Debates of Sept. 24th, 2020

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Madam Speaker, in this throne speech there are many indications of future interference in the jurisdictions of Quebec and the provinces. For example, with regard to health care, the federal government, which does not manage any hospitals and has no expertise in that area, would like to tell us how to manage ours.

In the event that the government were to implement its proposed national pharmacare plan, should Quebec not have the option of withdrawing with full compensation given that it has its own pharmacare plan?

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

During the pandemic, I believe that there was unprecedented collaboration between the provincial and federal governments. I am convinced that this will continue. The Government of Quebec and the federal government did a good job of protecting their citizens. The areas of jurisdiction of the federal government, the Quebec government and the provincial governments are certainly being respected. I am certain and confident that this will continue.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Madam Speaker, the member ended his speech talking about climate change, which is an issue that is of utmost importance to many people in north-west B.C. I could not help but notice in the throne speech that the Liberals plan to legislate a 2050 climate target. I fail to see how this exercise can be productive at all, given that they have failed to meet any of the targets that they have set for themselves and for our country. What my teenaged daughters and I would like to see are targets within this political horizon, targets for the next two and five years.

How can we possibly hold the Liberal government accountable for a target 30 years in the future? We need action now, not in 2050.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Madam Speaker, I respectfully disagree with my hon. colleague. We set a target with respect to the protection of oceans, which we met. We will continue to strive to meet the targets.

With respect to the announcement in the throne speech of enshrining into legislation the 2050 targets, this is yet another indicator of how very seriously this government does and must take our climate targets. The record of the government with respect to meeting its oceans protection targets is an excellent example of what we are capable of and what we want to be accountable for. It is that accountability that underpins the decision to enshrine into legislation the 2050 targets.

Mohamed-Aslim Zafis

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I pay tribute to Mohamed-Aslim Zafis who was brutally and senselessly murdered, while volunteering to keep people healthy and safe as they went into the mosque to pray.

Mohamed was a good man, a valued community member and someone whom I knew well. He welcomed everyone to the mosque, handed out food hampers, put others before himself and always had treats for the children.

I ask that we remember Mohamed's kindness, his family, the International Muslims Organization of Toronto and Muslim communities across the country. Our caring, resilient community is grieving Mohamed's loss.

I thank the first responders and all those providing care: president Omar Farouk, Imams Taher and Junaid, and Sheikh Abdullah.

The reports that his murder was motivated by neo-Nazism and Islamophobia are deeply concerning. We stand with Muslim communities against such hatred, which has no place in Canada.

Tourism Industry

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Long Range Mountains, NL]

Madam Speaker, COVID-19 impacted every industry. However, it really hit the tourism travel industries and the hospitality economy hard. Many operations did not open this season, some destinations adjusted to the new normal and were successful, other groups and clusters worked together and discovered a new way forward just to survive.

Our government's COVID-19 programs helped keep Canadians employed and supported these businesses through the pandemic, and we are continuing to help.

In yesterday's Speech from the Throne, our government committed to helping regional airports and ensuring tourism businesses weather the storm, taking avail of our many programs to get the help they need.

Travel and tourism are true economic engines for our country. It supports more than two million jobs and in excess of 200,000 businesses. Our government knows how important this sector is.

When we do return to the new tourism normal and the new normal, everyone will want what Canada has to offer: friendly faces, iconic places and rich cultures from coast to coast to coast.

Roger Guertin

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Madam Speaker, on July 3, we lost a great patriot: Roger Guertin.

I want to pay tribute to this extraordinary man, who deserves much of the credit for the seat I hold today. I want to extend my deepest condolences to Roger's family, Denise, Sébastien and Julien, his many friends and his political family.

Roger was kind, humble and generous. He was a man of integrity who will be remembered for his many years of service on the St. Lawrence Seaway and for his commitment to Quebec's separatist movement. In our minds, he will forever be the man who held down the fort during difficult times. It never occurred to him to give up. He believed in the country of Quebec.

He was a great friend, my inspiration and my captain. I am losing a mentor and a devoted ally of the cause. I will miss his happy, hopeful face. I want to close with a quote from Félix Leclerc that aptly describes the memory of Roger Guertin:I know of a country
Far away from here
Where the ocean, life
And love unite.

Long-Term Care Facilities

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Madam Speaker, I want to acknowledge the hard work being done by staff and volunteers at long-term care facilities in Nickel Belt, including Elizabeth Centre, in Val Caron, Villa St. Gabriel Villa, in Chelmsford, and Au Château, in Sturgeon Falls. Alicia Woods, the owner of Covergalls, launched a campaign to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of masks to long-term care facilities so they can purchase PPE.

Their products support Canadian jobs.

Covergalls, under #CanadaStrong, donated $3,000 to Villa St. Gabriel in Chelmsford and continues to build awareness about long-term health facilities.

This pandemic has isolated our most vulnerable. The generosity of Canadian women-led companies like Covergalls give real support. I thank all the hard-working staff.

Let us keep supporting our long-term care residents. Together, we can get through these challenging times and be stronger than ever.

#CanadaStrong.

Internet Services

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my constituents are not buying the vacuous platitudes of the current government anymore. Working from home, educating our kids and running our businesses are the fundamentals.

This year we have been reminded of the importance of connectivity as we work our way through the COVID-19 crisis from our homes. Rural Canadians need accessible, reliable, affordable Internet. The government is really good at making promises, but disastrous on delivering action.

Yesterday we heard another vague promise. Today we need action. We need direct federal investment and local, provincial and national partnerships to get the job done now.

On behalf of the people of Parry Sound—Muskoka, northern Ontario and all rural Canadians, I want to implore the government to lay off the empty promises and show us how it will deliver accessible, reliable, affordable Internet to the thousands of rural Canadians who are exhausted from the years of empty Liberal promises.

Speech from the Throne

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in the Speech from the Throne, I was pleased to see that the input I had received from my constituents of Don Valley East through the seven virtual town halls I have hosted since the pandemic have been incorporated.

I have received numerous calls from my constituents expressing their satisfaction at the way our government has handled the COVID-19 crisis and the fact that their input resulted in not only the fine-tuning of programs like the Canada emergency response benefit and the Canada emergency wage subsidy, but being augmented into the road going forward.

Our government has listened to Canadians and our post-pandemic plan is focusing on social justice and fiscal prudence for a green, sustainable and equitable agenda where no one is left behind.

John Napier Wyndham Turner

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to the Hon. John Napier Wyndham Turner, the 17th prime minister of Canada, who passed away on Friday at the age of 91. John Turner was an athlete, a Rhodes scholar and a lawyer who was admired for his dazzling intellect.

His mother used to say that he would become pope or prime minister, and Canada was the best choice. He served as a member of Parliament, minister, prime minister and leader of the opposition, and he loved Parliament and its time-honoured traditions. He has the distinction of having sat in the House of Commons as a member of Parliament for three different provinces, namely Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.

On a personal note, I was lucky to know him. Over the years, he generously shared his time to give me advice when I was in Toronto. His stories were hilarious, although some cannot be repeated in public. John Turner was a great Canadian.

I offer my sincere condolences to his wife Geills and his family. Thank you for sharing him with us. May he rest in peace.

Forestry Industry

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to be back in this place representing the good people of Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola.

Much has occurred in the past months since we last sat. It is fair to say that there have been more unfortunate stories than any of us would like to see in our home ridings. However, there have also been some positive stories and I would like to share one with members today.

This year a record number of new trees were planted in British Columbia. Despite COVID-19, roughly 300 million trees were planted in British Columbia. That is important because the Liberal government promised to plant two billion trees and, in comparison, not a single one made it into the ground.

The Prime Minister, as we learned again today, is magnificent at making promises he cannot keep, but is weak sauce when it comes to delivery.

Reforestation is important. In many communities in my riding forestry, particularly lumber mills, is the largest private sector employer. Without a vibrant private sector, there is no funding for the public sector.

I ask members to join me in thanking the many young Canadians in British Columbia who spent their summer planting these 300 million trees for all of us.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, September 18 was a dark day that mourned the loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Although she was a petite woman, she established herself as a giant on whose shoulders we stand.

As a law professor, lawyer, judge and justice, she basically created the legal concept of gender discrimination and then set about challenging that discrimination in all of its forms. She is gone, but her legacy, the opportunities she created, the rights she fought for and the status quo she changed will live on.

This week we celebrate gender equality in Canada and I can think of no better time to recognize Justice Ginsburg's legacy. As she said in her own words, “As society sees what women can do, as women see what women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we'll all be better off for it.”

May her memory be a blessing.

2020 New Brunswick Election

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, since early this year New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs and his team have worked to successfully limit the spread of COVID-19 in New Brunswick. Thanks to his PC government's recognizing the havoc that the virus would unleash, they put in place measures early on to protect New Brunswickers. His hard work was recognized by voters on September 14 when they elected 27 PC MLAs to lead New Brunswick with a majority government.

I was also proud to see all PC MLAs elected across my riding of Fundy Royal, including Premier Blaine Higgs, Gary Crossman, Bill Oliver, Bruce Fitch, Sherry Wilson, Ross Wetmore, Mike Holland, Glen Savoie and Tammy Scott-Wallace.

On behalf of me and our entire Conservative caucus, I wish to congratulate Premier Higgs and his team on the election results. We look forward to working with him in the months and years ahead.

COVID-19 Testing

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

Mr. Speaker, a single mom working back-to-back shifts to make ends meet cannot stand for seven hours in line for a COVID-19 test. People in rural and remote communities or living on reserve need quick access and readily available testing options.

As Dr. Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, said, “As a screening tool, saliva tests would let parents test their kids, and themselves, regularly.”

Canadians are struggling. The government needs to realize that the expectation of a quarantine for 14 days if a person has come into contact with a case is elitist. Several of our close allies, including Germany, the U.S.A. and Japan, have rapid testing options. Meanwhile, our government continues to drag its heels on reviewing these technologies.

That is why Conservatives continue to call on the Prime Minister to finally do his job and both expeditiously and fulsomely review these testing options. Canadians are depending on this.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, Frédéric Bérard, a professor at the University of Montreal, recently wrote a book called La Terre est une poubelle en feu, or “the earth is a flaming trash can”. Given the massive fires in California, this title is not just an image, but a sad reality.

The Liberals need to realize that we are going through a health and economic crisis, but the climate crisis has not gone away. On that, the government is sending mixed messages that are causing confusion. It continues to subsidize oil companies, it is boosting oil exploration in Atlantic Canada, it is wasting billions of dollars on the Trans Mountain expansion, it has failed to plant a single tree, it is leaving the door open to GNL Quebec and every year it gets further away from our greenhouse gas reduction targets.

We have to change the way we produce, consume and travel. We have to electrify all our means of transportation. It is time for an ambitious and coherent plan to leave a viable planet for future generations.

50th Anniversary of Saint-Jérôme CEGEP

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to tell the House about the 50th anniversary of the Saint-Jérôme CEGEP, an institution that has spent half a century shaping our society now and for the future. What a legacy.

Founded in 1970, the Saint-Jérôme CEGEP now offers about 30 programs and has two college centres for the transfer of technology and three teaching campuses in the Laurentians. It goes without saying that our CEGEP is a crucial contributor to cultural and socio-economic development in Rivière-du-Nord, the Laurentians and Quebec as a whole. More than 35,000 students have graduated from the CEGEP over the past 50 years.

I am grateful to all the staff, past and present, for their work, and I want to emphasize the hard work and dedication of the current executive director, Nadine Le Gal. This year, over 700 people have been working hard every day to keep the CEGEP running smoothly.

Its slogan is very apt: Better together.

COVID-19 Testing

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are outraged. Canada has been grappling with the coronavirus for over six months now, and this government is dragging its feet on approving a rapid test kit.

In yesterday's throne speech, the Governor General clearly stated that Canadians should not have to wait in line for hours on end to be tested. Meanwhile, according to media reports in Kitchener, Ontario, people started lining up for a drive-thru testing site at 2:30 a.m.

Health Canada has received applications for 14 different rapid tests, but the government has not approved any of them. In other jurisdictions, COVID-19 testing can be done in 15 minutes, costs only $5 and does not require a lab. The Prime Minister demonstrated yesterday that he is far more concerned about Canadians' perception of his party than he is about their health.

Canadians co-operated with his government to flatten the curve. Will his government now co-operate with Canadians?

Aline Chrétien

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Mr. Speaker, we recently lost an incredible woman, one half of one of the great love stories of our time, Aline Chrétien, wife of former prime minister Jean Chrétien.

Canada is truly saddened by this loss because Ms. Chrétien was a great Canadian and a great Quebecker who gave up so much for her country. When her husband was the member for Beauséjour, here, in New Brunswick, she really made a difference in the lives of the Acadian people of our province.

Ms. Chrétien adopted the Acadian people as her own and the feeling was mutual, because Acadians had the deepest respect for her. She became friends with another great woman, Viola Léger, former senator for New Brunswick and actress from La Sagouine. Ms. Léger liked to remind people that it was not the Prime Minister who appointed her to the Senate but rather Ms. Chrétien.

On behalf of all Canadians, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the Chrétien family and thank them for their great contribution.

In closing, yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Chrétien. He asked me, on behalf of his family, to thank all members of the House, the government, his former colleagues and all Canadians for their messages of sympathy and for sharing their memories of an incredible woman, his dear, sweet Aline.

Agriculture in Edmonton Manning

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I spent the last week visiting the agriculture sector in my riding. Families, community organizations and small businesses form the core of these farms, cultivations and small operations. They feed our cities, they sustain our exports to the world and they play a critical part in our communities.

Watrin Grain, a grain farm that diversifies in many products, including canola, keeps our market supplied and provides Canadian products to the world. We must support them against China's coercive diplomacy. Riverbend Gardens provides domestic food to local markets to sell quality and healthy alternative products grown at home here in Canada. Lady Flower Gardens, which provides food to the food bank, also creates opportunities for our indigenous peoples.

Efforts like these represent the goodwill of the agricultural producers. The federal government must support them.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Before we continue, I want to take this opportunity to remind hon. members, as we get into something new, that the members in the House have to stand to be recognized, which has been done for years. I would ask those at home to please turn on their cameras well in advance and not wait until the last second. That is their way of standing up remotely. It makes it easier to deal with any technological problems that we may incur as we go on.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the second wave of the pandemic is here and most Canadians who may come up in a contact tracing list cannot afford to take two or three weeks off to get tested for COVID.

Last March, the Prime Minister promised that rapid COVID testing for Canadians would be a top priority. Half a year and half a trillion dollars later, Canadian families still have to wait in line for hours, and sometimes days, to get tested.

Why is the Prime Minister failing Canadians on this vital test during the pandemic?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, every step of the way we have been working with the provinces and territories on increasing testing across the country. We provided $19 billion through the safe restart agreement to increase testing capacity amongst other things. We procured supplies and provided resources to help the provinces with testing, contract tracing and data. I have held 18 meetings with the first ministers over the course of the pandemic.

We will continue to do what it takes to keep Canadians safe and ensure our scientists have all the tools necessary to rapidly approve tests that are safe for Canadians.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister locked the doors of Parliament to cover up his WE scandal under the guise of a Speech from the Throne that would address the pandemic. However, the throne speech was nothing but a litany of recycled Liberal broken promises that leaves countless numbers of people behind.

This Prime Minister has no plan to deal with the health crisis, no plan to deal with job losses and no plan to address divisions in our country. Why did the Prime Minister waste all of this time just to cover up his scandal, instead of using it to help Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the pandemic is the most serious public health crisis Canada has ever faced. The last six months have revealed fundamental gaps in our society and in countries around the world. For those who are already struggling, the pandemic has been even more difficult.

We must address the challenges of today and support vulnerable people for the future. We will take bold action on health, on the economy, on equality and on the environment. Those are the things that Canadians expect while we continue to have their backs through this pandemic and chart a better course for a brighter future for all Canadians.