Debates of April 26th, 2021

COVID-19 Emergency Response

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, what I can tell the member I have no regrets about is being there for Canadians and, indeed, for provinces and territories every step of the way.

No country has had a perfect pandemic. It is not possible. It is a global pandemic. People are suffering and people are struggling, but this government has been there for people. We have been there for workers. We have been there for workplaces. We have been there for provinces and territories. We have been there with therapeutics, with vaccines, with tests, with the devices that Canadians have needed. We will continue to be there no matter what COVID throws at us, because that is what a country does. It sticks together; it works together. We will get through this together.

Regional Economic Development

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, economic recovery is tied to the vitality of our communities. However, certainly for the past year, for many communities like my own, town halls, main streets, hockey rinks and farmers markets have been quiet for quite some time as Canadians have taken precautions to stay safe.

Could the Minister of Economic Development provide further information on how budget 2021 will invest in these small but vital communities?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, of course, we believe in hard-working Canadians and want to support them as they want to create jobs. We stand side by side with them. We are investing across the country, in all regions of the country. That is why we are putting into place a $500 million community revitalization fund to help build and renovate those spaces to which my colleague refers.

From small towns to big cities across the country, we will be there to help Canadians to ensure that we can bring all of us together and build Canada for the future.

Public Services and Procurement

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are waiting patiently for their turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but we know that the vaccine rollout is nowhere near full capacity. Many provinces in the middle of the third wave are left waiting for batches of vaccines to be delivered. We are seeing people turned away from clinics in hot spots because they ran out of doses. Every day that vaccines are delayed means more people getting the virus, more hospitalizations for already overburdened health care systems and more avoidable tragedies.

What is the government doing to increase vaccine supply to Canada's hardest-hit communities?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to see the leader of the NDP have his shot of AstraZeneca recently as well as the leader of the opposition. In fact, from a procurement federal perspective, we have received 13.8 million doses. We have seen administered by the provinces and territories 12 million of those doses. We are third in the G20 for doses administered per 100 people. That is 29% of Canadians who have had at least one dose.

There is much more work to do. We will continue bringing in doses by the millions for all Canadians.

Finance

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Independent, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the debt-to-GDP ratio was 30% and the Liberals campaigned on dropping it to 27% by 2019-20. This year, it will be about 50%.

Debt to GDP appears to remain our fiscal anchor in budget 2021. The government is still saying that it will moderately decrease, but this time starting from a number almost twice as big as predicted. Do we really have a credible fiscal anchor? Perhaps we should consider using a new one, maybe a debt-to-service ratio. This is easy to understand.

Could the minister please tell us what other fiscal anchors the government has considered?

[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]

Mr. Speaker, we will take the hon. member's suggestion under advisement.

I will point out, however, that Canada entered this pandemic with the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. The pandemic created immense costs, and not responding was simply not an option to keep food on the table for households and workers on the payroll.

As we emerge from this pandemic, it is essential that we continue to manage our finances in a responsible way. To do so, maintaining a downward track on the debt-to-GDP ratio is an intelligent and thoughtful response, so we ensure that for generations to come we can protect the fiscal capacity of our country to continue to respond to emergencies that may arise in the future.

Emily Viegas

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Following discussions among representatives of all parties in the House, I understand that there is an agreement to observe a moment of silence in memory of Emily Victoria Viegas, who passed away from COVID-19. I now invite the members to rise.

[A moment of silence observed]

Government Response to Petitions

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's responses to 29 petitions.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs in relation to Bill C-15, an act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.

Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities entitled “Main Estimates 2021-22”. The committee has considered the estimates referred by the House and reports the same.

Soil Conservation Act

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

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-290, An Act respecting soil conservation and soil health.

Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud not only as the member of Parliament for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, but also the NDP critic for agriculture and agri-food, to introduce this private member's bill. Healthy soils are the foundation of sustainable food production, enhanced biodiversity and clean air and water. Healthy soils are also key to our fight against climate change, as good agricultural practices can unlock their huge carbon sequestration potential.

The bill I am introducing today sets up a national strategy to promote efforts across Canada to conserve and improve the health of our soils. The strategy will help maintain, enhance and rebuild the capacity of soils to produce food and fuel for years to come, and it will encourage farmers and other land users with research, education, training, knowledge transfer and best practices. The bill would also recommend the establishment of a national advocate for soil health and will formally recognize both World Soil Day on December 5, and National Soil Conservation Week in the third week of April each year.

Finally, I want to acknowledge and thank my neighbour and colleague, the member for Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, for seconding the bill. I invite all of my colleagues to join me in making this strategy a reality for our hard-working Canadian farmers.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Sri Lanka

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to present a petition on behalf of concerned citizens and residents who are deeply worried about the increased discrimination against and marginalization of Sri Lanka's minorities, particularly the Tamil community. The petitioners urge the Minister of Foreign Affairs to work with other members of the Co-Group to guarantee justice. The petitioners call on the Canadian government to influence allies such as Malawi and others to refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court and do what can be done to ensure that there is a referendum to determine the Tamils' political future as remedial justice.

In June 2019, the NDP's unanimous consent motion regarding atrocities committed in Sri Lanka against the Tamils was passed. I present this petition on behalf of those who are urging the government to stand in solidarity with the Tamil community and to ensure democracy prevails in Sri Lanka.

Business Event Spaces

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of commercial event spaces, including trade shows, consumer shows and exhibitions, which have been severely impacted by the pandemic. Petitioners in my riding call for a sector-specific recovery plan, because they believe more specific support is needed to support this industry. They believe that giving a hand up to this industry, whose members are active participants in their communities, would provide a golden opportunity to simultaneously support local economies, including sparking the creation of well-paying jobs and making it possible for small businesses across the supply chain not just to survive, but to succeed.

The petitioners, including members of the Canadian Association of Exposition Management, are calling on the government to expand CERS eligibility, to establish a specific business events funding stream and to amend the current highly affected sectors credit availability program.

Conversion Therapy

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I present petition number 43-2, signed by 1,169 constituents in my riding. Bill C-6 causes great concern. The term “conversion therapy” is vaguely defined in the bill. Under the bill, Canadian parents, religious leaders and teachers would be subject to prosecution under the Criminal Code. Children would be given an irresponsible amount of latitude to make major sexual and medical decisions that would have lifelong implications. The bill would discriminate against LGBTQ individuals seeking guidance and counselling toward heterosexual or cisgender behaviour, and would regulate choices that Canadian citizens should be permitted to make for themselves. Therefore, the petitioners call upon the House to protect the moral, religious, philosophical and sexual interests of the citizens of Canada by preventing the passage of this bill into law.

Trans Mountain Pipeline

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise virtually in the House today to present a petition from petitioners concerned about public spending on the Trans Mountain pipeline. Petitioners point out that the pipeline project is a significant threat to Canada meeting its Paris target commitments. It asks for the government to have no federal funding spent in working on the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting three petitions in the House today.

The first petition is about Bill S-204, a bill that would make it a criminal offence for a person to go abroad to receive an organ for which there has not been consent. This bill seeks to combat the horrific practice of forced organ harvesting and trafficking. Petitioners want to see the other place, as well as the House, pass Bill S-204 as quickly as possible.

Ethiopia

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition highlights the human rights situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. It calls for greater action by the government, including increased engagement with the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments on the human rights and humanitarian issues raised by the conflict and also engagement around short, medium and long-term elections monitoring in Ethiopia.

Human Rights

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the third and final petition highlights the ongoing genocide facing Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in China. Petitioners call on the government, as well as the House, to recognize that what is going on constitutes a genocide. Petitioners also want to see greater use of the Magnitsky Act to target those officials responsible for these horrific acts of violence.

I commend all three petitions to the consideration of my colleagues.

Trans Mountain Pipeline

[Paul Manly, Green, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to table a petition signed by people concerned about public funding being spent on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion during the climate emergency. The cost of this pipeline is now estimated to hit $18 billion, and expert reports state this investment will not be recouped unless the government ignores its own climate targets and allows greenhouse gas emissions to continue to increase from the oil and gas sector. The petitioners are concerned about the risk of spills of diluted bitumen on the west coast as well as the violation of indigenous rights along the route and in the coastal communities that rely on the marine environment for their livelihood and cultural practices.

The petitioners call on the government to halt any support for the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Presenting petitions, the hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon. There is a rule that, in order to present a second petition, we would need unanimous consent. I will ask the member to move the motion, and then we will see if we have it.

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That the House provide unanimous consent for me to present a second petition today.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

(Motion agreed to)

The hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon.

Medical Marijuana

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it was an honour to move my first motion in the House of Commons.

The second petition I am presenting today is on behalf of my constituents in the Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs areas of my riding. They are concerned about grow ops in residential neighbourhoods and the negative impact these are having on the health of nearby residents.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to reform the licensing and oversight of the production of cannabis for personal medical use and to grant resources in authority to the provinces in regulating and enforcing the production of cannabis for personal medical use, in turn empowering municipal governments to have the bylaw capacity needed to address this problem.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 484, 487, 490, 493, 494, 496, 497, 499 to 502, 504, 515, 519, 523, 524, 526, 527, 529, 530, 532, 540, 541, 543 and 550.