Debates of April 28th, 2022

350th Anniversary of L'Île-Perrot

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an incredible feeling to rise today to mark the 350th anniversary of L'Île-Perrot, which is located in my community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges. This is an historical event that goes back to nearly 200 years before Canada was founded.

It is indeed a very special celebration, with more than 50 activities, that would not be possible without the vision and dedication of men and women who care about their island, namely Lise Charetier, Catherine Vincent, Olga Casseta, Charles‑Olivier Bellerose‑Bellanger, Daniel Bertolino, Catherine Champagne, Sébastien Daviau, Laurier Farmer, Louise Lapointe, Vicky Sauvé and Christiane Lévesque.

Of course, I would also like to thank the mayors of our four towns on L'Île-Perrot. They are Pierre Séguin, Danie Deschênes, Claude Comeau and Michel Boudreau, and they are all working hard to make this incredible event happen.

I invite all members of our community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges to come together to celebrate the rich history of our beautiful island and to wish Île Perrot a happy 350th.

National Day of Mourning

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today on the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job, we mourn all workers who have lost their lives, and recommit to fight like hell for the living.

Just two days ago, a worker at Janco Steel in Stoney Creek died in an industrial accident. Our thoughts are with his family and everybody impacted by this horrible and preventable tragedy.

Working-class people continue to be sacrificed for the greed and profits of capitalism, and COVID has made things worse. Whether it is in long-term care homes, on construction or industrial sites or in meat-packing plants, far too many workers continue to be killed and injured on the job, yet corporate executives keep cashing in. All employers must be held accountable for their negligence. The Westray Law was introduced to hold companies criminally accountable for workers' safety, but only one person has ever gone to jail. This is appalling: if one kills a worker, one goes to jail.

We must continue to fight to improve the health and safety conditions for workers, because every worker deserves to get home safe at the end of the day.

Yom HaShoah

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, these are the words of Jean Ferrat:

They were twenty and one hundred, they were in the thousands,

Naked and gaunt, trembling, in sealed wagons,

They tore at the night with their restless fingers.

They were in the thousands, they were twenty and one hundred.

On this Yom HaShoah, we remember. We remember what people can do when they lose their humanity. We remember the atrocities that evil can do when evil triumphs. We also remember that life and the strength to live, the thirst for life, solidarity, resilience, courage and love can ultimately triumph, despite the darkness, despite the terror.

We remember that memory can help us avoid repeating the mistakes already made. Memory can also make us look at the world sometimes with anger, sometimes with fear. We remember these men, women and children who were victims of hate. We remember our sacred duty to fight this hatred. We remember that we are not out of danger, especially if we forget.

On this Yom HaShoak, zakhor, we remember.

Anti-Semitism

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

Mr. Speaker, as a Jewish Canadian, I join Jewish communities and others in Canada and around the world to observe Yom HaShoah. On Yom HaShoah, we remember the six million innocent Jews who were systematically murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust, which is one of the darkest periods in human history.

We also pay tribute to those who survived these unspeakable atrocities and recognize the bravery of all who stood against the Nazi regime, risking their lives to save others. By telling the stories of the Holocaust, we make sure these experiences of loss and survival, of unspeakable suffering and profound resilience, are never forgotten.

Sadly, acts of anti-Semitic violence are still frequent today, and it is our solemn duty to stand united and vigilant against all forms of anti-Semitism, hatred and discrimination. We must be clear: Attacks against the Jewish community are attacks against all of us. We have a shared responsibility to continue to pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and ensure their stories continue to resonate with generations to come. Together, let us all vow, “never again”.

Yom HaShoah

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

Mr. Speaker, last night around the world, Jewish communities began to mark, from sunset to sunset, Yom HaShoah, which is Holocaust memorial day.

This morning at 10 a.m. in Israel, air raid sirens sounded throughout the country. An entire nation, the Jewish people, stopped their day-to-day lives at the moment of these sirens. They were a collective cry. It was a moment to reflect, to listen and remember.

On this day, six million of our people live in all of our hearts. Today, we are the eyes that remember. Today, we are their voice. Today, we cry for them and for what was lost in their murder at the hands of the Nazi regime. We cry for their memory.

I was honoured to join the Prime Minister and colleagues from across the House this morning to stand with the Jewish community at the national Holocaust memorial to honour and remember the men, women and children whose lives have been lost forever.

We stand together as the Jewish community with our country here in Canada to say clearly and resolutely, “never again”. In every generation, it is our duty and obligation to honour the victims of the Holocaust, to learn from this tragic moment in humanity and to ensure that the words “never again” are both a focus of remembrance and a reminder to never be complacent in the face of evil and to be relentless in our efforts to fight back against the darkness of hate.

Lighting a flame of remembrance today is to shine a light into all of our hearts and to protect those who are in crisis. Then, now and always,

[Member spoke in Hebrew]

[English]

May their memories be a blessing.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act is so extreme that it requires the government to justify its use to prevent abuses against citizens. It requires an inquiry into the government's actions. Yes, I said the government's “actions”.

Analysts and civil rights groups were not fooled. The order giving Justice Rouleau his mandate asks him to investigate citizens.

Why is the Liberal government writing the findings of the inquiry before the inquiry has even begun?

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

Mr. Speaker, the illegal blockades of essential corridors and the occupation of Ottawa were harming our economy and jeopardizing public safety.

Our government was prudent and careful, but we also understood that we had a responsibility to protect Canada's economy and Canadians.

We look forward to receiving Justice Rouleau's report.

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

Mr. Speaker, neither the Minister of Justice nor the Minister of Public Safety are able to justify the use of the Emergencies Act. They are hiding behind cabinet confidence.

We are once again witnessing a concerted effort on the part of all the ministers to protect the Prime Minister, who chose to put on a political show at the expense of citizens' rights.

With the complicity of the NDP, the Liberals themselves established the rules of the committee that is supposed to analyze the government's decisions. They are preventing Justice Rouleau from carrying out the very specific mandate bestowed upon him by the act.

Why hide the truth from Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, our government took appropriate, targeted measures that were terminated as soon as possible.

We had a duty to protect Canadians and Canada's economy. We fulfilled that obligation, which is the central responsibility of any federal government.

We look forward to receiving Justice Rouleau's report.

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, with today's Motion No. 11, the government is in cover-up mode again, just like with WE Charity, Jody Wilson-Raybould and the secret documents from the Winnipeg lab.

The Prime Minister received an illegal gift. The RCMP even considered filing criminal charges of fraud against the Prime Minister.

Since the Prime Minister admits that no one gave him permission to break the law, will the Minister of Justice support our new request for an RCMP investigation?

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

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The opposition is talking about something that happened in 2016, more than six years ago. The Ethics Commissioner conducted a thorough investigation and released a report in 2017.

Our government feels that Canadians are facing much more urgent issues these days.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals need to understand that we are talking about the RCMP investigation of fraud against the government by the Prime Minister, not the Ethic Commissioner's study. The Prime Minister thinks he is above the law and the rest of us are under another piece of law. He accepted a $215,000 luxury private island vacation from someone who is actively lobbying the government for millions of taxpayers' money.

The environment minister provided the missing piece of the puzzle the RCMP needed to charge him. He admitted he did not have permission to take the trip. The RCMP has all of the puzzle pieces they need now to charge the Prime Minister with committing fraud against the government. Will the Prime Minister co-operate with that investigation?

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

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The opposition is talking about something that took place in 2016, more than six years ago. This matter has been throughly investigated by the Ethics Commissioner, who published a report in 2017. Our government absolutely understands that Canadians want and need us to focus on more pressing challenges, such as affordability, climate change, housing and, of course, Putin's illegal war in Ukraine.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister cannot dodge these questions much longer. We have to remember, there is no statute of limitations under the Criminal Code here in Canada. In fact, the Prime Minister's silence sounds a lot like an admission of guilt.

The RCMP criminal brief said that, if the Prime Minister were any other Canadian, he would have been charged. Canadians are demanding that the Prime Minister be held to a higher standard. Will the Prime Minister lift the veil of secrecy, clear the air and proactively speak to the RCMP?

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

Mr. Speaker, let me tell the member what I hear Canadians demanding. Canadians are demanding action on climate change. Canadians are demanding action to build more houses for a growing country. Canadians are demanding that our country act urgently to support Ukraine and oppose Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Those are the urgent issues facing Canada today, and that is what our government is focused on.

Public Safety

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the House demanded that the government appear in committee to shed some light on the worrisome dismissal of scientists in Winnipeg. The Liberals did not comply, however, and are using their alliance with the NDP to create their own committee for just the two of them, for which they can set their own rules, produce their own report and announce their own findings.

They are doing all of this without the agreement of the two main opposition parties. That is not democratic, nor is it transparent. Does the government realize that its alliance with the NDP does not authorize it to create a parallel Parliament and set its own rules?

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

Mr. Speaker, in December we proposed a reasonable and responsible solution. The ad hoc committee of MPs that we proposed, in co-operation with a group of three former justices, would have access to uncensored documents regarding the Winnipeg lab.

Yes, we will work with the NDP to create this committee, but we have spoken with the Bloc, and we would be very happy to have the Bloc participate in this committee as well.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not one MP here wants to compromise national security, but no citizen wants their government's actions to be kept secret.

It is impossible to make these things up. In June, the Liberals took legal action against the Speaker of the House to avoid having to turn over documents. That is a big deal. Today, instead of handing them over to committee members who are already responsible for this type of thing, they want to create their own committee and collude with the NDP to make their own rules, while leaving the opposition out in the cold.

What kind of banana republic is this anyway?

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

Mr. Speaker, members are responsible for doing their work on behalf of the Canadians they represent, and that includes work on matters of public interest.

At the same time, the government is obligated to protect Canadians from damage that could arise as a result of national security details being made public.

Yes, we will work with the NDP to create the ad hoc committee, but we would be very pleased to work with the Bloc as well.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers have made a clear choice. They want a universal public pharmacare plan. An overwhelming majority, specifically 73%, of those surveyed in Quebec are in favour of such a plan.

Why is that? Because they know they are paying too much for their prescription drugs, and the cost continues to rise. People know that a universal plan will lower drug prices and improve their health. For Quebeckers and Canadians, the question is no longer how, but when this will happen.

Will the government answer this call and come up with a solution to bring in a pharmacare plan?

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

Mr. Speaker, no one should have to choose between paying for prescriptions and putting food on their table.

That is why we announced an agreement with P.E.I. last August to take the first steps towards implementing a national, universal pharmacare program. This is an important first step, but there is more work to do and we will get it done.

Labour

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today, on the National Day of Mourning, we remember those we have lost and those who have suffered life-changing workplace injuries. The Liberal government is planning to end the sickness benefit program on May 7. Federal workers will not have any support if they are sick and need to stay home.

While we fought to secure 10 paid sick days to protect federal workers, the Liberals are choosing to delay this important protection for Canadians. When will the Liberal government follow through and finally deliver on the 10 paid sick days workers deserve?

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

Mr. Speaker, our government puts workers first and absolutely believes in the importance of unions defending workers and ensuring a productive and effective economy. That is why our government, for the first time in Canadian history, will ensure that all Canadian workers have the right to 10 paid sick days. It is the right thing to do, and we are going to do it.

Public Safety

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we have asked many times for the government to confirm if it will disclose the evidence that justified the invocation of the Emergencies Act. Every time, it has refused. If the government has the evidence to support its extraordinary actions, it should be pleased to take the opportunity to table it in the House today.

Canadians are increasingly wondering whether the Liberal government even had the evidence at all. Can the Minister of Public Safety confirm whether the evidence exists, yes or no?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the short answer is, yes, the evidence exists. Where was my hon. colleague in January and February when businesses were shut down, people were laid off, our borders were closed and, outside this chamber, Ottawans were held hostage in their own homes? We debated those facts in the House.

I remember my hon. colleague and I having an exchange during the debate of the invocation of the Emergencies Act, which was only put forward after police officials told us they needed this special power to ensure they could restore public safety. We are going to co-operate with the inquiry so there is transparency and to make sure this never happens again.