Debates of Feb. 11th, 2022

Olympic Games

[Patrick Weiler, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Madam Speaker, 12 years ago tomorrow, my riding was proud to host many events of the 2010 winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. These games were an unqualified success for Canadian athletes, who won the most gold medals ever won by a country at the winter games. Infrastructure investments greatly enhanced the quality of life of the entire region, and the event served as a turning point for reconciliation with indigenous peoples. The region is now again launching a bid to host the winter games in 2030, but this time it is being led by the four host first nations, a first for the Olympic Games.

As the people of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country continue to make Olympic history, I want to highlight seven athletes in my riding who are competing in Beijing: Broderick Thompson, Simon d'Artois, Sofiane Gagnon, Natalie Corless, Trinity Ellis, Reid Watts, Marielle Thompson and the many other high-level athletes that continue to train in the region.

I wish them all the best of luck and know that they will continue to make our community and our country proud.

Campus Saint‑Jean

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Madam Speaker, as the only French language post-secondary institution west of Winnipeg, Campus Saint‑Jean plays a fundamental role in maintaining the vitality of the francophonie in western Canada. It is a true cultural hub for the Franco‑Albertan community. We know that there is a growing demand for bilingual employees. Campus Saint‑Jean is ready to meet the needs of a qualified and bilingual workforce.

Unfortunately, since 2003, the federal government has been blocking the Campus's operating funding despite growing enrolment and student numbers. It is time for the government to set aside partisanship and ensure adequate, ongoing, predictable funding indexed to the cost of living to ensure the survival and growth of Campus Saint-Jean.

This should be done not only for the Franco‑Albertan community, but also for the viability of the entire network of francophone communities across Canada.

John Honderich

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Madam Speaker, with the passing of John Honderich, we lost a dedicated city builder and a newspaperman who believed deeply in the value of journalism, both in the service of progressive values and as an essential part of a healthy democracy.

Born into newsrooms, John started as a copy-boy and night reporter with the Ottawa Citizen before joining the Toronto Star as a reporter, going on to become bureau chief, editor, publisher and chairman. Receiving the CJF Lifetime Achievement Award, John called attention to the crisis in journalism today. He spoke of quality journalism as a form of public service and of the need to confront lies with truth, and he challenged all of us to make quality journalism thrive in Canada.

On behalf of our 416 caucus, we pay our respects and remember John Honderich for his philanthropy, mentorship and humility, as a passionate advocate for social and racial justice, as a fierce defender of his reporters and of journalism, as an advocate for Toronto and a new deal for cities, and above all as a champion of newsrooms that believed that the newspaper was there to do the public good.

Infrastructure in the Lower Mainland

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley—Aldergrove, BC]

Madam Speaker, the people of my riding of Langley—Aldergrove are pleased to have a commitment from all levels of government now to extend the Metro Vancouver SkyTrain from downtown Surrey into downtown Langley. It is exactly what is needed by Langley, one of Canada's fastest-growing urban centres, but it is not enough.

Every day, thousands of commuters are stuck in traffic on Highway 1, westbound in the morning and eastbound in the afternoon. The 264th Street interchange has not been expanded since it was first built in 1964, despite explosive growth in the area.

We are looking to all levels of government to commit to widening Highway 1 from Langley through Aldergrove and into Abbotsford. This critical section of the Trans-Canada Highway is vital to all of Canada. It is the Lower Mainland's primary highway link to the rest of Canada. It services Canada's largest port, the port of Vancouver, in our third-largest urban centre.

It is time to get the job done for my riding, for British Columbia and indeed for all of Canada.

Natural Resources

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

Madam Speaker, let us be proud of all forms of Canadian energy and their history.

On February 13, 1947, 75 years ago this Sunday, Leduc No. 1 struck oil for the first time.

After 133 unsuccessful attempts, the famous Vern “Dry Hole” Hunter finally found what he was looking for. This discovery was the launch of the greatest energetic and economic development in Canadian history.

This discovery benefited all Canadians. More than $500 billion has been shared with the provinces. Today, let us be proud to see that Canada is one of the countries in the world, if not “the” country, with the toughest environmental rules.

Speaking of that, canadaaction.ca stated that the world needs more Canadian energy, that we can support both climate action and Canadian oil and gas, and that success is tied to our record of environmental innovation and emission reduction.

Yes, the environment and energy can go hand in hand. One does not preclude the other. As long as we need energy, let us make sure that energy is Canadian.

Let us be proud of all Canadian forms of energy, and happy 75th anniversary to Leduc No. 1.

Nagula Tharma Sangary

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honour Dr. Nagula Tharma Sangary, a Tamil-Canadian scientist and educator. He obtained an electrical engineering degree from Texas A&M University, masters and doctoral degrees from McMaster University and an MBA from Oxford.

He was a pioneer in wireless technology and served as a principal scientist at BlackBerry. He was an adjunct professor at both McMaster University and the University of Waterloo. At Waterloo, he helped form the Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems.

Dr. Sangary left an indelible mark in the realm of Canadian innovation, having secured over 20 inventions, published 36 publications and reviewed over 3,000 patents. He believed in the value of education and will forever be part of an awe-inspired generation of scientists around the world.

He is deeply missed by his loving wife Christalyn, son Joshua, and his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace. Ban jorna.

COVID-19 Protests

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Madam Speaker, the convoy is affecting people in communities across the country. Health care workers, retailers, grocers, truckers, small business owners and residents have faced harassment, intimidation and even violence during these occupations.

Blockades in Windsor are disrupting our supply chain, and auto factories in the city and elsewhere have been forced to close. Schools in Ottawa and Manitoba have also been targeted. Thousands of workers are finding it harder to put food on the table and pay their rent.

Rather than showing leadership these past weeks, the Prime Minister has spent more time coming up with excuses than he has trying to find solutions. Canadians are fed up with excuses. The government owes it to them to use all the tools available to put an end to the occupations that are harming Canadian workers and their families. The government needs to work on a plan to put a stop to all this.

Parliamentary Interpreters

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to thank all those who ensure that French continues to be used in this supposedly bilingual institution. I am talking about the interpreters.

Being an interpreter is a challenging but rewarding job. They need to work online, because of the pandemic has made that job a lot tougher. Many of our interpreters are dealing with cognitive fatigue and auditory injuries. I have repeatedly talked up this fascinating job to Noémie, a young translation student who is very close to me.

I greatly admire the interpreters for the resilience, dedication and professionalism they have shown to this day. They chose this profession because they love it, and I hope they will stay the course despite the challenges associated with the hybrid Parliament. The entire Bloc Québécois team and I are extremely grateful for all that they do, and we look forward to continue working with them.

Vaccine Mandates

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Madam Speaker, the deliberate politicization of the pandemic has undermined trust in our public health institutions and has damaged national unity, with western alienation, rich versus poor, urban versus rural and vaccinated versus unvaccinated. The divisions in this country are real.

During the election, the Prime Minister chose to capitalize on Canadians' fear and sowed division for his own political gain. Shame on the Prime Minister, who, for the first half of the pandemic, told Canadians there were vaccines for those who wanted them. Then, sensing political gain, that message morphed into one of partition. He said people have the right not to get vaccinated, but they do not have the right to sit next to someone who is.

The Prime Minister's opportunism has created two classes of Canadians. Canadians now watch as the rest of the world moves forward with ending mandates and removing restrictions, while our government has no clear plan to do the same. It is time for the government to listen to the experts, trust the science and find a more sustainable way to end the pain, the trauma and the frustration of two long years of isolation.

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, early in 2020, we were all facing an unforeseen global crisis. It was a life-and-death situation, leading to anxiety, fear and confusion. Our Prime Minister and his team took the measures necessary to keep Canadians safe and to keep our economy going during the pandemic. On behalf the residents of Brampton Centre, I would like to thank the right hon. Prime Minister for his leadership, for standing up for Canadians and for having their backs when they needed it most.

This deadly virus is not yet defeated. Vaccine mandates help keep Canadians safe. We must not allow a small group of extortionists to sabotage those efforts. Let us not squander the hard-fought victories of the past two years by abandoning the fight before victory is achieved.

Health

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Speaker, to work together and to unify, that should be the message of the Prime Minister's speeches in these extremely difficult times, when everyone is tired of the pandemic. Unfortunately, we learned this week from the chair of the Quebec Liberal caucus that the Prime Minister had decided to use an approach to divide and stigmatize.

Millions of Canadians, the opposition parties and more and more Liberal MPs believe that it is time for the Prime Minister to present a plan for getting back to normal. When is the Prime Minister going to present a plan that will give hope to Canadians?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, from the outset, we have been supporting all the cities impacted by the convoy.

We added resources. For example, RCMP officers can provide tactical and logistical support. The RCMP is ready to provide additional assistance. Today, we had a productive meeting with the City of Ottawa.

We will keep following the evidence and continue our strategy of getting out of this pandemic through vaccination.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Speaker, that is not a plan.

The Prime Minister should have listened to Canadians months ago. He is responsible for what is happening right now. Canadians are suffering and looking for a sign of hope. He cannot just tell them that he understands and knows what they are going through. He is the Prime Minister; it is his responsibility.

The well-respected member of Parliament for Mount Royal and parliamentary secretary agrees with us and said as much in the House yesterday. Why does the Prime Minister still refuse to present a plan to put an end to the vaccine mandates and restrictions?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, we have a strategy and a very clear plan. Our strategy is to use vaccination to get us through the pandemic.

We will continue to listen to government public health experts to make decisions about measures at the border. That is the plan, and it is a very effective one.

The convoy needs to leave Ottawa. What is happening is not a lawful demonstration. People living in Canada must obey the law.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Madam Speaker, let me explain to my colleague that Canadians are rightly wondering what criteria will be used to lift restrictions.

We have vaccine mandates. People are working from home. We have PCR tests at the border. Is the Prime Minister waiting until 100% of Canadians are vaccinated? Our vaccination rate is higher than any other G7 country's. Canadians have done their part, and we are proud of them.

Here is my last question for the Prime Minister. What is his plan for putting a quick and peaceful end to the demonstrations, which continue to grow? All this is happening because of his lack of leadership.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.

Canadians have worked hard to stop the spread of COVID‑19, but we cannot stop now. We all have an important role to play in stopping the spread of COVID‑19. We need to work together to get through this crisis.

By getting vaccinated and following public health measures like physical distancing, wearing a mask and, yes, as my hon. colleague pointed out, getting vaccinated, we are all keeping our communities safe. I thank the members opposite for ensuring their communities continue to do so.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Madam Speaker, Canadians need and want a clear plan to end the mandates and restrictions. This week, four Liberal MPs came out against their own government and are demanding that the mandates be removed. I agree with them, and I also completely agree with the Liberal member for Louis-Hébert, who said that the Prime Minister has intentionally stigmatized and divided Canadians for political gain. The Prime Minister has stopped basing his decisions on science. He is now basing them on political science, doing whatever it takes to save his own political skin.

When will Canadians have a clear plan to end the mandates?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport]

Madam Speaker, ever since the beginning of the pandemic, Canadians have all wanted to know when this will be over and when we can go back to the way things were before. I count myself among them. Every step of the way, we have had to adjust measures. We have developed new proposals and introduced novel programs to help keep Canadians safe and to ensure that Canadians know what is going on in a timely manner.

The drop in omicron cases recently means that we can make some changes. Things have already begun to change across the country, but we are going to continue to follow the science and the evidence. We have done that from the start and it has kept Canadians safe. I reject the notion that we are allowing politics to get in the way when the member opposite is clearly—

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

The hon. member for Barrie—Innisfil.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is not based on science. It is based on political science.

Yesterday at the ethics committee, Ann Cavoukian said she found it disturbing that the government collected phone data without informing the public first or, worse, without their consent. Serious questions remain about whether the privacy rights of Canadians have been protected. The Privacy Commissioner has received so many complaints that he has opened an investigation. Canadians want answers. They also want PHAC to halt this program until their privacy can be guaranteed.

Will the government respect the decision of the House of Commons to immediately suspend this data-gathering program until we are sure the privacy rights of Canadians have—

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

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport]

Madam Speaker, our top priority from the very beginning of this pandemic has always been keeping Canadians healthy and safe while upholding the privacy standards that Canadians expect. Over the course of the pandemic, the Public Health Agency of Canada has used de-identifed and aggregated data to perform and inform our government's response to COVID-19, and to transparently provide Canadians with information on the pandemic. That mobility data is released to the public and updated weekly via COVIDTrends and the WeatherCAN application, and while the mobility data being used by the Public Health Agency of Canada contains no private personal information whatsoever, we will continue collaborating with the Ethics Commissioner and remain committed to safeguarding—

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

The hon. member for Saint-Jean.

COVID-19 Protests

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, reinforcements are on their way to Ottawa for the weekend. Once again, these reinforcements are not coming to support the police, but rather the occupiers.

The Ottawa police chief requested an additional 1,800 officers four days ago.

Police officers and the Parliamentary Protective Service have been working around the clock and deserve federal support.

Will the minister confirm that law enforcement will get the required 1,800 officers, or will the occupiers get the upper hand for the third weekend in a row?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, from vandalism to violence, the convoy has disrupted the lives of the people of Ottawa. No one is above the law, and we expect the law to be enforced.

We have been there from the beginning to support the City of Ottawa and the police, and this includes providing additional RCMP officers. Our top priority is to end the illegal blockades, enforce the law and help the people of Ottawa return to normal life.