Debates of Feb. 1st, 2021

Health

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government House leader is claiming that the government has responded to the Bloc's demands, but that is false. The Bloc called for a ban on all non-essential flights that are still available, since people can still head south with U.S. airlines.

This is not rocket science. The government needs to ban all non-essential flights. It needs to force airlines to refund customers who cancel their trips. It also needs protect airline jobs in exchange for an appropriate assistance program. Quebeckers are sick of half measures.

When is the government going to take action and fix the problem?

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

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers are even more fed up with all this whining, to put it bluntly, coming from the Bloc Québécois.

The government did not respond to the demands of the Bloc; the government makes its own decisions. It is very kind of them, but we do not need the Bloc to make decisions.

We based our decisions on science, logic and common sense. We introduced measures that are among the most effective in the world, both for departures, since airlines have cancelled all such flights, and for arrivals. This will discourage people from travelling, because in order to return, they will have to undergo a battery of tests, pay $2,000 per person, spend three days in a hotel, and continue to isolate after that. These are strict measures.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr Speaker, the Conservatives have supported, from the start, emergency funding to help the pandemic unemployed to buy groceries, pay rent and mortgages. Yesterday, a 21-year-old Kingston student boasted in the New York Times that he made $9,000 by making a highly speculative investment of his CERB dollars in a stock market play.

Given that emergency support will be necessary for many more months because of the Liberal vaccine shortfall, how can the government explain easy cash for a stock market play, even as thousands of other Canadians are still denied funds to survive?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, when Canadians needed support the most, the CERB was there to help over nine million people pay their bills and support their families. It was there to support workers who were unable to work because of COVID. If an applicant was over 15 years old and met all the other criteria, yes, they were able to receive the benefit. We made every effort to support as many Canadian workers as possible, including young Canadians. Many young people work to help support their families, while other live independently and have bills to pay. We are not going to apologize for helping young people.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, many deserving Canadian companies are still denied emergency support, like a Thornhill firm, Fleets Coffee, which launched a new business just before the lockdown. A large facility was leased, five mobile coffee shops were acquired, commercial agreements were signed and staff were hired. However, because it had no revenue in the previous year, Fleets Coffee has been denied access to the wage subsidy, rent subsidy and credit availability programs.

Do the Liberals see the inequity in the denials of these flawed programs?

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

Mr. Speaker, when we created the emergency relief programs for businesses, it was very important for us to bridge as many businesses as possible through the pandemic. We also knew we needed to balance that urgent need for support with the creation of programs that have real integrity. Finding that balance can be a challenge, but I am very aware of the challenges that new businesses face. This is something we are looking at closely.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I just want to take a moment to mention something to everyone who is joining us virtually. If the arm on the headset is exactly in front of your mouth, there is a popping sound. It does not bother many people in the chamber, but it is very hard on the interpreters' ears. If members could put the headset a little below or above their mouths, we will not get that popping sound. It would save the ears of our interpreters. We certainly do not want to injure them.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is saying that Canadians who lose their jobs because of COVID-19 should apply for EI if they are not eligible for the Canada recovery benefit.

This is like Asterix looking for permit A38 in “the place that sends you mad”. If someone applies for EI and does not qualify, they are automatically rejected when they apply for the Canada recovery benefit because they have applied for EI.

Can the Minister of Employment and the Minister of National Revenue get on the same page so that Canadians who qualify for assistance can actually receive it?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, we know that this continues to be a difficult time for many, which is why we transitioned to a simplified EI program and created three new recovery benefits. Service Canada and the CRA work together to share data on Canadians who apply to ensure that one method is paid to someone at any given time. In some instances, yes, this integrity measure can cause a delay. However, we understand that any delay in receiving benefits can be hard for people, so we are continuing to work on this to ensure that Canadians get the benefits they are entitled to in a timely manner.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been asking the government to act on travel, especially with new strains of the virus threatening efforts to bring the pandemic under control, but while the government stalled, thousands of international flights landed in Canada. With the latest announcement, we again see the government saying the right things but introducing half measures that will not keep Canada safe.

Why are flights from known hot spots for new strains not being suspended? Why are even popular sun destinations like Florida missing from the list? When will the government get serious about travel?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised that my colleague is calling some of the strictest rules in the world “half measures”.

Let me remind my colleague that as of March of last year, we have asked all Canadians to cancel non-essential flights. We banned foreigners, we implemented a 14-day quarantine, and earlier this year we added a pre-boarding test that is necessary prior to anybody arriving in Canada. Last week, we announced further layers to restrict discretionary travel.

These are important measures that are protecting the health and safety of Canadians.

The Environment

[Tony Van Bynen, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, to guarantee a better and healthier Canada for future generations, we must start taking action to protect our environment now. Our government has recently announced an ambitious climate plan to do exactly that.

Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on the government's plan to plant two billion trees over the next 10 years?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, in December we launched our plan to plant two billion trees. The first of these trees are going to be planted this spring. Our plan increases annual tree planting in Canada by 40%. It permanently increases forest cover by an area twice the size of P.E.I. We are working with provinces and territories, indigenous communities, NGOs and municipalities to get this right.

Trees matter. They clean our air and water, lower our energy costs and improve our biodiversity. Generations of Canadians for decades to come will recognize the importance of this measure.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 11 months into the pandemic we continue to find gaps in federal supports for small businesses. For example, to be eligible for the Canada emergency wage subsidy, a business must have had a payroll account on March 15, 2020, and there are very limited exceptions to this rule. Similar rules are in place for the Canada emergency rent subsidy.

The existing law is detrimental to new businesses that started their operations during the pandemic but are struggling with the same restrictions and revenue losses. Why has the Liberal government not fixed the wage subsidy for start-ups, and will the minister commit to doing so at the earliest opportunity?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business]

Mr. Speaker, every day when I speak to entrepreneurs, I am told again and again how important our wage subsidy is. It is a veritable lifeline for businesses from coast to coast to coast.

Just recently, we launched a new program, the highly affected businesses program, which is going to support our hospitality industry and our tourism industry. I would like to emphasize how important it is to get the message out to our entrepreneurs across Canada to ensure that they are aware of this new program.

We will continue to work on new programs for new businesses and start-ups, and I would be happy to work with my colleague opposite in order to get his ideas and thoughts.

Government Appointments

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, over the last four years, more than 16,000 Canadians have died from opioid overdoses. During that time, Dominic Barton, the Liberals' hand-picked ambassador to China, was turbocharging OxyContin sales, even providing rebates for drug overdoses. Dominic Barton was a managing partner with McKinsey, which is accused of shady deals with China, destroying evidence and stoking the opioid crisis.

Before naming him to key positions in the Liberal government, did the Prime Minister know of Mr. Barton's role in the opioid crisis?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I will not comment on that question, but I will say that Dominic Barton is an extraordinary ambassador for Canada, given his vast experience with China. Canada can be assured that we are well served by his very hard work in Beijing on behalf of all of Canada.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals cannot avoid this question.

McKinsey, the company that Mr. Barton worked for, is in the process of settling lawsuits over advice it gave to drug companies to aggressively bolster OxyContin sales. In fact, the OxyContin manufacturer has pleaded guilty to criminal charges, including bribing doctors, deliberately contributing to the opioid epidemic.

Again, was the Prime Minister informed of the role that Dominic Barton played in turbocharging the opioid epidemic?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Again, Mr. Speaker, I will say exactly the same thing: I will not comment on those allegations from my colleague, but I will say that Ambassador Barton is doing an extraordinary job on behalf of Canada in Beijing to help build our relationship with an important country, China.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister took office, he told us that deficit financing would boost growth, but in three of the four years that followed, per capita GDP growth has been zero, and that was before COVID. In fact, the last five years of per capita GDP growth have been the worst since the Great Depression.

The government went ahead and asked for $700 billion more of borrowing authorizations, and since then, the IMF has downgraded growth projections for Canada by a third, below the U.S., the eurozone and the average of the advanced economies. When will the government realize that it cannot put economic growth on the national credit card?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for the question because it gives me the opportunity to congratulate Canadian businesses on their resilience.

Our GDP increased 0.3% in December, nearly twice as much as the consensus forecast, and our fourth-quarter GDP increased 1.9%. That is an annualized rate of 7.8% and nearly twice as much as the Bank of Canada's forecast.

COVID is tough for our economy and our businesses, but they are doing a terrific job.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to dragging down growth, government borrowing risks driving up inflation.

According to CIBC economist Avery Shenfeld, additional government spending is being offset by the earlier need to hike interest rates to contain inflation.

Higher interest rates would be a disaster for the households, businesses and governments whose combined debts are almost four times the size of our entire economy. Higher interest rates could collapse our economy.

Why is the government risking our economic future on credit card debts instead of securing it with paycheques?

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

Mr. Speaker, the truth is that our government's policies are working. They are supporting Canadians and Canadian businesses in a very difficult time.

Let me quote David Parkinson in The Globe and Mail:

Examining the economic data of 2020, there’s no question that the federal government’s emergency income-replacement programs were a critical lifeline for Canada during the pandemic. We would have plunged into a much deeper economic hole without them....

That is true, and we are going to continue supporting Canadians and Canadian—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.

Foreign Affairs

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, earlier, the government leader told us that he did not need the Bloc Québécois. Last week, all of the parties joined the leader of the Bloc Québécois in calling for the government to grant citizenship to Raif Badawi. All of the parties, including the Liberals, asked the Minister of Immigration to use his discretionary power to make the political prisoner a citizen. That would make it easier for him to access consular services and for Canada to take steps to free him.

Will the immigration minister consider the unanimous request of the House and make Raif Badawi a Canadian citizen?