Justin Trudeau

[Health, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I have immense trust in Elections Canada and its ability to make our democracy work. From the beginning of this crisis, we have shown that despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, it is essential to make our parliamentary and democratic institutions work, and that is what have done. We have worked with our partners here in the House, we have worked with the provinces, we have worked with Canadians to meet their expectations during these tough times, and that is what we will continue to do.

The opposition needs to decide if it wants to continue to collaborate here in the House.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River for his hard work as a health care professional as well as an MP.

Since January, we have taken multiple measures at our border to protect the health and safety of Canadians by limiting the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in Canada. We made the extraordinary decision back in March to introduce reciprocal border restrictions for non-essential travel with the U.S., and just this week we announced its extension for another month.

We will continue to do what is necessary to keep Canadians safe, and will always base our decisions on the best public health information available.

[Child Care, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, we were proud to stand before Canadians with that throne speech and talk about child care, talk about pharmacare and talk about the investments we were going to be making to recognize the gaps that COVID-19 has demonstrated in our social safety nets, in the fabric of Canadians' lives, and work closely with all others to fill them. We flowed historic investments to support families, to support working moms and to support Canadians from one coast to the other to the other to deliver for them, and we are going to continue to do that.

The opposition parties need to choose whether they want to work constructively in this House or not. We will see.

[Pharmacare, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning of this pandemic, we have stepped up to help Canadians, to help families, to help workers, to help small businesses and to ensure that the provinces have adequate PPE and testing facilities. We have flowed billions of dollars to the provinces to make sure we are reopening schools safely. We are supporting our most vulnerable. Every step of the way, we have worked constructively with members of all parties to deliver in this pandemic.

Today, unfortunately, opposition parties need to make a choice about whether or not they want to work collaboratively and constructively, which does not mean agreeing on everything, but does mean moving forward and focusing on Canadians. That is the choice they get to make.

[Health, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, the well-being of Canadians is what this government has been focused on since day one. We have delivered on supports for families and for seniors. We have delivered on supports for students and workers. We have delivered for small businesses, and in Small Business Week we heard across the country how much of a difference what we have done has made.

Furthermore, we continue to work with public health officials, and I can assure members that Elections Canada has worked very closely with health officials to determine what the best paths forward are. I have full confidence in Elections Canada to be able to do those things.

Our focus is on continuing to deliver for Canadians. It is up to the opposition to decide if they want to make Parliament work.

[Public Services and Procurement, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, from day one, we have been working with Canada's industries to deliver the services and equipment we need during this unprecedented pandemic. On the recommendation of public health, Public Services Canada signed an agreement with FTI Professional Grade. We have no agreements with any of FTI's suppliers.

We know that we need ventilators to keep people safe. That was our priority. The health and safety of Canadians will always be our priority.

[Aerospace Industry, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, since taking office five years ago, we have worked with the aerospace industry in Quebec and across the country to secure good jobs and a promising future for this industry, which is important to Canada and the rest of the world. We will keep working with Canadian innovators and aerospace companies. We will keep making the necessary investments.

We understand that COVID-19 is hitting the industry hard, but we will continue to step up by providing direct assistance to workers. We are also working with the sector to find longer-term solutions.

[Aerospace Industry, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, we are fully seized with the serious problems that COVID-19 has created for the airline and aerospace industries. As mentioned in the Speech from the Throne, we are working to implement solutions that provide the aerospace sector with the support it needs.

To date, $1.1 billion in support for airline industry workers has been provided through the wage subsidy. We continue to help workers in the aerospace industry. We will continue to be there to support workers across the country. That is why we need to keep working and not play partisan games, which is what the Conservatives are always doing.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, during this pandemic, we need a Parliament that works together, even though we may not always agree. We need a robust democracy, but we also need to be able to deliver services for Canadians and Quebeckers as we have been doing since the beginning of this pandemic.

The Bloc Québécois members have been talking about wanting an election for several weeks now. It is up to them to explain that. What is more, it is up to them to vote, like all the opposition parties, on whether to continue working collaboratively in this Parliament or not.

We will see what they will do in half an hour.

[COVID-19 Emergency Response, October 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, from the beginning, we have been working to support businesses, Quebec families and workers across the country. We have continued to work with the opposition parties to ensure that we are serving Quebeckers and all Canadians well.

If the Bloc Québécois members have decided that they have had enough of a federal government that takes real action every day for Quebeckers and Canadians, then that is their issue. Perhaps that is why they want an election.

We do not want an election. We want to continue to meet our commitments to Quebeckers and all Canadians every day.