Debates of Feb. 1st, 2022

The Economy

[Rob Morrison, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the cost of living is getting worse by the day. Inflation has reached a 30-year high, grocery store shelves are empty and Canadians are understandably tired of the government's constantly moving goalposts. They are struggling to make ends meet, yet the Prime Minister decided this would be a good time to pick their pockets with a payroll tax.

Will the Prime Minister commit right now to cancelling his increase to EI and CPP payroll tax?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing over and over again today, and many other days, a false narrative from the Conservatives, who seem absolutely determined to talk down Canada and the Canadian economy. The reality is that Canadians have handled COVID and the COVID recession with remarkable strength and resilience. Thanks to that resilience, 108% of jobs have been recovered. Thanks to that resilience, back in November we exceeded pre-COVID GDP. This was the deepest economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Diversity and Inclusion

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Black History Month is a time to reflect on the many contributions the Black community has made throughout history to shape Canada into the nation we are today. We must empower Black voices and Black experiences to face the challenges that prevent them from contributing fully to a diverse, prosperous and inclusive Canada. This means taking action against systemic discrimination and anti-Black racism.

Could the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth update the House on the actions our government has taken to empower the Black community?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her presence as the longest serving female parliamentarian in the House.

This month we take the time to honour and celebrate the Black community, and as a government we will continually work to remove systemic barriers for a more and equal society for everyone, whether that is through our commitment to Canada's anti-racism strategy, $200 million to establish the new Black-led philanthropic endowment fund or the $100-million top-up to the supporting Black Canadian communities initiative. No matter the month, every day is a day to celebrate Black excellence.

Foreign Affairs

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Mr. Speaker, over the past several months, Russia has amassed thousands of troops and conducted provocative military activities close to Ukraine's border. As the international community continues to call on President Putin to de-escalate the situation, Canada must be crystal clear as to what specific action it will take to deter an invasion.

This is a very important question. Could the Prime Minister confirm right now that if Ukraine is invaded he will use all tools at his disposal, including Magnitsky sanctions?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for this very important question because on sanctions, we are really ready to impose severe economic sanctions should Russia further invade Ukraine. We are working closely with our allies: the U.S., the EU and of course the U.K. Sanctions are most effective when we all act in lockstep. Canada is ready.

The Economy

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, according to Canada's 2022 food price report, the overall food price increase is from 5% to 7%. It is the highest predicted increase in food prices in the last 20 years. This is becoming a concern for many constituents in my riding. The price of food in Alberta is expected to be higher than the national average in 2022.

When will the Liberal government finally admit that its policies have directly affected the two-decade high inflation rate?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, as I have already pointed out, and as Canadians understand very well, inflation is a global phenomenon driven by global challenges, like congested supply chains and the fact that there have been very significant crop challenges around the world.

There are concrete things we can do to make life more affordable for Canadians, like building affordable housing and early learning and child care. That is why I am so astonished that the Conservative Party opposed our early learning and child care plan, which the Province of Alberta has now done a deal with us on.

Seniors

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, seniors from across my riding have been expressing their worries about the government's disregard for their skyrocketing costs of living. With inflation being higher than ever before, those who live on fixed incomes through programs like CPP or old age security, many with no pensions, are finding it hard to make ends meet. The Liberal carbon tax only makes things worse.

In these stressful economic times, why does the Prime Minister insist on taking money from Canadians and seniors who are already struggling to pay their bills?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Minister of Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, I find it rather rich for the Conservatives to bring up seniors working past the age of retirement, because they raised the retirement age when they were in power. We reversed that and gave seniors back the benefits they are entitled to. We are gradually enhancing the CPP, including what the employers pay in, in partnership with the provinces and territories so that seniors now and into the future can have a strong, stable retirement.

Seniors know who has been and will be there for them and it is not the Conservatives.

Health

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, over the past two weeks, we have stepped up the fight against COVID-19. As Canadians continue to receive their third dose of vaccine, we are starting to see delays in appointments for booster doses.

Could the Minister of Health please give the House an update on the progress that has been made with respect to booster doses and the additional measures the government is taking to ensure that all Canadians have access to a third dose?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Alfred‑Pellan for his outstanding work on behalf of his constituents and for raising the issue of vaccination.

A total of 77 million doses have been administered. Almost 84% of Canadians of all ages have received a first dose, 79% have received two doses, 43% of eligible Canadians have already gotten a booster, and 53% of children aged 6 to 11 have received a first dose. We can be proud. We have been among the most vaccinated countries in the world for months. We are, of course, deeply grateful to all those who have made the right choice.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, immigration processing times are long and have been long for quite some time. Families, workers and students have to put their lives on hold while waiting for an answer that never seems to come.

Too often, these people are asked to fill out a second application and pay the fees a second time because the Liberals are taking too long to get to their file. The system is broken and does not respect people.

Will the Liberals invest the necessary resources so that these people can start living with respect and dignity?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share that yesterday, in order to respond to the very serious pressures the pandemic has put on our immigration system, I announced there would be an $85-million investment to improve processing times for work permits, study permits, temporary resident visas and proof of citizenship, and to eliminate the inventory of PR cards. At the same time, we made further announcements about new functionalities of the digital platform that we are going to be introducing that would allow more people to get information about their files in real time and improve efficiencies across 15 different lines of business by this summer.

There is no question this has been a challenging year for those seeking to come to Canada, but we are working to make life easier so they can call Canada home.

Foreign Affairs

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after the government abandoned people who risked their lives to help us, millions of Afghans, including children, are on the brink of starvation. We learned yesterday that Canadian organizations, like World Vision Canada, are unable to deliver food and aid to children suffering from malnutrition. They cannot help for fear of prosecution from Canada's anti-terrorism laws. The U.S. and the EU have made sure that humanitarian aid partners would not be prosecuted, but the Liberal government has not.

How many more Afghan children will have to die of starvation before an exemption is provided to Canadian organizations that want to help?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, we are deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and we will be there to support the people of Afghanistan, not the Taliban. That is why I recently announced that Canada would provide $56 million in humanitarian funding in response to the appeals from the United Nations and the international Red Cross. This funding will allow Canada's humanitarian partners to provide life-saving assistance to ensure that humanitarian goods are dispatched and that workers can continue to be able to support the Afghan people. We will look to do more with our partners.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

That is all the time we have for question period today. I want to thank all members. You were very civil. It was very nice to hear everyone actually having a debate today.

We have a number of points of order coming up. I will go through them one at a time. We will start with the hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona.

Myanmar

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions, and I think that you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That the House (a) recognize the one-year anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar that took place as a new session of Parliament was set to open; (b) take note of the impact of the deteriorating political and humanitarian situation on the most vulnerable; (c) condemn the oppression of the population through forced disappearances, torture, arrests, killings and intimidation; (d) urge the government and the international community to increase pressure on the military to engage in inclusive political dialogue to end the crisis; (e) support the use of sanctions against members of Myanmar's military who disregard the human rights of the people of Myanmar; (f) deplore the ongoing suffering of the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities; and (g) stand in solidarity with those in Myanmar who aspire for peace, democratic governance and the protection of human rights.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

Hearing no dissent, it is agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Anti-Semitic Symbols

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations among the parties, and if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That the House deplores the use of Nazi and anti-Semitic symbols in demonstrations on Parliament Hill and denounces their use at all times.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

Hearing no dissent, it is agreed.

(Motion agreed to)

Islamophobia

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That the House condemn the display of hateful and harmful Islamophobic rhetoric by protesters on the streets of Ottawa on the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia, and urge all Canadians to join in putting an end to all hate.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

(Motion agreed to)

Racism

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That the House: (a) view the display of racist flags in Ottawa this weekend as shameful and a testament to the divisive and hateful rhetoric of the protest; (b) condemn these actions; and (c) continue to fight to eradicate anti-Black racism and all forms of hatred in Canada.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.

I hear none. The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed will please say nay.

(Motion agreed to)