House of Commons Hansard #61 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was uighurs.
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, our government has invested and will continue to invest in vaccines manufactured in Canada and in domestic biomanufacturing.
In fact, Dr. Kobinger received a $1-million grant for his research through the federal government's novel coronavirus rapid research funding opportunity. We will always invest in promising solutions that are made right here in Canada and Quebec.
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Mr. Speaker, the NDP fought to bring in a federal paid sick leave program.
When the Liberal government introduced the program, it missed the mark. The plan is neither flexible nor accessible, the amount is not enough to support families and people are waiting too long to get the payment.
Will the Prime Minister commit to improving the paid sick leave program so it protects our workers and stops the spread of COVID-19?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, we introduced sickness benefits so that all workers, no matter where they live or work, do not have to choose between going to work sick or putting food on the table.
This is an important program. Part of our commitment in the safe restart agreement is to provide 10 days of paid sick leave. Under the agreement, the provinces established job-protected sick leave. I encourage all eligible Canadian workers who need this support to apply for it.
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats fought to bring in a paid sick leave program at the federal level, but when the Liberals introduced the program, it had a number of problems. It is not flexible enough. It is not accessible enough. The amount is not enough to support families, and we are finding that the delays in receiving the payment are just too lengthy.
There is an opportunity here. Experts all agree that paid sick leave is one of the best tools to stop the spread of COVID-19. Will the Prime Minister commit today to improving paid sick leave so that it protects workers and helps us stop the spread of COVID-19?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that paid sick leave is absolutely essential. It is essential any time, and it is particularly important during this global pandemic, which is why our government was very pleased to put in place, as part of the safe restart agreement with the provinces and territories, 10 days of paid sick leave provided by the federal government. That sick leave is there, and I encourage all Canadian workers who need it to use it.
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, Uighurs in China are subject to the single largest mass surveillance program in human history, and Huawei equipment is helping in their oppression. Security experts around the world have been raising major concerns about Huawei, but despite this, the Minister of Industry has decided to sign-off on a $5 million deal with Huawei anyway. He even bragged about it on Twitter.
How in the world could this government think it is wise in any way to hand over taxpayers' dollars to Huawei?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, as members know and Canadians who are watching know, our government will continue to ensure that Canadian networks are kept safe and secure. While we cannot comment on any specific companies, an examination of 5G technologies and a review of security and economic considerations is ongoing.
National security is paramount when we assess the next steps. We carefully assess these matters with allies and partners around the world, and we will make the best decision in the interest of Canadians for generations to come.
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, it looks like the minister is okay with turning the same blind eye to this genocide as his boss is. The genocide in China has been called the largest mass detention of human beings since the Holocaust, and Huawei appears to be right in the middle of it.
When are these Liberals going to show some courage and get serious about Huawei or at least cut them off from getting taxpayers' dollars?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, I have enormous respect for my colleague, but I would take exception to the premise of her question. She well knows, because she is a very experienced member of the House, that the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council is responsible for the administration of the Alliance grants she was referring to. Grants are awarded through an independent process and managed at arm's length from government.
Further, she would know that last September we published a policy statement on research security, which included instructing the federal granting councils to review their security policies so that Canadian researchers can appropriately protect their work. That is an issue we take very seriously and we will continue to protect the interests of Canadians.
Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB
Mr. Speaker, a troubling report revealed that Canada’s visa application centre in Beijing is operated by a subcontractor owned by Chinese police forces. Canadians are concerned that sensitive and confidential information will fall into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, one that is committing Uighur genocide and detaining the two Michaels. This brings into question the integrity of our visa application process.
I am baffled. Why does the government think it is acceptable for a company with ties to the Chinese government to be running our visa office?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, we take the privacy and security of all applicants very seriously and ensure that we meet high standards when it comes to transparency and privacy. Protection of personal information is a primary consideration when choosing any service provider such as a visa application centre. Our officials closely monitor that these processes are followed and that Canada's stringent privacy standards are being met. We will always ensure that the privacy of all applicants remains protected.
Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious to Canadians that a company with ties to the Chinese government should not be operating our visa application centre. Last night at committee, a former Hong Kong legislator, Nathan Law, who has experienced first-hand the brutality of the Chinese regime, and former Canadian diplomat to China, Charles Burton, called for an end to the contract.
Given the contract's troubling connections to the Chinese government, will the minister end the contract, yes or no?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I will reiterate that we take the protection of Canadians' privacy very seriously. Information is always handled according to Canada's privacy laws and the data is stored in Canada temporarily and then deleted. Our officials closely monitor that these processes are followed, that Canada's stringent privacy standards are—
Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, the interpreter cannot understand the minister. She is asking her to turn her microphone down.
Marco Mendicino Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Speaker, I will reiterate that we take the protection of Canadians' privacy very seriously. Information is always handled according to Canada's privacy laws and the data is stored in Canada temporarily and then deleted. Our officials closely monitor that these processes are followed. We will always ensure that the privacy of Canadians remains protected.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, members of the cabinet are persistently denying the Uighur genocide in spite of overwhelming evidence. Their proposed way of unearthing the evidence which they say they require would be for the Government of China to offer unfettered access to the scene of this genocide. Short of a proposed guided tour of the concentration camps, what evidence would they consider sufficient to recognize genocide?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, we have been very, very clear from the beginning that we are very seriously concerned about the allegations that have been brought forward with respect to the treatment of Uighurs. We have demanded that the Government of China allow unfettered access to a group of experts to examine the situation, but in parallel, we are also working with our international partners to pool our expertise to best understand all of the allegations, most of them extremely credible, that have been made against the Chinese in their treatment of the Uighurs.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, the evidence is just so clear and we continue to see breathtaking cowardice by the government and that minister. Yes, we understand that China is powerful, and so was Nazi Germany, but I am only here today because Canadians were willing to stand up to a genocidal power that threatened my grandmother's life. Will the minister finally put aside his nonsense talking points, think about his own legacy and his own humanity, and finally speak the truth about this issue?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I do not very much appreciate those very personal comments made against me as a person, but I will respond by saying that this government is very seized with the issue of the treatment of Uighurs and other minorities, and we are looking at this very carefully in concert with our international partners so that we get to the bottom of the very serious allegations that have been made against China with respect to the treatment of the Uighurs and other minorities. We will continue to do that with single-mindedness.
Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, in January 2020, the genetic sequence of the COVID-19 virus was made public so that scientists around the world could begin the race for a vaccine. The government did not take action to develop a vaccine domestically.
Two months later, on March 11, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic. The government stayed in neutral. The panel of experts that was supposed to advise the government on domestic vaccine production met for the first time on June 26.
It is unbelievable. While others had been racing for a vaccine for six months, the government was still in the starting blocks. Why?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. However, I want to set the record straight.
On March 11, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic, and 12 days later, the federal government announced $192 million to support Canada's biomanufacturing industry. On April 23, we announced an additional $600 million. Within about a month of the pandemic being declared, over $800 million had been allocated to support the domestic biomanufacturing industry.
We will continue to build a resilient biomanufacturing industry here in Canada.
Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, given the SARS experience in 2003, the government knew that we had to invest heavily in vaccine research and production capacity so as to not depend on other countries. That was the very first thing we needed to do at the onset of the pandemic.
Not only did the government not do that, but it took five months just to get experts together to consult. Because it was five months late, Canada had already lost the race for vaccines.
How could this government be so passive at such a critical time for public health?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
As I told him, the federal government made nearly $800 million available in under a month. I will be a little more specific, because I know he is going to be interested.
We have made historic investments. For example, we have invested $173 million in Medicago in Quebec City, $4 million in Glycovax Pharma in Montreal, $1.3 million in Biodextris in Laval, $4.6 million in JN Nova Pharma and $4.1 million in Laurent Pharmaceuticals.
We have invested close to $350 million in Quebec and will continue to invest to build a resilient biomanufacturing industry in Canada.
