Debates of Jan. 26th, 2021

Hardest Hit Businesses

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Drummond.

Drummond Association of Parents of Children with Disabilities

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on January 22, the Association des parents d'enfants handicapés de Drummond celebrated its 40th anniversary.

The association was established in 1981 by parents seeking services for their children with disabilities. Since then, it has grown with the support of very involved parents and volunteers. It has spearheaded various initiatives over the years. It was especially instrumental in improving the integration of special needs children at school and in all kinds of other settings where including them would have been virtually unthinkable not so long ago. Day after day, the association continues to improve the living conditions of these children and their families.

We must acknowledge the association's work with the parents of children with disabilities, who are often discouraged and lack resources. The association is always there to support them, listen to them and guide them. I would like to congratulate the Association des parents d'enfants handicapés de Drummond and its volunteers, and I would especially like to recognize Danny Lauzière, who has served as its director for the past 18 years.

Congratulations on 40 years of breaking down barriers and doing good.

International Trade

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday’s announcement by the Biden administration for a buy America plan will mean Canadian companies will be largely excluded from U.S. government contracts and projects.

This will be devastating for hard-working Canadians in manufacturing, production, aluminum and steel. I was talking with a manufacturing company in my riding of Kelowna—Lake Country this morning that is worried about being shut out through their U.S. distributor, which sells to the U.S. government.

The U.S. is our largest market. It is worth half a trillion dollars in yearly exports. When former President Obama put in buy America policies, the Conservative government quickly negotiated an agreement to allow Canadian companies to continue participating.

This will put our mutual economic recovery at risk. While the Liberals may be just fine with saying that they are concerned or disappointed with U.S. trade issues, Canada’s Conservatives are focused on securing jobs, securing the economy and securing our future.

The Prime Minister needs to get to work—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for London West.

London Agriculture and Agri-food

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, London may be known as the forest city, but with more than 7,000 people employed in agriculture and agri-food industries, we could call it the food city. The importance of this sector to my community cannot be overstated.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital role this sector plays in supporting the health and well-being of Canadians.

Last week, I was so proud to announce FedDev Ontario's $7.2 million investment in the Western Fair Association, which will help expand the work of the local agri-food business accelerator known as The Grove. Through this investment, 550 new jobs will be created and over 100 additional jobs will be maintained.

I am proud to represent London West.

Nova Scotia Chief Medical Officer

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Speaker, as we begin 2021, I would like to thank all those who work in public health across Nova Scotia and Canada for their heroic work over the past months.

I would especially like to thank Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's Chief Medical Officer of Health, whom I am lucky enough to have as a constituent. Thanks to Dr. Strang's incredible work, our province has not witnessed some of the acute rises in COVID cases that others have, and we are well prepared for the second wave.

Day in and day out, Dr. Strang has gone beyond the call of duty. Recently, Dr. Strang visited a tree lighting in Fall River, hosted by the local business association, to spread some Christmas cheer and share tips on how to have a COVID-friendly holiday season.

On behalf of the people of Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook and fellow Nova Scotians, I would like to thank Dr. Strang for the countless sacrifices he has made and the tireless work he has done to get us through this pandemic.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' failure to deliver vaccines is costing lives.

Recently, 127 residents at the Roberta Place long-term care home in Barrie tested positive for COVID, and by Sunday afternoon, 40 of them had died. Every day without a vaccine leads to the potential for more outbreaks.

The Liberals' delivery of zero vaccines this week is completely unacceptable.

What is the Prime Minister's answer to the people, especially health care workers and our beloved seniors, who will not get a vaccine this week because of his failure to secure them?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, there is an intense competition for vaccines in the world today.

In anticipation of this global race, Canada took precautions. We secured the world's most extensive vaccine portfolio from seven companies, with 10 doses for every Canadian. That is why Canada has already vaccinated more people per capita than our G7 peers of Germany, Japan and France, and more than our Five Eyes partners of Australia and New Zealand.

There is no more urgent issue for this government than getting Canadian vaccinated, and together we will get it done.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have also just learned that over 335,000 surgeries have been cancelled across the country over the last four months because of COVID. These were life-saving surgeries for things like cancer and heart disease or procedures to get people out of immense pain and suffering. The overall health costs to Canadians because of these cancellations could be catastrophic.

A vaccine is needed now, not “maybe”, “kind of”, “sort of” or “in nine months”. Again, why are Canadians getting zero vaccines this week?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, there is no more urgent issue for our government and for Canadians than getting vaccines. That is why over the past few days the Prime Minister has spoken with the CEOs of Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna.

Let me remind Canadians that 1.1 million vaccine doses are already here, six million doses will arrive in the first quarter, and every Canadian who wants to be vaccinated will be vaccinated by September.

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

Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing we know, it is that Liberals are going to keep misleading Canadians on vaccines. They are refusing to give clear answers on how they are going to fix the vaccine shortage.

The vaccine will save lives and bring hope, but we have none arriving in Canada, while vaccines go to other countries. People are dying, surgeries are being cancelled, and last night a Liberal MP said the Liberals are banking on vaccines that have not been approved yet. This is not a game; lives are at stake.

When can Canadians expect to be vaccinated?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian who wants a vaccine will get one by September, and we are offering very clear, precise details to Canadians in saying that 1.1 million vaccines have already arrived in our country and six million doses will arrive by the end of the first quarter.

There is a global race on to get vaccines, and Canada is urgently engaged in getting them for Canadians.

COVID‑19 Emergency Response

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Liberals unsuccessfully sought the unanimous consent of the House to pass a bill that would fix the mistakes in their rushed legislation that gave $1,000 to non-essential travellers for their quarantine. The House obviously decided it was best to study and debate the bill properly.

I would like to know why the government has not yet introduced the bill.

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, this program was never designed to encourage Canadians to violate clear public health advisories against international travel.

We are taking immediate action to address this issue so that international travellers cannot access this benefit upon their return. It is a shame that the opposition members blocked our attempt to close that loophole.

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is typical of this government. It asks us to push bills through quickly without letting us do our jobs. We often have to re-examine bills, when we could have just studied them properly to begin with.

It is a new year. Will the government resolve to do things properly and allow debate on this bill so that vacationers do not get $1,000?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, our government's position is crystal clear. No one should be travelling abroad right now. Our government's position on this loophole is just as clear. We want to close the loophole and we want to do that now.

It is a shame that the opposition members do not agree.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I once knew a Deputy Prime Minister who would never have misrepresented what the official opposition or the Bloc Québécois said about why this bill had to be debated.

Why does it have to be debated? Because it will be retroactive. It does not matter when it passes. What matters is the date as of which it applies retroactively. Quarantine and monitoring, flight bans and reimbursing people who cancel their trips are the government's responsibility.

Will the government step up?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, this program was never designed to encourage Canadians to violate clear public health advisories against international travel. I want to be very clear today: Nobody should be vacationing abroad right now.

We think everyone needs to step up together to close this loophole. We want to do it now, and we can do it now.

Health

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the program was not created to stop people from travelling, but the amendment to the program was introduced so that those who travel are not compensated. That seems clear to me. That is what the Deputy Prime Minister has to do with her boss.

I have another question.

In a clearly failed telephone call between the Prime Minister and the U.S. President, why did the Canadian Prime Minister not seek assurances that he could get Pfizer vaccines from Michigan?

We could practically bike there.

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the Bloc leader. We have worked well together on such things as the aluminum file, for example.

That is why I am deeply disappointed that the Bloc leader has twice made incorrect comments about my colleague, the Minister of Transport. I would like to give him the opportunity to publicly apologize in the House.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the COVID‑19 crisis continues in our long‑term care facilities. Our seniors need the vaccine. Without access to the vaccine, more of our seniors will die.

My question is simple: When will our seniors be vaccinated?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, there is an intense global competition for vaccines, as we have always known. That is why Canada secured the largest vaccine portfolio in the world, with vaccines from seven different suppliers and 10 doses for every Canadian. Canada has already vaccinated more people per capita than our G20 peers, including Germany, Japan and France, and our Five Eyes partners, including Australia and New Zealand. Vaccines are our government's priority.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, over 200 doctors are calling for urgent action in Ontario to address the crisis in long-term care exposed by COVID-19. They are calling for massive reforms, but in particular they are also calling for removing profit from long-term care.

Revera is one of the largest for-profit providers of long-term care. It is owned by a federal agency. Will the Prime Minister take the first step in removing profit from long-term care by removing profit from Revera by making it public, and saving lives?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, let me start by saying that I share the member opposite's concern and his anguish over people in long-term care facilities, and I think this is a concern shared by all Canadians. This is something we need to urgently address, and our government is doing just that, working in close collaboration with our provincial and territorial partners.

Let me also say that I think it is entirely appropriate for us as a country to examine very carefully the standards in long-term care, to set national standards and to examine what kind of care protects our seniors best.

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

Mr. Speaker, a majority of the vaccines the Liberals are banking on will be produced in Europe, but yesterday it was reported that the European Union is considering export bans to prioritize vaccines for its citizens. In spite of what the Prime Minister said this morning, it is not up to the companies to determine this. It is up to EU officials, and they are talking about a ban.

If the EU bans exports of vaccines, where will Canada get its supply from?