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Results: 661 - 690 of 889
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the period surrounding October 1970 was very difficult for all Quebeckers, but this is an opportunity for us to reflect on how far we have come since then.
We can be proud that we live in a country where we choose to express our ideas in a peaceful, non-violent way, and we can be proud that we live in a country where the government allows democratic discussions like the one we are having in the House today.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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. Today, we must continue to work with the provinces and territories to protect our seniors during this difficult second wave.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right that there have been particular concerns about how our elders have fared in for-profit long-term care facilities. We cannot turn a blind eye to this, and I very much agree that all options need to be on the table when we think about how we run, operate and regulate our long-term care facilities in the future.
The lives of our elders must be a priority. Our country as a whole has not done well enough, and we need to do better going forward.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me start where the member opposite started, which is something that is so important for this government: jobs for Canadians.
Let me point out to everyone in the House that the job recovery in Canada has been stronger than in the United States. TD pointed this out in a report that it issued on October 20. This is what was said:
No matter how you slice the data, the Canadian labour market has been on a steadier road to recovery relative to the U.S. This is true for both full and part-time employment despite similar depths of decline.
We are working hard for Canadians and Canadian jobs.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, what is really important is for Canadians to understand that our work to support Canadian jobs is working. Canada has recovered particularly on employment, which is such an important measure for us all. Canada has recovered much more strongly than the economy with which we are most connected, the United States, and more strongly than economists predicted. That is because Canadians want to work hard. They are working hard, and it is because we have put the economic measures in place to allow that jobs rebound to happen.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the people of Nova Scotia and, I believe, the people of all of Canada strongly agree on one thing, and that is that all of us want a peaceful, constructive solution to the fisheries dispute in Nova Scotia. All of us appreciate the huge priority of honouring the rights of indigenous people and first nations in our country. All of us also understand the importance of conservation. That is the approach our government will take.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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. We are working hard to end the boil water advisories, and we will end them.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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. Let me say to them that we are with them. They are Canadian and our government will always support them. Let me also say how appalled our government is by the treatment of Uighurs. We are going to speak up for human rights everywhere in the world.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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.
We need to draw these lines very carefully, and we need to use words such as “democracy” and “transparency” with great care. I do. I would urge the members opposite to do the same.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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. Our government is working earnestly to get those advisories lifted. Ninety-one long-term advisories have been lifted since 2015, but I would be the first to admit that there is a lot more work to do and we are going to do it.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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. We are going to keep doing what we are doing because it works.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
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.” The report concludes that perhaps the old adage, “When the U.S. sneezes, Canada catches a cold,” should be changed to, “When the U.S. sneezes, Canada builds antibodies.”
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, Canada is not at the back of the line.
Let me refresh the memories of the members opposite on the five rapid tests that we have already authorized: the bKIT virus finder from Hyris; the BD Veritor System from Becton, Dickinson and Company; the Abbott ID NOW; the Abbott Panbio; and the Xpert Xpress from Cepheid.
More tests are being looked at by our regulators every single day, and they are arriving in Canada every day.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me again remind the members opposite of the prompt action our government took as this novel coronavirus hit the world.
On January 2, PHAC spoke directly with all provincial health authorities. On January 14, PHAC convened a meeting of all provincial health authorities. On January 27, we had increased screening at major airports. On January 27, we also convened the incident response group. On January 28, we convened the special advisory committee of chief public health officers across the country. I can and will go on.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to address very directly the insinuation at the heart of that question. The suggestion that our government, in those dark days in the spring when we came together as a country to fight this novel global pandemic, was focused on anything other than protecting the health and safety of Canadians, while working closely with the provinces, territories and municipalities, is simply untrue.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me clear up a couple of things. The first is that I always put the health and safety of Canadians first. Let me say something else. I really believe that every single member of the House does the same thing. I know that we disagree on a number of policy issues, but I really believe that we are all here to serve Canadians. We understand that this is a moment of national crisis, and I really hope we can continue to put national interests first, as we did when we voted unanimously for the EI CERB changes.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to give a very clear and very accurate response regarding Mr. Baylis.
There is no contract between the public service, PSPC, and Baylis Medical. Public Services and Procurement Canada officials awarded that contract following a review and recommendation by a panel of experts.
Public Services and Procurement Canada has no part in the agreements reached between FTI Professional Grade and its other suppliers. That is the reality.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government's position is clear: anti-Black racism is both heinous and illegal.
We can never remain silent in the face of injustice. When these things happen, we must come together and acknowledge the lived experiences of our fellow Canadians and take action.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government and, I believe, all members of the House will obviously defend academic freedom. I am here together with many professors. I have a great deal of respect for universities and academia.
However, we must take stock of the reality. Systemic racism exists in our country and we must take action on this issue.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
Access to clean drinking water for all first nations is a priority for our government. We have worked on this issue and have made a lot of progress. I agree with the NDP member that a lot of work remains to be done, and we will work with first nations chiefs across Canada.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I really believe that we as Canadians understand that it is a national outrage that there are still drinking water advisories for indigenous communities in our country. This problem was not created in a day and it is not going to be resolved in a day, but what I will say is this. Our government has worked hard and has had some success. It is not enough, and I am very happy to recommit today to the effort to ensure that all communities in Canada have water that is fit to drink.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me join the leader of the official opposition, all members of this House and indeed the vast majority of Canadians in condemning the appalling violence that has taken place.
Federal and provincial ministers are working together on solutions to maintain the peace and avoid any further violence. I am sure we all agree on the need for all parties to engage in respectful dialogue aimed at upholding the Marshall decision and the Mi'kmaq treaty right to fish while ensuring conservation and sustainability of the fishery.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, we condemn the appalling violence that has taken place. Federal and provincial ministers are working together on solutions to maintain the peace and avoid any further violence. We agree on the need for all parties to engage in respectful dialogue aimed at upholding the Marshall decision and the Mi'kmaq treaty right to fish, while ensuring the conservation and sustainability of the fishery.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our stance on human rights and freedom of expression is very clear. That is why we have been clear on issues like the situation in Hong Kong and the treatment of the Uighurs. Obviously the Minister of Foreign Affairs has taken steps to clarify and officially convey Canada's point of view on the ambassador's comments. I want to emphasize that the government's decisions when it comes to immigration or any other domestic matter are made by Canada and Canada alone.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government is clear and outspoken in our defence of human rights and free speech in Canada and around the world. That is why we have been steadfast in defending the protests in Hong Kong and the 300,000 Canadians who live there, and in protesting the treatment of the Uighurs.
Let me just say that the recent comments by the Chinese ambassador are not in any way in keeping with the spirit of appropriate diplomatic relations between two countries. Let me also add that Canada's decisions will be made by Canadians.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. I am well aware of the character of authoritarian communist regimes. I have lived in one and reported on it. Let me also be clear that when it comes to the treatment of the Uighurs, an ethnic Muslim minority that is being persecuted, Canada will always speak out clearly and without any reservation. Let me assure the 300,000 Canadians in Hong Kong that a Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian, and we will stand with them.
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