Justin Trudeau

[Public Services and Procurement, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the two ministers involved are following up to make sure that Canadians got value for their money, that these contracts followed all the rules, and that they followed the parameters that are set up to ensure that contracts awarded by the public service are the right ones.

We are going to continue being transparent with the public and investing in the middle class.

Given that they oppose help for dental care and low-income renters, the question is why the Conservatives have abandoned the middle class.

[Government Priorities, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as Conservatives continue to blame the government for everything from COVID-19 to the war on Ukraine, we are going to continue to be there to invest in Canadians and to support people through the difficult times they are going through.

That is why we have consistently stepped up to invest in Canadians, despite Conservatives screaming every day that we were doing too much for Canadians and that we were helping too much through this pandemic. The reality is that we stepped up and our economy bounced back strongly. We are going to continue to step up as Canadians face difficult times with inflation and rising interest rates. We will be there for Canadians, despite the Conservatives calling for cuts.

[Government Priorities, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, that might be a little more credible coming from the Conservatives if they had not voted against benefits for low-income renters just a few months ago, and if they had not voted against extra supports so families who could not afford to send their kids to the dentist could finally send them to the dentist.

What we hear from the Conservative Party is promotion of cuts and promotion of austerity, instead of stepping up and actually investing in the support that Canadians need. We manage to deliver targeted supports in a way that maintains our strong fiscal position so that we are coming through these difficult times by leaning on each other as we always do.

[Health, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, when we saw the challenges Canadians were dealing with during the pandemic, the federal government stepped up with $72 billion in extra investments in health care, on top of the $40 billion we send the provinces every year for health care delivery. We know it is going to take more.

We are going to sit down with the provinces next week to talk about how to boost investment and co-operation to provide better health care to Canadians across the country, within our public system, of course.

[Health, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, through the depths of the pandemic, this federal government stepped up with over $72 billion in extra investments in health care across the country, on top of the $40 billion or so a year we send to the provinces for delivery of health care, to hire nurses and to ensure proper health care delivery across the country.

One of the things we saw during the pandemic was that there was a need to continue and even to increase working together to ensure that Canadians get the best possible medical services across the country.

That is why we will be sitting down with the provinces next week to talk about the future of health care services across this country.

[Diversity and Inclusion, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, for years, I have been expressing my concerns about the fact that some laws, including Bill 21, may violate fundamental civil liberties. I know not everyone shares that perspective, but I hope, based on the emotion shown by my hon. colleague and the wishes he has expressed, that we will be able to have the difficult but responsible conversations on these issues so that we can bring people together rater than stirring up trouble and sowing division.

[Diversity and Inclusion, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that we have to have some difficult conversations as a society. It is always important to have those difficult conversations, whether it is to address systemic racism across the country or to stand up for fundamental rights and freedoms. There are always difficult and important conversations that need to happen, and I think people understand that rhetoric and exaggeration on either side do not help. That is why we appointed a special representative on combatting Islamophobia, who I know will lead these conversations so that we can build bridges the right way.

[Public Services and Procurement, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservative Party focuses on schoolyard taunts, we are going to stay focused on being there for Canadians.

We have stepped up with investments that have helped Canadians significantly through this difficult time. We know people are facing tough times, and that is why we continue to step up with a doubling of the GST credit over six months, with moving forward on support for low-income renters and so that all families can send their kids to the dentists.

Unfortunately and inexplicably, despite all of his rhetoric, the Leader of the Opposition stood against those last two measures.

We are hoping that they are going to see that investing in and supporting Canadians, not abandoning the middle class, is what we need from them.

[Public Services and Procurement, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the ministers are appropriately looking into it to make sure all rules were followed.

As we move forward, we are focused on Canadians right now and the need to support Canadians who are going through a really difficult time, whether it is grocery prices, whether it is gas or whether it is paying their rents. That is why we have stepped up with direct supports for Canadians. We will continue to, and we certainly hope the Conservatives, putting aside their opposition to more support for Canadians who are renting or more support so people can send their kids to the dentist, will step up and support on child care, disability and other investments that support Canadians.

[Public Services and Procurement, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, over our time in office, I have been touched by seeing how many Canadians of extraordinary backgrounds have put their hands up and offered to serve their country, to contribute to Canadian success and contribute to government. Dominic Barton has certainly served his country in many ways, including by being an outstanding ambassador to China.

In regard to contracts assigned to McKinsey by the public service, as I said, we are following up on how those contracts were chosen, allocated and fulfilled.