Soraya Martinez Ferrada

[Airline Industry, June 9th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Transport Canada has been working tirelessly to support and collaborate with the Canadian aviation industry. We know that after the pandemic, a strong and competitive airline industry will be essential to Canada's economic recovery.

The government worked in close collaboration with its industry partners to implement this comprehensive, multi-layered system of security measures and directives aimed at protecting Canadians and people who work in the transportation sector.

In August 2020, Transport Canada unveiled Canada's flight plan for navigating COVID-19. This action plan, which was developed with governments and industry representatives, describes the measures taken in response to the pandemic to promote public health across the aviation sector, in accordance with international standards and best practices.

Meanwhile, federal officials are having regular discussions with aviation sector stakeholders on the future of the travel industry, through various channels and opportunities for direct communication, such as the working group on the post-COVID-19 recovery. Transport Canada continues to support the aviation industry and the restart of air travel with an allocation of $82.5 million in funding in 2021-22 in the 2021 budget. This funding will help major Canadian airports make investments in screening infrastructure and COVID-19 tests. The funding will be provided under a transfer payment program, a cost-sharing program similar to other federal infrastructure programs. The minister has launched consultations with international hubs and small regional airports to examine how they can benefit from this funding.

Transport Canada is also working tirelessly at the international level with like-minded partners and international organizations, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Health Organization, to ensure that our recovery measures follow international best practices and to ensure global coordination when possible.

It is important to note that the Minister of Transport and his G7 counterparts made a commitment at the G7 transport ministers' meeting on May 5 to work on a common set of principles to guide the resumption of international travel when it is safe to do so.

We are aware that other regions, including the United Kingdom and the European Union, have released plans for restarting international travel. We are examining these approaches carefully as we begin to plan Canada's recovery.

The government's top priority is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. Any decision on reopening will be based on public health advice. We understand the need to prepare for the sector's recovery and are working tirelessly to plan for it, but such decisions can only be made at the right time.

[LGBTQ2S+ Organization, June 7th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, it is International Pride Month, and I want to take this opportunity to recognize the outstanding work that is being done by many LGBTQ2S+ organizations in my riding, particularly Fondation Émergence.

Fondation Émergence held the first day against homophobia in 2003, and it fights every day to educate and raise the awareness of Quebeckers with regard to the realities of the LGBTQ2S+ community.

As a government and as citizens, we have the responsibility to ensure that everyone can live as they see fit without discrimination, no matter who they are or who they love. That is why our government introduced Bill C-6, which seeks to protect the dignity and equality of members of the LGBTQ2S+ community by criminalizing conversion therapy. That is one of the most progressive and comprehensive legislative responses in the world, because no one should try to change anyone else's sexual orientation or gender identity.

I would like to once again thank Fondation Émergence for the important work that it does in my riding to combat discrimination against members of the LGBTQ2S+ community in Hochelaga, in Quebec and around the world.

[Women's Rights, June 3rd, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, as a woman, I could not stay silent about what happened yesterday in the House, when 81 official opposition members voted in favour of a bill to restrict a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. That number represents a majority of official opposition members.

This debate is closed. Women fought too hard for these rights, and we cannot go backwards. The official opposition has introduced bills undermining women's fundamental rights seven times since 2007. That is appalling.

How can women's rights be challenged over and over? On behalf of all of the women who fought this battle and all those who will follow, including my 20-year-old daughter, we must denounce this irresponsible attempt to undermine a woman's right to choose.

As a member of a feminist and progressive party, I assure all women that our government will always stand up for women's right to choose and to make decisions about their own bodies.

[Health, May 27th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, we were clear in the Speech from the Throne, the fall economic statement and budget 2021 that we are committed, now more than ever, to accelerating the implementation of pharmacare. In doing so, we will continue with our measured and considered approach. We must proceed in a way that respects provincial and territorial jurisdictions and leverage their expertise. That is why we are moving forward with willing provinces and territories, without delay, in accelerating steps to achieve this system, including establishing a Canadian drug agency, a national formulary and a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.

[Health, May 27th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, we recognize that Canadians should not have to choose between buying groceries and paying for medication. That is why our government is committed to implementing a national pharmacare program that will ensure all Canadians have access to the prescription drugs they need. This commitment was outlined in budget 2019 and reiterated most recently in budget 2021.

The foundational elements to help Canada move forward on implementing national pharmacare includes the development of a strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases, the creation of a Canadian drug agency and a national formulary.

Budget 2019 proposed to invest up to $1 billion over two years. starting in 2022 and 2023, with up to $500 million a year ongoing for a strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases. In budget 2021, the government announced that it would proceed with its plan.

Working with provinces, territories and other partners is key to developing a national strategy for these complex and important drugs. Those important discussions on the strategy are well under way.

Since last November, federal, provincial and territorial officials have been meeting regularly. In addition, stakeholder consultations were launched this past January. Over 400 stakeholders have been invited to engage virtually on the strategy and over 100 Canadians have completed the online questionnaire, with more to come. Through deliberate and focused collaboration, our aim is to launch the strategy by 2022.

Another foundational element of pharmacare is the Canadian drug agency transition office. Announced in budget 2019, $35 million have been used to create a transition office within Health Canada to provide dedicated capacity and leadership to advance work on pharmacare-related priorities. The transition office will work with key partners and stakeholders to strengthen and better align all parts of the system in keeping with the government's commitment to establish a Canadian drug agency.

For example, we can build on the recent efforts of Health Canada and the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health to better align their drugs review process, so Canadians have timely access to safe and effective prescription drugs. The transition office will assist in providing the dedicated capacity needed to advance important work.

A third key element of national pharmacare will be a national formulary; that is, the drugs that will be covered under national pharmacare. The development of a comprehensive evidence-based national formulary will provide the basis for a consistent approach to formulary listing and patient access across the country.

There is important work that needs to be done before bringing forward legislation on pharmacare. As we can see, based on these initiatives, we are in fact moving forward with recommendations from the final report of the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare and working to make national pharmacare a reality for all Canadians.

[Rail Transportation, May 27th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, rail safety will always be a priority for the Government of Canada. That is why we are reiterating our commitment to supporting the people of the Lac-Mégantic region and moving forward on this project as quickly as possible.

This bypass is much more than a rail infrastructure project. It is an exceptional response to fostering the well-being of the residents of the municipalities of Lac-Mégantic, Frontenac and Nantes. We will continue to provide information to the communities at every step of the project so we can understand and respond to concerns. We will work hard to ensure that this project moves forward according to the established schedule.

The community of Lac-Mégantic can count on my unconditional support for reaching this objective. I invite my colleague to work with me. He can count on my support to get this bypass built.

[Rail Transportation, May 27th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I would first like to thank the hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable for his question and for his interest in the Lac-Mégantic bypass project. I share his commitment to this project, which will help restore the communities in the greater Lac-Mégantic region.

I recently met with the mayor of Lac-Mégantic and the mayor of the municipality of Nantes. I understand the concerns of the local elected officials and the community members who want to see the project completed as soon as possible. I want to reassure them that this project is of the utmost importance to our government. It is very important for me to know that the bypass project is moving forward quickly, and that the needs of the families and citizens of Lac-Mégantic, Frontenac and Nantes will be taken into consideration.

Since the project was announced in 2018, significant progress has been made. The provincial environmental assessment process, including public hearings by the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement, or BAPE, has been completed. The feasibility study conducted by AECOM on behalf of the Town of Lac-Mégantic was also completed in late summer 2020.

Over the past few months, additional engineering work was done by Canadian Pacific in co-operation with Transport Canada in order to relocate rail activities in the Lac-Mégantic industrial park. That was not part of the feasibility study, but it is now part of the project. This addition to the project responds to many requests from the community and local elected officials. The Government of Canada responded positively to this request because it was another measure that supported the well-being of the people of Lac-Mégantic.

I would like to provide a detailed plan in response to the motion that was unanimously adopted by the House on May 25. Today, May 27, the Government of Canada and Canadian Pacific reached an agreement that makes it possible to launch the planning and specifications phase of the project, which involves working on construction plans, conducting additional environmental studies and obtaining all of the necessary authorizations for construction. This is a major phase and another step toward this project's implementation.

This social reconstruction project is and will remain a priority for the Government of Canada until it is complete. The construction phase should begin in the spring of 2022, once the regulatory authorizations have been obtained. I would like to reassure the mayors and residents of the greater Lac-Mégantic region and tell them that we are working hard on this project in order to complete the work in 2023, as we announced.

[Public Safety, May 27th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate a few points.

Military-style assault weapons were designed for soldiers to shoot other soldiers. They simply have no legitimate place in civilian society.

We know that the gun lobby is opposed to these measures, but the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and emergency room physicians all called for these measures.

We kept our word. The program we plan to introduce is not designed to hurt law-abiding owners. It is designed to make our society safer now and in the years to come. We will do more to keep our communities safe, and that is why we will keep putting a number of initiatives forward to strengthen gun control in general in collaboration with the provinces and territories, municipalities and first nations. We are doing what is best for all Canadians.

[Public Safety, May 27th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, in response to the hon. member for Red Deer—Lacombe, I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak about the development of a buy-back program for newly prohibited firearms and the government's plan to reduce violence and gun-related crimes.

While the Conservative Party continues to make promises to the gun lobby that will weaken gun control by eliminating enhanced background checks and making military-style firearms more accessible, we are listening to the experts such as law enforcement officers and physicians who treat victims of gun-related violence.

For decades the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has been asking the government to take action and prohibit military assault-style weapons except for police or military use. In fact, the current head of the association said that the measure establishes a balance and ensures the safety of its members when they respond to calls for service. He believes that this does not limit recreational hunting activities or the activities of those who live off the land.

Doctors for protection from guns have said that our ban and the new legislation that increases penalties for gun smuggling and trafficking will save lives.

Speaking of costs, I think it is important to point out the cost of inaction. These weapons, which were designed for warfare, make killing quick and easy. That is why we banned them.

To give just a few examples, these types of firearms were used at the École Polytechnique, the Quebec City mosque, Moncton, the two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and the elementary school in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

There has been enough talk and prayers. We took action. Our government recognizes the legal civilian ownership of firearms by hunters, sport shooters and collectors. It is not our intention to unfairly target law-abiding Canadians. We acknowledge them and we respect them.

Accordingly, our government remains committed to implementing a buyback program that provides fair compensation to affected owners and businesses. A contract was awarded to ensure that the program is implemented and managed effectively.

The prohibition is an important step in our efforts to combat gun violence, but it is not the only step.

Street gang violence has had a tragic impact on our communities. In response, our government has given $327 million to the provinces and territories to come up with plans to combat this violence while ensuring that law enforcement has the necessary resources to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions.

I note that the Conservative Party voted against that funding. In budget 2021 we are also offering to provide $312 million to implement legislation to protect Canadians from gun violence and to combat gun smuggling and trafficking. What is more, $250 million will be paid annually to the municipalities and indigenous communities to protect Canadians from gun violence and support the street gang prevention program.

I would also like to take a minute to talk about the bill that we introduced to strengthen gun control. Bill C-21 represents a comprehensive set of measures to combat gun crimes and establish a legal framework to ban assault-style firearms. I am pleased to be able to share some of the key elements. These measures are long overdue and will help keep Canadians safe.

[Chilean Election, May 25th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise as a Quebecker who is proud of my Chilean roots. A historic election was held on May 15 and 16 for the 155 members of the constitutional convention. Chileans elected 79 men and 77 women, including 17 representatives of indigenous people, to make up the gender-balanced body tasked with drafting the new constitution.

The Chilean people want an institutional mechanism that will enable them to do away with Pinochet's constitution. The new constitution will be written by professors, journalists, social workers, scientists, homemakers, nurses and youth, many of them ordinary people, some from traditional parties, but most of them independent and members of indigenous groups.

I want to highlight the extraordinary participation of Chilean women. Many female governors, mayors and councillors also won seats during this election. They are part of a movement that began with the unforgettable Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.

I applaud the people of Chile and the country's indigenous people for this democratic initiative, which promises greater justice and solidarity going forward.