House of Commons Hansard #6 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pandemic.
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we send $40 billion to the provinces every year for their health system. As soon as the pandemic hit, we sent more money to help them.
It took more than money to help Quebec with their long-term care centres. That required help from our military and the Canadian Red Cross and we were there for that. We will continue to be there in partnership to meet the needs of Quebeckers and people across the country. The federal government is there to help and always will be.
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, 81% of Quebeckers want the government to increase health transfers. That figure is 73% among Canadians. The Quebec National Assembly has unanimously demanded an increase, and that is 100% of its members. All provincial premiers want an increase in health transfers. In other words, everyone in Canada and Quebec wants money for health care to win the battle against COVID-19.
It is high time to make up for 25 years of health cuts by Liberal and Conservative governments alike. What could be more important than taking care of the sick?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, as I have said from the start, we will be there to support Canadians across the country.
I spoke with Premiers Legault and Ford the other evening. Working with the provinces and territories, we created the $19-billion safe restart agreement to safely restart the economy and support the capacity of our health care systems. This agreement is in addition to the $40 billion in annual health transfers that we send to the provinces and territories.
We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to help Canadians fight COVID-19 and maintain the integrity of our health care systems.
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Mr. Speaker, I commend the government for reimposing sanctions on Belarus, sanctions the previous Conservative government put in place in 2006, sanctions we have been seeking for some time, sanctions the government lifted in 2017. China is violating human rights and international treaties, like the Geneva convention, in its treatment of Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, the Uighurs and the people of Hong Kong.
Will the government now impose sanctions on those responsible in China and Hong Kong?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, first, with regard to Belarus, we will not be silent as the Government of Belarus continues to commit systematic human rights violations. That is why, in coordination with the U.K. and in support of the people of Belarus, we are imposing sanctions against the Government of Belarus' officials, including Alexander Lukashenko.
With regard to China, we continue to stand up for the interests and rights of Canadians. We continue to demand the safe return of the two Canadians arbitrarily detained by China for political purposes. We continue to raise the plight of the Uighurs. We continue to express concern over Hong Kong and the 300,000 Canadians there.
We will continue to work with the international community on standing up strongly.
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Mr. Speaker, that answer shows the government's complete incoherence on China.
In July, the foreign minister tells us he is looking at sanctions on Chinese officials. The next day, the government tells Reuters that is off the table. Two weeks ago, the foreign minister tells The Globe and Mail that he is abandoning free trade with China. The same day, Ambassador Barton says we should expand trade and do more in China.
When will the government get its story straight and get serious? When will it start defending Canadian interests and place sanctions on those responsible in China and Hong Kong?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, every step of the way, this government has stood up to defend Canadian interests, whether it was canola farmers, whether it was our beef and pork producers, whether it was standing up for the two Michaels who have been arbitrarily detained.
We will continue to work with the international community on issues around Hong Kong and issues around the Uighurs, and continue to express our deep concern with the direction that China is taking in its international diplomacy and international actions.
We need to stand united as a world. We will do exactly that.
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, this is a very difficult time for the economies of Quebec and Canada. Small businesses are struggling to find workers. Farmers are desperately looking for ways to save their crops, and dairy producers are still waiting for the compensation they were promised. What have the Liberals been doing? They have been meeting with Chinese agricultural investors behind closed doors to try and accommodate them. While the Liberals are helping Chinese investors, our farmers and small businesses are still waiting for the compensation they were promised.
Why?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we have been there all along for Quebeckers and Canadians, for small businesses, for vulnerable people and for families. We will continue to be there for them.
We were there for the 8.8 million Canadians who accessed the CERB. The wage subsidy supported 3.5 million jobs at more than 320,000 businesses and totalled more than $40 billion in support. We also implemented the Canada emergency student benefit. The Canada emergency business account provided nearly $30 billion in assistance. The Canada emergency commercial rent assistance program helped more than 120,000 small businesses.
We will continue to be there for Canadians.
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Mr. Speaker, dairy farmers are being left behind by the Liberals. Farmers continue to wait for the Liberals to deliver on compensation for losses from trade deals, while senior Liberals, including top advisers in the PMO, are busy bending over backwards for China-owned food processors operating in Canada. In fact, the former government official who opened the door to China-owned firms is now sitting on the board of one. It smells a bit sour to me.
When will the government stop catering to these well-connected insiders and start putting Canadian farm families first?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, even as we moved forward to sign historic trade deals around the world, such as with Europe, restoring and protecting NAFTA and moving forward with the CPTPP in Asia, we have compensated farmers for those first trade deals.
We will continue to move forward and support the incredibly hard-working agricultural producers across our country. We know how important it is that they continue to be supported, and we will be there as we have promised to be.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals announced their so-called national housing strategy, and they promised that soon after there would be a strategy to finally address the horrific housing conditions of indigenous communities across this country. Today, we are all wearing orange shirts to respect and honour the residential school survivors of our country, and here we stand in the House, where the Liberals make mistakes again and again, promises again and again, and nothing ever changes.
The member for Nunavut talked about houses and described them as mould boxes. Imagine, during these times or at any time, living in a mould box.
Housing is a basic human right. When is this government going to honour indigenous communities and grant them that?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, from the beginning we have demonstrated that we understand how important it is to work in partnership with indigenous communities and close the gaps that exist. We closed the gap on education funding. We have made serious investments in infrastructure. We have made serious investments in health and in ending boil water advisories.
Of course, there is much more to do, but it is, quite frankly, irresponsible of the NDP to suggest that nothing has been done over the past five years, because the partnership that has been established and the leadership shown by indigenous communities across this country on making things better are not to be ignored, even by the NDP.
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, today is Orange Shirt Day, and the Anishinaabek Educational Institute is selling T-shirts to raise money for the defence of the St. Anne's residential school survivors.
The Prime Minister does not need to sell T-shirts, because his government has spent millions of taxpayers' dollars trying to deny them justice. Government lawyers have suppressed evidence and have ignored court orders. They have used every possible legal tactic to deny justice and wear down the survivors, but the St. Anne's survivors are not being intimidated. It is time to do justice.
When will the Prime Minister end his government's legal vendetta against the St. Anne's survivors?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, over the past five years, we have come to agreements worth billions of dollars with indigenous communities, with victims of terrible moments in Canada's past, and we will continue to work to resolve the terrible events of the past, support people today and build a brighter future. That is the commitment we made and that is the commitment we are holding in partnership as we move forward on this path of reconciliation.
We have much more to do, and we will continue to do it in partnership, in respect, because that is what we remember today and that is what we celebrate every day we move forward in partnership.
Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON
Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of discussion lately about COVID-19 vaccines and when they might become available. All Canadians are waiting anxiously to find out when the first vaccines will be available for public use. We know that there are many risk factors associated with vaccines and that we need to ensure we are not providing a vaccine that has not been fully tested.
Can the Prime Minister please tell us what the government is doing to ensure that Canadians have access to a viable vaccine when it is ready?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Orléans for her tremendous hard work.
We have been talking to many companies to ensure that we can deliver vaccines to Canadians as quickly as possible. It is one of our central priorities. We have now secured access to a guaranteed minimum of 174 million doses and up to 282 million doses of other potential vaccines. Canada now has one of the very best portfolios for potential vaccines in the world to make sure that Canadians can be first in line as a vaccine is found.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, when Canadians were struggling to survive the COVID-19 crisis, the Prime Minister's priority was to send a cheque for half a billon dollars to a group that had paid his family half a million dollars. When we tried to look into this scandal, the Prime Minister redacted the documents. Hundreds of pages were blacked out. Now we are tyring to get our hands on those documents without the redactions.
Will the Prime Minister let Canadians see every word written in those documents, yes or no?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives remain focused on playing politics and looking for things that are just not there, we remain focused on the pandemic. We will continue to support families across the country. We will continue to support workers who have lost their jobs. We will continue to support small businesses. That is what we remain focused on as Canadians. The Conservatives can focus on whatever they like, but we will remain focused on the future and health of Canadians.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the only family he was seeking to deliver for was his own. They are the ones who received half a million dollars from this group. Then he turned around and personally intervened to give half a billion dollars to the group that paid his family off. As for getting the work of Canadians done, he is the one who shut this place down for six weeks to make sure nobody could get at the truth.
I have a simple yes-or-no question. There are hundreds of pages left out. Will the Prime Minister remove the ink and let Canadians read every single word, yes or no?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have enthusiasm for this one issue. They can certainly continue to talk about the WE Charity and spin conspiracy theories. We are going to stay focused on delivering for Canadians.
The member for Carleton talked about the fact that he does not believe in big government programs. We know that from the Conservatives. However, 8.8 million Canadians received the CERB and 3.5 million jobs have been saved by the wage subsidy. These are the things we have been focused on, and I was very pleased to see the Conservatives unanimously endorse our plan to move forward last night and continue to support Canadians through this pandemic.
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, in April, Canadians were shocked at the rampage that ended 22 lives in Nova Scotia. Two months ago, the public safety minister told victims' families their losses were worth only an internal review. After a week of outcry, he finally agreed to a public inquiry. Anne McLellan agreed to lead the review, but backed out of the public inquiry because she could not commit the time, proving the Liberals never intended to do a thorough job for victims' families, who are still asking, “how?” and “why?”. When will the Liberals announce a replacement, so the inquiry can start?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the tragedy in Nova Scotia affected not just families in Nova Scotia but those all across the country. When I spoke to the families of the victims, they expressed to me a need to find out exactly what happened. I assured them that all Canadians want to know. That is why we put together a review to be able to find those answers quickly and thoroughly.
The families expressed concern that they wanted a national public inquiry, so we agreed to move forward on that. We are ensuring that they have the tools to be able to find all the answers in terms of what happened, what lessons need to be learned from this and how we can move forward. I thank everyone involved for doing the right thing on this.
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Agreed, so the Prime Minister must answer my questions.
Mr. Speaker, it has been five months since people lost their loved ones. Two weeks ago, Nova Scotia's government said it has a replacement, but the public safety minister's office said the process is ongoing and the Prime Minister did not answer or give any details.
Harry Bond, whose parents were victims, said, “When we find something out it's through the media.... It's hurtful and you don't know what to believe.”
Families deserve answers. On what day will the role be filled, when will the terms of reference be set and when will the inquiry start?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I had the sad privilege of speaking to many of those family members, and I heard their anguish and I heard their desire for answers. That is why we set in motion measures that are going to find those answers in a way that gives them comfort.
We are working extremely hard on being able to move forward as quickly as possible, but the families also indicated that it needs to be done in the right way and we are ensuring that it will be done in the right way.