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.

Topics

The House resumed consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Madam Speaker, the member talked about running in circles, yet he did the exact same thing in his speech. He went on and on about this government not wanting to work to build consensus, but then two sentences later he talked about how the government worked with the Bloc Québécois when it came to CUSMA and the COVID relief efforts. He is being hypocritical in his own statement.

More important, this government has not shown that it has an interest in going to an election. The only thing this government has done is introduce a piece of legislation based on the request of the Chief Electoral Officer to put together a bill in the event that an election does happen, unlike opposition members, who have been doing nothing but support non-confidence in this government.

Can the member explain why he is so obsessed with thinking we want an election, when we have not said anything to suggest that we do?

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:05 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC

Madam Speaker, I am happy to hear you say that.

Your government was ready to work collaboratively, so long as there was no electoral window suitable for triggering an election. Perhaps unfortunately, you saw my Conservative colleagues drop a little in the polls.

You see this window opening, and your first reflex is to bring back Bill C-19. You bring it back to us under time allocation—

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

On a point of order, Madam Speaker, at least according to the translation, the member said “you” or “your” a number of times, and I do not think he is talking about you specifically, Madam Speaker.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

I appreciate the hon. member's point of order on that. I was going to correct the member after he finished his 22 seconds that he has left to respond before I go to the next question and comment.

The hon. member for Jonquière knows he must address the Chair.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC

Madam Speaker, I am finished.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.

It is pretty clear that the government is in a hurry to call an election in the middle of a pandemic. It introduced the bill in December, it has cut off the debate and now it wants to get the bill to committee. However, the Liberals are filibustering in committee.

Does the member think the Liberals are in a hurry to call an election?

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I just wanted to alert everyone to the fact that the interpretation and the member's voice were at the same level of sound, so it was very hard to hear the interpretation.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

We are going to add some time to the clock so that the question can be re-asked.

The interpretation seems to be working now.

The hon. member for Sarnia—Lambton will re-ask her question, and then we will restart the time once we get to the answer.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON

Madam Speaker, it is clear to me that the Liberals are in a hurry to call an election while we are in a pandemic. The government introduced the bill in December, before the committee had completed its report. Now the government wants to send the bill to committee. However, the Liberals are filibustering in committee.

Would the member agree that the Liberals are in a hurry to call an election?

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC

Madam Speaker, I completely agree with my colleague.

The Liberals realized that the NDP was going to vote with them come hell or high water. Their only objective and the only option for triggering an election now is to quickly pass Bill C-19.

If they do not want an election during the pandemic, then Bill C-19 is no longer of any use. I completely agree with my colleague.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB

Madam Speaker, the Bloc Québécois keeps repeating that voting against a non-confidence motion does not equate to wanting an election.

Could my colleague tell us what he thinks would happen if all the opposition parties had voted like the Bloc Québécois, that is in favour of a non-confidence motion?

Does he believe that that would not trigger an election?

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC

Madam Speaker, as I was explaining, the balance of power that opposition parties have means that sometimes they have to vote against the government. If opposition parties are prevented from using their vote to support the balance of power, then democracy is no more. That is what I said.

We cannot accuse a party of wanting to have an election every time it votes against the government. That is oversimplifying things, in my opinion.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Louis-Hébert Québec

Liberal

Joël Lightbound LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Madam Speaker, in a minority government, both the government and the opposition parties have a responsibility to ensure that an election is not triggered.

As the NDP member just said in her question, if we lose a confidence vote, then we automatically have an election.

Why is the Bloc Québécois refusing the proposed amendment to add the responsibility of the opposition parties?

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:10 p.m.

Bloc

Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC

Madam Speaker, if the government does not want to trigger an election and if it is genuine in saying it does not want an election, all it has to do is accept the offer made by the leader of the Bloc Québécois and the proposal he made yesterday.

I will ask him a question of my own: Why did the government not take the offer?

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC

Madam Speaker, I cannot wait to start campaigning and present the Conservatives' plan for forming government once again to Canadians.

There is one big caveat, however, and that is the pandemic. This is why we agree with our colleagues in the Bloc Québécois that a pandemic is not the time for an election campaign.

How is any party supposed to go meet Canadians and present their plans? The only thing Canadians will see is the party leaders on TV. That is not how a campaign works.

We need to be able to get out there and meet people like in normal times, and the only way to do that is to wait until after the pandemic.

At that point, the Conservatives will be able to defeat the Liberals and form government.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

It being 5:15 p.m., it is my duty to interrupt the proceedings and put forthwith every question necessary to dispose of the business of supply.

The question is on the motion.

If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request a recorded division or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Bloc

Andréanne Larouche Bloc Shefford, QC

Madam Speaker, I would ask for a recorded division on the motion.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

Pursuant to an order made on Monday, January 25, the division stands deferred until Tuesday, May 25, at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Madam Speaker, I believe if you seek it you will find unanimous consent to see the clock as 5:30, so we can move on to Private Members' Business.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

Does the hon. member have unanimous consent to see the clock at 5:30?

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Opposition Motion—Elections During a PandemicBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

It being 5:30, the House will now proceed to the consideration of Private Members' Business as listed on today's Order Paper.

The House resumed from April 20 consideration of the motion.

Support of Oil and Gas SectorPrivate Members' Business

5:15 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

As we resume debate, I will remind the hon. member for Calgary Centre that he had four minutes left for his debate.

The hon. member for Calgary Centre.