Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, we also believe that this is not only a permanent change, but a good change that will be in the interest of public health, not only for this pandemic but, unfortunately, possibly for the next one. We want to make sure we are equipped to handle not just the one we a

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I would simply say it is extremely important that obstruction and intimidation are dealt with, and we believe they are dealt with effectively in this bill.

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I will get the hon. member the exact number of how many federal workers it affects. I will say that it is in the hundreds of thousands. It is quite sizable. That is why I insist that this is a good place to start. I will disagree humbly with the hon. member, just

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I think almost every member of this House in some way can relate to somebody who they know, like a member of their family or a friend, who is either a health care worker themselves, like a nurse, doctor, orderly or paramedic, or somebody who was possibly treated by

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I will provide those names to the member. There are some companies that have yet to provide the full two weeks. In fact, about 63% of employees in federally regulated industries do not receive the full two weeks, so the vast majority do not. Again, and I cannot say

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I would simply say that it is not 10 days. While there are some people within federally regulated industries and within the jurisdiction who have some paid sick leave, they do not have 10 days. The reason 10 days is so important is that it is roughly two weeks. We

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, we cannot allow the intimidation or obstruction of duty of health care workers we have asked to simply do their jobs. This is something so many of us saw on the news night after night: health care workers who were intimidated and obstructed. My officials worked ha

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for that very important point and for the opportunity to speak on behalf of not just the constituents of St. John's South—Mount Pearl, but on behalf of millions of Canadians who were utterly disgusted by what they saw on the news. It was nig

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I would simply say that if we look at just about any country in the world, we have acted tremendously. We have acted quickly, effectively and thoroughly. In this instance, we recognize that, as we head into the winter months and as more people spend more time ins

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I hardly think this is a lumping together of two very polarized or disparate ideas. They are welded together quite firmly by two overriding concerns. One is the spread of the virus, first and foremost, and the other is concern for workers. In both of these affairs,

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, the impassioned rhetoric of the hon. member inspires me, as it has inspired many in the House. I would say to the hon. member that the virus waits for nobody. The sooner we can get through whatever the next wave may be, and the sooner workers do not hesitate to s

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, I thank the member for what I think has been a very collaborative effort to make sure that we seek common solutions, adjustments and compromises where we can in order to make sure not only that this legislation passes as quickly as it can, but that it is as effecti

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, a tremendous number of Canadians remain vulnerable. They remain in a position where, if they feel they are sick, they are not entirely sure if they can afford to stay home. While I understand with all humility that the federally regulated jurisdiction only occupies

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, the pandemic has shown us that many workers do not have paid sick leave. We are proposing amendments to the Canada Labour Code to provide all federally regulated private sector workers with 10 days of paid sick leave. We will work with the provinces, territories an

Criminal Code and Canada Labour Code  Madam Speaker, many of us in the House can reflect on that moment. We were able to make some significant changes and ban conversion therapy in this country. What we showed was that on some matters that may divide us, when the imperative was there and we needed to see progress and