Ali Ehsassi

[Lunar New Year, February 17th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to mark the commencement of the lunar new year by recognizing the spring festival in China, Seollal in Korea and the Tet festival in Vietnam.

Many across our country have been marking the arrival of the Year of the Ox, a symbol of honesty, hard work and perseverance, which are indeed fitting qualities to guide us all in the year ahead. Lunar new year is an opportunity for many Canadians to reflect on the immense and extraordinary challenges of the past year and to focus our gaze on ushering in new beginnings. It is also a time to connect with the elderly, relatives and friends.

On behalf of my riding of Willowdale, I wish all those marking this festive occasion a year filled with good health and also much happiness and success. While most have graciously avoided gatherings this year, I have no doubt that we will more than make up for it by celebrating bigger and brighter next year.

Gung hai fat choy; gong xi, gong xi; shi nian kuai le; seh heh mahn hee bah deux sayo.

[Aerospace Industry, January 29th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to assure my esteemed colleague that we recognize that the aerospace and aviation industries are very significant and we will always be there for their workers. Through our economic response plan, we have put in place extensive measures to help Canadian businesses weather COVID-19. Our government will always stand with the sector and the workers we are so incredibly proud of.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, under the Investment Canada Act, all foreign investments are subject to a national security review. Canada remains open to investments that create jobs, growth, access to global trade and value chains, and long-term prosperity for Canadians, while protecting Canada’s national security interests. Reviews are conducted on a case-by-case basis as part of a rigorous and evidence-based process.

With regard to the proposed investment, Innovation, Science and Economic Development can confirm that on October 15, 2020, TMAC publicly announced that an order for the national security review of the investment under the act was made by the Governor in Council and that on November 27, 2020, TMAC announced that the national security review of the investment was extended for a further period of up to 45 days.

Further details of specific transactions under review are subject to the confidentiality provisions of the Investment Canada Act.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, December 4th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, as we approach the end of the year, I think it is incredibly important to emphasize that Canadians have displayed resilience day in and day out, providing us with profound glimmers of hope for the new year. Albeit exhausted, our health care professionals and front-line workers have proved to be heroes. Small business owners have spared no effort to pivot and meet their challenges head-on.

Drawing inspiration from Canadians, our government has risen to the occasion, whether through rapid financial support, assisting businesses, small and large, ensuring safety through public health measures or focusing on vaccine procurement. Even when the going got tough, our government strengthened its commitment to Canadians. That is why I have full faith that we will build back better. Make no mistake, we are still on the road to recovery, but it is critical that we get this right.

In that spirit, I would ask all members to refrain from partisan games around vaccines. We should all listen to the experts.

[Foreign Affairs, November 26th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, regrettably, my hon. colleagues does not seem to appreciate that we have to act and lead alongside our allies.

Let me reiterate that China's coercive diplomacy has put a strain on Canada-China relations, yet despite pressure and threats, we have continued to clearly and forcefully highlight our concern for the protection of human rights in places like Hong Kong. Our voice, alongside those of our partners, has been heard loud and clear. It seems the member is the only who does not seem to hear it.

A growing coalition of countries have joined our call for the protection of civil and political rights in Hong Kong. Let me be emphatic that Canada will continue to work with partners to persuade China to live up to its international obligations. As I noted earlier, we reserve the right to undertake appropriate action in response to any future developments as we deem and recognize as necessary.

[Foreign Affairs, November 26th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, in recent years, Canada has observed, with great dismay, a steady decline in the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong.

On June 30, the Chinese government imposed a national security law on Hong Kong without engaging Hong Kong's own institutions. The lack of clear definitions and acts of territorial application of the national security law to persons outside Hong Kong, among other concerns, has put Canadian citizens at risk.

We are not about slogans. We have taken concrete action. In response to these developments, on July 3, Canada undertook a series of bold measures to safeguard our interests and the safety of Canadians. The three principal pillars adopted by our government on July 3 consisted of the following: one, suspending the Canada-Hong Kong extradition agreement; two, stopping the export of sensitive items and; three, updating our travel advice and advisories for Hong Kong.

I should also add that the announcement on July 3 was preceded by joint statements on Hong Kong, which the Minister of Foreign Affairs forcefully delivered alongside his allies and counterparts.

Among these joint statements, allow me to refer to the following. On May 22, Canada joined Australia and the U.K. On May 28, Canada joined with Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. On June 17, Canada joined the G7 and the EU.

Let me be very clear. Canada has never shied away from standing up for human rights in China, and our voice has been heard loud and clear around the world. In fact, a growing coalition of countries have heard our clarion call for action and have opted to join us in calling for the protection of civil and political rights in Hong Kong.

In addition to what I referenced earlier, on June 30, Canada joined 27 other countries at the UN Human Rights Council to express our collective concerns. Furthermore, at the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council in September, Canada co-hosted a side event on Hong Kong alongside the United Kingdom and Australia. Shortly thereafter, Canada co-signed, alongside 38 other countries, a statement on the human rights situation in Xinjiang and Hong Kong at the UN General Assembly's Third Committee.

It is important to emphasize here that China's coercive diplomacy has put a strain on Canada-China relations, yet despite pressure and threats, we have continued to forcefully highlight our concerns.

That said, we are under no illusion that China or the situation in Hong Kong will change overnight. Canada will continue to work with partners, sharing our values, to persuade China to live up to its international obligations and to adopt a more conciliatory approach toward Hong Kong.

We certainly reserve the right to undertake appropriate action in response, as recently exemplified by our Minister of Immigration's introduction of new immigration measures in response to the situation in Hong Kong.

[Health, November 26th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, it is important to keep in mind the human cost of this pandemic. The government owes it to those on our front lines who are selflessly helping Canadians suffering from this virus. Now is the time to come together with determination to swiftly advance a comprehensive approach and strengthen our capabilities to put an end to this global pandemic.

With a surge in the number of cases, Canada cannot be complacent. We must continue our efforts to manage, control and defeat the pandemic. Investments made under the made in Canada initiative will help restart Canada's economy, end the pandemic and put our country on a higher trajectory of growth and innovation.

[Health, November 26th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the comments by the hon. member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith regarding COVID-19. Let me be clear. The health and safety of Canadians is our government's top priority. The government is focused on, and is implementing, every possible solution to deliver safe and effective vaccines and treatments to all Canadians.

It has taken rapid action to deploy policy and program instruments to support vaccine development and manufacturing capabilities in Canada. We have established and mobilized extraordinary partnerships with industry, academia and research institutions to fight COVID-19, the most significant global health challenge in recent history.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the government's efforts have focused on a comprehensive made in Canada approach to harness world-renowned Canadian ingenuity and innovation to address this crisis. The government has made investments that are accelerating the development of vaccines and therapeutics in Canada and are strengthening our national biomanufacturing capabilities.

A signature investment is the $175.6 million provided to Vancouver-based AbCellera to advance its therapy discovery platform and to establish a good manufacturing practice facility right here in Canada. This Canadian company's technology is helping advance a world leading monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19 in partnership with U.S.-based Eli Lilly.

The government's investments also include up to $173 million for Quebec City-based Medicago, which is pioneering a virus-like particle vaccine created on the company's unique plant-based technology platform. The government's contributions provide funding to Medicago so it can develop its vaccine candidate through all phases of clinical trials and so it can expand its manufacturing capacity to establish a new, large-scale good manufacturing processing facility right here in Canada.

Another innovative vaccine investment is up to $18.2 million in contributions to Precision NanoSystems Inc., a Vancouver-based company. Precision NanoSystems is working on a novel messenger RNA vaccine candidate and has created lipid nanoparticle technology that provides Canada with a distinct technological advance in the global arena. The government's investments in these projects are growing Canada's capabilities in the most sophisticated vaccine and therapeutics technology and helping solidify world-leading clusters across the country. Among others, I would like to reference messenger RNA vaccines and associated technologies as key examples.

However, the development of vaccines is complicated. It depends on supply chains and requires biomanufacturing assets to serve as a safety net in case of unforeseen disruptions to the global production network. For this reason, the government is taking concrete steps to strengthen domestic biomanufacturing capacity. We are doing so not only to reinforce Canada's ability to deliver vaccines and therapeutics for Canadians in the near term, as part of our fight against COVID-19, but also to develop our country's capacity for the future.

A major investment in this area is the expansion of the new Biologics Manufacturing Centre at the National Research Council of Canada's Royalmount site in Montreal which, I might add, is well under way. Once operational, this facility will have—

[Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2020, November 24th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I was listening very intently and I am grateful the member has acknowledged that the bill has great improvements and would allow Canadians to feel more secure.

When it comes to the role of government, would the member not agree with me that the Privacy Act does apply to the government that may have some information on Canadians? Obviously that regime is robust—

[Iran, November 24th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, exactly one year ago, thousands of Iranians exercised their fundamental right to peaceful protest following an abrupt increase in the price of fuel. These peaceful protests were met by a brutal government crackdown, leading to the death of over 300 innocent civilians and dozens upon dozens of arbitrary arrests. Two months later, Flight 752, carrying 176 passengers and crew, was mercilessly shot down over the skies of Tehran by two missiles fired by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

This abhorrent pattern of behaviour is further reflected in the unjust treatment of the iconic Nasrin Sotoudeh, the human rights lawyer, and the horrific execution of Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old wrestling champion. These atrocities by the Iranian regime should not be ignored. No Iranian deserves to live amidst constant repression day after day, week after week and year after year.

For all these reasons, I would like to thank our government for sponsoring a resolution at the United Nations condemning the flagrant disregard for human rights by the Iranian regime. The international community should never look the other way. We must continue to hold the Iranian government to account and demand that it immediately end terrorizing its own people.