House of Commons Hansard #101 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pandemic.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, Quebec and Ontario have suspended the first dose of AstraZeneca, and four other provinces are preparing to follow suit. Canadians who got the first dose are worried. They want to know if they will have to get a second AstraZeneca shot, if they can get Pfizer or Moderna for their second shot, or if they have to start all over and get two doses of another vaccine.
Can the government give us a clear and simple answer?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, every step of the way, the Canadian response has been guided by health, evidence and science. This is no different. We know that many provinces are pausing the delivery of AstraZeneca.
I will say this. It is important for Canadians to get vaccinated as soon as they are offered a vaccine. This is how we will save lives, stop the spread and get our lives back. I am certain that provinces will do their absolute best to make sure that no doses go unused.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, is it normal for me to have to ask the Minister of Health how it works? From the beginning, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health have often contradicted the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and Theresa Tam.
I will ask my question again. What should people who got the first dose of AstraZeneca do? Will they have to take a second dose of AstraZeneca? Can they get Pfizer or Moderna for their second dose? Do they have to start over and get two doses of another vaccine? Can the minister answer me? Does she know, yes or no?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we see a pattern from the Conservative Party of politicians wanting to interfere with the work of scientists, regulators and researchers.
I will tell my colleagues that every vaccine that is authorized for use in Canada is safe. Canadians are stepping up in unprecedented ways. I myself have been immunized with AstraZeneca. I look forward to getting a second dose as soon as I am eligible. That is what Canadians are doing. They are stepping up to help each other, help themselves and stop the spread of COVID-19.
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the National Assembly of Quebec unanimously adopted a motion on Quebec culture in the digital age. The motion states that Bill C-10 does not go far enough against the web giants to protect Quebec culture.
That is true, and that is why the Bloc Québécois made sure to introduce amendments to meet the expectations of Quebec's cultural community.
On Tuesday, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage warmly supported the motion. Are we to understand that the minister will ensure that Bill C-10 will be prioritized as soon as it leaves the committee in accordance with the unanimous request of the National Assembly and Quebec's cultural community?
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question, as well as the National Assembly, which unanimously supports the speedy passage of Bill C-10. This bill is very important to us, but it is much more important to the cultural and artistic community in Quebec and across the country. We will do everything we can to get it through as quickly as possible. It would be very helpful if the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage were to resume its work.
Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, the motion passed by the Quebec National Assembly regarding Bill C-10 also demands the repatriation to Quebec of all powers in the area of culture and communications.
That is nothing new coming from Quebec, or even from provincial Liberals. In 1973, Robert Bourassa was already calling for this. He called it “cultural sovereignty”. Jean Charest did the same in 2008, but the federal Liberals were not quite there yet. There is some good news, however. We learned on Twitter this week that the Liberal Party's Quebec lieutenant supports that motion. He is in favour of repatriating the powers regarding culture to Quebec.
Is there any chance we can see that happening before the end of this session?
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.
Our main focus is to do everything in our power to help the cultural sector across the country, including in Quebec. This sector was hit particularly hard by the pandemic.
Bill C-10 will invest hundreds of millions of dollars more in our cultural ecosystem, including hundreds of millions of dollars in Quebec, to support francophone artists and musicians in Quebec and across Canada.
Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB
Mr. Speaker, on March 8, I asked the immigration minister if there had been any privacy breaches at IRCC or CBSA. He claimed there had not been any. In fact, there were 1,793 privacy breaches from 2020 until now. One of those breaches led to more than 30,000 individuals' information being improperly disclosed.
The facts do not line up with the claim. Why should Canadians trust the government with their data when it will not take cybersecurity seriously?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I said then, and I will say again now, that we take privacy very seriously in this government.
We have put in place the laws and policies that are necessary to protect Canadians' privacy, as well as that of our clients who use the immigration system. We also have in place protocols to ensure that we are being transparent with Canadians when there are breaches.
We work closely with all of the authorities to ensure that there is accountability, so we can continue to have an immigration system that delivers the economy and prosperity we need in the long run for Canadians.
Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB
Mr. Speaker, this is the most anti-small business government in Canadian history. Who could forget the draconian 2017 tax changes and the Prime Minister’s claim that small businesses are just a tax dodge for the wealthy.
Small businesses are drowning in debt and facing uncertain futures while the government dithers its way through the pandemic with slow vaccine deliveries and failure to make use of other important tools. Where is the plan for a safe, permanent reopening?
Mary Ng LiberalMinister of Small Business
Mr. Speaker, our priority, from the very beginning, has been to support Canadian businesses and support Canadian workers.
Budget 2021 is the most small business friendly budget in Canadian history. From decisive action in lowering credit card fees to historic support for digital and technological adoption, we are making ambitious and targeted investments to help get our businesses back on that road to recovery to create jobs and ensure inclusive growth.
I agree that small businesses are the backbone of our Canadian economy. We have been there for our small businesses, and we will be there for them now and into the future.
Richard Lehoux Conservative Beauce, QC
Mr. Speaker, after the sole-source contract debacle, the blunders keep on coming with the Liberal plan for processing foreign workers' tests. Many tests that were entrusted to Switch Health are still incomplete or have been lost, and nobody seems to have any answers.
Now Dynacare, the new supplier in Quebec, is asking businesses to bring quarantining workers to Montreal for in-person tests.
Has the government come up with a new mobile quarantine I am not aware of, or is this some kind of joke? When will the government clean up this mess?
Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Employment
Mr. Speaker, we worked with the other federal departments to expedite the process and make the arrival of foreign workers as simple as possible. The Public Health Agency of Canada and Service Canada were in regular contact with Switch Health, employers and industry associations to solve these problems.
We take these issues very seriously, and we will continue to work with Switch Health.
Yves Robillard Liberal Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is estimated that more than half of Canada's food supply is wasted annually and that more than $50 billion of that wasted food is avoidable. Reducing waste not only increases food availability, it also saves consumers and businesses money. It strengthens our food systems while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Could the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food tell us how our government is empowering businesses to develop innovative solutions to this problem?
Marie-Claude Bibeau LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, I had the pleasure of announcing the 24 semi-finalists in the food waste reduction challenge.
Each organization will receive $100,000 to advance to round two, which is the market demonstration stage. These projects are very diverse and innovative. They aim to prevent waste by processing imperfect fruits and vegetables, for example, or to divert waste from landfill with new approaches to composting.
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, Enbridge's Line 5 has been consistently sanctioned as safe by the U.S. regulator. Now the governor of Michigan is trying to overrule that federal oversight authority. Enbridge is being pushed into a U.S. court to defend the energy needs of Canadians and the 30,000 jobs in Ontario that depend on Line 5. This pipeline operates under an international agreement signed by our two nations.
For the sake of Canada’s energy security, will the Prime Minister step up and engage with the U.S. president on the enforcement of our treaty?
Seamus O'Regan LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, Line 5 is a critical energy and economic link between Canada and the U.S. Because of our efforts, it continues to operate today. On Tuesday, the Government of Canada filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, sending a clear signal as to where Canada stands on this issue.
I want to thank my counterparts, Minister Savage in Alberta, Minister Eyre in Saskatchewan, Minister Rickford in Ontario and Minister Julien in Quebec, for their collaboration and their unity on this issue. This is a full-court press by team Canada, with the support of industry and labour.
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
Mr. Speaker, we have seen nothing but incompetence from the natural resources minister. Why do we have to wait for a U.S. mediator to tell us if and how long we can continue to use Line 5. On this file, the minister has done the very least he could and all at the very last moment. Line 5 is a critical piece of energy infrastructure in Canada. It supplies western Canadian oil to eastern refineries and creates good-paying jobs along the way.
If the relationship has never been better between the U.S. and Canada, why does the Prime Minister not pick up the phone, call President Biden and get the Line 5 issue resolved today?
Seamus O'Regan LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, I take exception to the hon. member's comments. First of all, we are taking the exact approach that the Canada-U.S. special committee asked us to, the same approach that the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario urged us to take.
Canada has filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. It sends a clear signal as to where Canada stands on this issue. We are encouraged that Enbridge and the State of Michigan continue to participate in the court-ordered mediation process. We are confident it will yield a local solution.
Chris Lewis Conservative Essex, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government’s failure to secure our borders has yet another casualty. Fourteen months ago, the Canada-U.S. border was closed on land, sea and air. While Canadian charter boats are moored at dock, American charter boats are being issued work permits by the government. There was a recent sting by the RCMP, but generally, enforcement of our sea border has been lax.
When will the Minister of Public Safety pull these work permits permanently and start enforcing our sea borders?
Bill Blair LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's acknowledgement that we did close our border with the United States 14 months ago. We have imposed unprecedented restrictions on the movements of people and goods across that border, while at the same time maintaining essential supply lines.
As the member acknowledged, there has been enforcement by the RCMP on the issue that he raises, and we will continue to do our job working very collaboratively and reciprocally with our U.S. counterparts. Those measures are working to help keep Canadians safe while we work toward the successful vaccination of our population. We will continue to maintain those restrictions as long as they are necessary.
Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have been discouraged by Conservative politicians with no medical training or background at all promoting what can only be described as vaccine hesitancy. This is not how we will overcome the challenges of COVID-19. Canadians have been clear. Each of us, along with family, loved ones and neighbours, should ensure we get vaccinated when our times comes. If we have any questions, we should raise them with medical professionals. Vaccines protect us, those close to us and our communities. We have seen the progress. We have seen the action plan, and the action plan is working.
Can the minister provide an update on vaccine doses delivered to Canada and vaccinations?
Anita Anand LiberalMinister of Public Services and Procurement
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for York Centre for her hard work.
Here are the facts: Over 50% of adult Canadians have received at least one dose of vaccine. We have delivered 21.5 million doses to provinces and territories. Canada stands among the top three countries in the G20 for daily vaccination rates. We will receive 48 million to 50 million doses prior to the end of June, and up to 100 million doses prior to the end of September. We are working together to get Canadians vaccinated.
Lindsay Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Mr. Speaker, pay equity legislation passed in 2018, but the final regulations of this act have yet to be implemented. Some women will have to wait more than a decade after this legislation passed to see pay equity. The Minister of Labour stripped workers of their rights with back-to-work legislation in a day, but is missing in action when it comes to defending women's rights to equal pay for equal value. Why is it that, when it comes to attacking workers' rights, they can do it in a day; but, when it comes to defining women's rights, they ask for a decade?