44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 7, 2021 10:00AM
- Dec/7/21 3:00:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for giving me the opportunity to speak to this issue. He knows as well as I do how important it is, with the new omicron variant, to protect people's health and safety. He knows very well that these measures take some time to implement.
By the way, I would like to thank all our partners, including our airport partners. I would like to thank public health, obviously, and all the experts telling us that we must be careful and vigilant right now. That is what we are hearing from all the experts, and I would be curious to hear what our friends in the opposition think about it, too.
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- Dec/7/21 3:00:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week it appeared as though Ottawa was being proactive at the border, but now we see that it just bungled things up more quickly.
The government decided to require COVID‑19 tests for passengers arriving by plane even though it knew that some airports were unable to provide these tests. People are confused and they are worried about having to quarantine somewhere while they wait for a courier to pick up their test. No one knows who will have to quarantine or for how long.
What is the government waiting for? When will it straighten out this troubling mess?
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- Dec/7/21 3:01:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this gives me the opportunity to say hello to and congratulate my colleague since we have not spoken since his election. I also commend him for his concern for the health and safety of Canadians during these very troublesome times.
We are getting the right things done quickly. We are quickly putting measures in place. People know that the border measures changed a few days ago and that they will continue to evolve in the coming days. As everyone should know, COVID‑19 is not over and we need to keep a close eye on this variant and disease in the coming days and weeks.
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- Dec/7/21 3:02:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the COVID testing chaos at airports is straight out of the permit A38 scene in The 12 Tasks of Asterix.
Quebec families who have gone through this airport fiasco will surely think of the minister when they watch Ciné-cadeau during the holidays.
How is this government going to stop the chaotic management of testing from being “the place that sends you mad”?
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- Dec/7/21 3:02:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the reference to the upcoming holidays is indeed a good one. People know that, over the next few weeks, things are going to change. People are going to be interacting more indoors.
I think that Canadians, and Quebeckers in particular, understand the importance of following public health guidance in uncertain times. I think that people have so far made the right choices and will continue to make those right choices over the coming holidays.
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- Dec/7/21 3:03:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, constituents in my riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex and many rural Canadians are unable to access fibre Internet because large ISPs will lay down the backbone but fail to finish the important last mile. Although the universal broadband fund supports the last mile, many of the ISPs are not taking advantage of it and are simply leaving Canadians not connected.
What will the government do to ensure that all rural Canadians receive last-mile connections?
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- Dec/7/21 3:03:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, since 2015, we have approved programs and projects that are going to connect 1.7 million Canadian households. By 2026, we are going to connect another 1.2 million Canadian families with better, faster Internet. By then, 98% of Canada will be connected. Connecting every household, every business and every community is how we are going to build back better.
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- Dec/7/21 3:04:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the cost of living has been dramatically increasing since the Liberals formed government in 2015. It is much more challenging now to keep up with the rising prices on literally everything, but especially the essential items.
Jennifer, a single mother from my riding, told me that she cannot afford the basic needs for her kids. She often finds herself having to choose between buying clothing and putting food on the table. This is not just inflation.
When is the Liberal government going to stop printing money to cover up its economic mismanagement?
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- Dec/7/21 3:04:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let me share some more good economic news, as the Conservatives seem determined to talk down the Canadian economy. The OECD, in its economic outlook for December, noted that not only does it expect our recovery to be the second fasted in the G7, but our net debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to decline and remain the lowest in the G7.
Canada is recovering and Canadians should be proud of it.
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- Dec/7/21 3:05:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, labour shortages in the Columbia Valley are are tied directly to issues with the temporary foreign worker program and the lack of affordable housing. Our economic recovery in Kootenay—Columbia depends on the government doing more than talking when it comes to fixing these issues for tourism and hospitality operators like Pavi Khunkhun in Golden, British Columbia.
When will the government stop talking and start fixing the problems that make it impossible for the tourism and hospitality sector to succeed?
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- Dec/7/21 3:05:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I can say one thing that all members of the House, including the members opposite, could do this week for the tourism and hospitality sector. That is to help us pass Bill C-2. This legislation is there to help precisely those tourism businesses.
We understand that omicron is here. We understand those businesses need support. However, what I do not understand is why the Conservatives, who allegedly care so much about these vital small businesses, do not want to actually help them.
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- Dec/7/21 3:06:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the pandemic is hurting not only Canadians, industries, and small businesses, but also community organizations. Our government has supported them by quickly rolling out programs such as the Canada emergency response benefit and the Canada emergency wage subsidy.
We have also created a more targeted program, the Black entrepreneurship program, which is very welcome in the riding of Bourassa.
Can the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development elaborate on this program that supports Black entrepreneurs?
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- Dec/7/21 3:07:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and congratulate him on his re-election.
Black business owners make important contributions to the Canadian economy. Their success is a priority. A total of $10.7 million has already been distributed to support Black entrepreneurs in Montreal, like those in Bourassa, through the Black entrepreneurship program's national ecosystem fund.
I look forward to sharing some news about other successful projects in the near future.
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- Dec/7/21 3:08:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 361 days ago, the House came together to vote unanimously on the motion put forward by the member for Cariboo—Prince George to take immediate action to establish a nationwide three-digit 988 suicide prevention hotline. In a world where we can hold a $600-million election in the midst of a global pandemic, surely we can activate a three-digit telephone number that nobody is using and work with dedicated stakeholders on an initiative everyone agrees is a priority.
This is important and it should be easy. Why is it taking so long?
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- Dec/7/21 3:08:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government supports a national three-digit hotline for Canadians in crisis, and I thank the member for Cariboo—Prince George for his tireless advocacy on this issue.
The CRTC is currently considering public input from consultations that concluded on September 1. We believe that such a line should have the capacity to connect people to the most appropriate support in the most appropriate way.
Our government remains committed to fully funding a national three-digit mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline.
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- Dec/7/21 3:09:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this government is out of touch with rural Canadians. My constituents in northern Saskatchewan are frustrated with the made-in-Ottawa greener homes grant. Because they live a long way from urban centres, the cost of the inspection process nearly equals the grant. This simply does not make any sense. Unlike the Liberals, my constituents cannot afford to not think about monetary policy and just print money to pay for their bad decisions.
Is the Liberal government intentionally designing programs that exclude rural Canadians?
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- Dec/7/21 3:09:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our national housing strategy has a rural lens to it. That is why 38% of the rapid housing initiative projects are in rural and indigenous communities where the need is the greatest. We make sure that in the National Housing Council there are representatives who bring a rural lens to everything that we do through our national housing co-investment fund and other investments that we make in affordable housing in Canada.
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- Dec/7/21 3:10:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, residents of York—Simcoe have many concerns about a proposed aerodrome in the town of Georgina. In Greenbank, Burlington, Tottenham and elsewhere, corporations have used a loophole in the federal aerodrome regulations to exploit municipal soil laws. They use the pretense of building or expanding an aerodrome to dump tonnes of contaminated fill at significant cost to the environment and to local taxpayers.
What has the Liberal government done to close the loophole, and can the Minister of Transport guarantee this will not happen again in Pefferlaw or anywhere else?
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- Dec/7/21 3:11:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I can guarantee to my hon. colleague that I will always be open to speaking with him and other colleagues about the issues they have of concern in their own communities.
I have spoken with my hon. colleague on a couple of occasions on this issue, and I committed to him to continue to follow up with him on his concerns and on the concerns of the local community. We want to make sure that we build a better Canada for everyone.
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- Dec/7/21 3:11:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the people of Calgary Skyview for the honour and privilege of serving as their member of Parliament after serving as their city councillor.
Throughout the campaign, I heard from many seniors about the struggles they—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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