Debates of May 26th, 2021

Finance—Main Estimates, 2021-22

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am afraid the Conservatives need to pick a lane. Do they believe in strong border measures to protect the health and safety of Canadians, or do they believe in something else? They should be clear.

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

Mr. Chair, as the government now owns 7% of Air Canada, has the minister asked for advice on how she should conduct herself in the review of aviation files?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, we are very clear and careful about all of the Government of Canada's holdings. The Air Canada deal provides an important upside to Canadians. That was important to our government, and rightly so.

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

Mr. Chair, by what date will fully vaccinated travellers be exempted from the hotel quarantine program?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, again, if the Conservatives believe that Canada needs weaker border measures now, when we are still fighting a tough third wave, they should just come out and say so.

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

Mr. Chair, by what date will the minister speak out on allegations that her cabinet colleague knew about harassment allegations against General Vance but did nothing?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, let me be very clear. Every woman in Canada, very much, including the brave women who serve our country in uniform, has the right to work free of harassment and fear.

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

Mr. Chair, thousands of western Canadian aviation workers want to know by what date fully vaccinated travellers will be exempt from quarantine.

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I really think the Conservatives owe Canadians a straight answer. Do they believe now is the time to relax the border measures, which I believe are keeping Canadians safe?

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

Mr. Chair, by what date will the minister speak out on the Liberal Party green-lighting the member for Kitchener South—Hespeler as a candidate, with knowledge of substantiated harassment allegations?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, let me be very clear. Every person in Canada deserves to be free of sexual harassment. Our government takes all allegations very seriously.

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

Mr. Chair, by what date will the minister speak out on allegations that her cabinet colleague knew about harassment allegations against General Vance but did nothing?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have been very clear and our government has been very clear on the Canadian Armed Forces. All Canadian women, particularly perhaps Canadian women in uniform, deserve a workplace free of harassment.

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

Mr. Chair, how does the minister feel about serving in a cabinet and knowing that a colleague knew about harassment allegations but did nothing?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am very proud to serve in this cabinet, and it is a tremendous privilege to be supporting Canadians in this once-in-a-generation national crisis.

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

Mr. Chair, are you proud to serve with the current Minister of National Defence?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am proud to serve in a government that is working hard to support our amazing country in a very challenging time. When it comes to the Minister of National Defence, I worked closely with him as the foreign minister, and it was a privilege to work with him.

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

Mr. Chair, what amount of Canadian air travel revenue and jobs has shifted to American border airports like Buffalo's because of the hotel quarantine program?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, again, the Conservatives owe it to Canadians to be clear and direct and to pick a lane. If they are seriously suggesting that our border measures should be weakened today, they need to come right out and say so.

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

Mr. Chair, will the minister support any requests from the Alberta provincial government to reinstate the Alberta border pilot program?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am always happy to talk to my colleagues in provinces and territories across the country, very much including Alberta. I had a great conversation with the Alberta finance minister on Friday evening.

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

Mr. Chair, by what date will fully vaccinated travellers be exempted from the hotel quarantine program?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I am hearing a lot of questions from the member opposite about weakening and softening our border measures, which are there to protect Canadians. If that is what the Conservatives seriously stand for, they should come right out and say it to Canadians.

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

Mr. Chair, by what date will fully vaccinated travellers be exempted from the hotel quarantine program?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Chair, is today's policy of the federal Conservatives to call for weakening of our border measures? I think that may be news to some Conservative premiers.