Debates of April 16th, 2021

Transportation

[Sameer Zuberi, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Madam Speaker, the REM station at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport has been under construction for some time. Could the Minister of Transport update the House on this project and explain how this is an essential investment that will benefit the entire Montreal area?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

Our government is pleased to announce an agreement with our partners to build the REM station at the Montréal-Trudeau International Airport. This project will benefit Montreal and follows our commitment from the fall economic statement to support airports. This project is good news for people from Montreal and Quebec. I want to thank my colleagues from the Quebec caucus for championing it.

Public Safety

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Madam Speaker, a few months ago, I asked the Minister of Public Safety what he would do to defend our country's digital infrastructure from cyber-attacks and terrorism. He answered by saying that they threw money at it.

Just recently, over 533 million Facebook users' data was leaked online. The CRA was attacked last summer, and Microsoft just faced a cyber-attack. This is hurting our economy and the safety of Canadians.

When will the government make a real plan and take cybersecurity seriously?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, this government will stop at nothing to protect its citizens and, indeed, our government and its institutions from cyber-attacks. The minister is completely committed to his work on that file, and that file will continue. That work includes doing work with our technology companies, doing work across the government and funding adequately our cybersecurity efforts.

Public Services and Procurement

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister has said repeatedly that there remains no more important relationship than that with the indigenous people.

In his 2019, mandate letter to the procurement minister, he instructed her to secure 5% of all federal contracts with indigenous-owned companies. She failed. As a result, that mandate letter was scrapped and a new one was granted. It is as if it was inconvenient and therefore whitewashed.

My question is very simple. When will the government stop making false promises, misleading Canadians and actually follow through?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, in fact, our government is incredibly committed to reaching that 5% target of procurement from indigenous companies. I had the pleasure, along with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, of participating in a round table and working on the modernization of procurement in delivering successful procurements for indigenous companies and indigenous peoples right across the country. That work continues, and we will be reporting on even more good news on that in the future.

Natural Resources

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Madam Speaker, the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline transports Saskatchewan and Alberta oil to eastern Canada. It supplies half of Ontario and Quebec's gasoline, diesel, home heating fuel and jet fuel. However, next month, the governor of Michigan is going to shut down that pipeline, jeopardizing tens of thousands of jobs across Canada.

Why has the Prime Minister not yet engaged directly with President Biden on enforcing the transit pipeline treaty between our two countries?

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, Line 5 is non-negotiable. People will not be left out in the cold.

I want to also thank the members of the Canada-U.S. special committee for their hard work on setting Line 5. We have received their report and will be reviewing it, but it is clear there is no daylight between parties and Canadians on this issue. Line 5 is essential to Canada's energy security, and we will continue to defend it.

Finance

[James Cumming, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Madam Speaker, Canada's debt load is among the highest per capita of developed nations. With the spending announcements and budget coming on Monday, there does not seem to be any stopping this massive buildup.

The Prime Minister continues to boast that he has Canadians' backs. Is there any chance he will come clean next week and explain to our grandkids that it will be on their backs to pay it all back?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance]

Madam Speaker, that demonstrates the Conservatives' lack of willingness to recognize the cost of not taking action to support Canadian households and businesses through this pandemic. I point the hon. member to the testimony of a representative from the OECD at the finance committee just yesterday, where he indicated that Canada's healthy fiscal position put us in a great position to respond to the costs of this pandemic, but also to set the course for the recovery.

On our side of the House, we will not be afraid to invest to ensure households can keep food on the table and that workers can remain on the payroll. We will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to see Canadians through this emergency.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, neonicotinoid pesticides are threatening the survival of bees.

Bees are essential to the food chain. Without them, there is no pollination, no plants and no biodiversity.

Three years ago, Ottawa committed to following Europe's lead and prohibiting these pesticides, but it is now backtracking without offering a solution.

The Bloc Québécois has, for years, been urging the government to invest heavily in searching for alternatives and to support farmers during the transition, but Ottawa has not done a thing for farmers or for the environment. We are back to square one.

When will the government take action?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Madam Speaker, we are making significant investments in research to help our farmers adapt and engage in sustainable agriculture.

I do want to point out that there is a framework for neonicotinoids. The most recent study looked into the safety of plants and aquatic life. Let us not confuse the issue. This is a very complex subject that we are taking seriously in order to keep Canadians safe and healthy.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, transitioning away from neonicotinoids is also essential for public health.

The Institut national de la recherche scientifique found that these pesticides act as endocrine disruptors in humans and may have consequences, especially for women's health.

It is clear that these pesticides are harmful to the environment and to health, but we cannot leave farmers in the lurch by banning them without offering an alternative. We have to invest in research and support farmers through the transition.

When will the government pull its head out of the sand?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Madam Speaker, we are making major investments in research to help our agricultural producers. We are very serious about striking a balance to make that transition happen while keeping Canadians safe and healthy, which is obviously our top priority.

Regulations are in place, and we are investing in science.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Leona Alleslev, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Madam Speaker, April is personal tax season and with the deadline fast approaching, Canadians are feeling overwhelmed. Lockdowns, business closures, layoffs and job loss are only a few issues that have made tax filing more complicated and time consuming than ever before. Accountants, tax consultants and individuals in my riding and across the country are pleading for more time.

Will the minister urgently address this unnecessary added stress and extend the annual tax filing deadline?

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue]

Madam Speaker, as I stated for the hon. member's colleague earlier on in the session, our government understands this tax season is a stressful one for Canadians and our government will continue to be there for them every step of the way.

In February, we announced that recipients of emergency and recovery benefits would be eligible for interest relief if they filed their 2020 income tax returns. The CRA also has strong taxpayer relief provisions in place, where taxpayers can be relieved of penalties and interest if these are incurred for reasons beyond their control. These measures will ensure that Canadians—

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

The hon. member for Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup.

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Madam Speaker, last year when the Prime Minister was announcing his COVID-19 assistance measures he said that no one would be left behind.

Rosalie, a young mother from Montmagny, recently finished her maternity leave and at the dawn of the third wave she is being denied the Canada recovery caregiving benefit by a Canada Revenue Agency officer because her daughter was not previously registered for child care between the two waves.

It is not for lack of trying. Rosalie is on a wait list at 50 different places and those that remain are not taking infants because of COVID-19. What does the government suggest Rosalie do?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment]

Madam Speaker, we recognize the disproportionate impact this pandemic has had on women.

When we transitioned from CERB to EI and the recovery benefits last September, we provided an EI hours credit retroactive to March 2020. This was in recognition that individuals may not have been able to accumulate enough hours to be eligible for EI.

Women benefited from the hours credit as they could retroactively claim EI maternity benefits. We have worked hard to ensure equity for EI claimants, and members in this House can be assured that new mothers are receiving the benefits to which they are entitled.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Madam Speaker, thousands of Canadians have been abandoned by the system.

For example, after receiving EI sickness benefits, one of my constituents was denied the Canada recovery sickness benefit because her employment insurance file is still open and it is blocking the system. Managers are aware of the flaw and are awaiting instruction.

When will the Minister of National Revenue and the Minister of Employment work together on resolving the problem so that honest Canadians can receive the money they are entitled to?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment]

Madam 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 to support Canadians who are unable to work or have reduced hours.

Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency work together to share data on Canadians who apply, to ensure that only one benefit is paid to someone applying at any given time. In some instances, this integrity measure can cause a delay.

That said, we understand that any delay in receiving benefits can be hard for people, so Service Canada and the CRA are continuing to work together to reduce delays and ensure Canadians are paid the benefits they need in a timely manner.

Telecommunications

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Madam Speaker, for years the Highway of Tears has been an unsafe route for indigenous women and girls. Families of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and survivors have highlighted the connection between these heinous acts and the gaps in cellular service along Canadian highways, especially in rural and remote areas.

Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development update the House on the steps our government has taken to enhance safety, particularly for indigenous women and girls, along Highway 16?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his hard work and particularly for his leadership as chair of the Liberal pacific caucus.

Along with our partners in B.C. and with Rogers, our government is connecting the entirety of Highway 16 to reliable cell service. Work begins this construction season and will be completed by October of next year. In consultation with families and survivors, we do this work and respond to recommendations from the inquiry and the Highway of Tears symposium.

We complete this work in memory of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and in earnest resolve to end such tragedies, gender-based—

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

The hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock.

Public Services and Procurement

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Madam Speaker, the Wall Street Journal, “Canada's Vaccine Rollout Lags Behind as Cases Rise”; CNN, “Canadian vaccine rollout is not going well at all”; The Atlantic, “Canada’s Vaccine Mess”; and The Guardian says that Ontario starts one-month lockdown as cases surge.

Apparently, Canada’s Prime Minister thinks these American and U.K. publications are peddling fake news. Will the Prime Minister be honest with Canadians and admit vaccine availability is his failed responsibility?