Debates of April 14th, 2021

Health

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, once again, 300,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine that the government promised Ontario last week have not been delivered. The Prime Minister said that from time to time deliveries have not come. He is also months behind the developed world. Mass vaccination clinics are closing in Ontario. Schools are closing in Ontario. The severity of the third wave in Canada lies at the feet of the current Prime Minister. When will he admit he has failed Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we see that whenever the Leader of the Opposition has a chance, he goes to disinformation and misleading Canadians. We are not months behind the developed world; on the contrary, we are now third in the G20 when it comes to delivering vaccines to Canadians.

We will continue to ensure that vaccines flow. We will continue to keep our partners in the provinces and territories apprised of delivery schedules, of delivery delays, like we do see, of a few days here and there, with Moderna. We will continue to deliver Pfizer on time, and all the other vaccines as quickly as we possibly can. When we get them, we send them to the provinces immediately.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, “This is the worst moment of the pandemic thus far,” are the words of the president of the University Health Network in Toronto.

The Prime Minister's big lift is the big letdown. It is months later than other countries. Other countries are reopening. We are going back into lockdown and it is going to be the worst because we are months behind, courtesy of the Prime Minister.

How does the Prime Minister expect Canadians and provinces to fight COVID-19 when he is months behind on getting us the vaccines?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Leader of the Opposition bringing up the challenges facing Ontario right now. I can assure him that we are working and reaching out to Ontario to help through this period of crisis it is going through. I have heard the calls from doctors in Ontario, health networks and concerned residents in highly challenged areas who are not getting the support they need. The federal government, as we always are, will be there to support the province as it delivers for vulnerable Canadians.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, CNN and several international media outlets have covered this government's inadequate vaccine rollout this week. The third wave Canadians are experiencing right now is the direct result of the months it has taken for Canada to secure vaccines.

Why will the Prime Minister not admit that his vaccine rollout is an embarrassment?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we promised to deliver six million vaccines by the end of March, and we delivered far more than that. Several weeks later, we have delivered nearly 12 million doses, and that number keeps going up. We are now third among developed countries, in the G20, in terms of Canadians who have received the vaccine.

We will continue to do more. We are working day and night to ensure the delivery of more doses even quicker, because I know that this is how we will get through this together.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we are experiencing the worst delays yet in getting the vaccine. Canadians are worried about their health. The Prime Minister is asking us to be patient, but the United States is starting to reopen and we are still in lockdown.

Was the Prime Minister's failure to act quickly the cause of this more serious third wave?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, no, we are all working together to fight this third wave, and I want to acknowledge the efforts of many of the provinces to deliver the vaccines quickly as soon as they arrive. We will continue to be there to help with the millions of doses that are arriving in the coming weeks. We will continue to be there to help Canadians get through this. We still have to stay the course for a bit with the restrictions because this third wave is very serious, and I encourage everyone to follow the advice of public health officials and get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Air Transportation

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

Mr. Speaker, to properly manage the challenges facing air transportation, the government may have to be pointed in the right direction. It clearly confused assistance for the industry with a sweet deal for Air Canada friends. The agreement does not guarantee service in Quebec's regional capitals and is funding the competition, benefiting a company with a terrible record.

Are we to understand that regional carriers will only get some of this money if they follow Air Canada's rules or is Air Canada being funded by the federal government to continue to bring down small regional airlines?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we know that it is very important to protect workers in the airline industry and, indeed, airlines and competition within Canada.

We will continue to ensure that remote regions are well served. We will ensure that clients of Air Canada, for example, and those of all other airlines receive refunds. We will also provide assistance for the aerospace industry.

We know how important it is to move forward and to prepare for a strong comeback after this pandemic. That is exactly what we are doing.

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

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about refunds. The deal is so skewed in Air Canada's favour that it looks like it was negotiated between Air Canada and Air Canada.

For instance, in order to get ticket refunds, customers have to fill out a written request. The federal government is letting Air Canada require this written request, even though the airline already has all the information needed to issue a refund. The ulterior motive can only be to prevent some people from submitting requests, thereby saving taxpayers money.

Has the Prime Minister been duped by Air Canada, or are they in cahoots?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have been there for travellers and airline workers from the beginning, and we will always be there for consumers, too.

We have received assurances that people will be refunded. We are also here to ensure that the airline continues to serve the regions and protect jobs.

This is good news for the Canadian airline industry, but it is especially good news for Canadians.

Health

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister said that his government has been working on a plan to vaccinate Canadians since last summer.

We now have a record number of COVID-19 cases and a growing number of people in ICUs. We are clearly in an urgent COVID-19 crisis, and the third wave is hitting hard.

Will the Prime Minister admit that his plan is not working and that he has to change it?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we know that some parts of the country are having major problems with COVID-19 cases.

Other regions are doing better. The federal government will keep working to support hard-hit regions like Ontario, with help from the armed forces and the Red Cross, which are lending a hand in long-term care homes, with rapid testing resources, and with our ongoing efforts to obtain more vaccines faster so we can get through this crisis.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we are in the middle of a third wave of COVID-19, which is hitting hard.

We recently learned that Scarborough hospital had to cancel 10,000 vaccination appointments in communities for people who are hard hit. These are the frontline workers, the often racialized, in communities where they cannot work from home. They have to go in to work.

These communities and these members now no longer have access to a vaccine, simply because there are not enough doses. The Liberal government has failed to secure enough doses. People are frustrated. Canadians are angry, and they want to know how the Prime Minister let things get so bad.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that things are getting very bad, particularly in Ontario. That is why we are continuing to be there to support the Ford government as it is working forward to try to vaccinate and support more people.

We know there are massive challenges. There is also an issue that we are continuing to work on, which is delivering more vaccines every single week to the provinces. We know that is the way we get through it. In the meantime, we will always be there to support provinces as they face the challenges this pandemic is bringing.

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada is making headlines around the globe, but for all the wrong reasons.

Canada's handling of the pandemic has been a failure. Even the popular American news network CNN has reported on it. The only one who does not seem to realize this is the Prime Minister himself, who went as far as to say that CNN should have stuck to the facts.

Does the Prime Minister still think CNN is spreading fake news?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have made progress in delivering vaccines. In all, 11.3 million doses have been distributed right across the country. Canada is now third in the G20 in terms of getting vaccines to our citizens.

We know that there is still a lot more work to do. That is why we are working hard every day to secure more doses even faster. In the meantime, we will continue to do whatever it takes to support the provinces and territories, to support small businesses, and to help families get through this difficult third wave.

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

Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister wants to talk about the facts, we will do just that.

Instead of working with the United States on a coordinated response to the pandemic, the Liberal government chose to co-operate with China. Canada has just surpassed the United States in case counts per million people. The provinces are shutting down for another extended period. The government has been in reactive mode from the outset.

Will the Prime Minister admit that his handling of the pandemic is a failure?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the so-called facts put forward by the member opposite are ridiculous.

From the start, we have been working with the United States to coordinate on the border and to have a harmonized approach to managing the pandemic. We will continue to work with our friends and allies. We recognize that this pandemic will not end anywhere until it ends everywhere. That is why we are also involved in international initiatives. We will always do whatever it takes to help Canadians get through this crisis.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if we live in the same reality, but the facts speak for themselves.

In all, 20% of Americans have received both doses of the vaccine, compared with 2% of Canadians. Media reports suggest large stocks of vaccines and a significant dependence on other countries. We were not prepared. Instead of taking action 13 months ago, the government was asleep at the switch while other countries were getting organized. We want to collaborate with the government, but can the Prime Minister admit that he failed when it comes to vaccination?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is quite the opposite.

Early last summer, we negotiated with potential vaccine manufacturers in order to have the most diversified portfolio of almost any other country, so we could secure more potential doses for Canadians than any other country in the world.

At the same time, we have been working with these companies to deliver more and more doses. We now rank third in the G20, with more than 20% of the population having received at least one dose. We will continue to deliver for Canadians, and we will continue to get through this pandemic together.

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, British magazine The Spectator wrote this about our Prime Minister: “The premier best known for ethics scandals and blackface pictures...claims that the U.K. is facing a 'very serious third wave'...despite figures showing that the U.K. has currently the lowest case rates in Europe.”

This is not the only misinformation the Prime Minister has spread. His government said border measures do more harm than good and that masks don't work.

With his track record, is the Prime Minister concerned that Canadians no longer trust the government with their health and safety?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, every step of the way we have worked with experts and scientists to ensure that these are first and foremost as we move through this pandemic. We have led the way on measures that have kept Canadians safe. We have been there to support provinces and territories as they have had to make difficult decisions on restrictions by supporting them with PPE and rapid tests, but also with measures that help small businesses, that help families, that help workers and that help us all get through this pandemic.

It is an extremely difficult time, but we are going to get through it together by continuing to work together.

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

Mr. Speaker, that misinformation is really tough. It was the Liberal health minister, under the Prime Minister, who said that people should not wear masks and who was photographed without a mask in an airport.

While other countries were planning a massive vaccination campaign, the Prime Minister spent last summer in a cloud of scandal after giving $900 million to an outfit that paid his mother for speaking gigs.

When asked this week if he could have done anything better, the Prime Minister said “no”. Why will he not show some contrition while Canadians get infected by the variants?