Francis Drouin

[Online School, January 27th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, during this lockdown, many parents are experiencing a new reality with online school.

I would like to thank all the teachers in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, who are doing amazing work online with our kids. Across the country, teachers are using their imagination and creativity to motivate kids during online school. One teacher in particular, Danika Bélisle, who teaches grades 7 and 8 at École secondaire catholique Embrun, is doing a really fantastic job. Every day, Ms. Bélisle shows up in a costume or a disguise to boost student morale during these trying times.

Our young people are our future. They are going through tough times too. Every day, from coast to coast to coast, their determined teachers are right there with them, and they make a big difference in our kids' lives. Three cheers for teachers!

[COVID-19 Vaccine, January 26th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I have to say to my colleague that I miss her too, and this is a different format.

However, if I do not have enough time to answer the complete question, I will say that any strategy we put in place will always be led by science. I know that, at the Public Health Agency of Canada, Dr. Tam is doing a great job of leading this country, and I can only applaud her.

The contract questions we can discuss after the pandemic is over. Right now I do not think it is a smart strategy to expose all of the contracts that Canada has signed, knowing that the vaccine is a rare commodity around the world.

[COVID-19 Vaccine, January 26th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, it is important that we put things into perspective. I was reading this morning about when Europe anticipates it will have vaccinated 70% of its population. It intends to do that by the summer at some point, which could be up to September 21. I was also looking at when Australia plans to vaccinate its entire population, and the plans right now put the date in October or November if things all go well.

In Canada's case, we plan on vaccinating every Canadian who chooses to have the vaccine by the end September. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Health, as well as the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, have been clear that vaccinations will be free for every Canadian who chooses to get one.

[COVID-19 Vaccine, January 26th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I am glad my colleague mentioned New Zealand.

I would rather focus on Canada's vaccination plan. My colleague said we do not have a plan, but I would like to set him straight and assure him that Canada has a guarantee for the delivery of six million vaccine doses by March 31. I can also tell him that Canada will receive an additional 26 million doses by June. If he does not consider that to be a solid enough plan, I would point out that we have already received 1.1 million doses.

I believe our plan is credible. Yes, there is a vaccine shortage today, this week. However, contrary to what some of my colleagues have suggested, that does not mean we can tell people that, because we did not get vaccines this week, we can just lift the lockdown for everyone next week. I think we need to be careful with how we present political arguments to the public.

[COVID-19 Vaccine, January 26th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by acknowledging the stress that Canadians have been under during the second wave of the pandemic.

We are all tired, anxious and frustrated by the resurgence of the virus, the ongoing uncertainty and the constant disruptions to our daily lives. The pandemic has been going on for a long time, and things have been hard as the virus continues to wreak havoc on all aspects of our lives, including our economic, physical and emotional well-being. We know that the only thing that will let us get back to normal is the COVID-19 vaccine. We have all been looking forward to it. It cannot come soon enough, since the pandemic weighs on us every day.

Today more than ever, I am asking that we rise above our political differences and party lines and work together to help the country get through the most difficult stage of the pandemic. Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic requires everyone's involvement to ensure that we make it through these hard times and turn the corner. We cannot get caught up in brinkmanship. We are at a critical point in the pandemic, and we must join forces to make it through this last leg. For Canada to get to the finish line, all of us in the House must work together as part of a completely collaborative approach. This approach has been central to our strategy from the beginning, and it is especially vital now.

Our government has kept its promises to Canadians. We worked day and night in a hyper-competitive global market to obtain vital personal protective equipment, build one of the most diversified vaccine portfolios in the world and act quickly to provide doses of the two currently approved vaccines to the provinces and territories. Only by working together will we get through this situation. It is time to lower the temperature and focus on what Canadians need us to do.

As we started rolling out the biggest vaccination campaign in Canadian history, we knew that there would likely be some bumps in the road. That is to be expected when undertaking this type of initiative during a global emergency. We saw that in the recent slowdown in delivery of the Pfizer vaccine, which, I would remind hon. members, is true for every country being supplied by the European plant. We knew we would be facing challenges when it comes to supply given the complexity of production, an unprecedented global demand and a rapid acceleration of production.

It is precisely with these types of questions in mind that Canada signed seven agreements with the key vaccine manufacturers and developers in order to guarantee the diversity and flexibility of our supply chains. To be clear, I understand and share the concerns of Canadians over this temporary delay in delivery. We can rest assured, though, because the minister, the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada are in constant contact with representatives of Pfizer to strongly reiterate how important it is to Canada to get back on schedule as soon as possible.

As we have said many times, Pfizer assures us that we will receive every dose that we have been promised and that we have bought. I agree that this is an unfortunate and unwelcome situation in light of our urgent situation, but we are living in volatile times. I want to assure the House that Pfizer has committed to meeting our quarterly objective and has said that deliveries will increase considerably as promised in the spring. Between Moderna and Pfizer, we will have access to 80 million doses in 2021 and we will have enough vaccines for everyone in Canada who is eligible and who wants to be vaccinated by the end of September.

We want this to be a safe and speedy vaccination campaign. Unfortunately, we have to expect that problems like this and others may arise. As always, we have to adapt. As part of our procurement strategy, our government has secured a diverse portfolio, signing seven agreements for the main vaccine candidates.

These seven agreements will provide access to no fewer than 234 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine and the option to buy up to 164 million additional doses. From the start, we adopted a diversified approach to vaccine procurement. We did not put all our eggs in one basket. We made sure we diversified our risk by ordering vaccines from many different suppliers. That means Canadians will get guaranteed access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are available.

Obviously, we cannot defeat this virus in Canada if we do not eliminate it everywhere. That is why we will participate in COVAX, a global vaccine supply initiative that will develop and deploy safe, effective, accessible COVID-19 vaccines around the world. Supporting other countries in their fight against COVID-19 is an essential investment that will help put an end to this pandemic around the world.

Make no mistake. We are tackling this pandemic head on, and this government's top priority remains protecting people from COVID-19, saving lives and helping Canadians get through this crisis. Our government is continuing to do everything in its power to overcome the challenges presented by this pandemic. However, we can be more effective if we work together. As elected members of the House of Commons, it is our duty to rise above our political interests and focus on protecting Canadians. This is a pivotal moment in our history, and it calls for rapid, unified action. We must unite to serve Canadians. Every day here in the House, we must work to fight the pandemic responsibly and effectively as we head into the home stretch. Canadians expect nothing less from us.

While we continue to see an increase in the number of infections, our government is remaining focused on its response and on rebuilding the economy, while preparing for any scenario during these uncertain times. Nonetheless, we know that the real solution, the wide-scale administration of an approved vaccine, will take time and there will be challenges along the way. In the meantime, Canadians must continue to manage the risks of COVID-19, follow public health advice and make a concerted effort to slow the spread of the virus. It is hard work that challenges us in a way that we could never have imagined. However, we will get through this together and come out of this even stronger.

I want to reiterate how essential it is that we commit to working together for the health and safety of all Canadians. To overcome this pandemic once and for all, we must all work together, every level of government, every community, all Canadians.

In closing, I want to thank the medical officer of health of eastern Ontario, Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, and his team who have already started the vaccination campaign back home in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell. They are an incredible team.

[Keystone XL Pipeline, January 26th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I would invite the hon. member to look at the plan that the minister of environment presented to Canadians just before the holiday season. We know that we will be putting a price on pollution of $170 per tonne by 2030. We are already electrifying the roads of Canada to allow electric vehicles to go from one city to another, so I think we have a strong and robust plan.

At the same time, I do not think it is realistic to say that we can suddenly shut all of the oil pipelines everywhere in the world, thinking that the transition will happen tomorrow morning. I think we have to be more realistic in the approach that we propose to Canadians. I have full confidence in the Prime Minister and our Minister of Environment to propose that plan.

[Keystone XL Pipeline, January 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I have an 18-month-old child at home and sometimes he kicks and screams because he is not happy with my decisions, but it is not a strategy to inform me or influence me on the decisions that are best for him. That particular member was kicking and screaming for the last three years when he was the leader of the opposition and now there is a new leader of the opposition, but he seems to be adopting the same strategy. I do not see how kicking and screaming is going to help us build more pipelines.

Perhaps the member should take note of section 35 and our duty to consult with indigenous peoples. It is something that he completely omitted in his platform in 2019. No pipelines are going to get built in Canada if we do not consult with our indigenous peoples.

My question for the member is this: Knowing that President Biden is going to be in power for the next four years, is kicking and screaming really a good strategy to adopt here?

[Keystone XL Pipeline, January 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, our government has focused night and day on the need for a vibrant economic recovery from the pandemic that leaves no one behind. That is why we were both disappointed and saddened with President Biden's decision to revoke the Keystone XL project's permit the day he was inaugurated: disappointed that our efforts in frequently working shoulder to shoulder with the Government of Alberta did not succeed, and saddened for the thousands of workers being laid off. This will hurt many Canadian communities, including indigenous communities. We will continue to work on their behalf to ensure they are part of Canada's recovery.

I must shift now to a key point in the debate. It needs to be said that the Keystone XL project has been a priority for our government since we took office five years ago. It was among the top issues the Prime Minister raised in his first conversation with then President-elect Biden right after the U.S. election. We kept pushing our position with high-level officials in the new administration leading up to January 20.

That underscores this government's determination to support the people and communities in the sector as we strive toward our Paris climate targets. There is no contradiction in these dual goals, because we recognize the ingenuity of our petroleum sector and its status as Canada's largest green tech investor. Put simply, these companies are playing a vital role in helping us find the breakthroughs that will help us confront the climate crisis. That is why the industry and the individuals and communities depending on it figured so prominently in our government's unprecedented COVID-19 economic response plan, which included an injection of billions of dollars in much-needed liquidity for the industry and the introduction of a 75% wage subsidy that has helped to support as many as 60,000 oil and gas jobs in Alberta.

Canadians saw this support when we announced two key components of the COVID-19 package last April.

First, we earmarked more than $1.7 billion to clean up orphan and inactive oil and gas wells in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. It is not just an investment aimed at improving the environmental performance of the oil patch; it is also creating thousands of jobs when and where they are needed most.

Second, we created a new $750-million fund to reduce the industry's greenhouse gases and in particular methane emissions, which can be over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. This new emissions reduction funding includes $75 million specifically set aside for the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore industry, and we have already bolstered that investment with another $320 million to support upgrades to existing offshore infrastructure, environmental services and clean technology.

This is how we build the most sustainable oil and gas sector in the world. It is by working with an industry that is, as I noted earlier, a leader in finding innovative ways to reduce its carbon footprint.

Petroleum companies routinely account for more than 70% of all private sector investments in R and D, or more than $1 billion each and every year. The Government of Canada is certainly part of that push. It is why the Minister of Innovation, the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources announced $100 million in new federal funding to support the clean resource innovation network. This is an industry-led initiative of more than 1,300 members, all devoted to improving the oil and gas sector's environmental and economic performance by developing the breakthrough solutions that drive economic growth, create good well-paying jobs and lead to cleaner energy production. It is a classic win-win and one aimed at reducing the sector's greenhouse gas emissions by 100 megatonnes by 2033, or the equivalent of taking 1.5 million cars off the road.

This perspective has also informed and inspired our government's ongoing efforts to support a strong and sustainable petroleum industry and make it a supplier of choice not only in the United States, but around the world. Just last month, for example, we announced federal approval of the NOVA Gas system expansion project in Alberta. It is a $2.3-billion initiative that will create close to 3,000 jobs, while advancing stronger indigenous engagement and oversight, accelerating the phase-out of coal-fired electricity and providing stronger protections for local caribou herds and their habitat. These are many of the same things that went into our extensive consultations for the Trans Mountain project and our eventual decision to purchase that project in 2018.

We did not just rescue a critical piece of energy infrastructure; we also helped put more than 5,000 Canadians to work in building vital access to tidewater, as well as opening new opportunities for our energy exports and advancing indigenous partnerships and reconciliation.

Another key pillar is the world-class environmental protections we have put in place alongside the TMX project. Those pillars include the $1.5-billion oceans protection plan that stacks up well with what other leading marine nations are doing to preserve their coastlines, oceans and marine life. If I may add a quick aside, I would remind Canadians that we have committed to investing every dollar earned from the TMX project to accelerate Canada's clean-energy transition. That is huge. We have estimated that once the TMX project is completed, it will generate an estimated $500 million in additional corporate income tax revenues alone.

I also want to point out to members this government's support for the $40-billion LNG Canada project in B.C. It happens to be the single largest private sector investment in Canadian history, and it is a project that will be one of the cleanest LNG facilities of its kind anywhere, emitting half the GHG emissions of similar facilities around the world—half.

That is why our government was on the ground with $275 million in federal investments for critical local infrastructure technology to support the LNG Canada facility, ensuring that a generational project and up to 10,000 jobs become reality. These types of projects remind us that Canada is not only a place where good projects get built; we are also critical to securing North America's place as the most dynamic, influential and well-regulated energy region.

As important as all of these things are, I have to point out that the pandemic has exposed another pressing priority. COVID-19 has laid bare global vulnerabilities and inequalities. The job losses we have seen during this pandemic have been disproportionately borne by women, youth and indigenous people, as well as marginalized groups such as immigrants, racialized people and persons with disabilities, all of which has reinforced our belief that a clean-energy future cannot and must not leave anyone behind.

This brings me back to Keystone XL. This was an excellent project. We fought hard to make it happen. However, we have to respect the democratic institution of our number one ally and trading partner. President Biden made a promise, and he kept it. We must now look to the future and work closely with this new administration on our many shared objectives, from global health to climate change to job creation. We will work with that administration and all Canadians to deliver on our shared mission: net zero emissions by 2050, a global economy that continues to grow and an energy transition that leaves no one behind.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, December 8th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Government of Canada made an announcement regarding emergency loans for business owners through the Canada emergency business account.

Our government has already helped several farms and other businesses in my riding of Glengarry—Prescott—Russell by providing $40,000 loans, $10,000 of which may be forgiven.

Could the minister inform the House of other similar measures?

[Interparliamentary Delegations, November 25th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present the report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie respecting its participation at the meetings of the APF Education, Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee and the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the APF, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from February 24 to 28, 2019.

I am also pleased to present the second report of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie respecting its participation at the workshop on enhancing the role of parliamentarians from member states of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie in the Universal Periodic Review process, held in Geneva from December 10 to 11, 2019.