COVID-19 Emergency Response  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As our country is in the midst of the second wave of this pandemic, now is really the time to be thinking about our seniors once again. Yes, our women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces stepped up in the spring to protect our seniors.

Health  Mr. Speaker, let me be really clear about one thing. Canada, today, is facing a grave second wave of the coronavirus. Now is the time for all of us to come together and fight this second wave, which is ravaging Europe and our neighbour to the south. Now is the time for us to focus on what we can do going forward to save Canadian lives and to preserve the Canadian economy.

Health  Mr. Speaker, as I said, what I am focused on, what the government is focused on and what I believe all members of the House need to be focused on today is the crisis before us. We need to work together to fight the second wave, which is here right now. I do agree with the member opposite that there are lessons we can all learn from this global pandemic.

Health  Mr. Speaker, when the global pandemic hit Canada, we introduced tougher restrictions on the Canada-U.S. border than had existed in Canadian history. What I am especially proud of is that we have managed to have those restrictions in place without harming the vital trade between our two countries.

Terrorism  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his very important question. I think all Canadians are truly horrified by this heinous attack in Nice, and I think I speak for all members of the House when I say that our hearts go out to the people of France and the people of Nice. France is one of Canada’s closest, dearest and most important allies, and we will always stand in solidarity with France.

The Economy  Mr. Speaker, let me tell members what our economic policy is right now. Our economic policy is to do what is necessary to fight COVID and support Canadian workers while doing so. Our policy is working. Some 76% of jobs have now been recovered in Canada since the depths of the COVID recession, versus only 52% in the United States.

The Economy  Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives want to offer Canadians an economic policy of austerity in the face of COVID, they are more than welcome to do so. Let me mention TD Economics and what it has to say about how our policies are working. It states, “No matter how...[we] slice the data, the Canadian labour market has been on a steadier road to recovery relative to the U.S.”

COVID-19 Emergency Response  Mr. Speaker, I greatly appreciate the very important question. I absolutely agree that SMEs need help to cover fixed costs. In the coming days, I will present measures to the House to help businesses. I hope the Bloc Québécois will vote in favour of these important measures.

COVID-19 Emergency Response  Mr. Speaker, we have already given a lot of help to SMEs across Canada, including through the emergency wage subsidy and the Canada emergency business account, which goes directly to SMEs. I agree that we need to do more, and we will in the coming days. I hope all members in the House will support these important measures.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. I have to disagree with the member. True, the lack of clean drinking water in indigenous communities is a tragedy and a Canadian crisis. Our government is working on it. We have made progress, but we still have a lot of work to do, and we will do it.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I cannot agree with one of the assertions of the leader of the NDP. I know that he knows that in our government, like his party and I believe like all members of this House, we all understand that the boil water advisories are a national tragedy and a national shame.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I am very glad to hear the leader of the official opposition talk about the importance of ending boil water advisories. I noted that he spoke about how this problem has been going on for 25 years. That is a time of both Liberal and Conservative governments. I would say we have a shared responsibility, all members in this House, to address the huge historical injustices against indigenous people.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I do not find it hard to face the facts about authoritarian communist regimes. I have lived in one, and I have reported on them extensively. When it comes to China, let me say a few things. First and foremost, our government is standing up for the 300,000 Canadians in Hong Kong.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important for all members of the House to be aware of the difference between a democracy and an authoritarian country. Democracies are more transparent. I want to stress the importance of the 300,000 Canadians in Hong Kong right now. We are with them, and our government will always be with them.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, let me just say that it is either ignorance or pure partisan insinuation to, in any way, suggest any similarity between a democratic government of Canada and the leadership of a communist regime, between any Canadian Parliament and the authoritarian government of China.