House of Commons Hansard #111 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was point.

Topics

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB

Madam Speaker, last year the government entered into an agreement to compensate federal public servants with Phoenix pay damages, and yet one year later retired and former public servants cannot even apply, let alone be compensated, because the government has failed to set up a claims process.

After one year, when will the government stop dragging its feet and see that retired and former public servants receive the compensation they are entitled to?

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Gatineau Québec

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement

Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague well knows that the Conservatives left us with a brutal mess in terms of the Phoenix pay system. We have had to clean it up and indeed extend compensation to all public servants, including retired and former public servants. We will continue to do that. Public servants have all received their general damages, and retired public servants and former public servants will similarly see this compensation.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Bloc

Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC

Madam Speaker, tomorrow is World Environment Day, but I would like to remind the House that this government authorized hundreds of oil drilling projects off the coast of Newfoundland, abolishing environmental assessments over an area of 735,000 square kilometres.

On May 5, the Minister of Natural Resources explained that he sees the oil industry as a partner in the fight against climate change, adding that this is how we are going to achieve net zero by 2050.

Can he explain to me how drilling for oil without an environmental assessment over an area half the size of Quebec can fight climate change?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

St. Catharines Ontario

Liberal

Chris Bittle LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Madam Speaker, we have a bold and ambitious plan to protect our environment, reduce emissions and create a sustainable economy for our kids and grandkids. Do not take my word for it. Former leader of the B.C. Green Party and leading climate scientist Andrew Weaver called our pollution pricing plan the gold standard and described our plan as an innovative, inspiring climate plan. We are here to protect the environment, fight climate change. It is a crisis, and we are taking significant, bold action.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

Noon

Bloc

Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC

Madam Speaker, tomorrow is World Environment Day.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind the House that, when Ottawa announced its new greenhouse gas reduction targets, it promised to give those targets force of law. On April 22, the Minister of Canadian Heritage said, “we will include Canada's 2030 climate change target in Bill C-12”.

Not only did the government not do that, but it is also fighting the Bloc Québécois in committee to prevent us from doing so in its stead. Why is it refusing to include the targets in the bill? Is it because it has no intention of meeting them?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

Noon

St. Catharines Ontario

Liberal

Chris Bittle LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Madam Speaker, the Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act has robust accountability and transparency. Just to name a few aspects, it has a legally binding process for the federal government to set climate targets and bring forward plans to meet those targets; rigorous ongoing process reports; yearly reports by the independent advisory body; and ongoing audits by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.

As the minister has previously stated, we are open to amendments from all committee members, and we look forward to speedy passage of the bill through committee.

The EconomyOral Questions

Noon

Conservative

Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK

Madam Speaker, the Business Council of Canada says that the government is stifling our economic recovery by not presenting a clear plan to reopen. Now we see, as a direct result of this inaction, 68,000 job losses in May.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has specified what citizens with two doses can and cannot do. Premier Moe has announced that if 70% of people age 12 and up are vaccinated by June 20, all restrictions in Saskatchewan will be lifted by as early as July 11.

Why is the Prime Minister's default position on reopening plans always no? Clearly, he should be thinking more like our Premier Moe. Where is the Prime Minister's national reopening plan?

The EconomyOral Questions

Noon

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Sean Fraser LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance

Madam Speaker, I would be happy to offer the hon. member a basic lesson in civics. It is the responsibility of provincial governments, as he just alluded to in his question, to bear the responsibility for the economic activities that are permissible in a community. Thankfully, his criticism of job numbers is also without merit, as it is a reflection of—

The EconomyOral Questions

Noon

An hon. member

Oh, oh!

The EconomyOral Questions

Noon

Liberal

Sean Fraser Liberal Central Nova, NS

—the provincial public health restrictions that have been put in place to keep people safe. He interrupted me because he does not have the ability to remain calm when dealing with facts he does not agree with.

The fact of the matter is that we have had an excellent record to both protect the public health of Canadians and to support them through this pandemic from the very beginning. We will not stop until it is done.

HealthOral Questions

June 4th, 2021 / noon

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister has announced that next week he will be travelling to Europe for in-person meetings. He has been able to attend these types of meetings virtually for the last several months.

I do not doubt that he is itching to travel abroad and put himself an ocean away from parliamentary scrutiny, but there are countless businesses that rely on customers crossing the border that are not being extended this same courtesy.

Which hotel will the Prime Minister be staying at when he returns home or will he just have the taxpayers of this country pay his new $5,000 fine for him, as he walks past the rest of us with his nose in the air?

HealthOral Questions

Noon

Pickering—Uxbridge Ontario

Liberal

Jennifer O'Connell LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health

Madam Speaker, when it comes to our border measures, Canada has some of the strictest border measures in the world and we have done so precisely to add layers of protection. Each of these layers of protection are in place to track, trace and stop the spread of COVID-19.

While the Conservatives one day say they want stricter border measures, they next day they say they do not. The only thing consistent with the Conservatives when it comes to public health measures is their inconsistency. We will not take lessons from them. We will listen to science and experts to make sure we keep—

HealthOral Questions

Noon

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

The hon. member for Foothills.

HealthOral Questions

Noon

Conservative

John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB

Madam Speaker, I am glad that the parliamentary secretary said they will listen to science and data, because for months we have asked the Liberals to provide data proving that the mandatory quarantine hotels are more effective at limiting the spread of COVID than quarantining at home. However, thus far the Liberals have refused to provide that data, likely because it does not exist.

The report from the expert panel could not be more clear. The hotel quarantines are expensive, ineffective and should be shut down. The Liberals did not consult provinces when they initiated the hotel quarantine, so they do not need to consult now.

Will the Liberals listen to those experts, listen to science and data and shut down the hotel quarantine program now?

HealthOral Questions

Noon

Pickering—Uxbridge Ontario

Liberal

Jennifer O'Connell LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health

Madam Speaker, once again, leave it to Conservatives to have an Ottawa-knows-best approach. We do not think so. We actually agree with working with provinces and territories on public health measures, including working with them when it comes to lifting restrictions. As I said before, the border measures are in place specifically as layers of protection to track, trace and stop the spread of COVID-19, which will save lives.

Again, the Conservatives are inconsistent on their border measures. I do not know which day of the week they are going to change their mind—

HealthOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Liberal

The EnvironmentOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Madam Speaker, this Saturday, we will celebrate World Environment Day. The theme this year is ecosystem restoration. From forests to plains to coasts, we all depend on healthy ecosystems for our survival.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment tell the House what our government is doing to restore our ecosystems for current and future generations of Canadians?

The EnvironmentOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

St. Catharines Ontario

Liberal

Chris Bittle LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Etobicoke Centre for his tireless work to safeguard our environment.

Canadians understand the value of nature and wild species, and the essential role they play for our health and well-being. This is why our government is committed to conserving a quarter of Canada's lands and oceans by 2025, thanks to a further investment of over $4 billion for nature in budget 2021.

We will continue our work with Canadians and indigenous communities to restore our ecosystems and protect our environment for our kids and our grandkids.

Government ProgramsOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

Marc Dalton Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC

Madam Speaker, local non-profits and our youth have faced great challenges during COVID. Canada summer jobs is supposed to help them.

That is why it is disturbing to learn from applicants like the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society, the Fraser North Farmers Market Society and Northridge Church that, unlike past years, there is no flexibility on the number of positions, hours or weeks a job can last. The government's lack of flexibility means we have unfilled positions and unemployed youth, the last thing the economy needs.

Why are the Liberals making things so difficult?

Government ProgramsOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Windsor—Tecumseh Ontario

Liberal

Irek Kusmierczyk LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment

Madam Speaker, Canada's prosperity and post-COVID economic recovery depends on young Canadians getting the education and experience they need to succeed in their careers. That is why the Canada summer jobs program is an important part of our government's youth employment and skill strategy, and we are committed to significantly scaling up this program.

Last year, we approved 80,000 Canada summer job placements. This year, a record-breaking 150,000 job opportunities are now available through the Canada summer jobs program, meaning more opportunities for young Canadians than ever before.

We will continue to be there to help young Canadians through these challenging times.

National DefenceOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Madam Speaker, after the Prime Minister's embarrassing comments about whipping out our fighter jets, he shifted from air support to training Iraqi soldiers. Canadian soldiers sent to Iraq reported evidence their trainees had committed war crimes, but were ignored.

The minister claims no knowledge of the evidence again. His parliamentary secretary told the House that the government was no longer training those particular Iraqis and a rigorous screening process had been put into place.

Why were soldiers instructed to ignore evidence of war crimes, other than to protect the Prime Minister's decision?

National DefenceOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Ottawa West—Nepean Ontario

Liberal

Anita Vandenbeld LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

Madam Speaker, Canada is determined to keep greater peace and security in the world and remains a strong partner in the fight against Daesh. We are committed to meeting our obligations under international and domestic law.

Our government takes allegations like these very seriously. We are actively looking into these very troubling allegations since we have learned of them.

The EconomyOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

David Yurdiga Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Madam Speaker, the government has borrowed and spent an unprecedented amount of money in the time they have been in power. In the past year alone, the debt-to-GDP ratio has grown by almost 20%.

If the government insists on dumping all this new spending onto the Canadian economy, how does the Prime Minister expect the prices will not rise? Why is the Liberal government forcing Canadian people to endure the massive inflation that is coming?

The EconomyOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Sean Fraser LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance

Madam Speaker, this is a key example of where Conservative ideology gets in the way of formulating successful policy. If he has complaints about the amount of money we are spending, I would point him to the major credit rating agencies. He can take his pick.

Moody's, S&P and DBRS have all reaffirmed Canada's AAA credit rating. If he is concerned about our debt-to-GDP ratio, I would point him to the fact that we have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio of any G7 economy.

The reality is that when we launched into this public health emergency of a scale we have never seen before, we decided we would be there for people and for businesses. The effect of that response—

The EconomyOral Questions

12:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes

The hon. member for Sudbury.