Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:15
BQ (QC)
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Mr. Chair, it will certainly be a unique end to the school year for students this year. That is especially true for those graduating high school. Having this important stage in their lives end so abruptly is heartbreaking.
When they should be spending the last few weeks of their graduating year having fun, laughing and crying, surrounded by the friends and teachers who defined their teenage years, they are instead isolated at home.
I want to wish them the best of luck in their next chapter. Soon, they will embark on a path that I sincerely hope will lead them to a career they are passionate about. In any case, the class of 2020 will always be remembered as a brave and resilient bunch.
I want all of Quebec's graduates, especially the young people of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, to remember that and, above all, to keep their heads held high at every step along the way, no matter where life takes them.
I wish each and every one of them continued success.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:16
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:18
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on entrepreneurs and small business owners, and my community, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, is no exception. That's why, now more than ever, we must support our local economies by choosing to buy local.
We have the good fortune in Vaudreuil—Soulanges of having an abundance of fantastic local merchants. I encourage the people of Vaudreuil—Soulanges to discover all that they have to offer by going to www.achatlocalvs.com. There, they'll find a whole section on buying local and a list of merchants in the community who can meet all their needs.
As our travel options are more limited than ever, I also encourage my constituents to rediscover all that our beautiful community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges has to offer. Whether it's hiking, biking, kayaking, boating, canoeing or just stopping to pick up a bite at a local restaurant and setting up a picnic in the park, by choosing to buy local and rediscovering our own backyard, we can support each other while making the most of our limited summer months.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:19
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, the pandemic that has battered us since the beginning of the year has demanded superhuman efforts from health care and essential service workers. It has also demanded that the entire federal public service be creative and flexible. That is especially true when it comes to our work here, in the House, where the House administration, and IT and telecommunications teams have risen to the challenge with flying colours.
I can't adequately express my appreciation for the enormity of the work they've accomplished. Their hard work and ability to innovate are outstanding. We owe them a debt of gratitude. I am sure my fellow members will join me in extending a heartfelt thanks to all the teams who made it possible for us to carry on our parliamentary duties so effectively.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:20
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:20
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, last Sunday I attended a wonderful gathering in the city of Pointe-Claire in my riding, in support of Black Lives Matter.
I would like to congratulate the organizers, Allison Saunders and Kathleen McAdams, who brought us together in such large numbers to take a knee in solidarity for change. The message was clear: We need to listen and take action to change our institutions.
The event was remarkable in many ways, but one thing that caught my eye was the number of parents who brought their young children. It made me think of the song, Teach Your Children. What better way to do that than bringing them to take part in such an inspiring show of community solidarity for ending systemic racism.
Thank you also to Reverend Christopher Belle, who graced us with his thoughtful words of unity, peace and hope.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:21
CPC (SK)
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Mr. Chair, this coming Sunday I, together with many Canadians, will celebrate our fathers.
I am truly blessed to have amazing role models of fatherhood in my life. Both my father Ernie and my father-in-law Henry have been there as voices of wisdom and reason helping me navigate life. My husband Milton and his steadfast love for and dedication to our children, and now the next generation of fathers in our family, my son Theo and sons-in-law Jeff, Nic and Michael, have blessed me beyond measure as I watch them love and train our grandchildren.
This Sunday I hope that Canadians across the country will join me in showing appreciation to their fathers for loving, protecting and guiding their children, helping them flourish and be the best they can be.
Happy Father's Day.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:22
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:24
BQ (QC)
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Mr. Chair, next week, we'll be celebrating our national holiday in a unique way in these even more unique times, but wholeheartedly, nonetheless.
As a resident of the north shore and a Quebecker, I want to say, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, how much I love my nation and my country, Quebec. Moulded by our traditions, our history, our common language and, of course, our present, we are the indomitable who, come what may, will always be left standing, strong, alive and invigorated.
No matter where in Quebec we call home, whether it be Sept-Îles, Gaspé, Valleyfield, La Prairie, Matane, Rouyn, Chicoutimi, Quebec City, Belœil or Montreal, we have a shared pride. That pride is evidenced as much by the vitality of our regions as by the majesty of the St. Lawrence, and is embodied by our artists, whom we are eager to see perform again in person, and our families, whom we are equally eager to hug.
On June 24, I encourage all Quebeckers, wherever they are, to come together, if only remotely, to celebrate their pride in belonging to the unique people that we are, people who make the world a richer place.
I want to wish all Quebeckers a happy national holiday.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:26
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:27
Lib. (QC)
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Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It has been more than 40 years since I emigrated here, to Quebec, with my mother. I am a child of Bill 101 and a proud French-speaking Quebecker.
Like my colleague, I want to recognize that, on June 24, all Quebeckers will come together to celebrate their national holiday. Quebec is a strong nation with a unique identity. Whether it's our arts community, our entrepreneurial spirit or our desire to build an energy-efficient future, all these things define us as Quebeckers. Our pride is not bound by political stripe, the colour of our skin or our country of origin.
As a member of Parliament, I work each and every day to improve Quebec's future. Let us all work towards a Quebec nation where generations, young and old, and new and existing Quebeckers come together as we continue our journey as a proud French-speaking nation that stands united.
I wish everyone a happy national holiday, especially the residents of my riding, Hochelaga.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:28
CPC (SK)
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Mr. Chair, the Prime Minister so badly wanted to win a seat on the United Nations Security Council, he made it a campaign promise in 2015, spent the last five years selling out Canadian principles, cozying up to dictators and despots, and even sent Canadian soldiers into harm's way to curry favour at the UN.
Last night must have been a devastating blow to the Prime Minister. Was it worth it?
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:29
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians always expect their country to step up on the world stage, and that's exactly what we've done over the past five years with our engagement on fighting climate change, on peacekeeping, on advancing the cause of women's equality, on development assistance, and trade and economic growth.
Canada has continued to engage in the world, and we will continue to engage constructively and positively on the world stage.
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CPC (SK)
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Except, Mr. Chair, that's not what he did. He remained silent when standing beside leaders of countries with terrible human rights records because he was afraid of offending them and losing their votes. That is his legacy in chasing this vanity project.
The Prime Minister shook the hand of the Iranian foreign minister and even vowed just a month after that country's military shot down a plane with dozens of Canadians on it. Again, was it worth it?
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Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, I will take no lessons on international engagement from a party that promised to cut foreign aid in the last election. Unfortunately, Canadians didn't agree with them and have returned to a government that continues to look at staying positive and engaged on the world stage. Yes, we have always stood up clearly and strongly for human rights, for our values, and we will continue to, even as we engage constructively around the world.
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CPC (SK)
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Mr. Chair, the Prime Minister has sent billions of dollars of taxpayers' money to countries with economies more advanced than Canada's or led by dictators with terrible human rights records. That is his legacy. He's also turned his back on our friends and our allies, voting in favour of one-sided anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations in order to curry favour from countries that do not acknowledge Israel's right to exist. Again, was it worth it?
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Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, every step of the way, we've continued to stand up strongly for Canadians' values and for Canadians' interest on the world stage. It is in our interest to see a more peaceful and a more prosperous world in which everyone has a real and fair chance to succeed, and that's what we've been contributing to.
With regard to the question of Israel, we have stood strongly by Israel as a friend, but we have also expressed our concern about the annexation policy that it has put forward. These are issues that are complicated, but Canada will always stand true to its values and to our approach on the world stage.
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CPC (SK)
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Mr. Chair, this House voted to list the IRGC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as a terrorist entity. The Prime Minister refused to take action and do that. He's also refused to impose any Magnitsky act sanctions on human rights abusers around the world, all in an attempt to curry favour with those dictators and despots at the United Nations, selling out Canada's values in pursuit of a seat.
Now he has come back empty-handed, having come in last. Again, was it worth it?
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Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, it is always worth it for Canada to step up on the world stage. It is always worth it for us to reach out and fight for things like fighting climate change, like women's equality, like protecting our oceans, like opportunities for Canadians around the world and like opportunities for the vulnerable around the world. Canadians expect their government to step up on the world stage, and that's exactly what we did.
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CPC (SK)
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That's not what he did, Mr. Chair. You see, when he was in the same room as dictators and despots and leaders of countries with terrible records, he was silent. In fact, he stood right beside the president of Senegal when that president defended Senegal's laws making homosexuality a crime. The Prime Minister said nothing. He was silent. He's even using Canadian tax dollars to invest in oil and gas projects in other countries in order to win favour as well.
Again, when we look at this government's record, when we look at his personal record on the world stage, we see that our relationship with India has been damaged by his actions. We have a worse trade deal than he inherited. He has angered, with his erratic behaviour, our partners in the Pacific area, and at the end of it, he came home empty-handed. Was it worth it?
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Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, Canada has continued to stand strong on the world stage to engage with countries around the world in need of support, in need of economic opportunity. We have consistently stood up for our values, unlike the Conservatives, who have slashed protection for the world's most vulnerable women by not funding reproductive rights and services around the world, who have not stood up for LGBTQ communities. Canada has always stood up for progressive values on the world stage, and we will continue to.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:34
BQ (QC)
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Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Since October 21, the Bloc Québécois has tried to be a constructive opposition. As the lieutenant for Quebec, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons knows it. He knows that we have always been constructive in all our efforts.
I made a list, because I didn't want to forget anything. It's a list of measures that can be attributed to us or that we contributed to, measures that, above all else, were achieved. They are all improvements, no matter whose idea they were.
Assistance for seniors, the ability for people to earn a bit of income without losing the Canada emergency response benefit, or CERB—that includes firefighters, dividends and councillors—CERB eligibility for self-employed and independent workers, enhancements to the emergency business account and wage subsidy, and commercial rent relief are all on that list. We would have liked to see more support for fixed costs. Unfortunately, it's been a rocky road. Dairy farmers received support through the increase in the Canadian Dairy Commission's borrowing limit. We were also the first ones to broach the idea of a virtual Parliament.
The problem, however, has to do with the CERB, clearly an integral part of the government's response to the pandemic. The CERB is supposed to provide income support to people who are struggling. That's understandable, but it should not be a disincentive to going back to work. On that front, it has failed.
Why did the government not adjust the CERB accordingly?
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Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, to begin with, I want to recognize that, over the past few months, we have indeed seen parliamentarians of all stripes work together in a respectful and collaborative way to help Canadians during this pandemic. We have passed a number of bills, which were made better not just by our members, of course, but also by members of the opposition parties. That's a wonderful example of how strong Canada's democracy is. It also shows that we can continue to defend our institutions and make them work, even under extremely difficult circumstances.
Initially, the CERB was indeed meant to be a disincentive. We needed people to stay home. Now, we are encouraging people to make the transition to the wage subsidy, but we recognize that there isn't enough work to go around, unfortunately. Some three million people who would like to work still aren't able to.
That's why we need to maintain the CERB, but we are certainly exploring ways to incentivize people to work. As my fellow member mentioned, we want people to be supported, but we also want them to be able to work.
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BQ (QC)
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On April 29, we talked to people in the government. Back then, it was clear that the Canada emergency student benefit, or CESB, needed to have incentives built in and that the CERB should as well. We asked a question about that. We wanted the government to pledge to do so. We didn't include it in the motion, but we asked the Deputy Prime Minister about it. She said that the CERB and the CESB were being offered in a manner that meets their objectives while encouraging employment in all circumstances.
Why didn't the government keep its word?
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Lib. (QC)
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Once again, I'd like to thank the honourable member for his question.
It is true that we wanted to make adjustments to the CERB to incentivize, even require, people to look for work. That was part of the bill we introduced last week. We were trying to further incentivize work and, to some extent, eliminate any disincentive in the CERB.
Unfortunately, some people were more interested in playing political games, especially the Conservatives, so we weren't able to move forward with that measure or even to help people with disabilities. It was shameful on the part of—
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:37
BQ (QC)
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Mr. Chair, the Bloc Québécois was told that it was impossible to build incentives into the CERB owing to a lack of resources. Last week, the Liberals proposed the use of coercive measures, which weren't easily enforceable. They had the resources to implement coercive measures, but not incentives.
The Quebec government is calling on you to do this. Why are you not adjusting the CERB, which is currently hindering the economic recovery?
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Lib. (QC)
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We appreciate that many business owners want to rebuild their workforces. We are actually delighted at that. We know the recovery is coming, but a great many people won't find jobs this summer, no matter how hard they look because the economic recovery is not in full swing. As we speak, three million people are looking for jobs.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:38
BQ (QC)
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I know it isn't easy to put incentives in place, but the Liberals have a responsibility to do the right thing in a difficult situation. We made that clear a month and a half ago. We warned them, because they needed it, and we told them that what they were doing was risky since certain people would refuse to work if they could make more money staying home. It's important to do things properly. We can't have people refusing to work when the economic recovery begins.
Everyone is asking for this. Are you going to adjust the CERB quickly?
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Lib. (QC)
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As the summer progresses, we are exploring ways to make sure the CERB and our other support measures do not serve as disincentives to work.
The underlying goal was and is to help people in need. That's the priority. Canadians' well-being was and remains our priority.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:39
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:40
BQ (QC)
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Mr. Chair, the member for Burnaby South used unparliamentary language yesterday. He insulted the member for La Prairie, Alain Therrien, and the Bloc Québécois.
Four times, he called him racist, and I also think he challenged your authority. When you asked him to apologize, he refused to do so. You expelled him from the House.
I am again asking you not to recognize him today.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:40
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:41
BQ (QC)
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Mr. Chair, I understood your response. I am grateful to you for considering our request, given how serious the matter in question is.
If a member or a party leader is allowed to insult another member, what happens? We can insult a fellow member and simply be tossed out of the House for a day. That's not a serious consequence.
Today, I am deeply disappointed to hear the leader of the NDP speak. I thought he was a great democrat. Honestly, what kind of example are we setting today?
Mr. Chair, I am again asking you not to recognize the member for Burnaby South.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:43
Jagmeet Singh - 12:43
Lib. (QC)
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Yes, Mr. Chair, we need to take concrete action right away to address systemic racism in this country. We have much work to do. We will do it with partners. We will do it with everyone in this House who wants to work with us on this.
I thank the leader of the NDP for his commitment to this. We will work together in short order on making this happen.
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Jagmeet Singh - 12:44
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, I've talked about this over the past weeks. This is important for us to do. We need to make sure we are spending every dollar of taxpayers' money in the right way, to keep people safe and not to perpetuate unjust systems. It is not, however, either/or—either the police or community services. Obviously, we need both, but we need them done right.
We will work with everyone to make sure we are getting that balance right and we are getting the money spent in the right ways.
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Jagmeet Singh - 12:45
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, we have heard those calls as well, and we agree that this is something we have to work on. We need to make sure that we are encouraging de-escalation programs and that we are encouraging front-line interventions around mental health and around care that isn't necessarily done by the police. These are things that we need to do together.
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Jagmeet Singh - 12:46
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, we will of course be taking a very careful look at this report. It highlights a real challenge that we've seen around systemic discrimination in our country and our institutions, including in the RCMP.
There are many concrete actions we need to take. As I've said many times, I'm committed to taking those actions. We need to make a significant change in our country for the better.
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Jagmeet Singh - 12:46
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, these are important conversations that have to be had within the RCMP, between the government and the RCMP, and between Canadians and their police forces. These are some things that we will certainly move forward on together.
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Jagmeet Singh - 12:47
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, our government has continued to meet with Canadians who face extreme difficulties. Obviously, our hearts go out to Chantel's family and to the entire community. I will ensure that members of our government engage directly with her mother and the rest of the family and with the community. We need to work together on changing things for the better in Chantel's memory and in the memory of all Canadians who have fallen in this situation.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:48
Jagmeet Singh - 12:48
Lib. (QC)
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Yes, we recognize that systemic racism exists in our country. We are committed to taking concrete action quickly to address the issue in partnership with others.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:48
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:50
CPC (QC)
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The French interpretation hasn't been working for a few minutes. Can we get that fixed? As a member from Quebec, I would like to be addressed in French, and as a parliamentarian, I think that's important.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:51
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:52
Hon. Anthony Rota - 12:57
CPC (QC)
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Mr. Chair, Canada experienced a major failure at the UN yesterday by not winning a seat on the Security Council.
After five years, the Prime Minister, who made a promise, used all his resources and put his reputation on the line, failed to win the seat. Even worse, we've lost face in the eyes of the world. This is all the result of the Prime Minister's escapades around the world. We need only think of his trip to India to see that the Prime Minister's main concern is his image.
My question for the Prime Minister is simple. What was the cost of this campaign to try to win a seat at the United Nations, which has set us back in the eyes of the world?
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Hon. Karina Gould - 12:58
CPC (QC)
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I'll repeat my question for the minister. I hope that she'll provide a shorter answer.
What was the cost of this campaign, which has set us back in the eyes of the public as a result of the failure of the Prime Minister, who wants to promote his image instead of Canadian values?
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Hon. Karina Gould - 12:59
CPC (QC)
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As usual, we won't get an answer. This seems to be the custom with these Liberals. We'll move on to another subject.
Let's talk about the CERB and its impact, while the economy is recovering and the lockdown is being lifted everywhere. We learned today that the very popular Cosmos restaurant in the Quebec City area will be closing its doors.
The owner says that the factor that influenced his decision to close the Cosmos on Grande Allée is the difficulty in finding staff. He thinks that the CERB is really competition. He says that few employees showed interest in returning to work when he put out feelers.
When will this government change the CERB to enable people to return to the labour market?
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Lib. (QC)
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I'm very pleased to be asked this question, since this is happening in my constituency.
I know that, in my constituency and across Canada, millions of Canadians are still having a hard time dealing with the crisis. We want a safe recovery that will allow for a gradual return to work. We also want a recovery that will ensure that everyone can make ends meet.
This is the case in Quebec City and across the country.
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CPC (QC)
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I hope that Minister Duclos will visit the owner and explain this. Right now, businesses and stores are closing their doors because the government is implementing measures that hamper economic recovery.
A movie theatre owner, who was quite happy to receive the government's permission to reopen, told us that 35 of his 40 employees are refusing to return to work for the reopening because they have access to the CERB and they don't want to work.
The minister even sent a directive to public servants telling them that, if employees don't want to return to work voluntarily, even though the health conditions are fine and everything is safe, they have the right to stay home and they'll be sent a cheque for $2,000 a month.
Why isn't the CERB suited to the economic recovery?
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Lib. (QC)
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Once again, I appreciate this question, which gives me the opportunity to say three things.
First, in my colleague's constituency, between 15,000 and 20,000 people have received the Canada emergency response benefit in recent weeks. Without that benefit, many families in his constituency would have been unable to put food on the table.
Second, an attestation will be issued soon that clearly states that people are expected to accept a job when it's reasonable to do so.
Third, for the economic recovery to take place, everyone must have the opportunity—
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Carol Hughes - 13:02
Dan Albas - 13:08
Lib. (QC)
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Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm pleased to respond to this question.
The minister, and in fact the whole government, starting with the Prime Minister, did announce that the attestation would be changed. It will be changed soon.
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Dan Albas - 13:08
Lib. (QC)
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The member is correctly asking for information on that particular matter, and that information will be provided when it is ready.
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Dan Albas - 13:09
Lib. (QC)
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Madam Chair, there are two different things. First, it will be asking whether Canadians have been able to seek and perhaps not been able to find reasonable work, and then the precise wording will be provided in due course.
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Dan Albas - 13:09
Lib. (QC)
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This is another important question, and the brief answer is that we have delivered the CERB both with vigour and with rigour: vigour because approximately eight million Canadians have received assistance, and rigour because from the very start, we did say that we would be monitoring and eventually correcting the fraud, all the errors that would have been made in the process.
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Dan Albas - 13:10
Lib. (QC)
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This is a good opportunity to remind the member that we are in National Public Service Week and we have full confidence in the abilities of public servants to do the work with rigour and with vigour.
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Dan Albas - 13:11
Lib. (QC)
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I'm pleased that the member has such great interest in this very important program. Eight million Canadians have received the benefit over the last few weeks. We know how important it is to preserve the social and economic fabric of our country, and we look forward to providing more information as it becomes available.
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Dan Albas - 13:11
Lib. (QC)
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This is another important question. I have two quick answers.
First, the issue that we had a few weeks ago of mothers being on maternity benefits and not receiving the correct amount was resolved on May 8. The other issue, to which the member alludes, is going to be resolved. The minister is fully aware of it.
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Carol Hughes - 13:12
Dan Albas - 13:12
Lib. (QC)
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We have put into place an emergency program, which is helping millions of workers and families across Canada. We are pleased and very grateful for the work of public servants in delivering those benefits. We look forward to continuing to deliver the important support that Canadians expect and require.
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Carol Hughes - 13:13
CPC (SK)
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Thank you, Madam Chair.
Yesterday, during committee of the whole, I asked Minister Anand to simply outline what PPE was being purchased with the $500 million being requested in the estimates, but her answer was somewhat vague and full of generalities. Has Minister Anand been able to meet with her department to get the answer to my questions, and can she provide us with this list today?
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Carol Hughes - 13:13
Hon. Anita Anand - 13:13
CPC (SK)
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Madam Chair, unlike the NDP, Conservatives don't believe in giving the Liberal government a blank cheque. It is our job to demand transparency on behalf of Canadians. Over the course of this session, it has been troubling not to get the answers we've been asking for.
Will the minister of PSPC uphold the principles of transparency and open government and give us the names of the companies that have received hundreds of millions of tax money in sole-sourced PPE contracts?
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Hon. Anita Anand - 13:14
Carol Hughes - 13:15
CPC (SK)
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Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
It is better late than never that the Liberal government has come around to the concept of domestically sourced PPE. Yesterday, during committee of the whole, Minister Anand indicated that half of the face shields ordered would be made here in Canada.
Can she quantify her answer and tell us how many, at what price and by when?
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Hon. Anita Anand - 13:15
CPC (SK)
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Madam Chair, I thank the minister for that answer. Can the minister advise us as to how many Canadian manufacturers are producing PPE at this time?
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Hon. Anita Anand - 13:16
Carol Hughes - 13:16
CPC (SK)
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Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Can the minister advise us how many contracts we have signed in total?
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Carol Hughes - 13:17
Hon. Anita Anand - 13:17
CPC (SK)
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Madam Chair, how frequently are departmental officials in communication with all the manufacturers to whom PSPC has awarded a sole-source contract for PPE, in order to receive updates on their progress?
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Carol Hughes - 13:17
Carol Hughes - 13:17
CPC (SK)
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Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Are there any companies with whom we have contracts and whom we have not had any updates from since signing a contract with them?
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Carol Hughes - 13:18
Carol Hughes - 13:18
BQ (QC)
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Madam Chair, I'll be sharing my time with my colleague from Berthier—Maskinongé.
I'll start with an easy question for the government. If it found $1.320 billion lying around, would it know how to use that money wisely?
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Hon. Mona Fortier - 13:18
Carol Hughes - 13:19
BQ (QC)
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Thank you, Madam Chair. I like to see the same old platitudes interrupted.
Taxing the GAFA group would bring in over $781 million. Charging GAFA royalties for content creators, which generate billions of dollars, would bring in $540 million. These two amounts combined total $1.32 billion. These are the pre-crisis figures reported by the Parliamentary Budget Officer. We know that the GAFA group's revenue soared with the crisis.
Why is the government waiting to pick up the money lying around and to ensure justice for journalists, the media, songwriters and artists, who are struggling like never before these days, and especially for all businesses in Quebec and Canada that are paying their fair share?
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Lib. (QC)
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Madam Chair, I want to thank my colleague for his important question.
I want to point out that the federal government has made almost $3 billion available to the arts, culture and media sector in recent months to help it get through this crisis. We've contributed $2.5 billion through the Canada emergency response benefit and the Canada emergency wage subsidy. We've provided $500 million in emergency measures for the sector. In addition, we've committed to tabling a bill to ensure greater fairness for Canadian distributors—
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Carol Hughes - 13:20
BQ (QC)
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I know that my colleague, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, wants this. I know that he wants to implement a royalty system, because we've already talked about it many times.
When will the government propose a fair royalty system? It would be only fair for content creators. I'm sure that my colleague, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, agrees with this.
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Carol Hughes - 13:20
Lib. (QC)
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Madam Chair, my colleague and I agree on this notion of fairness.
I had committed to tabling a bill before June, but the pandemic obviously prevented this from happening. I'm committing today to tabling this bill when we return in the fall.
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Carol Hughes - 13:21
BQ (QC)
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Madam Chair, on World Milk Day, I called for two tangible measures for the dairy industry: the allocation of import quotas to processors and a concrete announcement regarding compensation payments. The first matter has been resolved, and we're pleased about this. A little concrete action is good.
However, we now need a concrete approach to compensation. Can we have a date for the announcement and the payment?
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Lib. (QC)
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Madam Chair, I'm pleased to see that my colleague is happy.
Yes, we answered the call of the dairy farmers by giving the Canadian Dairy Commission the lending capacity needed to purchase more butter and cheese in order to regulate supply based on demand.
In terms of our commitment to compensation following the signature of the agreement—
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Carol Hughes - 13:22
BQ (QC)
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We weren't talking about the Canadian Dairy Commission, another great success that we achieved by working together. We were talking about quotas.
I'll address the compensation issue. Dairy farmers received an initial payment last year, but they haven't received anything since then. The other supply-managed sectors, poultry and eggs, agreed on the compensation amounts last August, almost a year ago.
We need a date.
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Lib. (QC)
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I want to reiterate that we made a firm commitment. We're speaking with the representatives of these sectors. They also understand that we're currently focusing all our energy on immediately responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we've taken various measures, including the establishment of the Canada emergency business account, which can amount to up to $670 million for producers.
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BQ (QC)
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I'm pleased that we're talking about the measures. Currently, almost all the assistance measures lead to farm debt. The farms need oxygen instead. We need the announcement and compensation payments now. The needs are urgent in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Can we have a date? We know about the commitments. We want a date.
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Lib. (QC)
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I'm not in a position to provide a specific date at this time. However, I can assure the member that we remain firmly committed to compensating dairy farmers for the agreement with the United States and Mexico. This also applies to all supply-managed producers for the three agreements.
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Carol Hughes - 13:24
Carol Hughes - 13:29
NDP (QC)
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Madam Chair, I'll be sharing my time with the member for Edmonton Strathcona.
Yesterday the Liberal government received quite a slap in the face when it failed to win a seat on the UN Security Council.
Did the Liberal government fail to win the seat because it's completely missing the greenhouse gas reduction targets?
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Hon. Karina Gould - 13:30
NDP (QC)
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Did the Liberals fail to obtain a seat on the United Nations Security Council because they forgot Africa and because they put an end to the peacekeeping mission in Mali after only a few months?
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Hon. Karina Gould - 13:30
Carol Hughes - 13:31
NDP (QC)
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Madam Chair, did the Liberals fail at the United Nations because they did not stand up for the rights of the Palestinian people enough?
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Hon. Karina Gould - 13:31
Carol Hughes - 13:31
NDP (QC)
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Madam Chair, did the Liberals fail at the United Nations just because they continue to sell arms to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
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Hon. Karina Gould - 13:31
Carol Hughes - 13:31
NDP (QC)
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Madam Chair, did the Liberals fail at the United Nations because the Liberal government's foreign aid is less than it was during the Stephen Harper government, going from 0.34% of GDP to only 0.28% of GDP?
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Carol Hughes - 13:32
Heather McPherson - 13:32
BQ (QC)
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Madam Chair, a point of order. I am not getting the interpretation.
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Carol Hughes - 13:34
Carol Hughes - 13:34
Lib. (QC)
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I did, Madam Chair.
The problem with the interpretation is not just because of problems with the technology. It's also because people are speaking very quickly. Our interpreters are having difficulty following what they are saying. Out of regard for the official languages and for the bilingualism in the House, but also sparing a thought for the work of the interpreters, I feel that honourable members should take care with their delivery when they are speaking.
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Carol Hughes - 13:35
Carol Hughes - 13:50
CPC (QC)
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Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
On March 12, the House unanimously passed a motion I introduced, in which I asked the House to urge the government to offer consular services to Raif Badawi and work with the government of Saudi Arabia to give him access to those consular services.
Can the Liberal government, which now has time for Canadians after Justin Trudeau's failure to obtain a seat on the Security Council, tell us that it did provide the required consular services to Mr. Badawi?
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Hon. Karina Gould - 13:50
CPC (QC)
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Can the minister guarantee that consular services were provided to Mr. Badawi as the House asked the government to do?
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Hon. Karina Gould - 13:51
CPC (QC)
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Madam Chair, since the start of this special committee on COVID-19, we have been asking Liberal ministers questions. As we have just seen, we very rarely get answers.
If the government does not want to answer questions from members, perhaps it might deign to reply to questions that residents of Mégantic—L'Érable have suggested to me.
Guillaume Nadeau asks how many billions of dollars they gave in the hope of obtaining a seat at the United Nations for nothing.
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Hon. Karina Gould - 13:52
Carol Hughes - 13:52
CPC (QC)
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No answer for you, Mr. Nadeau.
Mélanie Bolduc asks why the CERB is continuing when a lot of companies are going to close because they need staff. She says she understands the assistance being provided, but you have to check whether people really need it. Not a day goes by without people telling her that they are going to continue to get the CERB because they are better off and they can do what they want. She does not see that as right.
Does the government have any employment incentive measures in mind to encourage people to take the jobs that are now available?
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Lib. (QC)
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Madam Chair, I would like to remind the honourable member that we are going through an emergency that absolutely requires us to achieve two objectives at once. The first objective is for those who have access to work in reasonable conditions to return to it. The second objective is to make sure that everyone has money to put bread on the table
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CPC (QC)
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No answer for you either, Ms. Bolduc.
The Chambre de commerce et d'industrie Bois-Francs/Érable asks the following:
Adjusting the eligibility criteria for the CERB, which was first rightly established in an emergency situation, could have resulted in a program that would have supported the economic recovery and become a help to employers rather than another obstacle.
Does the government have any employment incentive measures in mind to encourage people to take the jobs that are now available?
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Lib. (QC)
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Madam Chair, the honourable member probably heard my earlier answer, that, very soon, there will be a declaration process whereby people, workers, will have to confirm that they could not return to work, reasonable work.
However, millions of Canadians and many Quebeckers have no access to work and will not have access to it next year—
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Carol Hughes - 13:53
CPC (QC)
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“Soon” is vague; we do not know when “soon” will be. We are used to it.
Mélanie Paquette asks: “When will we be able to access the Canada emergency business account? The announcement was made a month ago now and we still cannot apply through our banks.”
What is the answer?
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Lib. (QC)
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My dear colleague, please tell Mélanie to go and see Canada Economic Development in her constituency, or to drop by your office. We will have a solution for her. You know that everything is available so I am counting on you to provide her with the information.
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CPC (QC)
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I will pass that information on to Ms. Paquette.
Marcelle Brière says the following:
If people really do not have work, they will be getting regular unemployment and those who have work will go to work because they are better off than having the CERB. Mr. Trudeau's little game is to win votes in the next election.
Does the government have any employment incentive measures in mind to encourage people to take the jobs that are now available?
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Lib. (QC)
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Madam Chair, that allows me to inform the honourable member that, in his constituency, there must probably be about 20,000 workers who have been able to receive the Canada emergency response benefit in recent weeks.
Claiming that those workers did not need that emergency assistance is certainly not what the honourable member is suggesting. However—
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Carol Hughes - 13:55
CPC (QC)
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The question came from Ms. Brière. She is wondering, and rightly so.
The only positive aspect of this special committee on COVID-19 is to show Quebeckers and Canadians the extent to which Liberal government ministers avoid answering questions. It is impossible to get an answer on any subject at all.
Let me make one last demonstration.
Can the Prime Minister tell us how much Canada's deficit is, as of today?
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Hon. Mona Fortier - 13:55
Kelly McCauley - 13:56
Lib. (QC)
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I can tell my colleague that, at Revenue Canada, we are very proud of the work that we have done, whether it is on the issue of tax evasion or in terms of customer service. This is also National Public Service Week. We have arranged for 8.5 million people to be able to receive the CERB.
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Kelly McCauley - 13:57
Kelly McCauley - 13:58
Lib. (QC)
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I will answer that question because it is about the Treasury Board.
Clearly, all Treasury Board policies must apply both in normal times and in times of emergency.
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Kelly McCauley - 13:59
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, I can answer on behalf of the minister concerned and assure my colleague that all the rules in effect and currently known in the government are rigorously applied—
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Kelly McCauley - 14:00
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, I can assure my colleague that the robust and regular processes apply in all circumstances, including in a time of emergency such as the one we have been experiencing for some weeks.
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Kelly McCauley - 14:00
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, this allows me to express my full confidence in the thoroughness and rigour of the public servants in the Treasury Board, who are doing the work we expect of them and who will continue to do so.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 14:01
Jenica Atwin - 14:03
Lib. (QC)
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I thank the member opposite for her question and advocacy in this matter.
As she well knows, in the last mandate we adopted a new bill, the Indigenous Languages Act, to help save, promote and foster indigenous languages and the revitalization of those languages. We are doing so in partnership with indigenous communities across the country and we will continue to do so, Mr. Chair.
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Jenica Atwin - 14:05
Lib. (QC)
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This is a very important question. We are all mindful of the additional and significant barriers that people living with disabilities have to fight and to live with in their particular circumstances. That's why we announced just a few days ago that we would be sending up to $600 of additional assistance to people living with disabilities.
Unfortunately, we didn't obtain the opportunity of debate on that last week—
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 14:06
Jenica Atwin - 14:06
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, Canadians and all members of this House can count on the clear dedication and commitment of this government to support people with disabilities. We're going to look at all possible—
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 14:06
Jenny Kwan - 14:06
Lib. (QC)
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That's a very relevant question, because it does allude to the important role of the CERB, the Canada emergency response benefit that has helped eight million Canadians in the last few weeks to put bread on the table.
We're going to continue doing this, knowing that there are challenges ahead, and still ahead, unfortunately, for millions of Canadians.
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Jenny Kwan - 14:07
Lib. (QC)
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I will say two additional things: First, this support is absolutely essential to millions of workers and families. Second, workers and their families, and members of Parliament as well, have the right, and sometimes the obligation, to get support from the CRA. We have committed public servants at the CRA to help those vulnerable Canadians.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 14:08
Jenny Kwan - 14:08
Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, all members of this House have not only the privilege but also the responsibility to assist their constituents in this particularly difficult crisis, and we know we can count on all of them to support our vulnerable people in our respective ridings.
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Hon. Anthony Rota - 14:09
Hon. Anthony Rota - 14:12
BQ (QC)
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Thank you, Mr. Chair.
As we know, we needed to concentrate our energy and our efforts in order to face the pandemic. However, we must remember that, just because we are in a pandemic does not mean that people stop being ill, stop being stricken with cancer or with serious diseases. Let us think about those who were in remission perhaps a few months ago and who have exhausted their employment insurance sickness benefits. Today, they find themselves completely lost and abandoned. In addition to fighting against a recurrence of cancer, they do not have the financial means to pay their rent or their electricity and telephone bills. They are going through a major financial pressure because we have not taken the time in the House to agree on a measure, an amendment to the Employment Insurance Act to increase employment insurance sickness benefits and extend them from 15 to 50 weeks. At this very moment, many members of this House have constituents who are fighting cancer and have nothing with which to do so.
Is the government going to use the next sitting of the House, on July 8, to introduce a bill to extend employment insurance sickness benefits from 15 to 50 weeks?
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Lib. (QC)
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Mr. Chair, I would first like to thank the honourable member for expressing, with much compassion and much empathy, what she has heard from those in her constituency.
Unfortunately, there are families and workers who, for a number of weeks, if not years, have been living in difficult conditions of illness. The conditions endanger their ability to make ends meet and to take care of their loved ones.
We understood the situation; moreover, we have worked on it in recent years by making significant improvements to the special benefits in employment insurance, such as maternity and parental benefits, and compassionate and caregiving benefits. In fact, we have made significant improvements to all the special benefits in the employment insurance program.
We will continue to do that, including for the sickness benefits. It was a commitment we made in the last election campaign.
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Claude DeBellefeuille - 14:14