Debates of Sept. 28th, 2020

Health

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, every step of the way, we have worked with provinces and territories to ensure that they have the tools they need to fight COVID-19. Members have heard the Deputy Prime Minister speak about the billions of dollars that were transferred to provinces and territories. More than that, when there is an outbreak we work very closely with local communities within provinces and territories to make sure they have the tools they need. We will continue to work diligently with provinces and territories to unlock the tools that can help us beat and defeat COVID-19.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Edmonton Mill Woods, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Sikh RCMP officers have been removed from their front-line policing duties and given desk roles for nearly six months. The RCMP is the only police force in Canada that has sidelined Sikhs during the pandemic. Since early June, the World Sikh Organization has written to three different ministers to discuss a solution, but was completely ignored. Now that this has become a media story, the Prime Minister has said that he is disappointed that Sikhs in the RCMP have been sidelined.

Why have the Liberals ignored this issue for months?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate the question and I agree that all officers of the RCMP must be given the opportunity both to serve their community and to freely practise their faith. We need to ensure that all of our officers are not discriminated against and that the requirements of their religious faith receive appropriate accommodation.

Reports from the World Sikh Organization were deeply concerning. The Prime Minister and I have been quite clear on our expectation that the RCMP will work diligently to rectify this situation as quickly as possible. With that, we are getting advice from occupational health and safety and the labour ministry to make sure that this can be done safely.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Sikh and Muslim RCMP officers were pulled from active duty due to a beard policy, which is an obvious discrimination against ethnic minorities. The World Sikh Organization reached out to Liberal ministers Blair and Bains months ago with no response. When made public, the Prime Minister gave nice and fluffy words with no action plan.

Why has it taken the Liberals six months to admit this is a problem, and when will they get rid of this blatant discrimination against these Canadian heroes?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I just want to remind hon. members that when referring to someone else in the chamber, to refer to them by the name of their riding or by their position, and not by their proper names. This is just a reminder. I know we have been away for a while and we are getting kind of rusty.

The hon. minister.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. We believe absolutely that the Sikh officers, who serve their communities and this country with professionalism and with absolute dedication, need an accommodation so they can practise their faith, as well as continue to serve.

We have raised the matter directly with the RCMP. We expect this issue to be rectified at the quickest opportunity. We have also ensured that there is a comprehensive examination of occupational health and safety requirements and in consultation with the labour board to ensure that this can be done safety. It will be done. We will accommodate those officers.

Health

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious matter. Montreal and Quebec City will apparently move into the red zone again. That means the second wave is under way. It also means that people will be hospitalized, and some will suffer severe effects or die. That means another lockdown, and no one wants to go through that again. That is why Quebeckers want to get their tax money back in the form of health transfers.

Does the government realize how out of touch it is to refuse to provide adequate health care funding during a pandemic?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian government is collaborating regularly with the governments of Quebec and the various provinces.

The second wave is real. We see the number of cases in Quebec increasing. The number stands at 750 cases in Quebec and 700 cases in Ontario. We must act quickly. That is why we tabled the bill before us today. I sincerely hope that my Bloc Québécois colleagues will support it.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only is the second wave upon us, but this is also cold and flu season. More people will have to be tested because they will have more symptoms. We do not have the resources to test people and get their results to them quickly. Our ability to flatten the curve depends on testing. We do not have the money or resources to meet those needs. Plus, front-line workers are exhausted.

Is there anything more important right now than increasing health transfers?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as we have said, we will be there for provinces and territories to defeat COVID-19 no matter what it takes. I have reached out to Minister Dubé on a number of occasions and I look forward to speaking with him very soon to determine what more we can do at the federal government level to handle and assist in many of those challenges the member opposite is outlining.

This is a Canadian response. We need to work together to ensure no matter where COVID-19 is surging, that we are there together and in support of each other. That is the only way through this crisis.

[Louise Chabot, Bloc, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the throne speech is full of federal interference in Quebec's affairs. It talks about school-based child care and job training. It even talks about creating national parks in our cities.

Quebec is already taking care of all those things. The federal government just needs to acknowledge that and hand over its share. Instead of interfering in areas under Quebec's jurisdiction, why doesn't the federal government just look after its own responsibilities by permanently increasing health transfers?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have already been clear. With respect to the programs that already exist, there will be discussions and equivalent transfers.

There remains the issue of seniors, which the Bloc Québécois often raises. As I said the other day, our seniors are not a comma or a paragraph in the Constitution. They are human beings. They are the ones who have suffered the most during the pandemic. The Government of Canada will be there. Whether the Bloc likes it or not, we will always be there for our seniors.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, last week the public safety minister said there was a “process in place” to deal with cases of compassion for family members who do not fit the Liberal definition of being “necessary” for entry to Canada. John McCall's adult children are Canadians by birthright. They never had problems travelling back and forth before, but the minister rejected their request to visit their dying Canadian mother. She died a week before the paperwork was done for them to come to Canada. So many other Canadians face the same heartbreaking barriers.

Why is there one system for connected elites and one for everyone else?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, we have taken the decisions that are necessary to protect the health and safety of Canadians and everyone in Canada at the border. We know it has been difficult and we have to make sure that we get the decisions at the border right, which is one of the reasons why we have introduced an immediate family exemption. Last week I announced that we were going to be accelerating and prioritizing the application of family sponsorships.

We will continue to work with all members of the House to reunite as many families as possible.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

However, Mr. Speaker, the problem is there seems to be two processes: hundreds of special passes for famous athletes and billionaires, for example, while everyday Canadians are kept from work or are separated from loved ones. On September 16, the public safety minister said a new compassionate process was imminent and on September 24, he just said the current system is in place. On September 26, the Liberal MP for Beaches—East York told families to be ready to apply in a new process this week. It seems Liberal insiders have the details long before suffering families know.

When will the minister actually make the changes public and why have the Liberals set up a cold-hearted system of such obvious double standards for the past six months?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have a system that is ensuring that we are exercising compassion as much as possible, we have introduced an immediate family member's exemption, and we are accelerating and prioritizing family sponsorship applications. At the same time, we have to balance those needs against the health and safety of all Canadians, while dealing with the pandemic. I would just underscore that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. We will continue to work with her and all members of this House to strike that balance and get it right.

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian Sarah Campbell has been battling thyroid cancer for months and needs her U.K. fiancé by her side, but they have been separated due to the border closures. Sarah has written 123 letters to Liberal cabinet ministers asking for a compassionate exemption. When she finally received a response, it was nothing but a cold-hearted, useless letter from the department. The minister did not even have the decency to sign it himself. There are thousands of Canadians just like Sarah who are being completely ignored by the Liberal government and they deserve answers.

Will families be reunited in October, yes or no?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

First, Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by congratulating my hon. colleague on her appointment as my critic. I look forward to building on the very constructive conversation that we had soon after she was appointed.

With regard to the case involving Ms. Campbell, of course we are sympathetic. We know that there are some families who have not yet been able to reunite, but that is because we are taking decisions at the border to protect the health and safety of Canadians throughout this pandemic, which is our paramount concern.

Veterans Affairs

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today the PBO reported that even with the 300 new hires in June, over 40,000 veterans will continue to be left on the wait-list over the next two and a half years. An NDP motion in this House, supported unanimously in 2018, required that the government reinvest every penny back into the veterans department. That did not happen. The Liberals shortchanged veterans of $100 million last year alone. Today's report shows that if the Liberals had spent that money on veterans, that backlog would be addressed in one year. The Conservatives started the cuts with their government and the current government is continuing the trend.

When will the Canadian government stand up for Canadian veterans?

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we know that too many veterans are waiting much too long for decisions on their applications, which is an issue we want to improve on. That is why the backlog is of top priority for this government. The report shows that new hires from our recent investment of $200 million will have a significant impact on the backlog, but it does not take into account the many steps we have taken to improve the process and its efficiency. We are confident in our report and I want to thank the PBO and his team for their work so far.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberal government rushed to fund its friends at WE Charity, it did so with almost a billion dollars that was promised to help students. When it got caught, the help disappeared, but the concerns of students as to how they would afford their tuition fees, rent, food and bills did not. Just because the Liberals want the WE scandal to be forgotten does not mean young Canadians who have been hit hard by this pandemic can be. When will the government put that $912 million it promised toward student assistance?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit every segment of society and has disproportionately impacted certain segments. That is why young people, students and youth will always have a full voice at the cabinet table. When we came out with our plan, we put forward a $9-billion plan to ensure that we were meeting the needs of students. The first thing we did was stop the interest on and repayment of Canada student loans. To ensure there was a monthly stipend, we brought forward the Canada emergency student benefit, and the list goes on. We will continue working on behalf of students and youth. That is what we are here to do. We will have the backs of Canadians and it is important that we all work together to get this done.

Foreign Affairs

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Since the August 9 fraudulent Belarusian election, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians have demonstrated peacefully to call on the incumbent President Lukashenko to step down and for new free and fair elections to be held. To remain in power, Lukashenko has used Vladimir Putin's support, violence and mass arrests against opposition leaders, demonstrators and the media. Canada and other governments have refused to accept the election results and have condemned the crackdowns. What steps will Canada take to ensure the democratic will and human rights of the Belarusian people are upheld?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada has made it clear that we do not accept the results of the fraudulent presidential election in Belarus. We continue to call for new elections that are free and fair. I have been speaking regularly with the opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, including just last week, after we announced $600,000 toward projects to support civil society and democracy, with a focus on women and independent media. We will always stand by the Belarus people.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Chris d'Entremont, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the Nova Scotia fisheries crisis is entering its third week and no agreement seems to be possible in the short term. The Minister of Fisheries and the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations had discussions with the Mi'kmaq chiefs, but are leaving the commercial fishermen in the dark. Conflict resolution requires honest and transparent communications with both sides in a dispute.

When will the Minister of Fisheries do her job, show some leadership and respect, and open a true dialogue with all parties for a lasting solution?