Debates of Feb. 29th, 2024

Public Safety

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, in the first order, one of the things that is disturbing about what the member is supposing is that if he were in government, and I hope that does not happen, they would interfere in the redaction process and they would be involved in it. We obviously did not do that, particularly not with national security.

The member opposite and I had a conversation about this. First, I suggested immediately that they see the documents at NSICOP. They said that was not good enough. Therefore, I created an ad hoc committee. The ad hoc committee gave them the opportunity not only to see the documents, but put to an independent arbiter whether or not they should be released publicly. We did that together. The documents were released. They are now before us.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is a known admirer of China's basic dictatorship.

Over the past eight years, he has allowed research with the Chinese army. He has allowed the Chinese Communist Party to interfere in our elections. He has turned a blind eye to intimidation of the Chinese diaspora.

With the release of the Winnipeg lab documents yesterday, we learned that the Prime Minister also allowed a person who represented “a very serious and credible danger” to compromise Canada's national security.

Will the Prime Minister finally admit that he tried to hide the documents to protect himself, not to protect Canadians?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, people watching at home must be wondering where the Conservatives were on January 16. I am sure people are wondering.

On January 16, we announced that, as a government, we would stop funding research—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

May I encourage hon. members who do not have the floor to wait until it is their turn to speak?

That way, we can have a discussion. I am not encouraging discussion across the aisle.

The hon. Minister of Innovation.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I hope the Conservatives will listen.

On January 16, we banned research work in sensitive areas with approximately 100 entities around the world. We have worked with our allies to protect science, intellectual property and the work done by our universities.

We will always be there to defend national security.

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

Mr. Speaker, where was the minister in July 2019 when two scientists were expelled from Canada by the security agencies? Where was the minister then? It was not last January; it was in 2019. That was over four years ago.

What we learned yesterday is that the Prime Minister ignored four orders of Parliament to produce documents. He took the Speaker of the House to court. This is unprecedented in the history of our country, and it is the worst cover‑up in the history of our country.

Why did the Prime Minister want to protect himself instead of defending the national security of Canadians?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, the people watching at home must be truly appalled.

We just explained to the Conservatives yet again that the Prime Minister and all government members on this side of the House take national security seriously.

On January 16, we banned not one but 100 entitities from working with Canadian research centres, universities and colleges on sensitive research. That is exactly the type of measure that we need to take to defend Canada's interests.

We will always be there to defend science.

Health

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to health, Quebeckers want care, not threats.

A year after forcing Quebec to accept an increase in transfers that cover only one-sixth of our needs, the federal government is threatening to steal $900 million from Quebec if it does not meet the government's conditions by March 31. The Liberals are once again playing political games at Quebeckers' expense and with Quebeckers' own money.

When will the Liberals stop holding patients hostage and start paying Quebec the money it is entitled to?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Bloc Québécois is always trying to pick a fight.

When I spoke with Minister Dubé from Quebec, it was clear that his objective was to co-operate to find a solution. In our health care system, I think that Canadians and Quebeckers want politicians, elected members, who look for solutions, not pick a fight. That is why I am sure that we will reach an agreement with Quebec.

Pharmacare

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, federal pharmacare is not necessarily just around the corner.

Bill C-64 talks about a principle “to consider when working towards the implementation of national universal pharmacare”. In other words, it is basically just another election promise. Frankly, the NDP got bought off cheap.

If, after discussing a principle to consider when when working towards implementation, Ottawa actually were to someday end up with pharmacare, which Quebec already has, will Quebec be able to opt out with full compensation?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, this year, for the first time in the country's history, anyone with diabetes and anyone who need contraceptives will get what they need. This is such a historic announcement. It is going to make a difference for a huge number of people across the country, even in Quebec.

Yesterday, I had a good conversation with Minister Dubé about this. I am sure we can reach an agreement with Quebec as well.

Carbon Pricing

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. After eight years, the Liberal-NDP Prime Minister is not worth the cost, the crime or the corruption.

Never before in the history of this great nation have so many people had to resort to food banks. Thousands are now resorting to dumpster diving because they can no longer afford the cost of food.

Will the Prime Minister show some compassion and cancel the April 1 carbon tax hike?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, that colleague is from Ontario where I am from and the climate rebate that Ontarians will receive is over $1,100. That is for a family of four. I am not surprised, though, to hear that member and the Conservatives continue to bring up these points. They want to take money out of the pockets of Canadians.

Today, historic legislation was tabled in the House of Commons with respect to pharmacare. The Leader of the Opposition ran away when asked if he would support pharmacare. When it comes to student loans and helping students, and when it comes to EI and pensions in particular, the Conservatives are nowhere to be seen. They want to make cuts. They are a party of austerity.

[Leslyn Lewis, Conservative, Haldimand—Norfolk, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are getting back far less from the government than they are paying in hard-earned taxes.

According to Second Harvest, this year will see a 30% rise in the demand for food charity in some regions. Where I live in southern Ontario, we produce food to feed the entire nation, yet so many families there still do not have enough income to cover basic food expenses.

Why will the government not do the right thing and cancel the 23% carbon tax hike on April 1 so that Canadian families can afford food again.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, that gloom-and-doom member who wants to take Canada out of the UN needs to know a bit of good news for a change. We have had many months of good news for Canadians. Just recently, Statistics Canada announced that in January we gained 37,000 new jobs, and there are one million more Canadians working than before the pandemic. The unemployment rate is at 5.7% and wage growth is outpacing inflation, and that is even more true for women. We would think that member would care about such things.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, common-sense Conservatives would axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime, because after eight years, Canadians know that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost, crime or corruption.

Life has never been more expensive in this country. One million Canadians will be relying on food banks this year alone and still the Prime Minister is hell-bent on hiking the carbon tax by 23% on April 1.

Why will the Prime Minister not cancel his carbon tax increase and help make life more affordable for Canadians?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have had enough of the gloom and doom coming from over there. The Conservatives are deliberately ignoring the truth about how our government has supported Canadians—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. government House leader.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 2.3 million Canadians have been lifted out of poverty since this government took office and started caring about Canadians by putting supports in place that those guys had spent all their time cutting. Families throughout Canada have seen their child care fees slashed, in many cases down to $10 a day, thanks to this government and Bill C-35 that we are getting ready to pass today.

Health

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Black Mental Health Week begins next week. It is a time to amplify Black voices and support equity in mental health. It is time to correct the disproportionate lack of Black health researchers, so we can deliver culturally appropriate mental health solutions. It is time to act to improve the wide gap in health outcomes for many Black Canadians that is the result of historical and systemic anti-Black racism.

Can the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions tell us what her department is doing to improve access to culturally safe and informed mental health services for Black communities across the country?

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the member is such a tremendous advocate on so many issues that matter to Canadians. Black communities across Canada continue to experience social and economic inequities, which have persisted for far too long and have negative impacts on people's mental health. We know there is more work to do and we are committed to doing it together.

Through programs like the mental health of Black Canadians fund, we are supporting organizations to develop culturally safe, focused, knowledge-based programs with the capacity to improve the mental health of Black Canadians and meet their needs. We will keep working with the Black community across Canada.

Public Services and Procurement

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. Meanwhile, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister, Canadians know he is not worth the cost, the crime or the corruption.

Just yesterday, we learned that in the Prime Minister's $60-million arrive scam, one of the contractors who was paid millions is actually a bureaucrat for the NDP-Liberal government. That is why common-sense Conservatives passed a motion in this House, demanding that the government produce all the documents on the Prime Minister's scandal. Will he stand in this place and commit to releasing every last page?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, 24 hours after we became aware that the CEO of Dalian was a DND employee, we took action. We have suspended all contracts with Dalian. We have suspended the employee and launched an investigation of how this person became an employee of DND in the first place.

We will act to ensure that we protect the integrity of our institutions and our government.