Francesco Sorbara

[Business of Supply, November 17th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Scarborough—Guildwood.

I appreciate having the opportunity to participate in the debate on the motion put forward by the hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills.

Let me assure the House that the Government of Canada takes the security of our telecommunications infrastructure and establishment very seriously. This is clearly outlined in our digital charter, which is focused on building trust in a digital world.

The second pillar of our digital charter is safety and security and, thus, we take it extremely seriously. That is why we have been working diligently across the government in a review of 5G technology and associated security and economic considerations. This work crosses multiple departments and agencies: Innovation and Science and Economic Development Canada, Public Safety Canada, the Communications Security Establishment, the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Global Affairs Canada. It is an important issue and we want to ensure we get it right. This review includes the careful considerations of our allies' advice, whose decision on this issue we are all well aware of.

We will ensure that our networks and our economy are kept secure and we will take the appropriate decisions in due course.

In the meantime, we are already collaborating with telecommunications service providers and equipment vendors to address cybersecurity concerns on an ongoing basis. This collaboration enables the public and private sector to exchange information on issues that may affect the resilience of Canada's telecommunications infrastructure. A safe and secure cyberspace is important for Canada's competitiveness today and tomorrow, for economic stability and long-term prosperity. Therefore, government, industry, academia and civil society must all work together to strengthen Canada's cybersecurity and make Canada a safer place to be online. Cyber threats are continually evolving. That is why collaboration is key.

The cybersecurity strategy, announced in 2018, made significant investments to centralize the governance of cybersecurity within the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security by bringing operational security experts under one roof to provide targeted cybersecurity advice and guidance. It is ensuring a better coordinated and more coherent government response to cyber threats.

At a more strategic level, there is also an important body called the Canadian Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee, or CSTAC. It allows senior government officials and senior telecommunication executives to exchange information and collaborate strategically to ensure the security of our networks. ISED co-chairs this committee along with a co-chair from the private sector. It also includes a representative from Public Safety Canada, the Communications Security Establishment Canada, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and all of the major telecommunication companies.

The industry's members of CSTAC have developed a set of best practices designed to provide a baseline of appropriate security measures to meet the needs of Canadians. It recognizes that one of the key ways to enhance customer safety and the stability of their portion of the Internet is to share cybersecurity threat information with one another. This sharing includes information about new threats as well as detailed technical information after an attack has been detected by standardizing how we log, share and disseminate information. CSTAC collaboration has helped to enhance the resilience of Canada's networks. In addition, CSTAC's working groups have helped investigate and respond in times of emergency.

By focusing on the executive level, CSTAC is able to ensure that a security culture permeates from the top down. Myriad working groups and incident response teams bring together cybersecurity experts to tackle specific, technical and technical issues. Face-to-face participation in groups covered by strong non-disclosure agreements to promote candour help ensure that Canada's security is put ahead of competitive issues among market players.

In addition to the work undertaken by CSTAC, the Communications Security Establishment does important work in running the security review program. This program mitigates cybersecurity risks in the context of current wireless networks. It has been in place since 2013.

This program has helped mitigate risks stemming from designated equipment and services under consideration for use in Canadian telecommunications networks, including Huawei. To date, this program has led to excluding designated equipment in sensitive areas of Canadian networks, mandating assurance testing in independent third-party laboratories for designated equipment for use in less sensitive areas of Canadian networks and restructuring outsource managed services across government networks and other Canadian critical networks.

The Government of Canada has other tools to encourage the security of our networks. This includes the idea of encouraging vendor diversity. Canada has already funded a number of 5G initiatives through the strategic innovation fund. Among these initiatives are specific partnerships on projects with Nokia, BlackBerry, Ranovus as well as Encore, the world-class 5G test bed in Ontario and Quebec.

One area that we are excited about is the development of open radio access networks, ORAN. ORAN could allow smaller players, including Canadian companies, to participate in network development. Increasing vendor diversity could lower barriers to entry for new players and lower costs for secondary incumbents to compete with dominant vendors.

We realize the importance of securing our 5G networks across the country as 5G will be a key driver of innovation. It will enable cleaner energy, smart cities, precision agriculture, autonomous vehicles and advance telemedicine. These new technologies will create exciting opportunities for Canadians, well-paying jobs, innovative new products and services. The 5G service will require that new spectrum or airwaves be made available.

The government is committed to making spectrum available at the right time to support the deployment of 5G services. In June 2021, the government will be auctioning a key portion of the spectrum that will enable 5G. It is a 3,500 megahertz band, which has been identified worldwide as one of the key bands to be used for 5G.

This is the second of several planned spectrum releases to support 5G deployment across Canada. This mid-range band will support a broad array of 5G applications. The increased number of connections, indeed intensive applications expected with 5G, will require large amounts of spectrum in a variety of frequency bands.

The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that the spectrum is available for Canadians to take advantage of 5G networks and technology and we are committed to doing all we can to make these networks secure.

[Public Services and Procurement, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I assure the House that our government is continuing to work during this exceptional period to ensure that Canadians remain healthy and safe.

We are procuring supplies for our front-line health care workers and essential businesses, including from numerous Canadian manufacturers. We are also putting in place new agreements to secure access to the most effective and efficient testing solutions.

We are thinking of the future. We made agreements to have access to the most promising vaccine candidates currently being developed in the world in order to be able to turn the page on COVID-19.

The government will continue to make it a priority to meet the challenges of this pandemic and to ensure Canadians are supported and safe.

[Public Services and Procurement, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House to respond to the question from the hon. member for Cypress Hills—Grasslands.

The government has focused on the health and safety of Canadians since the very beginning of this pandemic. This has been our most pressing issue, and I am sure all members would agree that this is a national priority.

Public Services and Procurement Canada is responsible for purchasing the PPE and supplies that will enable us to meet our needs now and in the future as the pandemic runs its course. To do that, we have set up new supply chains with domestic and foreign manufacturers in a highly competitive global market.

Along with acquiring billions of units of PPE, including masks, N95 respirators, face shields, hand sanitizer, protective gowns and gloves, we are also negotiating with international manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies to have tests, treatments and vaccines made widely available across Canada. I note that about 80% of the total value of contracts for personal protective equipment, medical equipment and supplies have been with Canadian companies that supply and distribute PPE.

In addition, we have engaged a large number of manufacturers from across the country. This has allowed us to increase our capacity to produce many of these essential products right here in Canada. In fact, approximately 40% of the total value of contracts is going to Canadian manufacturing companies, many of which were identified through call-outs issued by PSPC and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

Companies such as Fluid Energy Group in Calgary, the GM plant in Oshawa and Medicom in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, are to be congratulated on their creativity and their desire to help the whole country fight COVID-19. These businesses have helped stimulate the economy by creating good jobs in their regions when good jobs were sorely needed.

To get this essential equipment into the hands of those who need it the most, PSPC has also launched a supply hub to bring together buyers and sellers of PPE and other supplies in the Canadian market. The supply hub website has been viewed more than 133,000 times by individuals from across Canada. All of this work has put Canada in a much stronger and more stable position in terms of supplies.

Even so, our work is far from done. This pandemic will not go away until we have a safe and effective vaccine. Our government has therefore adopted a dynamic approach to obtaining the most promising vaccine candidates and distributing them to Canadians as quickly as possible once they are approved.

PSPC has been taking recommendations from the government's COVID-19 vaccine task force, and we have already established agreements with seven manufacturers, including Moderna and Pfizer, to secure up to 414 million doses of their vaccine candidates. Moreover, we have made agreements with companies such as Becton, Dickinson and Company and Abbott for rapid antigen tests to supplement the existing testing regime. To date, more than four million of Abbott's Panbio and ID NOW rapid tests have already been delivered to provinces and territories, and deliveries are continuing on a weekly basis.

Our government believes that, given the surge in COVID-19 cases in many regions in the country, it is more important than ever to pursue its efforts to acquire essential supplies. I can assure the House that we will continue to make a concerted effort to advance this complex work.

The government's top priority remains the health and safety of all Canadians, and we will continue to pursue the equipment and supplies that we need for fighting COVID-19 to help us build a stronger and more resilient Canada for everyone.

[Canada Revenue Agency, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to speak to the government's swift actions to help Canadians, including those in my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge.

The Canada Revenue Agency has developed a fast and simple application process that it uses to deliver benefits payments to Canadians within days of applying. Millions of Canadians have accessed the CERB over the past seven months and this easy-to-use system has helped support Canadians and their families at a time of significant upset and uncertainty.

In fact, as of September 28, the CRA and Service Canada have processed over 27 million applications for the CERB. Canadians can have confidence in the CRA's proven track record in providing emergency support to those who need it most. We can look at the successful roll out of the CERB as an indicator of the agency's strong capacity in this regard.

[Canada Revenue Agency, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has taken strong, immediate and effective action to protect Canadians and the economy from the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic. On March 25, 2020, the Government of Canada announced the Canada emergency response benefit, CERB, a taxable benefit of $2,000 per month for eligible workers whose income and employment were affected by COVID-19.

When it first launched the CERB, the CRA focused on providing emergency payments quickly to the millions of Canadians who were affected by the pandemic. To achieve this, the CRA has witnessed an unprecedented mobilization of its resources to build on past successes.

The CRA has collaborated with financial industry stakeholders to implement direct deposit for businesses to facilitate issuing of CEWS payments.

On April 27, the first bank successfully transmitted direct deposit information for businesses to CRA. The Canada emergency response benefit, which was administered by the Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada, has since provided critical financial support to over eight million Canadians. Canadians from all walks of life and employment backgrounds have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For this reason, the CERB was designed to apply to a wide variety of individuals, their only commonality being their inability to work because of COVID-19. Some categories of individuals who were eligible for the CERB are those who lost their jobs or had their hours reduced because of COVID-19, as well as those unable to work because they were caring for a dependant whose care was disrupted by the pandemic. Additionally, the CERB covered not only traditionally employed, but also contract workers and self-employed persons not otherwise eligible for employment insurance.

As the pandemic situation progressed, some adjustments were made to the CERB eligibility criteria to allow Canadians to take on part-time work. This allowed Canadian businesses to rehire workers on a part-time basis to ensure that Canadians could continue to put food on the table, pay their rent or mortgage, and support their families.

During the implementation of the CERB, as well as other emergency benefits like the Canada emergency wage subsidy, the government sought to get money into the hands of Canadians who were in need as quickly as possible, via direct deposit or cheque. Payments were made within 10 days in most cases.

Canadians were able to apply for the CERB through an easy web portal, an automated telephone line or a toll-free number. The CERB officially ended on September 26, 2020, but Canadians can still retroactively apply for the CERB until December 2, 2020.

The CERB, I am proud to announce, has now been replaced with three new benefits: the Canada recovery benefit, CRB; the Canada recovery sickness benefit, CRSB; and the Canada recovery caregiving benefit, CRCB. These new benefits are being administered by the Canada Revenue Agency and Canadians can apply online through the agency's “my account” or via a toll-free number.

[Judges Act, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, the collaboration that we are seeing on Bill C-3 is great to see and it reflects the reality of where we are as a nation. We want to move forward on breaking down barriers, especially for systemic racism and systemic discrimination, and we want to make sure that survivors of sexual assault have the confidence to come forward, and that their stories will be listened to in a manner that is appropriate. I wish to thank the justice committee for its great work on this and the Minister of Justice for his great work on Bill C-3.

[Judges Act, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, bilingualism is a very important factor for me and my family, but I would generally state that Bill C-3 would improve the confidence in our justice system for all Canadians, especially sexual assault survivors, and that is the intent of the bill.

I also wish to thank the hon. member who brought forward the original incarnation of the bill, the Hon. Rona Ambrose.

[Judges Act, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, my answer, quite simply, is that, yes, this will have a positive impact on our justice system. It will have a positive impact, once the law is put in place and implemented, for judges to be more sensitized to the needs of Canadians who face systemic discrimination and racism. Bill C-3 would also reaffirm the principle judicial independence for our legal community and judges, and rightly so.

[Judges Act, November 16th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, it is great to be here today, back in our nation's capital again for another sitting week.

I rise today in support of Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Judges Act and the Criminal Code. This bill is a key step to ensuring that each individual who interacts with our justice system is treated with the dignity, respect and compassion they deserve. I am eager to see this important bill continue to move through the legislative process.

Bill C-3 would amend the Judges Act to ensure that all newly appointed provincial superior court judges take part in training on social context and sexual assault law. This bill would also propose that when the Canadian Judicial Council develops seminars on sexual assault law, it does so following consultations with groups that the council considers appropriate, such as sexual assault survivors and organizations supporting them.

Bill C-3 also seeks to have the council report to the Minister of Justice on the seminars offered related to sexual assault law and social context. Finally, this bill would require judges to provide reasons for decisions under certain sexual assault provisions of the Criminal Code.

I am proud to note that Bill C-3 continues to be an example of parliamentary collaboration on key issues that have an impact on Canadians. The bill before us today is identical to Bill C-5, which was referred to committee before Parliament was prorogued.

Like Bill C-5, Bill C-3 reflects the private member's bill introduced by the former interim leader of the Conservative Party, the Hon. Rona Ambrose. I want to thank her for her work and her commitment to these important issues. I look forward to continuing our collaboration to ensure that this bill is brought before the other place and that Canadians can benefit from the important changes it seeks to make.

This evening I would like to focus my remarks on the importance of social context training for judges. In particular, I would like to address how the social context education provisions in Bill C-3 would help ensure an inclusive justice system that is free from systemic racism and system discrimination.

Each individual who appears in court is more than a claimant, respondent or witness. They are not just a name on a legal document or a face in a courtroom. An individual's engagement with the justice system is deeply intertwined with their life outside of court. They bring with them to court their experiences, their stories and their context. To ensure that all people who engage with the justice system are treated respectfully, fairly and equally, judges need to understand the realities of these individuals who appear before them. Bill C-3 recognizes this need.

By requiring candidates to superior court benches to participate in continuing education on social context, Bill C-3 would help ensure that new judges are aware of the many factors that can affect a person's involvement in the justice system.

Bill C-3 would amend the Judges Act to restrict eligibility for judicial appointment to a provincial superior court to persons who undertake to participate in continuing education on matters related to social context after their appointment. This means that every new provincial superior court judge would begin their tenure on the bench with this important training.

Social context refers to a range of factors that impact an individual's reality and experiences, including experiences leading up with their interaction with the justice system, their first contact with the justice system and their experiences before a judge. The factors that make up social context intersect an individual's life. Social context includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination.

Bill C-3 reflects this reality. During the clause-by-clause study of this bill, the member for Hull—Aylmer proposed an amendment to specify that systemic racism and systemic discrimination are part of social context. I was pleased to support this critical amendment and see it pass at committee.

For too many Canadians, notably indigenous peoples, and Black and racialized Canadians, systemic racism and systemic discrimination are lived realities. We see this in health care, access to economic opportunity and our justice system. We know that indigenous, Black and racialized Canadians are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. We also know that Canadians who experience systemic racism and systemic discrimination face structural barriers to access to justice, barriers that have sadly been worsened by the pandemic.

Amending Bill C-3 to specify that social context includes systemic racism and systemic discrimination reflects where we are as a nation, where we are as a country. We have work to do.

Our government is committed to doing that work. We released Canada's anti-racism strategy for 2019 through 2022. We are investing in economic empowerment for racialized communities. We are combatting online hate, and we are creating a unified approach to better collect disaggregated data. Through these and other actions, we are taking concrete steps to combat systemic racism and systemic discrimination in their many incarnations, including in the justice system. Bill C-3 will help us achieve this critical goal.

Bill C-3 focuses on the importance of providing training for judges that addresses racism and systemic discrimination. When appointed, judges should be aware of the reality lived and experienced by the people who will come before them. The requirement for social context education set out in Bill C-3 would ensure that new judges have this awareness.

Learning about social context will ensure that newly appointed judges are aware of systemic racism, systemic discrimination and the ways these pervasive problems impact individuals' experiences with the justice system. When judges have this fundamental awareness, courtrooms are more sensitized, hospitable and inclusive. A judge who is aware of social context is, for example, better prepared to ensure that a racialized young woman with a disability appearing in court experiences a justice system that is respectful and responsive to her reality. Social context training supports understanding, empathy and appropriate judgments for all Canadians.

By bolstering judges' awareness of the context in which they fulfill their functions, social context training ensures myths and stereotypes or personal societal biases do not play a role in their decisions. Social context shapes the experiences of all individuals who interact with the justice system, whether they are before a judge, in superior court, or in provincial or territorial court. That is why our government is also working with our partners to improve the availability of training on social context for provincially and territorially appointed judges.

We must ensure that our justice system treats everyone with respect and dignity. The team work involved requires the collaboration of all parties and potential stakeholders in the justice system.

Together, we must work to ensure that Canadians have access to a justice system that is responsive, inclusive and free from systemic racism and systemic discrimination. This bill is an important step toward these goals, and I am eager to continue to work with my colleagues to move Bill C-3 forward.

[Business of Supply, November 5th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, the member is absolutely right. I am blessed to have Martinrea, a facility in my riding, employing almost 600 people in the auto parts plant.

With regard to pharmacare in our beautiful country in which we are blessed to live, we must deal with a fiscal federation. We must deal with the provinces on pharmacare. Each province has its own plan currently in place. We must negotiate with them. We have been doing so and we need to come to the table with a lot of good will, which we have. Our concrete actions in the last several years, including budget 2019, speak to the investment we will be making to ensure Canadians have access to affordable prescription drugs.