Debates of Feb. 22nd, 2021

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

I have a quick question here for you. More than 30 years ago, the Conservatives—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Remember that the question is not put to me, but through me.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

I apologize, Madam Speaker. My question is for the member.

It was observed 30 years or so ago that Liberals defined compassion as how many people the government could help. The Conservatives define compassion as how many people the government does not have to help.

Would the member say that this debate is really framed in those terms? The Conservatives keep talking about how we reduce the unemployment rate and the the Liberals keep talking about how much money they are going to spend?

[Kenny Chiu, Conservative, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Madam Speaker, absolutely. This is where the difference in philosophy between the two parties could not be more clear. We want Canadians to—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

We will have to leave it at that.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Peace River—Westlock.

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise to speak to Bill C-14. This is a baby budget or the fiscal update. It is not a full budget. We are in unprecedented times in that the country has been without a budget for almost 1,000 days, maybe more now.

The government will tell us that we are in unprecedented times, given COVID, and that is true. Nonetheless, during the Second World War, we still managed to have budgets and we still managed to have this place operate, holding the government to account, to give a reference for where all the money was being spent.

Bill C-14 would raise the debt ceiling. We are now a country with over a trillion dollars of debt, and the government is running out of room to take on more debt. The government has to come to Parliament and ask it to authorize a larger debt.

It is very interesting that there is no projection about where the debt is going. We are over a trillion dollars already. It is anticipated that the deficit will continue, that we are spending way more money than we are taking in as a country. It is anticipated that over the next number of years that deficit will continue.

What is fascinating about the request to raise the debt ceiling is that even given the exorbitantly high, unprecedented debt that we are taking on today, and the deficit that we have this year, and last year, given the trends, one would expect that once we get used to living with COVID and we get our economy opened up again that this deficit would start to go down over time. Three to five years out, we would expect that we would be reducing our deficit, not our debt, but our deficit. The debt cap that the Liberals are asking for is several hundreds of billions of dollars more than what is projected out, say, five years, and that is interesting.

Why do the Liberals need a slush fund? Why are the Liberals asking for much more room in the debt ceiling than they need? That is the big question I have with Bill C-14.

The Liberals always say that they are taking care of Canadians by spending all this money. That is true; they are spending a lot of money. However, the question is this. Are we getting a Rolls Royce for all that money or are we getting a K-car? If they are spending a lot of money and getting nothing in return, then they are wasting money. If they are spending a lot of money but getting more value than that money being spent, good on them. That is what we want to see.

The trouble is that we have spent billions and billions of dollars and we have seen no economy reopening. No vaccines are showing up. Thousands of business across the country are going bankrupt. There is no end in sight.

We are seeing the largest debt and deficit in Canadian history, unprecedented debt levels, yet there is no end in sight as to when the COVID pandemic will come to an end.

I read in the newspaper this morning that the United States was vaccinating, per day, more people than Canada had vaccinated in its entirety.

We might hear people saying that they are doing their best. However, we do not even have a budget to compare that to. We do not have a projection. When people buy a new car, they look at the market, they look at what they need in a car, the options they want, the colour they want. Then they look at their bank account to see if they have enough money for that car or they have a little more money to get that screen in the car.

If they then find out that the car they want, say a nice Dodge Challenger, is $87,000 but then they go into the marketplace and find one for $65,000, which is a lot of money for a car, it is still $20,000 less than what they thought they would spend. Therefore, it is a good deal. However, if they spend $100,000 on their new Dodge Challenger and it turns out the car is in writeoff status and cannot be insured, then they have a problem. They have spent more money than they needed to and have a car that does not work.

When it comes to the vaccines, Canada is at the back of the line. Not only are we at the back of the line, we spent all this money, unprecedented levels of debt, and we are not even in the line. We are at the food bank. We spent the money and did not get anything.

I am not sure if members know this, but essentially all manufacturers of the vaccines take a percentage of the vaccines they produce and put it with a not-for-profit organization to help out the rest of the world that is unable to afford these vaccines, much the same way a food bank works. Folks who can will donate food to the food banks and those who cannot purchase food can go to that food bank. This way everybody gets food.

We are at a point in time where we have spent all our money, have received nothing and are now raiding the food bank, not because we do not have enough money but we have spent our money foolishly. Now we have to go to the food bank of vaccines to get vaccines.

Last, on vaccines, the government brags endlessly about the suite of vaccines it has bought. That is like telling everybody how many fire departments we have contracted to come fight a fire in our house. We tell our wives not to worry because we have contracted 75 fire departments, which will take fours hours to show up, when, in reality, only one fire department five minutes away would be helpful. By the time those fire departments show up the house will have burned down.

This is what we are talking about with this suite of vaccines about which the government keeps bragging. It is amazing how we have the largest suite, the largest portfolio of vaccines of any country in the world, which is really great. However, if they cannot be delivered in a timely manner, what is the point? When one's house in on fire, one needs the fire department there a minute ago, not four hours from now. It does not matter how many fire departments have been contracted to come to the rescue, if they are four hours away, the house has burned down before they show up.

We spent a lot of money and the government is asking us to raise the debt ceiling with no real rationale as to why it has to be as high as it is. I could see it if it were to match general projections, but why is it significantly higher than it needs to be? We have seen how we have raided the vaccine food bank when we are a wealthy country and have spent unprecedented amounts of money. We may have a Rolls Royce for all the money we spent, but it is a 1991, not a 2021. While 1991 may be the best year, I was looking for the 2021 edition of the Rolls Royce, not a K-car, not the 1991.

Last, there is no doubt that a large suite of vaccines is great, but a timely delivery of those vaccines is as important as how many vaccines we have and, in some cases, maybe more important.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Speaker, the member talked about this bill being a “baby budget”, and he is absolutely right. This is what we could consider this bill to be. However, is he aware that a regular full-scale budget requires five days of debate in the House? Meanwhile, we are the on the seventh day of debate on this baby budget. I wonder if that has to do with the fact that the Conservatives will talk about everything, including cars from 1991, to hold the House up from passing the bill.

However, I will put that aside and address the member's argument about the return on investment. I do not blame him. The return on investment in society can only, from Conservative eyes, be measured through economics. He did not mention that, yes, we might have a high unemployment rate in the G7, but we also have among the lowest death rate per capita in the G7. Does he not think that investing in Canadians should also result in other changes than just pure economic changes in our economy, such as a lower death rate?

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Madam Chair, I said nothing about return on investment. In fact, I was looking for value for money.

After one purchases a car and then drives it for a long time, there is zero return on that investment other than having had a car. I was saying that we have to line up what our expectations are and see if we are meeting those expectations.

At this point, the fact is that we do not have a budget, we do not have a template and we do not have a plan against which we can measure to see if we are spending money in a valuable manner.

Diversity and Inclusion

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Madam Speaker, every casual hockey fan knows Willie O’Ree became the first Black player in the National Hockey League when he played for the Boston Bruins in 1958, but how many can name the second Black player in the NHL? Mike Marson was just 19 years old when he graduated from the Sudbury Wolves to the NHL in 1974.

Marson was the first Black player to be drafted into and play regularly in the NHL. Marson ended up playing six years for the Washington Capitals and Los Angeles Kings.

Black History Month is a time for us to recognize the impact that Black players have had on the sport. Mike Marson helped pave the way for many players of colour.

Marson retired at the age of 25, still in his prime but tired of fighting, and returned to Ontario to work.

As we reflect on and celebrate Black History Month, I hope we can give thanks for the men and women who opened the door to inclusion and diversity in Canada’s institutions. We all know the stories of Jackie Robinson and Willie O’Ree, but the men and women who came after them still had mountains to climb, and often still do. That is why hockey and Canada are stronger when all we support diversity.

Achievements in Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Madam Speaker, Bollywood is a big deal for film production in India and internationally. Maple Ridge’s Dr. Biju Mathew’s book on Anand Kumar and the Super 30 is the inspiration behind a blockbuster Bollywood film starring Hrithik Roshan. The film dramatizes how Anand pours out his life to give underprivileged children in the slums the opportunity to overcome all obstacles to attend India’s top institutions.

Dr. Mathew is also the founding president of the Ridge Meadows South Asian Cultural Society, or RMSACS. RMSACS organizes galas that showcase outstanding contributions by South Asian immigrants to Canada. Dr. Mathew was also a catalyst in expanding psychiatric services at Ridge Meadows Hospital to 22 beds. Many thanks also go to Ron Antalek for his $1-million contribution.

In addition, Dr. Mathew has helped establish our local Youth Wellness Centre, or the Foundry. This has been key to helping youth who struggle with mental health and addictions challenges.

I thank Biju for all that he has done and continues to do.

M1 Composites Technology Inc.

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Madam Speaker, this week I would like to talk about a company in my riding of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin called M1 Composites Technology Inc. This company, which is based in Sainte-Rose, recently achieved MACH 5, the highest level of the MACH initiative. The MACH initiative is a methodological scale that was developed to improve suppliers' mastery of key business processes, in order to achieve excellence in leadership, operational excellence, and excellence in workforce planning and development. M1 Composites Technology Inc. is the second company to have achieved MACH 5, but the first independent Canadian small business to do so. Reaching this level has real—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Order. The hon. member for Berthier—Maskinongé.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Madam Speaker, here is some good news. For the first time in decades, Quebec saw an increase in its number of farms last year. Human-scale farming is what is popular among many new farmers. As the Union des producteurs agricoles or UPA explained, “Family farming, local agriculture and food processing on the farm are all factors that explain the increase that we saw last year.” At a time when food self-sufficiency is on everyone's lips, I am proud to see that Quebec agriculture is ready to take on the greatest challenges.

However, just sharing good news is not enough and so I would urge the government to keep its promise and provide farmers and processors with the compensation they were promised to make up for the losses incurred under all the trade agreements, including CUSMA. All of the parties should also do as UPA is asking and support Bill C-216 so that the Canadian government can no longer chip away at supply management. They should join the Bloc Québécois in showing that they are proud of our farmers.

Official Languages

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House to recognize the importance of supporting official language minority communities.

During our first term, we increased funding for the action plan, whose envelope had been frozen for 10 years. We reinstated the court challenges program and appointed bilingual judges, which is something the Conservative Party leader failed to mention in his letter last week.

In 2019, we promised to enumerate rights holders in order to better serve linguistic minorities. Promise made, promise kept. On Friday, the minister tabled her white paper, a vision for Official Languages Act reform that includes plans to enshrine the appointment of bilingual judges in the act, entrust coordination of the act to a central government body and strengthen the commissioner's power.

Our caucus, our minister and our Prime Minister are not only listening to the community but also keeping their promises on official languages.

Heart Month

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, February is Heart Month. Earlier this month we celebrated Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week. There is no known cause or cure for congenital heart disease or congenital heart defects. This condition exists from birth and can change the way blood flows through the heart. CHD can lead to irregular heartbeats, strokes and even heart failure. One baby in 100 is born with some form of congenital heart disease, and it impacts the lives of nearly 260,000 Canadians today. It is the number one birth defect in Canadians.

While most Canadians born with CHD lead long and successful lives, many must undergo surgeries or have lifelong cardiac care. I would like to thank my constituent, Allan Weatherall, on his work for the Canadian Congenital Heart Alliance. The alliance is dedicated to raising awareness of congenital heart defects while providing care support, mentoring and outreach programs to patients and families. This exemplary work should encourage constituents and colleagues alike to have a heart and recognize February as Heart Month.

Coldest Night of the Year Walk

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on food banks across Canada, but that did not stop them from keeping their doors open and working tirelessly to serve the most vulnerable of Canadians. Today I want to recognize Eden Food for Change, a remarkable food bank in my riding of Mississauga—Erin Mills that has been serving the needs of vulnerable residents for the past 30 years.

Over this weekend, Eden Food for Change hosted its annual Coldest Night of the Year walk against hunger and homelessness in a virtual and COVID-friendly manner. The goal of this event was to raise money for charities serving Canadians facing homelessness and hunger. This year, 188 walkers took part in this event, raising over $73,000.

I thank the incredible staff, volunteers and participants who made this initiative happen. They are saving lives each and every day.

Kaye McInnis

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I speak in the House today in memory of a Glace Bay icon, Kaye McInnis. Kaye passed away on February 1, leaving behind a legacy of strength, passion and resilience.

Kaye worked as a nurse at the Glace Bay General Hospital for over 35 years. As a nurse, Kaye went above and beyond to help her patients. She never, ever put herself first at any time, and helping others brought her great joy throughout her remarkable nursing career and beyond.

I have no doubt that Kaye will be remembered among many of the community of Glace Bay for her benevolent service as a dedicated nurse and community leader and for her countless charitable actions.

On behalf of Cape Breton—Canso constituents and members of the House, I wish to offer my sincere condolences to Kaye's family and her loved ones. She was an inspiration to all and will be deeply missed.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Kaysen and Harper are toddlers living in my riding and the neighbouring riding. Both suffer from spinal muscular atrophy, a rare disease that usually ends a life by age two. However, Novartis has created a miracle drug called Zolgensma. One shot stops the disease dead in its tracks. The problem is it is a brand new drug, it is $3 million per treatment, and the governments was not covering it.

Both families started fundraising. Ryan Reynolds, also known as Deadpool, even donated, but $3 million is a lot of money. An angel donor stepped in to donate the money for Harper, and then Novartis came in and said it would cover the cost for Harper as well. Harper's family took the money and passed it on to Kaysen's family so that he would be covered as well. Now, six months later, both toddlers are doing great.

I want to thank Ryan Reynolds, all the donors, Novartis and especially the angel donor who helped save their lives. I thank them all, and God bless everyone.

International Mother Language Day

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize International Mother Language Day, an annual observance led by the Bangladeshi diaspora in Canada and across the world, which is held on February 21. The day's goal is to promote respect for linguistic and cultural diversity, and it exists because of the fight for the respect of the Bengali language when Bangladesh formed one country with Pakistan.

International Mother Language Day has been recognized by UNESCO and has been enshrined by two United Nations General Assembly resolutions. No day is more important to persons of Bangladeshi origin or heritage, and I fully support its intended goal of promoting the preservation and protection of all languages.

Allow me to congratulate Montreal city councillor Marvin Rotrand and Souhel Miah, Toufiq Ezaz Akter and Dipak Dhar, whose organizations are active in my riding and champion this day. I invite all my colleagues to join me in celebrating alongside Bangladeshi Canadians across our country.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to mark Canada’s first National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Human trafficking is not something Canadians think of often, if at all, and when we do, we often think that this horrendous and dehumanizing crime is being committed elsewhere in the world. However, human trafficking happens right here in our own backyards. One in three victims of human trafficking are being trafficked by an intimate partner, and this crime is quickly becoming the most lucrative crime in Canada. This is why it is important for us to raise awareness, to let Canadians know that human trafficking does exist here in Canada, to recognize the signs of a person being trafficked and to report it to local law enforcement.

I encourage all members of this House and all Canadians to visit the government’s website to learn more about human trafficking and help put a stop to this disturbing and dehumanizing crime.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, instead of focusing on the pandemic and getting Canadians vaccinated, the Liberals decided to introduce Bill C-21 last week, once again hurting law-abiding gun owners.

Worse still, in the same week, they introduced a bill to reduce prison sentences for criminals who had illegal firearms in their possession. It is always the same with these Liberals: Honest citizens are penalized while rule breakers call the shots.

The government should be investing in gang units to give police the resources they need to put a stop to smuggling and get dangerous criminals off our streets. Instead, our hunters and sport shooters, like the members of the Club de tir le Faucon de Jonquière, and the airsoft and paintball community are being treated like criminals.

The Conservatives will always support reasonable, common-sense firearms policies to protect our families and keep guns away from dangerous criminals.

Everyday Heroes of Vancouver Kingsway

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is in times of crisis that we see the very best in Canadians. I rise today to pay tribute to the everyday heroes who are doing so much to support the people of Vancouver Kingsway. From the front-line health workers at Evergreen and Lu'ma community medical centres to the staff at Collingwood and Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood Houses; from the first responders at Fire Halls Nos. 13, 15 and 20 to the paramedics serving at Station 245; and from the teachers and support staff at every school in the riding to the hospital workers at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital, B.C. Children's Hospital and B.C. Women's Hospital and Health Centre, we are deeply grateful for the skill and sacrifice of those who serve, protect and nurture.

I especially want to thank all of the small businesses in my community. These are the enterprises that employ our neighbours and provide the goods and services we need to survive and prosper. I know many are hurting and I ask the government to remember them and provide help in the upcoming budget.

To all, their courage, commitment and generosity will never be forgotten.

EI Sickness Benefits

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

Mr. Speaker, one year ago the House adopted a motion calling on the government to increase the special EI sickness benefits from 15 to 50 weeks.

At present, people suffering from chronic diseases or workers with cancer who have paid EI premiums all their lives are falling through the cracks. Not only do they have to fight their illness, but they also wonder if they will be able to pay their bills at the end of the month. People who are ill often worry more about their financial situation than about taking care of themselves, and that is unacceptable.

The Bloc Québécois introduced a bill to fix this. We urge the government to immediately increase sickness benefits from 15 to 50 weeks.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are resilient. They have sacrificed so much over the past year. However, they need to know that their government is focused on securing their future. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has repeatedly let them down during this crisis. The government has been consistently slow to respond, and it prioritized ideology over Canadian families.

The Prime Minister and his government cannot keep asking families to stay disconnected and for seniors to isolate. They cannot keep sacrificing jobs, ignoring sectors of the economy and avoiding transparency.

The government needs to do better. It needs to get the vaccine rollout right to secure jobs and secure our future. If it cannot, then it needs to get out of the way, because every Canadian, regardless of their age, where they live or what sector of the economy they work in, needs a government that has their back.

Health Support for Children

[Lenore Zann, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, “one day at a time” is a life-saving mantra for millions, including the families of children living with a life-threatening illness. Our commitment to introducing the first rare disease strategy and national pharmacare will enable all Canadians to access vital medication.

As cancer remains the main cause of death by disease for Canadian children, our commitment of $30 million to childhood cancer research has been endorsed by children's hospitals, cancer organizations and over 150 families experiencing this devastating diagnosis. Today I would like to add my family's name to the list in honour of our own young warrior, Maia Zann-Roland, who is battling osteosarcoma with grit, grace and “giv'er”.

Budget 2021 is the first opportunity our government has to keep our commitment to sick kids. There is no time to waste. Just ask Maia. When one is 17 and living with cancer, every day is a gift.