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Mr. Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay, NDP)

Dec/3/21 12:05:52 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the environment minister announced that he had blown yet another deadline in dealing with the climate crisis. God help our planet. It is no wonder the government is now at the bottom of the G20 when it comes to renewables, right down there with Russia and Saudi Arabia. While Joe Biden has committed to an energy transformation that is tied to well-paying union jobs, the Prime Minister is tied to targets he keeps missing. Where is this plan to invest in the diversification, using the skill and training of energy workers, so that no region is left behind? The clock is ticking.

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Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson (Minister of Natural Resources, Lib.)

Dec/3/21 12:06:32 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, as my hon. colleague knows, Canada has developed a climate plan that is perhaps one of the most detailed and comprehensive in the world. I would invite him to actually read the document. Canada also, I would remind him, has one of the cleanest grids in the world as it exists today. More than 80% of Canada's power comes from non-emitting sources, the vast majority of it from renewables, which is one of the highest levels of renewable production anywhere in the world. However, we certainly understand that more needs to be done. We will be bringing forward an enhanced reduction plan associated with our commitments under the net-zero legislation, and we will be working to ensure there is economic prosperity—

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Mr. Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, CPC)

Dec/3/21 12:07:35 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During Oral Questions, the member for Kelowna—Lake Country, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, said the following in response to my colleague's question: “I think the member is misleading in her question.” All members here, and especially the minister, know that we cannot accuse or suspect a member of misleading the House. The minister is an honourable man, so I encourage him to act with the dignity befitting his position, especially since he spent the entire question period sitting in the Deputy Prime Minister's chair.

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Hon. François-Philippe Champagne (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Lib.)

Dec/3/21 12:08:10 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the point made by the opposition House leader. I apologize if my colleague was offended by what I said. That was not my intention.

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Mrs. Sherry Romanado (Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, Lib.)

Dec/3/21 12:09:07 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, there have been discussion among the parties and if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion: That today, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and in the spirit of “Nothing without us”, the House reaffirm its commitment to continue to work to identify, remove, and prevent barriers that still exist and increase the opportunities available to persons with disabilities.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/3/21 12:09:34 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay. The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay. Hearing no dissenting voice, I declare the motion carried.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/3/21 12:10:39 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay. Some hon. members: Nay.

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Mr. Peter Julian

Dec/3/21 12:10:39 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, with thanks to my colleague from Port Moody—Coquitlam, on this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, there have been consultations among the parties and if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following important motion: That given that 50% of the homeless and half the people who rely on food banks in Canada are Canadians with disabilities, the House call on the government to put into place, without delay, a guaranteed livable basic income for Canadians with disabilities.

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Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Dec/3/21 12:11:35 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I rise to table a petition from constituents from the Comox Valley, Courtenay, Cumberland and Royston. The petitioners cite that farmers' markets are a key tool for a COVID‑19 recovery as small business incubators, domestic food system resilience and security builders, local economy community builders and farmers' market coupon programs are a key support for new and existing market development and their provincial associations. Farmers' market nutrition coupon programs help create food security and resiliency by giving vulnerable people access to healthy, locally grown foods and dietary education, while positively impacting the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of the fruits and vegetables they consume. The petitioners therefore call on the Government of Canada to initiate a national matching program for all provincial farmers' market nutrition coupon programs across Canada that would match those provinces already contributing to their farmers' market nutrition coupon programs and encourage the provinces that do not have such a program to implement one by offering matching funding.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/3/21 12:12:45 p.m.
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I would remind hon. members that when presenting petitions to please try to shorten their introduction.

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Presentation of petitions

Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Dec/3/21 12:13:02 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/3/21 12:13:11 p.m.
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Is that agreed? Some hon. members: Agreed.

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Mr. Maxime Blanchette-Joncas (Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, BQ)

Dec/3/21 12:13:35 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-3

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to resume my speech after that fast-paced question period. As I was saying, we have been trapped in the worst public health crisis of the past century for almost two years now, and our health care system is more vulnerable than ever, so we have to do whatever it takes to protect it. Our health care workers have been holding down the fort throughout this trying time, and we as a society must keep them safe. That is why the Bloc Québécois will support Bill C-3, introduced by the government. That said, there is a very real potential pitfall that will have to be addressed at some point in the legislative process. The proposed amendments must not violate health care workers' rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. These fundamental rights are necessary in a healthy democracy and must not be openly violated. Once again, the public can count on the Bloc Québécois to ask the right questions to help Parliament clarify its intentions and to propose any necessary amendments. The bill seeks to amend the Canada Labour Code to guarantee that every federally regulated employee gets a minimum of 10 paid sick days a year. As a loyal defender of all workers, the Bloc Québécois agrees with this proposal. No one, but no one, should have to go to work sick because they cannot afford to stay home. No one should be forced to make the impossible choice between taking the time to heal and putting food on the table. What is more, this pandemic we are going through has shown us another, equally convincing argument. Collectively, we are better off when our infected colleagues do not come in to work. That is how we can stop a virus like COVID‑19 or the flu from spreading and prevent unfortunate outbreaks. It is good for workers, it is good for businesses, it is good for everyone. However, it is important to be realistic about what this bill the Liberals are introducing can really do to transform the labour market in Quebec and Canada. I will explain by considering the entire labour market. Federally regulated businesses, such as those in the banking, telecommunications and airline industries, employ only a tiny fraction of the workers in this country, only 6%, to be exact. Of that fraction, we have to subtract all the workers whose employment conditions are governed by collective agreements comparable to or more generous than the one proposed in Bill C‑3. In the end, the bill does not amount to much. It is just another well-crafted PR stunt by this government. That being said, I personally believe that any improvement in the employment conditions of any workers ultimately represents a win for all workers. That is why the Bloc Québécois will support this bill. In closing, the Liberals have returned to Parliament more than two months after calling an unnecessary election. After delivering such an uninspiring throne speech, they are now proposing a two-pronged bill that seeks to make minor changes to the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code. The fact that this bill was one of the first ones introduced by this government in the new session eloquently demonstrates that the Liberals are more interested in ticking off election promises than in advancing meaningful legislation, and that they still do not have a clear strategic vision to offer this Parliament, much less a concrete social blueprint for achieving that vision. In spite of all this, the Bloc Québécois will support Bill C‑3 so that it can move forward, because, as a wise man once said, nobody can be against apple pie.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Lib.)

Dec/3/21 12:18:18 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-3

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that opposition members are coming forward and speaking positively of the legislation, indicating that they would be supporting it. I appreciate the value in that. This is something that was raised during the last federal election. The Prime Minister made a commitment to it, as the member referenced. Given the very nature of what we have witnessed over the last number of months, the legislation not only sends a positive message but really has some teeth and will make a difference, particularly by highlighting just how important our health care workers have been throughout this process. Could the member provide his thoughts in regard to why he believes it would be of value to see the legislation pass before the House rises?

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Mr. Maxime Blanchette-Joncas

Dec/3/21 12:19:17 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-3

Mr. Speaker, if this bill was so important to the government, why did the government not introduce it earlier, and why did it not bring Parliament back more quickly rather than waiting over 60 days? Yes, this bill is important because it is a step forward and provides protection for health care workers and support for those who do not have access to paid sick days. As I mentioned, no one can be against apple pie, but again, if something is urgent, then it is better to take action than to dawdle.

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Mr. Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, NDP)

Dec/3/21 12:20:05 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-3

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. The protection and advancement of workers' rights are central policy issues for the NDP. Throughout the pandemic and 2020, we pushed the Liberal government to give people paid sick leave. Of course, we are talking about employees under federal jurisdiction, which does not include everyone. The Liberals were not interested. They told us no or put it off until later. They finally woke up during the election campaign and, 18 months after the start of the pandemic, they are admitting that this was a good idea and are now suddenly in a hurry to do something about it. Why does my hon. colleague think that the Liberals have finally realized that paid sick leave does not just benefit individuals, but also constitutes a public health measure?

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Mr. Maxime Blanchette-Joncas

Dec/3/21 12:20:59 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-3

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie for his question. My colleague knows that the Bloc Québécois has a tradition of supporting workers' rights and that it is also a steadfast ally of unions. It is hard to explain why the government took so long to propose this bill. We can see that it wanted to put on a dog-and-pony show by making this election promise. Now it is bringing forward this bill, but we still do not understand why. I am thinking of other bills that the government introduced in the last Parliament that are also very important, in particular the infamous Bill C-10 and the bill on the modernization of official languages. It is difficult to explain or justify the inexplicable.

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Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ)

Dec/3/21 12:21:53 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-3

Mr. Speaker, I thank my eloquent colleague from Rimouski‑Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques for his very interesting speech. He said that no one can be against apple pie or the importance of protecting workers while we are still grappling with this pandemic and do not want anyone to infect others. Let us not forget that the purpose of these 10 days of paid leave is to ensure the safety of the individual, but also to protect others. My colleague also addressed the Speech from the Throne. With respect to workers' rights, the Bloc Québécois notes that this speech makes no mention of the EI reform it has been calling for for months. This issue is being championed by my wonderful colleague from Thérèse-De Blainville. In 2021, it is more urgent than ever to conduct a major reform of EI in order to further protect workers' rights.

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Mr. Maxime Blanchette-Joncas

Dec/3/21 12:22:48 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-3

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Shefford for the question. As I mentioned earlier, it is impossible to explain the inexplicable. Currently, someone fighting an illness is entitled to less EI sickness benefits than someone who simply loses their job in the ordinary way. A person who loses their job is eligible for more than 15 weeks of benefits, and that is already enshrined in law. The Liberals have said that they are aware of this issue and have promised to increase sickness benefits from 15 weeks to 26 weeks. We are hoping for a consensus on this here in the House, because people who are sick are not getting the support they need to heal or to return to the workforce.

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Mr. Luc Desilets (Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, BQ)

Dec/3/21 12:23:42 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-3

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my esteemed colleague from Rimouski‑Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques for his speech. We are here today to talk about Bill C-3, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code. We are at second reading of this bill, which was introduced by our colleague from St. John's South—Mount Pearl. Bill C‑3 proposes harsher sentences for people who intimidate health care workers or their patients or who block access to a hospital or clinic in order to impede people from obtaining health services. The bill also proposes forcing federally regulated employers to grant their employees up to 10 days of sick leave. Bill C‑3 is good for Quebec, so the Bloc Québécois supports it. The amendments proposed today are in keeping with the legitimate demands of major unions and will greatly benefit employees. As my colleague said, whether it be yesterday, today or tomorrow, the Bloc Québécois has and always will side with workers in Quebec and across Canada. At the same time, our party has already spoken out many times against the anti-vaccine protests that took place near hospitals and clinics during the election campaign. The Bloc Québécois is opposed to all forms of intimidation, violence or interference directed at health care workers or anyone seeking care or a vaccine. Bill C‑3 will give police and prosecutors more tools to prosecute offenders who directly or indirectly attack health care workers or patients seeking care. As it stands, Bill C‑3 contains eight clauses amending two acts, namely the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code. One of the clauses would add intimidation of health care workers to the invasion of privacy offences. Another proposes imprisonment for up to 10 years for anyone attempting to impede the delivery of health care by provoking a state of fear in a patient, professional or support person. One paragraph prohibits intentionally obstructing or interfering with access to a place at which health services are provided, such as a hospital or clinic. That is one of the things we will have to examine in detail, because we do not want to interfere with health care workers' right to protest. Another clause states that committing an offence to impede a health care worker in the performance of their duties could be considered an aggravating factor. In short, it is a good piece of legislation, but it really makes few substantive changes. For one thing, the offences that Bill C‑3 would add to the Criminal Code already exist, because it is already a criminal offence to block access to a hospital. It was not a lack of legal authority that was required to enforce this provision of the Criminal Code, but rather a lack of political will. In short, the amendments proposed by Bill C‑3 provide a few more tools to prosecutors and the police, and that is a very good thing. Although the Bloc Québécois is in favour of Bill C‑3, we have to admit that it is more of a PR stunt, as my colleague mentioned earlier, intended to fulfil the Liberals' election promise, than a truly constructive piece of legislation. It is also important to note that Quebec acted on this matter some time ago. In September, the National Assembly of Quebec passed a bill providing for very stiff fines for anyone protesting against vaccination within 50 metres of a school or health care site. These fines range from $6,000 for a first offence to $12,000 for subsequent offences. On a different note, the bill before us would amend the Canada Labour Code to add 10 days of paid sick leave for all workers. According to Employment and Social Development Canada, the Canada Labour Code covers 955,000 employees working for about 18,000 companies. Of that number, roughly 63% of all federally regulated private sector employees had access to fewer than 10 days of paid sick leave, so this will be highly beneficial. The Canada Labour Code currently provides for 17 weeks of unpaid sick leave, but only 5 days of paid sick leave. It is worth noting that this provision led to a number of regrettable situations during the pandemic. Many employees kept going to work sick, even with COVID-19, instead of staying home, so that they would not miss out on pay. This decision undoubtedly helped the virus spread, with tragic consequences, as we know. Other people became infected, and some died. That said, many employees are covered by collective agreements that already guarantee them sick leave. Bill C‑3 will obviously not change anything for them. Furthermore, there will be little impact on the lives of Quebec workers, since Quebec currently offers more paid sick leave than anywhere else in Canada. In addition, it is quite surprising that the bill is trying to accomplish two things at the same time. No matter what the Liberals claim, there is nothing in Bill C‑3 that connects these two aspects of the legislation. They are packaging one uncontroversial topic that most people agree with, sick leave, with a rather complex amendment to the Criminal Code. I think it is likely that the Liberals and the NDP will want to get this bill passed the easy way, like we did with Bill C‑4, which would ban conversion therapy. However, we are talking about an amendment to the Criminal Code, which requires a serious, in-depth study. This bill would have implications for freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. I sincerely believe that we must not cut the parliamentary process short on a topic like this. We are hearing from the other side that they want to fast-track Bill C‑3. If someone objects, will they be accused of stonewalling? Whether the Liberal and NDP members like it or not, the Bloc Québécois will be sure to ask the relevant questions in the House to ensure that the legislators can clarify their intentions as to the amendments to the Criminal Code. We want to make sure that they do not encroach upon health care workers' right to protest. As usual, we will propose amendments to the bill, as needed, to improve it. The Bloc Québécois is always in favour of new, innovative ideas, and we will continue in that direction. Despite the fact that this bill smacks of cynicism and will have a relatively minimal impact, it does contain some elements that will benefit Quebec workers, especially health care staff. With that in mind, of course the Bloc Québécois will support Bill C-3.

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