House of Commons Hansard #114 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was gba.

Topics

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Durham Ontario

Conservative

Erin O'Toole ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, for months the Conservatives have been trying to understand why two scientists were removed from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. The Liberals said it was a staffing issue. Now they are saying that it is a matter of national security.

Those are two contradictory, questionable and very different messages. Why is the Prime Minister hiding the truth from Canadians?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, that is simply untrue. We are not hiding anything.

In 2016, we created a committee of parliamentarians who have the necessary authority to study and investigate our national security systems. That was an election promise that we made after we watched the Harper government for years block any question related to national security.

We created a committee that enables parliamentarians to study very sensitive issues and we shared all these unredacted documents with them.

JusticeOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Mr. Speaker, at a press conference yesterday, the Prime Minister made some comments that, in light of recent events, are quite disturbing and, in in fact, should be either corrected or clarified.

Can the Prime Minister explain, because it makes no sense to us, the connection between a face mask and secularism within the Quebec state?

JusticeOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers are currently standing up for their rights in court over Quebec's secularism law. We are naturally following this situation closely. My position and our government's position have always been clear on this.

JusticeOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Mr. Speaker, what seems clear is that he will fund Quebeckers who want to challenge Bill 21.

He said that he would not be surprised if in the weeks and months to come people started re-examining the purpose and importance of Bill 21, partly because we have been spending a lot of time wearing masks for the past year, and because people are really worried about the increase in intolerance and Islamophobia.

Good grief, is the Prime Minister making a connection between Bill 21, the Quebec National Assembly, intolerance and Islamophobia?

JusticeOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois has expressed its concerns over the court challenges program multiple times. We reinstated this program after the Conservatives slashed it because we believe that it is important for every Canadian to be able to defend their fundamental rights before the courts, whether it be their official language rights, their rights as members of the LGBTQ+ community or their religious minority rights. Our government believes that people should be able to defend their rights before the courts, and we will always defend these principles.

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC

Mr. Speaker, the discovery of the remains of 215 indigenous children devastated people across the country. The indigenous community is calling for justice and action.

The Prime Minister continues to fight indigenous kids in court, despite the fact that the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled that these children were victims of discrimination. Will the Prime Minister continue to fight indigenous kids in court on Monday, yes or no?

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not true. We are not fighting indigenous children in court.

On the contrary, we have recognized that indigenous children and young adults who have been abused in the child welfare system in recent years deserve to be compensated. That is why we are working with indigenous communities to establish fair amounts for compensation. We will always work hand in hand on the path of reconciliation. That is what indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians expect.

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

NDP

Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC

Mr. Speaker, that is very troubling as a response because this Monday indigenous kids are going to be showing up at court, their representatives, and the Canadian government, directed by the Prime Minister, is going to be there to continue fighting against them. It is about this Monday. It is not a distant thing in the future. It is this Monday that I am talking about, where in fact the Canadian government, under direction of the Prime Minister, will be fighting these kids.

Despite all of Parliament saying the government should stop, will it stop fighting these kids in court and, instead, walk the path of reconciliation?

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

June 9th, 2021 / 2:30 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that on an issue as important as reconciliation the NDP continues to try to make political points and twist rhetoric.

We are not fighting indigenous kids in court. This government has committed to compensate the young people who went through child and family services.

We recognize the trauma and the pain inflicted upon them, and that is why not only are we working with indigenous communities and leadership on just compensation, but we have also brought in significant reforms to child and family services to keep indigenous communities in control of their kids at risk.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Matthew Gilmour, head of the government's Winnipeg lab, raised serious concerns about the Wuhan Institute of Virology. He questioned the nature of its work, whether it could be trusted and why materials were being shipped from Winnipeg to Wuhan. He asked why they would work with the Wuhan lab in the first place.

On May 15 last year, only eight weeks into the global pandemic, he suddenly quit. Why?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I can understand that parliamentarians have questions around issues, including questions around issues of national security. That is very much why we have ensured that there is a forum for them to look at even very sensitive things, in the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. The health minister has made available to parliamentarians, through that committee, unredacted documents regarding the National Microbiology Lab, and I look forward to the study that parliamentarians can do to get to the bottom of this.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

Mr. Speaker, that is a PMO committee, not a parliamentary committee. Its members are hired and fired by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister can deny the committee information and order changes to reports. It is not the place to hold the government accountable; this place is.

We do not know why Dr. Gilmour resigned. We do not know why Dr. Qiu and Dr. Cheng were fired. We do not know how a scientist from the People's Liberation Army gained access to the Winnipeg lab.

When is the government going to start being accountable to this House of Commons and answer the questions?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the member who asked the question was a part of Stephen Harper's Conservative government, which regularly refused to allow any oversight whatsoever on issues of national security. Many Canadians will remember the excesses of Bill C-51 that the Harper government put forward, which is why we made changes to Bill C-51 when we got into office, which is also why we created the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, to provide a forum for parliamentarians to oversee national security work. That is an improvement we made that Conservatives voted against.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

Mr. Speaker, when I sat on the other side of the House, I stood up publicly on numerous occasions and called on the government to be accountable to the House of Commons and its committees. I did in government what I am doing in opposition, something the Prime Minister is not doing.

I have a very simple but serious question for the Prime Minister. The government expects Canadians to uphold the rule of law. In turn, Canadians expect their government to do the same.

When will the government comply with the House order for the Winnipeg lab documents?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the Winnipeg lab documents, in completely unredacted form, have been given to parliamentarians through the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. Two of that member's colleagues sit on that committee and will be able to follow up on any of those questions the member has brought forward.

It is very important that at the same time as we protect national security we find a way for Parliament to hold us to account, and that is exactly what we have done with NSICOP.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, what happened between the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg and the Chinese laboratory in Wuhan is an extremely serious matter. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is doing whatever he wants.

The House of Commons adopted an order last week calling on the government to table relevant documents. It is not a wish or a desire; it is an order. Once again, the Prime Minister thinks he is above the law. He thinks there is one set of laws for him and another for everyone else.

Why does the Prime Minister refuse to release important information so that Canadians can get to the bottom of this matter?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, it is nothing but nonsense from the opposition.

We have given all the unredacted documents to the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians so that it can ask its questions and examine the facts without jeopardizing our national security.

Everyone can understand that we need to protect national security, but we also need transparency and accountability. The committee is there for that very reason, with the necessary qualifications and safeguards to investigate thoroughly.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, no, an order of the House of Commons is not nonsense. What happened in Winnipeg and Wuhan is not nonsense. That is why we must get to the bottom of the matter.

The Prime Minister talks about his committee of parliamentarians, but his committee of parliamentarians is in his hands. It is the Prime Minister himself who gets to decide whether or not certain aspects will be made public.

That is not transparency. That is why these matters must be referred to a parliamentary committee, not his committee.

Why is the Prime Minister refusing to publicly get to the bottom of this matter?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, either for political reasons or simply out of ignorance, the opposition party is clearly refusing to accept the good work that the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians is doing.

I suggest that the Conservatives talk to their two excellent members on the committee to get an idea of the kind of tremendous and diligent work that this committee is doing on matters of national security.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, speaking of ignorance, the Prime Minister does not even realize that the members of his committee cannot talk.

He is telling us to talk to our parliamentary colleagues on this committee, but we cannot. The Prime Minister himself does not even know that. He does not know what he is talking about.

We are serious about this, and Canadians are too. They want to know the truth.

Why is the Prime Minister refusing to get to the bottom of this matter?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we created a parliamentary committee made up of parliamentarians from all parties to thoroughly examine matters of national security, with the necessary clearances. The leader of the Conservative Party recommended members of his party to sit on this committee.

Other democracies like ours have similar committees. We are simply the last to have created one, because Stephen Harper refused to do so.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Mr. Speaker, as the community of London, Ontario, comes to grips with a tragedy that will mark it forever, at a time when we need to reflect, be compassionate and defuse tensions, the Prime Minister is suggesting that there is a link between the anti-Muslim terrorist attack in London and the Government of Quebec's secularism law.

Does the Prime Minister believe that his comments will defuse tensions? Will he apologize to Quebeckers and retract his unfortunate comments?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, Muslims and Muslim communities across Canada, including Quebec's Muslim community, which continues to suffer as a result of the attack in Sainte-Foy several years ago, are standing in solidarity with the London community and with Muslims across the country.

Muslims are now saying that they feel even more anxious when they go outside wearing hijab and go for walks with their family.

What happened Sunday evening was a horrific terrorist attack. I know that people across the country are supporting this community that has suffered so much.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Yves-François Blanchet Bloc Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Mr. Speaker, I understand that there is no set limit in the Standing Orders for refusing to answer a question or being incapable of answering, but in real life, there are limits.

Quebeckers are no less supportive of the people of London than the Prime Minister is, but the Prime Minister drew a link between Islamophobia and intolerance and a law passed by the Quebec National Assembly, a law that has widespread support in Quebec.

Will he repeat this asinine remark, or will he apologize?