pallister government has decided to treat the $2,000 CERB as an excuse to cut provincial supports. EIA recipients who got CERB are now ineligible for future support.
Instead of making sure provinces do not claw back federal help, why has the government chosen to callously go after people who applied in good faith as “fraudulent applicants”? People in my riding who have their EIA paid out to landlords will no longer have their rent paid and they are at risk of homelessness. This is a nightmare.
Will the government respect Make Poverty History Manitoba's request and not require EIA recipients to pay back the CERB, forcing individuals deeper into poverty, yes or no?
Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Employment
Madam Chair, I can assure everyone in this House that we are going after people who prey on the vulnerable, not the vulnerable, and I do not make any apologies for that.
I can also assure everyone that I have worked extremely hard to get provinces to understand the importance of not clawing back the CERB in these times. People have earned money; they are no longer earning money, and they deserve the income replacement. Some provinces have chosen to take that up and not claw back the CERB; others have not, and I continue to put both private, personal pressure but also public pressure on those provinces. It is unfair to people with disabilities that their supports are being clawed back, and I continue to advocate for that not to happen.
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Madam Chair, small businesses are the heart and soul of Winnipeg Centre, yet the government has made their ability to survive questionable. Paul Taylor, who owns the Brickhouse Gym in Winnipeg Centre, said, “These rent assistance programs are not a one-size-fits-all issue. Businesses have suffered from COVID-19. Programs need to be scalable to help Canadian small businesses survive. On top of the failure of the rent program that relies on landlords to sign on, the wage subsidy arbitrarily requires businesses to have their own CRA business number since before the pandemic, but a lot of small businesses do not, including many in the gig economy, in arts, film—”
The Deputy Chair NDP Carol Hughes
Mona Fortier LiberalMinister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance
Madam Chair, together with the provinces and territories, our government acted promptly and decisively by putting up front the Canada emergency commercial rent assistance in order to reduce rent by 75% for hard-hit small businesses. Our government is extending the program by a month, which will go on through July. This program is helping thousands of small businesses across the country. We will continue to monitor this program to ensure we support Canadian businesses.
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Madam Chair, after years of cuts to health care in Manitoba, the Conservative government here is now preparing to spend millions of dollars on private clinics to make up for surgery backlogs. That is money that could be invested in the public system in order to restore needed capacity, and we know that public delivery of services is the best way to realize the spirit and the promise of the Canada Health Act. Therefore, I am wondering what the government is going to do to promote the public delivery of services.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Other MattersGovernment Orders
Thunder Bay—Superior North Ontario
Liberal
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health
Madam Chair, this is critically important to all Canadians, regardless of which province they live in. Our government will always fiercely stand up for access to health care that is afforded to every Canadian through the Canada Health Act, and I will work with the member personally to make sure that we understand the full nature of the proposed intent of the province.