House of Commons Hansard #115 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was judges.

Topics

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

Ottawa Centre Ontario

Liberal

Yasir Naqvi LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

Madam Speaker, I can tell members that the federal government was engaged in ensuring that we ended the illegal occupation of Ottawa and the illegal closure of our borders as well. We worked very closely with local police authorities that were responsible for providing policing here, in the case of Ottawa for instance, by providing resources as they were needed. At the end of the day, we needed to invoke the Emergencies Act because things were not getting done, and the result is that the occupation came to an end.

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Madam Speaker, that is not true. Crisis management is about hours, maybe days. Not three weeks.

After three weeks of inaction, it was not the emergency measures that brought an end to the siege of Ottawa. It was the police. It was the 1,800 or 1,900 additional police officers that the City of Ottawa had been calling for all along.

The moment the city got those reinforcements, an operation was launched, and less than 48 hours later, the streets of Ottawa were empty. It was the police who ended the siege of Ottawa.

Why did the federal government sit on its hands for three weeks, doing nothing to mobilize and coordinate police officers?

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

Ottawa Centre Ontario

Liberal

Yasir Naqvi LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

Madam Speaker, I can tell members from first-hand experience, as the local member of Parliament for the area, that the occupation and downtown Ottawa were extremely distressing for the residents who live in the downtown core, and for many businesses. The federal government worked extremely closely with the municipal government and its provincial counterparts to make sure all the resources that were needed were provided, so we could end the occupation as quickly as possible.

We all wish that the occupation had not lasted for three weeks, and that is why we had to invoke the Emergencies Act, to put an end to the occupation and to make sure our borders were not blockaded.

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Conservative

Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON

Madam Speaker, yesterday The Globe and Mail revealed that the Liberals are claiming millions in payments to vendors for their ArriveCAN boondoggle that never actually happened. It was a $54-million app, with millions unaccounted for. Canadians are left wondering if there are more fake ArriveCAN payments listed. First it was ThinkOn Inc., then, later in the day, Ernst & Young came forward to say the government is claiming false billing.

Do the Liberals want to revise the figures they signed off on?

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Ajax Ontario

Liberal

Mark Holland LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, I answered this earlier. I am happy to do so again.

The CBSA is taking a look at the contract. It is aware that there are questions. The Government of Canada, this government, in all contracts, conducts itself to the highest standard and demands the highest standards.

With respect to the ArriveCAN app, I would point out that the members opposite wanted to close the border, did not support the app and, frankly, were not helpful during that period of time in constantly changing their positions. We ensured that people were able to enter the country and that goods and services were able to flow in a time of crisis. We will continue to be there for Canadians.

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Conservative

Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON

Madam Speaker, what Canadians do not find helpful is that the Liberals have no intention of telling the truth, so here are some facts for them.

They said the app would cost $80,000, and it ended up costing $54 million. Then CBSA and the Liberals, the ministers, signed off on payments, saying that companies like ThinkOn Inc. and Ernst & Young received payments from the government. These companies never received a dime, so money is missing.

I have two questions for the Liberals: Who is lying, and who got rich?

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Ajax Ontario

Liberal

Mark Holland LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, here are the facts. During an unprecedented time when the country was being rocked by COVID, we needed to be able to make sure that people—

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

An hon. member

It does not matter. It is the public's money.

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Liberal

Mark Holland Liberal Ajax, ON

Madam Speaker, they are saying it does not matter. It absolutely does matter that people were able to cross the border, that we were able, on an urgent basis, to create a system that kept them safe and ensured that they were able to continue to have mobility.

In every step of the pandemic, whether or not it is in supports or whether or not it's in mobility, we were there for Canadians. As crises occur, our government will respond, and will always do so to the highest standard.

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Conservative

Joël Godin Conservative Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC

Madam Speaker, urgent action does not mean spending taxpayers' money. This government has given us many reasons to doubt its integrity. First it was the former Liberal MP's ventilators and the land at Roxham Road. Now it is the ArriveCAN app, which cost $54 million. Experts say they could have done it for $250,000. Is the government mocking us?

Worse still, the government gave $1.2 million to a company, but the company did not get any of it. Here is a simple question: Who got the $1.2 million?

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Ajax Ontario

Liberal

Mark Holland LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, as I have already explained, the agency responsible for contracts is well aware that there are questions. In every situation, in any situation, we will ensure that we are fully accountable. We will answer questions. We will monitor the situation to ensure that our system is working properly.

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Madam Speaker, the ArriveCAN app cost Canadians a fortune and is not worth the $54 million that it cost. A good computer programmer could have easily done the job for under $250,000. It is Liberal incompetence with a $54‑million price tag, once again.

Why does this government keep tumbling into one scandal after another?

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Ajax Ontario

Liberal

Mark Holland LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, the member across the way asked his question in an interesting way, but I will answer it directly. It was a very difficult situation for the country. There is the cost around the software, but there was more to it than the cost of the software. There was a lot of support required for the software. It was essential at the time for the government to act quickly and effectively, and that is what it did.

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

Madam Speaker, hospital emergency rooms in Port Hardy, Alert Bay and Port McNeill have been closing repeatedly for the past few months because there is not enough staff to keep them open. Residents of North Island are extremely concerned that the emergency rooms will not be there when they need them. Underfunding of health care by both Conservative and Liberal governments has left rural communities behind.

Will the government provide significant, stable and long-term funding for health care and address this crisis?

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

Québec Québec

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalMinister of Health

Madam Speaker, we are obviously very focused on and mindful of the severe difficulties health care workers across the country, including in the member's riding, have been facing for a long time. They have been exacerbated during COVID-19. That is why we are going to work together to continue to do that with increased—

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

They are shut down all weekend. What do residents do when they have no emergency room?

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

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

I will just interrupt the hon. minister. Does the hon. member want to listen to the answer from the minister?

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

Madam Speaker, I would like him to answer the question.

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

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

The minister is trying to provide an answer to the question. If members keep interrupting, I will skip to the next question.

The hon. minister.

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos Liberal Québec, QC

Madam Speaker, I am sure the member wants to hear the answer because she is very focused on the problems in her riding. I congratulate her for that. That is why, over the last few weeks and months, we have been investing increased resources through an additional $2-billion investment to reduce backlogs and another $1 billion to support health care workers in long-term care settings—

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

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

The hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona.

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

NDP

Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Madam Speaker, people in Canada do not need more talk. This week, the media reported that the emergency wait times at Edmonton's Stollery Children's Hospital has reached 17 hours. One ER doctor revealed that patients are dying in the waiting room.

It is unacceptable that the Liberals avoid taking any responsibility for this crisis. They are standing by while Conservative premiers are underfunding the health care system that Canadians need. To make things worse, in Alberta, Danielle Smith is musing about scrapping public health care in our province.

Canadians' lives are at risk. When is the government going to take action?

HealthOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

Québec Québec

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalMinister of Health

Madam Speaker, all Canadians, and certainly Albertans, need and deserve the support of the federal government, including support for health care workers in Alberta and across Canada. We are obviously very mindful of the pressures, intentions and sometimes the actions around privatizing our health care system. Canadians want access to Canada's public health care system in a manner which is supported by the principles of accessibility, affordability and universality. These are all principles that all Canadians, including Albertans, want us to support together.

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

Liberal

Michael McLeod Liberal Northwest Territories, NT

Madam Speaker, everyone in Canada should have access to safe, clean drinking water.

Could the Minister of Indigenous Services update the House on the recent progress made in lifting long-term drinking water advisories in first nations communities?

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

11:45 a.m.

Thunder Bay—Superior North Ontario

Liberal

Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for Northwest Territories for his advocacy and hard work.

Just last week, Sachigo Lake lifted its long-term boil water advisory. This is a testament to its dedication and hard work, and, of course, our commitment. Since 2015, 136 boil water advisories have been lifted. There are 31 more to go, each with its own project team and plan. We will not rest until we lift those water advisories. This is important to all Canadians.