Debates of June 2nd, 2021

Indigenous Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, this morning, the minister reannounced funding that was two years old: no new plan, no new resources, no sense of urgency. Canadians want to know what the government will do differently.

Once again, will the Prime Minister commit to act on calls to action 71 to 76 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission before Canada Day?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservative Party, we accepted all of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In particular, we will continue to work in collaboration with indigenous communities to locate their missing loved ones and their unmarked burial places in a culturally informed way.

In 2019, we invested $33.8 million in this effort, and we opened a dialogue with the indigenous communities affected by the legacy of residential schools to find the best possible approach for them. They will continue to be at the centre of everything we do.

Canadian Heritage

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

Mr. Speaker, 17 days ago, the current member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie accepted my proposal to limit time for debate to ensure the passage of an act to amend the Broadcasting Act.

The goal is to make sure it passes before the end of the parliamentary session in order to protect Canadian ownership, new Canadian content and new French-language content, thanks to amendments the Bloc Québécois successfully introduced.

Instead, the Prime Minister prefers to bicker with the Conservatives on the sidelines, perhaps so that Bill C-10 will be defeated without him having to take the blame.

Are the Liberals really serious about protecting Canadian, Quebec and francophone artists and creators?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the cultural community and artists know full well that this government has always been and will always be there for them and with them to provide support not only in these difficult times during the pandemic, but also in an increasingly digitized era.

We deplore the games the Conservatives are playing in committee to block this bill.

We will continue to push this bill forward, as it will help protect Canadian culture across the country, and we hope it will pass by the end of this parliamentary session.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is all hope and no action.

Last week the Prime Minister made numerous statements about recognizing once and for all and without conditions the Quebec nation as a nation whose only official language and only common language is French.

However his commitment to French in Quebec and across Canada needs to be meaningful. He needs to put his proverbial money where his mouth is. Bill C-10 is a measure that also helps protect and promote French, creators who create in French and performers who act and sing in French.

Does the Prime Minister not believe that he has a duty to bring in everything—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely thank the leader of the Bloc Québécois for recognizing that protecting language is important to the Liberal Party, to the Liberal government.

That is why there are measures in Bill C-10 to protect culture, the French language and the French expression we find in our artistic community. That is absolutely another reason why we are working so hard to move this bill forward.

Obviously we deplore the fact that the Conservatives continue to block this bill, but we will work with everyone in the House to get through this.

Indigenous Affairs

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the discovery of 215 indigenous children at a former residential school has shocked the nation. It is another example of clear proof of the genocidal actions of Canada. It is a moment where we need to move beyond condolences to clear action.

How can the Prime Minister take reconciliation seriously when he is sending his lawyers to fight indigenous kids in court? In fact, the next date is in two weeks.

My question is directly for the Prime Minister: Will he call off his lawyers? Will he stop fighting indigenous kids in court?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many, many times, every single survivor deserves compensation. That is something this government is committed to. We are working with communities, with families and with indigenous leadership to move forward on the right way to get that support to them.

We also understand that on top of just compensation and supports, we need to end the problem. We need to create institutions and supports and culturally informed ways of moving forward to support these kids now and into the future.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the country was shocked by the discovery of the remains of 215 indigenous children at a former residential school. This is yet more proof of Canada's genocidal actions, but what we need now is meaningful action. How can the Prime Minister take reconciliation seriously when he is continuing to fight residential school survivors in court?

My question is the following: Will he stop fighting residential school survivors in court, yes or no?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the entire country is grappling with the news of this awful tragedy, the deaths of these children and the horrors of the residential schools. That is why we unequivocally recognized that the children who were abused in our systems and institutions must receive compensation. It is just a matter of working with the communities, families and leaders to ensure not only that the compensation is received, but also that we bring about institutional change to improve the lives of these children.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, it is clear the government has failed to protect national security. It granted a scientist from China's military, Feihu Yan of the People’s Liberation Army, access to its level 4 Winnipeg lab, where the world's most dangerous viruses and pathogens are handled. How did this individual get access to the lab? Will the Prime Minister ensure that no scientist from China's military is granted access again in the future?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we take very seriously the responsibilities around national security, which is why we work very closely with national security organizations like CSIS and the Communications Security Establishment to ensure that people are protected and that people who have the proper security clearances are the right people indeed. I cannot comment specifically on the individuals in question, but I can assure the House that every step of the way this government has treated and always will treat national security with the utmost importance.

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

Mr. Speaker, the government has failed to comply with two orders from committee asking for the production of documents related to this matter, orders that he himself supported while he was in opposition but now opposes. The Prime Minister is accountable to this House. He came to office promising greater democratic oversight and promising open and accountable government. When will he respect this House and its committees and deliver the documents we are asking for, related to these national security breaches at the Winnipeg lab?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

I find that a little rich, Mr. Speaker, coming from a member of the former government, which refused to bring in national security oversight with a committee of parliamentarians, which is exactly what we did. That was not there when I was in opposition under a Conservative government. That is why we brought in the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, which has the security clearances and is able to look into issues of the highest delicacy and the highest national security. There are two outstanding members on that committee from the Conservative Party, and we certainly hope that all parliamentarians will be able to look into these matters.

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

Mr. Speaker, the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians is accountable to the Prime Minister, not the other way around. He appoints the members of that committee and they serve at his pleasure. He can block information to the committee and block its reports.

When will the Prime Minister be accountable to this House and deliver the documents that we have been asking for? When will he commit to co-operating with the U.S. investigation about the origins of the coronavirus that President Biden ordered last week and ensure that government scientists in Winnipeg and their documents, including lab notes, are made available to U.S. investigators?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we can all agree that national security issues should be dealt with by parliamentarians through the appropriate venue. This is exactly the kind of thing that the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians was created for. They should examine these issues. We created NSICOP to allow for proper scrutiny of national security issues by parliamentarians from all parties.

In regard to the Biden government's announcement on investigations, we will, of course, completely support them. It is important to get the truth of the matter.

Health

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, all of us on this side of the House acknowledge that asking questions about Communist China and the pandemic is very unpleasant but absolutely essential. Last week, when we asked the Prime Minister questions about this issue, he called us racist. It is disgraceful for a prime minister to act that way.

The very next day, the President of the United States decided to launch an investigation into the origins of the pandemic. He stated that, as part of the report, he has asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required, including specific questions for China. Does the Prime Minister consider President Biden to be racist because he is asking questions about China?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, from the start of this pandemic, we have demanded clearer answers from the international community and China on the origins of this pandemic. We are working with our allies and with the United States. We will keep asking the World Health Organization to pursue its investigation in order to truly understand what happened, identify those responsible and, above all, determine how to prevent such events from happening in the future. We will always be there to ask these difficult questions.

Public Safety

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it would be nice if the Prime Minister could answer some difficult but necessary questions concerning what happened at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg.

A researcher with ties to the Chinese People's Liberation Army was given a Canadian security clearance and worked at this laboratory. Two deadly viruses were shipped from Winnipeg to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Communist China. After this shipment, two researchers who worked at the Winnipeg lab were marched out under RCMP escort.

Is the Prime Minister prepared to get to the bottom of these three matters, which are important and essential to our national security, yes or no?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as we have already pointed out, those two individuals no longer work for the Public Health Agency of Canada, and we cannot comment because of our privacy obligations. However, I fully understand that it is important for parliamentarians to be able to follow up and ask questions, even on extremely delicate national security files.

That is why we set up a special committee of parliamentarians, with the latitude and ability to handle the most sensitive matters. I recommend that the member follow up on this question with the committee, because that is what it is there for.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is curious to hear the Prime Minister say that he cannot talk about this case because the two people lost their jobs at the lab in Winnipeg, when that is exactly why we are asking questions. We want to know why those people were expelled and escorted out by the RCMP. These are sensitive issues, but they are essential.

I will ask my question again. Could the Prime Minister at least promise that never again will anyone with any ties to Communist China or the Chinese military be given a level 4 Canadian security clearance, as was the case in Winnipeg?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we can all agree that parliamentarians should be able to debate matters of national security in the proper forum. That is exactly why the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians was created. It should be able to examine these issues.

We set up that committee so that parliamentarians from every party could examine issues of national security properly. Two fine members of the Conservative Party sit on that committee and do important work.

Airline Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, everyone in Quebec was disgusted to learn that the fat cats at Air Canada gave themselves $20 million in bonuses while the company was depending on public money to survive. Those greedy executives needed $6 billion of our money and certainly did not deserve taxpayer-funded bonuses.

Yesterday I asked the government to take action. All the Liberals said in reply was that they were proud of their agreement with Air Canada. That is not good enough for Quebeckers. Will the Prime Minister hold back some of the money promised to Air Canada until those fat cats pay back their bonuses?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, this crisis has hit workers in the air sector particularly hard, and we have been there to support them.

We signed an agreement with Air Canada that limited executive compensation, including stock options, among other things. We have since learned that, perhaps even while Air Canada was negotiating its contracts with us, the airline was giving huge bonuses to executives, which is completely unacceptable.

I hope Air Canada plans to explain its decision and its rationale to Canadians, who are rightly shocked by Air Canada's decision.