COVID-19 Response Measures Act  Madam Speaker, in fairness, the member is right when she talks about a Liberal government that pays lip service to the climate crisis but then does the opposite. The Liberals talk about these lofty goals, and then miss each and every one of them without any accountability. They talk about planting two billion trees and have planted zero.

COVID-19 Response Measures Act  Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for Elmwood—Transcona. He was critical in the negotiations in achieving this massive victory, as was our House leader. In fact, I want to thank all of our team for their solidarity. This was hard fought. Every step of the way, with any victory that we won for people, we had to fight tooth and nail.

COVID-19 Response Measures Act  Madam Speaker, the labour shortage is a big problem, and it has come up a lot on my visits to Quebec. That said, we did manage to do something important with this bill. A number of workers are afraid to work because they do not have paid sick leave. With this paid sick leave, they will now know that if they become sick, they will be able to stay home.

COVID-19 Response Measures Act  Madam Speaker, what the member is talking about is an action taken over five years ago. Right now we are calling for clear action to make sure that those who profited off this pandemic pay their fair share, that we close offshore tax havens and that any company that makes profits in Canada pays taxes in Canada.

COVID-19 Response Measures Act  Madam Speaker, one of our measures, which we campaigned on and we still believe must happen, is a tax on the ultra-wealthy, those who have fortunes of over $20 million. The Parliamentary Budget Officer costed out this proposal, a tax on the wealth of those who have fortunes of over $20 million.

COVID-19 Response Measures Act  Madam Speaker, we are very much in a second wave of this pandemic. When we look at what people are going through right now, it is fair to say that there is a lot of fear. There is a lot of worry, and there is a lot of uncertainty in people's lives. In this second wave, when people are afraid, worried and uncertain, they need to know that help will be there if they need it.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, according to the report we received today, the deficit is now $300 billion. I am afraid of what the government might do in this situation. It will do one of two things: it will either cut help to Canadians or shift the entire burden onto ordinary people. That is exactly what it must not do.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer has announced that the deficit is now over $300 billion. I am worried because, in that case, governments often do two things: either they cut the help to Canadians in the midst of a pandemic. or they put the pressure of paying for the pandemic on the shoulders of working-class families.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government talks about not dividing Canada, but the reality is that there is a division. On the one hand are everyday families and small businesses who are feeling the impact of COVID-19 and who are going through pain and are struggling. On the other hand, the ultra-rich have profited off the pandemic.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, COVID-19 has had a profound impact on families, workers and small businesses. These people must not be forced to pay for the recovery and pay for this crisis. The ones paying should be the people who have made record profits during this time. Will the Prime Minister commit today to ensuring that the wealthiest Canadians who earned record profits will pay?

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I want to acknowledge the member for Hamilton Centre for his work in organizing with the community to fight for the folks who need help the most. The help that people need is multi-faceted. People need help in all areas of life. We need to make sure we invest in housing, so that housing is affordable.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I want to ask this of the people of Surrey. They have a Liberal government that has been a majority so many times. The Liberals promised them child care. Have they received universal child care? Do the people of Surrey, who have been given promises again and again by the Liberal government, have the ability to afford their medication?

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, with great reluctance and a lot of trepidation, I have to agree with the member. There is nothing that justifies the government shutting down Parliament for a throne speech. There was nothing in that throne speech that merited the Liberals shutting down Parliament.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I acknowledge that together we have achieved a lot, but I have to point out that it was not as a result of a collaborative approach. We had to fight every step of the way. While we were able to fight and achieve some victories for people, it did take a fight. I acknowledge that after fighting and forcing the government, the government did support us in bringing in a more compassionate response to COVID-19.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, we know the climate crisis is one of the major crises of our generation, and we can look to immediate impacts. We see that families and young people are worried; they are facing climate anxiety. They see the impacts all around us. We also know it has impacted our way of life, from people who rely on the oceans and the rivers for their sustenance to farmers.