Mr. Speaker in relation to the consideration of Government Business No. 1, I move:
That the debate be not further adjourned.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 60% of the vote.
Proceedings on the bill entitled An Act relating to certain measures in response to COVID-19 September 29th, 2020
Mr. Speaker in relation to the consideration of Government Business No. 1, I move:
That the debate be not further adjourned.
Proceedings on the Bill Entitled an Act Relating to Certain Measures in Response to COVID-19 September 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the consideration of Government Business No. 1 I wish to give notice that at the next sitting of the House a minister of the Crown shall move, pursuant to Standing Order 57, that debate be not further adjourned.
Seniors September 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that the Bloc Québécois recognizes that the federal government has a say in matters pertaining to seniors.
The point is that we can and must work together for our seniors and for society as a whole. We are in the middle of a second wave. This is not the time to quarrel, to be divided or to look at who should do what. Let's work together and pool our resources. Let's do that.
The government has a responsibility towards society and our seniors, as do opposition parties. We were all elected by the people and our shared responsibility is to work together for the well-being of all Canadians.
Seniors September 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, seniors have been our number one priority from the start. That is why we brought in programs specifically for them. Our seniors are suffering the most from this pandemic. They are the hardest hit. They are the ones who built our country and our society, and we owe them everything.
When the Bloc Québécois brings seniors into a constitutional crisis—or so they call it—that bothers me. Seniors are the ones who have suffered the most, and we will be there for them.
Health September 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I have already been clear. With respect to the programs that already exist, there will be discussions and equivalent transfers.
There remains the issue of seniors, which the Bloc Québécois often raises. As I said the other day, our seniors are not a comma or a paragraph in the Constitution. They are human beings. They are the ones who have suffered the most during the pandemic. The Government of Canada will be there. Whether the Bloc likes it or not, we will always be there for our seniors.
Health September 28th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian government is collaborating regularly with the governments of Quebec and the various provinces.
The second wave is real. We see the number of cases in Quebec increasing. The number stands at 750 cases in Quebec and 700 cases in Ontario. We must act quickly. That is why we tabled the bill before us today. I sincerely hope that my Bloc Québécois colleagues will support it.
Proceedings on the Bill Entitled an Act Relating to Certain Measures in Response to COVID-19 September 28th, 2020
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.
When this pandemic hit, we moved quickly, always seeking to strike a balance between acting swiftly for the good of all Canadians and allowing members of Parliament to meet and debate with a hybrid system. My colleagues from the Bloc Québécois opposed that. I wonder why they did that, when we wanted to encourage everyone.
Proceedings on the Bill Entitled an Act Relating to Certain Measures in Response to COVID-19 September 28th, 2020
Madam Speaker, as I said before, it is time to act. We can debate and look at this and that, but the important thing is that so many Canadians are waiting for this. So many Canadians need our help. So many Canadians will benefit from what we are doing today.
If it is so important to the Conservatives, are they going to support this motion?
Proceedings on the Bill Entitled an Act Relating to Certain Measures in Response to COVID-19 September 28th, 2020
Madam Speaker, I want to be very clear. The Conservatives do not need me to make them look bad: They can do that on their own. I can assure members of that. The other thing—
Proceedings on the Bill Entitled an Act Relating to Certain Measures in Response to COVID-19 September 28th, 2020
Madam Speaker, my colleague asked a very responsible question. He is absolutely right. We are right in the middle of a second wave. It is not a theory, and there is no “maybe” or “if”: We are there. We see the cases increasing pretty much everywhere across the country. In my own province, the numbers are extremely high. I see that in Ontario it is the same.
We have to act responsibly. We have to act as leaders, which we all are. We are all leaders. We are the government, and all members of Parliament were elected. We all share this responsibility. The responsibility is not only on the government's side. It is the responsibility of all members of Parliament.
Are we going to show up and support Canadians or decide instead to be political?