Pablo Rodriguez

[Ethics, April 12th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that I was at the committee for three hours and I answered many of the questions, and all of this was to talk about a staff member who was barely involved in the issue. There was one phone call, and the opposition decided to have a three-hour meeting about one phone call, instead of concentrating on the priority of today. Our ministers appear at committee. It was a pleasure for me to appear at that committee. We do it all the time, but they should use the time that is allowed to the members to discuss the priorities of today.

[Ethics, April 12th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, we believe in ministerial accountability. This is why our ministers appear at committees all the time. They love to answer those questions for the opposition, but the Conservatives want to ignore that tradition. That was their position at the time. What is it today? If I read what their House leader used to say at the time, it was a bit different. I will quote him: “When ministers choose to appear before committees to account for their administration, they are the best source of accountability and they must be heard. Public servants and ministerial staff support the responsibility of their ministers. They do not supplant it.”

[Ethics, April 12th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, we believe in the principle of ministerial responsibility. It has been a long tradition in our country. We are accountable to Parliament, and our staff is accountable to us. I appeared at the ethics committee for three hours to answer many questions. My colleague, the associate minister of finance, was ready to do the same. She showed up twice, but the opposition refused to let her testify on both occasions. They say they want to ask questions, but at the same time they refuse for the minister to appear. They have to make up their mind.

[Health, April 12th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, we are not waiting for anything.

We are working with all of the provinces, as we have been doing all along for PPE. Let us not forget that the Canadian Armed Forced and the Red Cross provided key support for our seniors. Our government has been working with the provinces to procure supplies and roll out the vaccines.

This is an ongoing process. Every day we are in talks to look at how we can improve the health, safety and lives of all Canadians.

[Intergovernmental Affairs, April 12th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague and friend spoke about rumours. I am going to talk about facts.

The fact is that we have been working with Quebec since the very beginning of the pandemic, first with regard to equipment and now with regard to vaccines. Aside from the pandemic, there is the joint announcement at Lion Electric and our ability to work together to solve the problem of Internet access in the regions. This proves one thing: If we ignore the rumours raised by my colleague and talk about facts, we see that the two governments work very well together.

[Ethics, March 26th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I have said many times that we believe in the work of committees. They do extremely important work, which is done by all members, but they decide on their own agendas. My colleague from the Conservative Party knows that. We are always going to be there to participate and help with the work of the committees because, as I said, it is extremely important. I would like the Conservatives to stop playing these games.

[Gender-Based Violence, March 25th, 2021]

moved:

That the House take note of the alarming increase of gender-based violence in Canada.

[Business of the House, March 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend for his question.

This afternoon, we will obviously continue the debate on the opposition motion. We will proceed to the supply votes a little later this evening.

Tomorrow morning, we will resume debate at second reading of Bill C-19, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act, COVID-19 response, and then in the afternoon, we will study Bill C-11, an act to enact the Consumer Privacy Protection Act and the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other acts.

I would also like to wish all hon. colleagues a productive and safe two weeks working in their constituencies.

Obviously, members have a lot of work to do in their ridings, but I hope they will take some time for themselves and spend some time with their families. That is important.

[Health, March 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment on this point of order.

I like my colleague, but I think he is exaggerating a bit. I heard the question clearly, and I had no trouble seeing his colleague while he was asking it.

[Health, March 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, the government has put in place one of the strictest systems in the world, with tests at departure and arrival, as well as a federally controlled hotel quarantine.

Meanwhile, the Bloc Québécois wants to eliminate the hotel quarantine for returning snowbirds.

The Bloc Québécois is telling us that it knows that Quebeckers cannot leave their homes, that they are being asked to make sacrifices, that it is asking for a whole bunch of things, but that it wants to eliminate the criteria for certain people returning to Canada and lower expectations in spite of everything that is happening right now.

That is irresponsible.