Mr. Speaker, today I will be sharing my time with the member for York South—Weston.
It is an honour to take part in this debate today on how we can keep Parliament functioning in a reasonable and responsible way. There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has tested Canadians right across the country. Physical distancing has kept us apart from loved ones and from getting together in our favourite restaurants and festivals. It has tested businesses that rely on direct contact with customers, causing lost revenue and lost income for workers.
If there is something that this pandemic has reminded us of, it is that Canadians are a resilient people. We can and are adapting to this difficult situation. Canadians are creatively using video conferencing for everything from birthday parties to live streaming concerts and for doctor's appointments and job interviews. Small retailers are opening up web stores for the first time and many restaurants are adapting their menus for takeout. Many organizations are showing that their employees can work from home where it is safe, while continuing to collaborate with colleagues virtually.
Parliament must also adapt and parliamentarians must lead by example by continuing to fulfill our duties while respecting public health advice on how to stop the transmission of COVID-19. Canadians deserve a functioning House of Commons where their elected representatives can ask their questions and ensure that their concerns are heard. They want members on all sides of the House to work together to find solutions to this exceptional situation that we are all in together.
The government has put forward a motion that is reasonable, it ensures accountability and transparency and respects public health advice. The motion proposes that the Special Committee on COVID-19 will meet four days a week, from Monday to Thursday. This is an increase from the previous three days a week. The committee would meet in a hybrid format with some members present in this chamber and others participating by video conference. This will ensure that everyone can participate no matter where they live and what travel and quarantine restrictions exist. Members will be able to question the government on any matter they wish, not just matters related to COVID-19.
Through this special committee, all members can continue to perform one of their core functions, which is to hold the government accountable. In fact, this motion will provide more hours for members to question the government than what is provided during regular sitting weeks. There will be more than six hours of questioning compared to the 3.75 hours question period takes up during a regular week.
The Special Committee on COVID-19 has already proven to be an effective forum where rigorous parliamentary debate occurs, while respecting physical distancing and other public health advice. From its first meeting on April 28 to May 21, the committee has met for a total of 30.5 hours and 200 members spoke during this three-week period, most on multiple occasions. This includes the leader of each opposition party represented in the House.
Under this proposal, important parliamentary business can also be transacted when the special committee on COVID-19 meets. Ministers and members can make statements and present petitions on behalf of their constituents. The government will continue to table documents such as annual reports, which is an important source of transparency. To provide for parliamentary debate and approval of the funding for government initiatives and operations, the motion scheduled a four hour debate on any supplementary estimates and a vote on June 17.
As the pandemic continues, the government recognizes that it may need to continue to put forward for consideration by the House emergency legislation to get Canadians the help and support they urgently need. For this reason, the motion will continue to allow the House to be recalled on Wednesday to consider additional measures to address the pandemic.
I think all members of this House are united in hoping that the spread of COVID-19 is significantly reduced, if not eliminated, quickly, but our medical experts cannot predict with certainty how long this pandemic will last. We do know that the adverse economic impacts caused by the pandemic are likely to continue for some time.
For this reason, the motion schedules four sittings of the House during the summer to discuss the pandemic and measures taken by the government, on July 8 and 22 and on August 12 and 26. On these days, members may question ministers for up to 95 minutes on any matter, followed by a take-note debate on the pandemic for two hours and 20 minutes. Aside from receiving messages about bills passed by the Senate and royal assent, the House has not met during July and August in decades. However, 2020 is an exceptional year, requiring exceptional measures.
As all members of this House know, standing committees are where we conduct the most detailed examination of public policy and other issues of importance to members and Canadians. They play a vital role in the oversight of government initiatives. Since the House adjourned its regular proceedings on March 13 because of the pandemic, 74 committee meetings have been held, for a total of approximately 195 hours of deliberations.
As the government maintains a specific focus on helping Canadians get through this pandemic, the motion will provide for nine standing committees to study and report on COVID-19 issues and the government's response to it. They may also choose to study and report on any other issue they wish with their normal powers. This includes the eight standing committees that have been meeting over the past few weeks, as well as the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. When studying COVID-19 issues, committees will have expanded powers to receive evidence that might otherwise exceed their mandate. Committee members will attend and witnesses will participate in meetings by either video conference or teleconference, allowing for the safe conduct of meetings.
Canadians have been learning how to effectively use video conferencing. So have members of Parliament. Technology is not perfect, and our Standing Orders were not designed with video conferencing in mind. For this reason, the motion provides that:
(f) the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be instructed to review and make recommendations on how to modify the Standing Orders for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of an incremental approach beginning with hybrid sittings of the House as outlined by the report provided to the committee by the Speaker on Monday, May 11, 2020, including how to enact remote voting....
The great work of our colleagues on the procedure and House affairs committee is helping our Parliament modernize in a thoughtful, incremental way. It will also leave it better prepared for future crises. This is what Canadians expect.
Parliament is essential to our democracy, but even essential services like hospitals, grocery stores and gas stations have changed the way they operate because of the pandemic. Parliament is no different. We must also change the way we operate, and we believe the motion strikes the right balance between ensuring that the members can hold the government to account and protecting the health and safety of everyone who works here during this pandemic. It is vital that Canadians have faith in our public institutions, especially during this challenging time.
Acting responsibly and caring for the health and well-being of each other is a point of pride for Canadians. Canadians are enterprising, innovative and flexible in adjusting to new realities. Parliament should be, too.
