Debates of March 31st, 2022

International Mother Language Day Act

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to private member's bill, Bill S-214, an act to establish international mother language day.

International mother language day is a worldwide annual observance held on February 21 to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism. Mother language day is part of a broader initiative to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by people around the world. Beginning in Bangladesh, then East Pakistan, the idea to celebrate international mother language day was an initiative to fully recognize the Bangla language.

As we all know, our nation has a rich cultural heritage that is cultivated by indigenous peoples, European settlers and immigrants from every corner of the globe. This is succinctly demonstrated in the first three lines of the preamble to Bill S-214:

Whereas English and French are Canada’s official languages;

Whereas more than 60 different Aboriginal languages are spoken in Canada;

Whereas Canadians speak a multitude of languages that greatly enrich Canada and its culture;

If culture and tradition are the branches of the tree, then surely language is the trunk. Without supporting the base of the tree, the branches suffer, wither and fall.

According to Michael Krauss, then head of the Alaska Native Language Center in Fairbanks, who published “The world's languages in crisis” back in 1992, some 600 languages had fewer than 100 surviving speakers. Half of the world's languages were kept alive by a fifth of 1% of the entire global population. Of the 7,000 existing languages, only half were being taught to children, so Canada mirrors the global language crisis. Of the 60 or more indigenous languages in Canada, just three, Cree, Inuktitut and Ojibwa, are stable and viable. They account for nearly two-thirds of the nearly 229,000 Canadians who claim an indigenous language as their mother tongue and who regularly speak that language in the home.

Of the 12 major language families once solidly established here in the country, nine are today the linguistic expression of a mere 6% of the indigenous population. There are 50 languages spoken by first nations with fewer than 3,000 members. Even among indigenous communities where the loss of language is widespread, language revitalization is a powerful aspirational goal linked to reconciliation and the preservation of culture.

My own riding of Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock boasts 63 different languages spoken as mother tongues. This is also recognized in the Conservative Party of Canada policy document, section 133, “Recognition that language is an integral part of one’s culture and heritage should form the basis for decision-making relating to its cultural and artistic community.”

We encourage the government to recognize the diverse cultural nature of Canada and its shared history and to take these into account when working to strengthen opportunities and accessibility in both the domestic and international markets for our creative success.

I want to close by saying I support mother languages.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member will have six minutes left the next time this matter is before the House.

A motion to adjourn the House under Standing Order 38 deemed to have been moved.

Health

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, I begin my remarks by recognizing the good people who live in the Ontario riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke for their confidence in me as their federal member of Parliament.

As the Prime Minister should be aware, February in Canada is Black History Month. I gave the Prime Minister the opportunity to join Conservative members of Parliament to condemn the racist act of wearing blackface. This opportunity was given two days after he cried wolf, invoking the Emergencies Act. It was important to do so at that point, since the Liberal Party decision to refuse to meet with members of the “freedom convoy” led to the firing of Ottawa's first Black police chief, Peter Sloly.

There is no doubt the dog whistle comments by the Prime Minister to his party trolls were inflaming a situation in Ottawa that Chief Sloly was dealing with in a non-aggressive manner as a professional police officer. I take this opportunity on behalf of all Canadians to thank Chief Sloly for his service to Canada as the police chief of Ottawa and for standing up for the right Canadians thought they had of peaceful protest.

During Chief Sloly's time as head of police, Canadians could feel safe walking the streets of Ottawa. With children playing, bouncy castles, outdoor barbecues to feed the homeless and Canadians proudly waving Canadian flags, some remarked this was the Canada Day they had been missing for years. This was not the image that the Prime Minister wanted for a backdrop as he manoeuvred with his deputy, the Minister of Finance, to find any excuse to declare a so-called emergency.

As he had purged strong women from his party, like former justice minister, Jody Wilson-Raybould; former health minister Jane Philpott; and, Black woman member of Parliament, Celina Caesar-Chavannes, who stood up to the Prime Minister, it was obvious that a scapegoat was needed. Chief Sloly had to go.

Black History Month was the appropriate moment for the Prime Minister to tone down the hate-filled divisive language, which had not stopped coming out of his mouth since the unnecessary election called five months previously. It is everyone's responsibility to carefully say who and what they are platforming. It was time to stop being so angry and start acting like a true leader of a civilized country. Instead, the Prime Minister used the backdrop of Black History Month to cause the firing of Ottawa's first Black chief police officer.

The trucker strike was driven by widespread resentment of hysterical reporting throughout the pandemic by the Liberal bought off media and the attempted cancellation of anyone who dissented over the mandates, whether on scientific or civil liberties grounds. With the declaration of the Emergencies Act, Canada got noticed but not for the right reasons. Addressing the Irish upper house, Ireland senator, Sharon Keogan, spoke up against the unjust and excessive force used against the peaceful protest. Ireland, Canadians embarrassingly remember, was elected to the seat on the United Nations Security Council for which the government spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars unsuccessfully campaigning. I quote Senator Keogan:

We have had calls in this House to address serious human rights abuses occurring in all places over the world, from China in the East, to here in the West....

I find it odd that we have heard nothing of the well publicised, high profile, peaceful protest being violently suppressed and dispersed by armed government forces. Ranks of uniformed and armoured military figures, stripped of their badges and [ID] tags, converged on protesters, an officer on horseback trampled over a disabled woman, [around] 200 arrests were made and over 60 vehicles...seized by the state. [It] sounds like something [you’d see from] Russia...but instead this is happening in the supposedly liberal democracy of Canada....

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has been supporting Canadians. Our goal has been to minimize serious illness and overall deaths with minimal disruption to society. With the recent emergence of the BA.2 variant, we are seeing rising cases and differing levels of severity in regions across the country. This reminds us that COVID-19 is still circulating.

The Public Health Agency of Canada provides guidance and advice on recommended public health measures. This is done at both individual and community levels. The agency's guidance has been informed by scientific evidence, expert opinion and established public health practices. It aims to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of people living in Canada. Across the country, there is variability in how jurisdictions are assessing risks and adjusting approaches. However, we continue to recommend using individual public health measures, such as wearing a mask in indoor public settings, as the COVID-19 situation evolves. We expect recommendations for these measures, of course, to change.

Vaccines and therapeutics continue to be important cornerstones of our pandemic response. We are fortunate that vaccination coverage rates in Canada are high, but there are still more opportunities to enhance our protection.

Vaccine-related requirements and restrictions have helped keep Canadians safe. They have supported safe working conditions and spaces for federal public service workers and travellers on federally regulated transport. They have also been a tool to support vaccine uptake to help prevent serious illness and to help prevent our health care system from becoming overwhelmed.

With vaccines widely available and higher levels of immunity due to prior infection, Canada is in a much stronger position now than we were at the beginning of the pandemic. Our best advantage going forward will be maintaining a state of readiness. This includes all of us keeping our COVID-19 vaccinations up to date and getting a booster dose when eligible. Canadians should also continue to make informed personal choices to protect themselves, their families and their communities based, of course, on their local situations and personal circumstances.

Using individual public health measures in a layered approach and, along with vaccines and therapeutics, results in fewer hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. Provincial and territorial governments and regional local public health authorities will continue to make decisions about when it is necessary to maintain, ease or reinstate public health measures. In doing so, they will consider indicators of readiness, the most recent evidence, the current situation and other factors.

As Canada moves forward with its ongoing pandemic response, a risk- and evidence-based approach will continue to be used across jurisdictions.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, I will continue with Irish Senator Keogan's quote. She said:

Not being satisfied with merely dispersing protestors, the state froze the finances associated with certain individuals and companies believed to be involved in the protests. These are people who committed no crime and have not been convicted lawfully in court but who the Government decided to punish because they might have been connected with a protest that was inconvenient to the government. It was an unprecedented act by the state against its citizens, which should be roundly condemned.

Senator Keogan called upon the Irish Upper House to write to Canada's ambassador to Ireland in order to condemn the excessive force used by the Canadian government as well as the state's overreach in punishing its citizens.

A day of reckoning will come.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, on that ominous note, the Public Health Agency of Canada and its provincial and territorial partners are working together and planning for an approach that is sustainable as we address the ongoing presence of the BA.2 variant.

Canada's response has been and will continue to be based on scientific evidence and expert opinion. We will continue to take into account the evolving scientific evidence related to the virus and its characteristics as well as the epidemiology. We will also consider emerging variants of concern, the value and impact of public health interventions and the impact of vaccination and vaccine effectiveness as we move forward.

Thanks to the people living in Canada who have adhered to public health measures and have gotten vaccinated, our outlook for the future continues to improve.

Foreign Affairs

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise tonight not really as the member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound representing my constituents, and not even really as a Conservative member of Parliament. That is the privilege I have to be able to rise. I rose and asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs a question last week in reference to a quote that she made, where she stated that Canada “is not a military power.”

As I stated in that question, I have had the privilege of leading some of Canada's finest warriors in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq, and I would like to educate the minister. That was the point I made in that question about how the strength of our Canadian Armed Forces personnel and our Canadian military is based upon the fact that we are a military power.

It was a simple question to the minister, and that is why I am here tonight to give the minister the opportunity to put it officially on the record, to all our combat veterans across this great nation of ours, that she will acknowledge that the Canadian Armed Forces personnel are among the best in the world and that we are a military power.

Let me expand a little bit, just because there are a lot of myths out there about Canadian Armed Forces personnel and what we have been doing throughout the history of Canada. I think this is even more important as we are approaching the 105th anniversary of Vimy. That is where, really, Canada became a great nation because of our military power and because of our victory on Vimy Ridge, 105 years ago next week.

In my own experience, I turned to my first platoon warrant officer when I was in Oscar Company of the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. We were in Bosnia, but before we got there, I was talking to my platoon warrant officer, and he explained that when he first rolled in from Germany down to Bosnia and Croatia, during the conflicts of the mid- and early 90s, he got into a situation where he got into a roadblock. He was being held up. He took that opportunity to push back with those forces that were trying to oppose his soldiers and say, no, they could not do their job of keeping the peace. He was able to point up to the ridge line and that anti-armour TOW system that was geared up and pointed directly at that roadblock, and that military power allowed him to do his job of keeping the peace over there.

What disappointed me very much in the response was that the minister chose to go partisan. As I said, my question had no context and no partisan angle to it. I was not asking as a Conservative. I was asking as a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, and she said that the question was rich coming from the Conservatives.

I served from 1993 to 2019. I started under Chrétien's government and I lived through the decade of darkness under that Liberal government. I lived under the Harper government, when we got Chinooks, we got strategic lift and we got tanks delivered to us. I even served under the current government.

In the end, all I am asking for the minister to do is to acknowledge that we have some of the best military personnel in the world in our Canadian Armed Forces and that we are a military power.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for giving me the opportunity to speak about Canada's role on the international stage. I know that all members here today have a profound respect and admiration for the work our military members do and for the dedication and sacrifices of all who have served. I will start by sincerely thanking those currently serving, as well as veterans, for their service. I would also like to thank the member opposite for his service to Canada as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.

For over 100 years, members of our military have served in some of the most difficult and dangerous circumstances imaginable: the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the harsh seas during the Battle of the Atlantic, and protecting the skies in countless air operations during wartime and peace. From the liberation of the Netherlands to the Battle of Kapyong to combat operations in Kandahar, Canadian soldiers have been on the front lines of some of the most significant conflicts in modern history. When disasters have struck here at home, they have deployed time and time again to help their fellow Canadians when they need it the most.

Right now, we are seeing the impact that the Canadian Armed Forces' efforts have had in Ukraine. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian security forces are leveraging the training they received through Operation Unifier as they fight for their country's right to freedom and self-governance against Russia's horrific invasion. While all the credit goes to the people of Ukraine, we are proud of the training work that the CAF has undertaken with their personnel.

As the member opposite said in the House last week, Canadian Armed Forces personnel are among the best in the world. I think we can all acknowledge that they are some of the most highly skilled and professional armed forces personnel there are. From counterterrorism missions to training and capacity-building to helping enforce UN sanctions, the Canadian Armed Forces play a central role in upholding international peace and security.

When the now Deputy Prime Minister outlined her vision for Canada's foreign policy approach back in 2017, she noted that “Principled use of force, together with our allies and governed by international law, is part of our history and must be part of our future.” Simply put, having a strong and capable fighting force is critical to Canada's diplomatic presence internationally, and that is why our government has been making critical smart investments in our forces, in addition to increasing spending by 70% between 2017 and 2026, to ensure our armed forces have the right people, the right equipment and the training to do the difficult tasks we ask of them.

As part of these efforts, the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defence have indicated that they are exploring options to further increase our investment in defence. We are proud of Canada's reputation across the globe as a source of stability and a significant diplomatic presence. At the same time, we know that having a robust, well-funded and well-supported military helps us maintain our seat at the table. The Canadian Armed Forces are a vital part of Canada's efforts abroad. I know our allies and partners are grateful for the support of our people in uniform and I know Canadians are proud of them as well.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Madam Speaker, first off, my thanks to the parliamentary secretary. I take his words to heart. I know he is a strong advocate for our Canadian Armed Forces and our veterans, having sat on the veterans affairs committee with him in the last Parliament.

However, I am actually disappointed. My question was directed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The whole question was directed at her actions. It was not to the government and not to the parliamentary secretary, but to her specifically, as to whether she will recognize how good our Canadian Armed Forces personnel are.

I will ask the parliamentary secretary to take that message back. Other Liberal MPs have apologized on her behalf; I want her to actually state in this House how good our military personnel are.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, although military intervention must always be a last resort, we know we need robust and well-equipped armed forces to keep our country and Canadians safe, to show solidarity and support to our allies and partners, and to deploy, in the direst of circumstances, where peace and prosperity feel far out of reach. Canada's military power supports our work in diplomacy and international development.

The reverse is also true. By staying engaged with like-minded partners off the battlefield, we are better prepared to mount a united front against destabilizing and dividing forces and share important knowledge, skills and resources. Our diplomatic and military efforts are inseparable, and together they are vital to upholding Canada's peace around the world.

Persons With Disabilities

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am here to express again the frustrations of people with disabilities as they continue to wait for a Canada disability benefit act to be tabled in the House. We know they face too many challenges in what is clearly an unequal world. COVID-19 has exacerbated the obstacles people with disabilities face every day, and with the addition of immunity risks, just going out in the community for food or medical appointments is no longer an option for some. The government must act now. It has an obligation to uphold the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and ensure dignity and full equality for all.

Last week, during question period, and again at committee, I asked about the dire financial circumstances that too many people with disabilities are living with. I let the minister know that they feel they have been abandoned by the Liberal government. I ask again for the Canada disability benefit act to come to the House immediately.

In the minister’s response to my question, the disproportionate impact of COVID on people with disabilities was acknowledged. The minister also shared that getting financial relief to them was difficult based on logistical challenges of federal data systems. It is beyond time for the government to do better for the disability community.

Following up on my question last week on the Canada disability benefit act and on eligibility for the imminent tabling of it, the minister spoke of government systems not allowing for the easy identification of persons with disabilities to get them the benefits they need. It was said that persons with a disability are not as easy to identify as seniors and parents are. Why not? The reason appears to be priorities. People with disabilities need to be prioritized. They have waited too long. The fact that they cannot be easily reached to receive income supports needs to be corrected immediately.

The government has the opportunity this tax year to begin to codify persons with disabilities, based on receiving provincial supports as an indicator. This will give the government a head start on administering what I trust is the imminent Canada disability benefit when it becomes law.

Since forming government in 2015, the Liberals have spoken about the importance of lifting people with disabilities out of poverty, yet their actions to delay bringing a CDB bill to the floor and having inadequate information systems to reach potential beneficiaries do not make sense. I am asking today that the parliamentary secretary explain this disconnect. In addition, I ask if the upcoming budget has included the necessary funds to begin a Canada disability benefit to improve the living conditions of persons with disabilities. I would also like to hear from the parliamentary secretary about all the ways that the government plans to finally uphold its commitment to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for full realization of all human rights.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Port Moody—Coquitlam for raising this important issue. I would remind the hon. member that we introduced legislation to establish the disability benefit, Bill C-35, on June 22, 2021. We originally notified Canadians of our intent to introduce that legislation in budget 2020. There is no doubt that the government remains committed to the reintroduction and implementation of a Canada disability benefit act. The Canada disability benefit would support hundreds of thousands of Canadians with disabilities, lifting them out of poverty.

In addition to this legislation being a Liberal Party campaign commitment during the 2021 general election. The government's commitment to introducing this legislation is clear when looking at the mandate letter for the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. On December 16, 2021, the Prime Minister instructed the minister to design, introduce and implement a Canada disability benefit act and create a Canada disability benefit for low-income working age persons with disabilities. That is an explicit commitment and one that the minister is moving purposely but carefully to fulfill. I say carefully, because we recognize the leading role that provinces and territories play in providing supports and services to Canadians with disabilities.

It is important that we engage with them in developing federal benefits and supports. In fact, federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for social services and disabilities met to discuss the proposed new benefit and this work continues. In the spirt of “nothing without us”, we are also consulting and engaging with persons with disabilities and the disability community directly. Yes, the government is working on a permanent solution with our partners and stakeholders. We are still working on the details, but I can tell my colleague this. The benefit is part of the larger disability inclusion action plan, which will provide a whole-of-government approach to achieving a disability-inclusive Canada.

In addition to the proposed benefit, the disability inclusion action plan will include a robust employment strategy for Canadians with disabilities and a better process to determine eligibility for federal disability programs and benefits. A cornerstone of the action plan will be the Canadian disability benefit. It will improve the financial security of persons with disabilities and reduce poverty. It will do this by supplementing, not replacing, existing federal and provincial or territorial benefits.

The financial security of persons with disabilities has always been a priority for the government and continues to be so. Since 2015, we have taken historic steps toward building a disability-inclusive Canada, but sadly we know that the pandemic has hit Canadians with disabilities hard. It has highlighted and exasperated the inequities they face. The Canadian disability benefit would address these inequities head-on. The Government of Canada believes that no one should live in poverty.

Again, I thank my colleague for the question and for her advocacy on behalf of her constituents.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Speaker, I thank the parliamentary secretary for the words and I truly hope that we are almost there.

My question remains, and the disability community is asking me. When will the government table the legislation for the Canada disability act?

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, the harsh truth is that Canadians with disabilities are twice as likely to live in poverty. The COVID pandemic has only intensified that pressure. The Canadian disability benefit is a priority for the government, and it will be a key component of Canada's first-ever disability inclusion action plan. The benefit will have the potential to help hundreds of thousands of working age Canadians with disabilities and their families.

As we work with our provincial and territorial partners and other stakeholders to develop the best possible benefit, I want to remind colleagues that the Government of Canada has been there for persons with disabilities throughout the pandemic. We funded a one-time payment of up to $600 to help persons with disabilities weather this crisis, and Service Canada issued payments of this benefit to 1.75 million Canadians for a total value of $815 million.

Again, I thank the member for her advocacy on this incredibly important issue.

Royal Assent

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I have the honour to inform the House that a communication has been received as follows:

March 31, 2022

Mr. Speaker,

I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Richard Wagner, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, in his capacity as Deputy of the Governor General, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bills listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 31st day of March, 2022, at 6:22 p.m.

Yours sincerely,

Ryan McAdam

Chief of Staff of the Secretary to the Governor General

The schedule indicates the bills assented to were Bill C-15, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, and Bill C-16, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023.

The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7:02 p.m.)