Debates of Feb. 14th, 2022

Government Business No. 8—Proceedings on Bill C-10

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from British Columbia. It is where much of my family lives and I miss them terribly.

I am tired. My kids are tired. Many members of the House are tired, but the truth is that our ICUs are still struggling with the numbers. We are seeing the cases stabilize a little, but the reality is that we have many Canadians who are immunocompromised, who have other vulnerabilities and who need tools to move forward safely.

A constituent in my riding is a kidney transplant recipient. He cannot go outside. He is waiting for more tests so that he can move on with his life. I hope the members of the House understand that the science and the tools that we need to move forward for Canadians include the procurement and distribution of rapid tests equitably, safely and fairly for every Canadian who needs them.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is good to be here this evening in this debate discussing our amendment.

The Conservative Party brought forward this amendment because we feel there just needs to be more time to examine the bill. There is no rush to bring it forward. It has to go through the Senate, which is not even sitting until next week. We need to be able to examine it. We need the minister to come here so that we can ask questions. I have a few minutes to give some of the reasons why we need to ask some questions. We are supportive of bringing rapid tests to Canadians but there are some serious issues that we need to address here this evening.

This is par for the course. It is freezing outside right now in Ottawa, but we may as well be playing golf for the Liberals because it is par for the course. I think back to two years ago when Conservatives brought forward concerns about what was happening in China, Italy and Iran. We brought forward these things. What were we accused of? We were accused of being racists. That is language they love to use, “You're a racist,” and we were just bringing forward some concerns. They always seem to be behind in the game. Speaking of games, it took the NHL and the NBA to cancel their seasons before they realized they had better do something more serious.

The government likes to convince Canadians that their actions related to the pandemic are done only with their best interests in mind. That really causes me and many others to scratch our heads and wonder if it's really in Canadians' best interests or if it is in their close friends' interests, their polling numbers or whether they can get gold, silver and bronze in sharing some of the benefits among those who are close to them. The facts speak for themselves. As a case in point, we had Mr. Frank Baylor, or “Frankie”. Liberals should know him. He was an MP until 2018—

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I am sure the hon. member would not want to misname our former colleague, Frank Baylis, who led a charge here for greater democracy in the House.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I want to thank the hon. member for getting up.

We will let the hon. member continue.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Speaker, MP Frank Baylis got a contract. He definitely had the inside track for ventilators, for a company that had not built them. He had never made ventilators before. It was a sole-purpose contract for $236 million. It had never been tested or used before. They charged twice its value compared to the competition. It is emergency funding. Therefore, let us give it to our buddies. That is what we see with the Liberals. Just ask Jody Wilson-Raybould what is going on here. It is the same old, same old on that side.

What other sorts of things would cause us maybe to want to look a bit more into their expenditures? How about the WE scandal? What exactly was the WE scandal? Get an organization working with children and do you know what? Maybe a million dollars approximately was given to the Prime Minister's brother, mother and family for speaking fees. What did they get? They got a three-quarters of a billion-dollar contract for something—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. Minister of Northern Affairs.

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Mr. Speaker, what the member is talking about has nothing to do with the topic at hand of securing rapid tests for Canadians. I know in my province of Manitoba rapid tests are severely needed. Manitobans need them, so could the hon. member get back to the topic at hand?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I have been surprised before when I believe members are off on a tangent and suddenly they bring their argument. I am sure the hon. member will make sense and come into his argument. I will just remind him, though, to try to be as relevant as possible when he is debating the topic at hand.

I will let the hon. member continue.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I believe this is absolutely relevant. We are talking about $2.5 billion of money. What is $2.5 billion? What is $1.2 trillion of deficit that we have doubled under the Liberals? What does that mean? It is just money. It is just taxpayer money. It just puts it upon our children and their children and their children. Who cares? That is the attitude we are getting from this group.

Why am I passionate about this? It is because the Liberals are trying to ram through this bill, which we have supported. We have talked about getting rapid testing for the past year and a half. For the past year and a half, we have been bringing this forward. Now they are patting themselves on the back for getting all of these rapid tests. They are not very rapid on getting the rapid tests. It is pretty slow if they ask me.

More than just slow, it is not just the rapid tests. We need to examine this. How about vaccinations? They tell you, Mr. Speaker, that we have more vaccines per capita than others in the world. We have almost as many as there are stars in the sky.

We have vaccines, 200 million vaccines, and this does relate to the motion. It does not matter that we are paying twice as much as the Europeans or 50% more than the Americans. That is just taxpayer money. We are talking about $2.5 billion. What are we getting for that? Do Canadians not deserve to see what is in there? The Liberals say that it is an emergency and we have to pass this forward.

Maybe there is another little emergency happening right now. The fact of the matter is that we had a vote today on getting mandates lifted, and the Liberals want to shift the dial. Premier Ford was announcing that the province was lifting restrictions and their response was to ask, “What should we do?” Let us have an emergency meeting right now, tonight, Sunday night, and bring in the emergency measures act, and for good measure let us also do this bill.

Things have been serious for a while, but this is how this party works, supported by our friends in the NDP. This is serious and Canadians have a right to know.

When the pandemic began, we had daily calls with staff and it was a running joke after a while. We would give some suggestions to the public affairs people who answer the questions and give it to the end of the month. On the other side the ministers would say that it was a good idea and they would just incorporate it, whether it was a 10% wage subsidy at the beginning, increased to 75%, or a whole host of measures. The impression that we on this side get is absolute wastefulness on that side. They say it is the taxpayers but whatever.

We have doubled the amount of debt in Canadian history just in the past while here. There comes a time for accountability. There comes a time for constraint. There comes a time for thoughtfulness, and we are not seeing it over there.

I remember watching what was happening here over the past couple of years and wondering who we are being run by. Who is economically running this? Is this a group of high school students? I am sorry to high school students. I am a high school teacher by profession. However, this is ridiculous. Maybe they should not be sending these cheques to foreign addresses. Going back to high school students, maybe they should not be giving tens of thousands of dollars to students who have made maybe $5,000. Maybe a bit of thoughtfulness would have been helpful for Canadians, because the Liberals are putting us into bondage.

This is an important bill.

I would also say this on vaccinations. I will tell them where they can put the rapid tests to good use. They can maybe open up to some people they have excluded from Canada. They have made them lepers. Who are these lepers? They are the people who are unvaccinated, who happen to be, according to the Liberals' report, about 20% or maybe more of the population. Maybe people could use them so they could travel. That was the Conservative position. How about letting people travel?

In British Columbia and Canada right now, 20% of households have had COVID in the past month and a half. We are talking about millions of people. It is all over. It is endemic.

They are saying to forget about testing and treat it like you have a flu or a cold. They are saying to stay at home. I know hundreds of people who have had COVID. I had COVID three weeks ago, and my wife did also, so it is real. I know people who have died from it. I am not saying we do not need rapid tests. I am just saying that we need to show a little more thoughtfulness and respect for Canadian taxpayers.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I must say that was entertaining. When we follow the debate of the Conservatives today, we have to wonder where they are on the issue of tests.

We have some members who stand up to ridicule it. It is almost as if they do not believe rapid tests play a valuable role at all in society. They are asking why we are spending this money. Then there are other members who stand up to say they are going to vote in favour of the legislation.

I guess the question to ask the member is whether he will be be voting in favour of the legislation. Is he against the legislation? Where is the Conservative Party today, Mr. Trump? Oh, I meant that for the member.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Mr. Speaker, honestly, we are with Canadians. We are concerned about their health. We want to see them wherever they are at. We want them to have their own free choices. It is “my body, my choice” as far as vaccinations go. It is not to treat them like they are idiots or like they are white supremacists. They are not. They are Canadians.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. While we might have fun volleying back and forth with the member for Winnipeg North, his addressing my colleague as Mr. Trump was offensive.

He knows full well that was not a mistake. He did it on purpose. I ask that he stand and apologize to the member and to the House.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw the comment and I apologize.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

It being 8 p.m., pursuant to an order made earlier today, it is my duty to interrupt the proceedings to put forthwith every question necessary to dispose of Motion No. 8 under government business now before the House.

The question is on the amendment.

If a member of a recognized party wishes to request a recorded division or that the amendment be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, we request a recorded vote.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the amendment, which was negatived on the following division:)

Vote #25

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare the amendment defeated.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

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

That, notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House, Government Business No. 8 standing on the Order Paper in the name of the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, be amended:

a) in paragraph (c), by deleting all the words after the words “recorded division is requested” and substituting the following, “it shall be deferred to the next sitting day at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions, and the House shall then adjourn to the next sitting day”; and

b) by deleting paragraph (g).

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay. Hearing no dissenting voice, it is agreed.

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

(Amendment agreed to)

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The next question is on the main motion, as amended.

If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request a recorded division or that the motion, as amended, be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

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

Mr. Speaker, we request a recorded division.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #26

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare the motion, as amended, carried.

Pursuant to order made earlier today, the House will now proceed to the consideration of the bill at second reading.

Act Respecting Certain Measures Related to COVID-19

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

moved that Bill C-10, An Act respecting certain measures related to COVID-19, be read the second time and referred to a committee of the whole.