House of Commons Hansard #3 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pandemic.
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, Quebec reported 637 new cases today. There are 400,000 Quebeckers looking for work. We are in the second wave. The last thing anyone wants is a squabble between different levels of government.
We must all be united in facing this enemy known as “COVID-19”. We have no enemies in Quebec City. Even if we disagree on certain things, we can still work together. Despite what the Bloc Québécois is saying, there is no quarrel, which is too bad for them.
Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, the premiers of Quebec and the provinces are calling for increased health care funding to tackle the crisis, but the government had nothing to say about it in its throne speech. To hear the Liberals talk, asking for health transfers is a mere whim.
We are not talking about unnecessary spending. The funding requests could not be more specific. We are talking about money for hiring medical personnel and buying necessary equipment. We are talking about getting our own money back so we can take care of people who are sick.
The Liberals have lost focus. We are battling against a virus. We are in a health crisis. There is nothing more important that the government can do than invest in health care.
When are they going to increase health transfers?
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I fully agree that we are battling against a virus. That is exactly why we are reaching out to our colleagues: to work together.
However, the Bloc Québécois by definition will never admit that Ottawa is doing anything right, because it would go against their prime objective, which is the separation of Quebec.
When has the Bloc Québécois ever said that Ottawa was doing anything right? Never. It would go against everything they believe in.
What we want is to work together with everyone, even my Bloc friends, to fight COVID-19.
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
Mr. Speaker, our Canadian farmers, ranchers, fishermen and vegetable growers across the country are working hard every day to supply the food we need and to supply the world. Their time is valuable. Three months after CEBA was announced, they are finally being included.
However, in the midst of harvest, my farmers are waiting three to six hours on the phone finally having to leave a message, hoping and praying they can get to the line when the call comes back. They cannot get through to a live person on the CEBA hotline.
What is the minister doing right now to fix this problem?
Mary Ng LiberalMinister of Small Business
Mr. Speaker, farmers, entrepreneurs and businesses are extremely important. We are very committed to making sure they get the support that they need.
The call centre has been changed temporarily to respond to the many calls that have come in, but it can deal with the answers to the questions those very businesses have asked, those very farmers. This is an effort to process those questions a lot quicker. We are working very hard to make sure they get the answers they need.
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK
Mr. Speaker, Canada's seniors have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic on all fronts, and the mental health impact of social isolation is immeasurable. We have all heard heartbreaking stories of seniors separated from their loved ones and their communities.
For seniors struggling, the throne speech was a disappointment, with nothing more than repeated ideas that offered them no clear plan to help them through the pandemic and to keep them safe.
Why is the government allowing Canada to fall behind in its response to the pandemic at the expense of our seniors and their mental health?
Deb Schulte LiberalMinister of Seniors
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague for her appointment as critic. I really appreciate the opportunity to work with her as we move forward on this.
We understand the challenging times that seniors and their families have had. This situation has made it easier for vulnerable seniors to be isolated. To better address social isolation among seniors, we are investing $20 million in the new horizons for seniors program. It is providing over 1,000 new projects in communities directly supporting seniors at home and providing flexibility in the new horizons for seniors funding that we provided in January. This has helped over 700 projects to be initiated in communities helping seniors. That is also helping seniors with their mental health.
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
Mr. Speaker, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians are experiencing increased anxiety and stress. COVID-19 has had a disproportionate and devastating impact on the mental health and well-being of Canadian seniors. Left isolated and alone, lock-down restrictions have prevented seniors from seeing their friends and families or even hugging their grandchildren.
Mental health is a cornerstone of public health and is critical to our nation's recovery from this pandemic, yet despite this reality, the Liberal throne speech dedicated precisely two sentences to the issue of mental health. Why?
Deb Schulte LiberalMinister of Seniors
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to continue to talk about what the government has done to support seniors and their mental health and well-being. The throne speech was an excellent throne speech for seniors.
I want to address what we are doing right now to support those seniors. We are doing it through the new horizons for seniors program; through the $350 million in community support that is being provided to help seniors get the services and supports, including the mental health support, that they need. We also launched a wellness together Canada website portal to help seniors access those essential services they need to stay well and safe.
Steps like these go a long way in helping seniors to know that they are not alone. The government is there with them and for them.
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey—Newton, BC
Madam Speaker, our government understands and appreciates the importance of Canada's forestry sector. Like many industries, the fallout from COVID-19 has hit forestry and its workers hard. The sector is looking for strategies to ensure our forestry sector is resilient and emerges stronger than ever.
During this national forest week, could the minister update the House on how our government is supporting the women and men of our forestry sector?
Peter Schiefke LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Madam Speaker, national forest week is an opportunity to highlight all of the incredible contributions the forest sector makes to our economy.
Throughout this crisis, our government and the forest industry has stepped up to help fight COVID-19 on many fronts. Companies like West Fraser and Canfor have donated much needed N95 masks. FPInnovations is developing biodegradable masks that are made of wood fibre.
Additionally, in the midst of the global pandemic, our government provided $30 million to the forest sector so businesses could safely continue operations during COVID-19. The challenges are immense but so are the opportunities, and this industry is stepping up to the task.
Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB
Madam Speaker, the government's throne speech rehashed old Liberal promises without even mentioning oil and gas workers or pipelines.
The natural resource sector lost 43,000 jobs in the last quarter alone. Western Canadians have been hard hit by the economic calamity that began under the government long before the pandemic, Bill C-69 and Bill C-48. The Prime Minister is divisive, just like his father.
Why will the government not show it cares about national unity and a real economic recovery by supporting our oil and gas workers?
Peter Schiefke LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Madam Speaker, at one point almost one in three workers in mining, oil and gas were able to stay in their job thanks to the Canada emergency wage subsidy. The Speech from the Throne announced this subsidy would continue through until next summer. This represents hundreds of millions of dollars to support energy sector workers. It also represents tens of thousands of workers who will stay in their jobs in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador thanks to the Liberal government.
We are supporting workers, we are supporting families and we are supporting their oil and gas sector.
Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB
Madam Speaker, Albertans are tired of being ignored by the Liberal government. Our energy sector supports 800,000 jobs and it produces 20% of the Government of Canada's revenues. Alberta should be a part of this nation's economic recovery.
Imagine the disappointment for the hundreds of thousands of oil and gas workers in Alberta when they were completely disregarded in the throne speech.
When will the government work with Alberta's energy sector and get people back to work instead of the litany of policies that fuel division and continues to punish western Canada?
Peter Schiefke LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate our support for workers in the oil and gas sector. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been put in place to support them with the wage subsidy. I will also reiterate for my hon. colleague the support that has been given over the last couple of months, with over $1 billion to clean up abandoned oil wells, with the $750 million that we put in place to help the industry reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
We are there for all workers across the country, including those in the oil and gas sector.
Chris d'Entremont Conservative West Nova, NS
Madam Speaker, we all know the aviation industry has been hard hit by the global pandemic. We now hear that Nav Canada is cutting 14% of its workforce, losing another 720 jobs due to layoffs and closing two flight information centres, including one in Halifax.
The Minister of Transport promised months ago that the government would be supporting the aviation industry, but we are still waiting for its plan.
Could the Minister of Transport tell me how many people will be losing their jobs in Halifax and what is the government's plan and timeline for reopening?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Madam Speaker, we realize that the aviation sector has been hard hit, not only the airlines and the airports but also Nav Canada, an organization responsible for air traffic control in our country. This is a complex situation, which we are looking at very closely. We want to ensure that when we pull out of this pandemic, the air sector will be able to resume operations.
I can assure the member that we are looking, in detail, at what measures can be put in place to make sure this happens.
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Madam Speaker, today we are celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day. Over 600,000 francophones in the province of Ontario will be celebrating this day. September 25 is a day to celebrate the progress we have made and think about the future of our community.
Can the minister tell the House what our government has been doing to support francophone minorities?
Official LanguagesOral Questions
September 25th, 2020 / 12:05 p.m.
Ahuntsic-Cartierville Québec
Liberal
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Economic Development and Official Languages
Madam Speaker, you are Franco-Ontarian too, so a happy Franco-Ontarian Day to you.
We will always stand by Ontario's 600,000 francophones. We will always stand up for their right to learn, work and live in French in Ontario. Our historic investments, our action plan for official languages, our improvements to the census and our support for the first Franco-Ontarian university, an institution created by and for Franco-Ontarians, show that we will always be their allies.
I would like to wish all Franco-Ontarians a wonderful day.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Madam Speaker, over 40,000 veterans in Canada are on a wait-list for benefits that they are owed. Some have waited months and some have waited well over a year. How many times were they mentioned in the Speech from the Throne? Zero. Now veterans are reaching out to my office because they have applied for CERB and hope they are eligible as they simply have nothing else.
Could the government finally take some action quickly for these veterans? They stepped up for all of us as Canadians. When will the government step up for them?
Darrell Samson LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
Madam Speaker, I will answer the question in my capacity as parliamentary secretary.
The throne speech laid out our government's plan to fight the pandemic and support Canadians. Of course, that means supporting veterans.
We know that veterans experience homelessness, and investing in ending chronic homelessness for veterans is very important. We know that some veterans are unemployed, and investing in job creation and creating over a million jobs will help veterans. Let us not forget that just a few months ago we invested approximately $200 million—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes
Unfortunately, the time is up.
The hon. member for Vancouver Granville.
Jody Wilson-Raybould Independent Vancouver Granville, BC
Madam Speaker, we have heard the Speech from the Throne. There was a lot contained therein of repeated promises, but short on details.
With respect to the justice system, we all know that Black Canadians and indigenous peoples are overrepresented. Evidence shows, including through the government's own reports, surveys and extensive consultation, that reform to mandatory minimum penalties will have a significant impact on these numbers.
Specifically, what measures are being referred to in the speech when it says that the government will introduce legislation and make investments that take action to address “diversion and sentencing”, and what is the timeline?
David Lametti LiberalMinister of Justice
Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her dedication to the frankly embarrassing issue of overrepresentation of both Black and indigenous peoples in our criminal justice system.
As we have said in the throne speech, we are looking at a variety of different measures and analyzing on best evidence how to move those files forward. It is shameful that this overrepresentation exists in our criminal justice system and we are going to, as a government, do our best to remedy it.
David Lametti LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Judges Act and the Criminal Code.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)