Debates of June 1st, 2021

Public Safety

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, two scientists with ties to the Chinese military were expelled from our top-secret laboratory. The Liberal government refuses to justify its actions.

How were the scientists able to get top security clearance for our laboratory?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, these are important questions that have to do with national security.

I know that members from the opposition party do not want to jeopardize national security. That is why every party is involved in the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. This committee has the power and ability to study the most sensitive issues around national security. That would be the best forum for getting answers to that question.

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is saying that we are putting the security of Canadians at risk by asking basic questions of accountability to the government. The Prime Minister is putting Canadian safety at risk with his approval of transactions to Chinese state-owned enterprises and his refusal to act on Huawei. He is putting Canada's reputation globally at risk, as we are the only Five Eyes ally partnering with China at a time that it is taking our citizens hostage and committing cyber-attacks and human rights violations.

When will the Prime Minister finally take a serious approach to the risks with respect to communist China?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we see once again that the Conservative leader and the Conservative Party will never hesitate to try to score partisan political points, including on the backs of our own national security.

This government takes seriously our responsibilities to keep Canadians safe. We will continue to. That is why, among other things, we created the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, something the Conservatives refused to do when they were in office. It has members from all parties, and they are able to come together and lean in deeply on national security issues. They have produced tremendous reports, including with strong representation from the Conservative Party.

Canadian Heritage

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the arts and culture sector expressed concerns about the initial version of Bill C-10, which amends the Broadcasting Act.

The Bloc Québécois proposed significant changes with respect to the ownership and effective control of businesses, new Canadian programming and new French-language programming. The Bloc Québécois also offered to ensure that Bill C‑10 is passed before the end of the session.

However, the government is squabbling with the Conservatives instead of moving ahead on Bill C‑10. Does the Prime Minister intend to ensure that the Broadcasting Act is passed this month?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the partnerships we have with several parties in the House, including the Bloc Québécois, to protect our artists and our content creatures, I mean creators, across the country.

We recognize that the new reality of the digital age requires that we adopt new means to support the cultural economy across the country. We continue to move forward with Bill C‑10, which will ensure that our culture is protected across the country, and we hope to pass this bill by the end of the session.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, our “creatures” will need more than hope.

The Broadcasting Act is an emergency for the cultural community, an emergency for francophone artists. If it is not passed, it will be because the government is playing political chicken with the Conservatives at the expense of artists, creators, and Quebec's film and television industry.

Is the Prime Minister aware that if Bill C‑10 is not passed by the House and the Senate by the end of June, he will have an extremely heavy political price to pay in Quebec and among artists?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, our government has always demonstrated our commitment to artists and to the cultural community. We will continue to do so.

During this pandemic, we have implemented targeted measures for the arts community and our artists, who needed additional support. This government has been there for them since we first took office. We reversed the Harper government's cuts, and we have been there to protect the cultural community.

We will continue to work to get Bill C‑10 passed. It is indeed concerning that the Conservatives are once again standing in the way of Canadian and Quebec culture, but we will be there to support it.

Indigenous Affairs

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still reeling from the discovery of 215 indigenous children at a former residential school in Kamloops. However, while Canadians are reeling from this horror, we cannot ignore the fact that indigenous communities continue to face injustice today. The Prime Minister is fighting indigenous kids in court, and continues to fight residential school survivors in court. As Cindy Blackstock says, “We need to make sure that the injustices stop today.”

Will the Prime Minister commit to stop fighting indigenous kids and residential school survivors in court, yes or no?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear on this and many other issues in regard to the work we need to do together on reconciliation. Every survivor deserves compensation. We will be there for that. We will work with them and with communities to get there. We also need to fix child and family services. We were the first government to pass legislation to do just that.

We are on the cusp of transformative change. We have been working on it. Over the past years we have made many changes. There is more to do. We will continue to stand with indigenous communities across this country as we do that.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the discovery of the remains of 215 indigenous children has shocked the nation. We mourn the loss of those children, but we cannot mourn this loss without acknowledging the fact that indigenous communities continue to suffer injustices today.

Will the Prime Minister commit to stop fighting indigenous kids and residential school survivors in court, yes or no?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, for the past six years, we have been working with indigenous communities and survivors across the country to heal from these tragedies and build a better present and future for all indigenous peoples.

As for compensation, we have recognized as a government that compensation will be given to residential school survivors. We are currently working on this with the community, in order to determine the correct amounts.

We will continue to be there to support indigenous communities and individuals across the country.

Public Safety

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week President Biden ordered U.S. intelligence to investigate two likely theories on the origin of the coronavirus, one being that it originated from human contact with an infected animal, and the other that it came from a lab accident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Last weekend, the foreign affairs minister said the government supports the U.S. investigation.

Given that government scientists at the government's lab in Winnipeg closely collaborated with the Wuhan lab, will the government make available to U.S. investigators all relevant documents, including the scientists' lab notes?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as we have said before, the two individuals in question are no longer employed at the laboratory, and we cannot provide any further details.

As to the origin of COVID-19, we believe and support the approach taken by President Biden to investigate something that has turned the world upside-down and killed over three million people. We feel it is important to do everything we can to determine where COVID-19 originated from.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we know that seven government scientists at the government's National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg collaborated with scientists in China, particularly at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. We also know that one of those government scientists, Dr. Qiu, made at least five trips to China in a two-year period to collaborate on virus research.

Seeing as the government says that it supports the U.S. investigation, will the Canadian government grant access to U.S. investigators to question scientists from the Winnipeg lab as they pursue the origin of the coronavirus?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows that part of scientific research is open and collaborative research. We also know that we have a strong role to play in protecting Canada from human and cyber actors that pose real threats to Canadian research, to integrity, to intellectual property. While the opposition continues to stoke fear, we will remain focused on stopping the spread of COVID-19 and supporting the National Microbiology Lab to do its important work in fighting COVID-19 here domestically and internationally as we uncover the science that will lead us forward.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister would sure like us to stop asking questions about the Winnipeg lab, but the point is, top secret information from that lab is currently in the hands of the Chinese military. The Prime Minister seems unconcerned, but he has to realize that nobody believes the Chinese People's Liberation Army intends to use that technology for humanitarian purposes.

Now that the damage has been done, can the Prime Minister confirm that no lab in Canada is currently collaborating with the Chinese military?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, either Conservatives do not understand national security or they do not care. The agency has provided documents in relation to this situation, with redactions to protect confidentiality, of course.

I encourage the Conservative Party not to use national security and put the national security of Canadians at risk for partisan gain.

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

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we most certainly do understand national security.

What we understand is that top secret information was stolen from Canada. That is very clear. Now, as to whether the president of Health Canada has the power and the discretion to hide information about documents, we know he does not. The documents must be handed over to the committee as requested.

Does the Minister of Health agree with us, yes or no?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, we will participate, and in fact those documents have been provided to the committee, with redactions to protect confidentiality.

Let me be clear. I would encourage the Conservative Party not to put the national security of Canadians at risk for partisan gain. Conservatives are playing a dangerous game. The member opposite knows that we have processes and procedures, and indeed committees that are empowered to take a look at these documents.

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

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals initially failed to provide these documents, it was actually the member for Cumberland—Colchester, a Liberal MP, who put forward a motion at committee demanding the full disclosure of these documents, and all Liberals, including the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, voted in favour of it.

In 2011, Liberals, including the Prime Minister and the foreign affairs minister, voted for a motion that declared “the undisputed privileges of Parliament under Canada's constitution, including the absolute power to require the government to produce uncensored documents when requested”. That is a direct quote from a Liberal opposition motion that was voted for by the Prime Minister and the foreign affairs minister.

Does the government still believe that Parliament maintains these privileges?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, again, we see the Conservatives trying to stoke fear. Either they do not understand national security or they do not care. It is quite obvious. The agency has provided these documents as requested by the committee, with redactions to protect confidentially. I encourage the Conservative Party to put the national security of Canadians in the forefront and stop these partisan games.

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

Mr. Speaker, that was clearly not an answer. When it comes to national security, holding the government accountable for its failures on national security is what we must do in order to uphold the national security of Canadians.

When someone affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences is working and gathering information at a top-secret Canadian lab, Canadians have a right to know what happened. They have a right to demand answers. Canadians are concerned about the government's willful blindness and naïveté when it comes to threats to our health and national security.

When will the government allow Parliament to do its job and recognize the rights and privileges that are founded in our Constitution when it comes to Parliament? When will the Liberals hand over these documents?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as I have been clear, those documents have been provided to the committee. In fact, the redactions were minimal, to protect the confidentiality of the situation.

Again, I would encourage the Conservative Party to stay focused on the national security of Canadians and not put it at risk for partisan purposes. We are proud of the critical role that the National Microbiology Laboratory is playing to protect Canadians and, indeed, to partner with researchers around the world to find the tools and the support that we need to get ourselves free of COVID-19 globally.

Airline Industry

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Air Canada's planes have been grounded because of the pandemic, but its senior executives are flying high.

After receiving $6.5 billion in government assistance, the bosses at Air Canada got greedy and gave themselves $20 million in bonuses using taxpayers' money.

After laying off 22,000 people and fighting so that they did not have to compensate travellers for cancelled flight tickets, they are now rewarding themselves at our expense.

Will the government withhold the money meant for Air Canada until these fat cats give back their bonuses?