44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 4, 2022 10:00AM
- Feb/4/22 11:41:45 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, CEOs of companies received extravagant compensation in 2020, even the companies that received the Canada emergency wage subsidy. The government allowed corporations receiving federal supports to still give massive payouts to their CEOs at the same time that Canadians were struggling to make ends meet.
Why has the minister allowed for federal supports to go to CEOs instead of Canada’s workers?
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- Feb/4/22 11:42:23 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when COVID first hit, businesses had to close their doors to keep Canadians safe. Today we have more active businesses than we did before COVID, and we are seeing that bankruptcies and insolvencies are below normal levels. Thanks to our government's decisive economic policies, we have avoided the economic scarring that followed the 2008 economic crisis.
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- Feb/4/22 11:42:40 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, ESDC was made aware in July 2020 of over $442 million in double payments for the Canada emergency response benefit. However, the Auditor General cannot audit the program until the CRA verifies whether recipients meet eligibility requirements, which will not be until 2023.
Will the government start verifying eligibility now so that Canadians can know how their tax dollars are being spent?
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- Feb/4/22 11:43:17 a.m.
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- Re: Bill C-2
Mr. Speaker, our government is focusing on making sure that Canadians and Canadian workers have the measures they need to be supported during this pandemic crisis. It is unfortunate that with the wave of omicron, the Conservative Party voted against Bill C-2, which brought in measures that are currently supporting Canadians.
We are going to be there for Canadians. We made a promise to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes and we are going to continue doing just that.
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- Feb/4/22 11:43:43 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government has again stiffed Canadian IT companies and awarded a sensitive tech contract to a foreign company. It is so sensitive, in fact, that it stated the work had to be done here in Ottawa using a government computer, yet the work is actually being done outside the country and certainly not on a secured government server. However, do not worry. For security, it told the company to merely turn the screen away from the window when working.
Is this seriously the government's idea of cybersecurity?
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- Feb/4/22 11:44:20 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when it comes to national security and cybersecurity, members on the other side of the House and Canadians at home understand that we take them very seriously. I can assure the member that all issues relating to cybersecurity and national security are reviewed by the relevant agencies to make sure that we protect data and we protect the safety of all Canadians.
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- Feb/4/22 11:44:49 a.m.
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That is not at all the case, Mr. Speaker. The government, when queried, actually claimed the workers had to stay in the U.S. due to COVID restrictions, but during the first year of the pandemic, seven million people were able to cross the border into Canada. The Liberals famously even exempted wealthy, connected American CEOs from the border restrictions.
Why would the Liberals give a pass to the wealthy and connected, but tell contractors working on our sensitive security tech abroad to simply turn the monitors away from the window when working?
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- Feb/4/22 11:45:26 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleagues understand that throughout this pandemic, we put in place a number of measures to protect the health and safety of Canadians. A number of them were regarding our borders.
As I said before, when it comes to cybersecurity, I do not think we can take lessons from my colleagues. We take that very seriously, as well as national security. Canadians at home know that we will always take decisions to further their best interests.
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- Feb/4/22 11:46:03 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been promising to lift the blood ban for years. In December, Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec submitted a recommendation to lift the ban and move to behaviour-based policy for donations. The Minister of Health said his government would be moving quickly, but it has been six weeks and we still have no idea about the process, how long it will take and when changes will be implemented.
Will the minister share the timeline for ending the ban on blood and plasma donations for men who have sex with other men and trans women once and for all?
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- Feb/4/22 11:46:37 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we committed over and over again to continue to ensure that our blood services are fair and equitable, and I agree with the member that historically they have not been. Steps have been taken, and as we all know, there is a timeline going forward to ensure that blood donations can be made by everybody in Canada. That is the fairest way forward and the most equitable way forward, and I share a commitment with many members of the House who want to ensure that these changes are made ASAP.
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- Feb/4/22 11:47:17 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, London's and Windsor's airports, which contribute enormously to their local economies, have remained closed to international travel, while other smaller airports in the region and across the country have been allowed to open. The transport minister has given no indication of when they will be allowed to reopen to international flights. They have lost significant revenue through this key winter season. Of course, there are public health recommendations against travel, but people need to know what to expect in the coming months.
Will the minister let people in London and Windsor know when they can expect their airports to reopen to international travel?
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- Feb/4/22 11:47:59 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are advising Canadians to avoid all non-essential international travel at this time. This is to add to our layered approach at the border, including predeparture PCR testing and on-arrival testing. These are measures that are based on public health advice, and we are constantly evaluating domestic and international COVID situations. We will not hesitate to adjust these measures as needed.
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- Feb/4/22 11:48:25 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, throughout the pandemic, there was a need in the LGBTQ2 community for support provided by LGBTQ organizations and partners, and it was a critical lifeline for many. These organizations provided critical mental health support, suicide prevention and gender-affirming care, as well as housing support and other valuable resources. In order to continue that essential work, they require sustainable financial assistance.
Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth update the House on the accomplishments of our government in helping the LGBTQ2 community?
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- Feb/4/22 11:49:07 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her advocacy. She is absolutely right. The LGBTQ2 organizations are a vital resource for Canadians, and they need our support to keep their doors open and continue to grow.
It is why this week I was so pleased to extend funding for the historic LGBTQ2 community capacity fund for another year. This funding is going to enable organizations to strengthen their infrastructure to advance LGBTQ2 equality across this country. The tireless work and advocacy of LGBTQ2 organizations have shaped the fight for equality here in Canada and around the world, and we must continue to support their efforts.
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- Feb/4/22 11:49:56 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is now 420 days since Parliament passed a unanimous motion that referenced the “alarming rate of suicide in Canada”, called it a “national health crisis” and demanded the House take “immediate action” to institute a nationwide three-digit 988 suicide prevention hotline.
My question for the minister today is simple. What is the current number that Canadians should remember so that in their darkest moment they do not have to do a Google search to find the help that might save their life?
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- Feb/4/22 11:50:37 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to implementing and fully funding a national three-digit mental health crisis and suicide prevention hotline. The CRTC is currently considering public input from consultations that have been extended, and replies will be accepted until March 2022 to accommodate additional interventions and formats more accessible to persons with disabilities, such as video. We understand the urgency of implementing this crisis line, and we will ensure we get it right, including that it has the capacity to connect people to the most appropriate support—
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- Feb/4/22 11:51:15 a.m.
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The hon. member for Edmonton—Wetaskiwin.
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- Feb/4/22 11:51:18 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if the government does not know the number, how can Canadians be expected to?
A Google search will eventually tell us that the 24-7 number for the Canada Suicide Prevention Service is 1-833-456-4566. Since the December 2020 vote, more than 4,500 Canadians have tragically lost their lives to suicide. We have so much work to do together on mental health in this country, but this is a relatively easy first step.
By what specific date will Canada finally have an operational three-digit 988 suicide prevention hotline?
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- Feb/4/22 11:52:02 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
We understand the urgency of implementing this crisis line, and we will ensure we get it right, including it having the capacity to connect people with the most appropriate service in the most appropriate way. We are investing $25 million over five years to develop, implement, expand and sustain a fully operational pan-Canadian suicide prevention service that can also provide virtual services.
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- Feb/4/22 11:52:39 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is a growing frustration among Canadians about the Prime Minister's lack of leadership to end this pandemic. We want to see an end to the protests and lockdowns. We denounce all forms of hatred and violence. The comments they last heard from the Prime Minister were earlier last month. He said we need to “hunker down” over the winter and hope for a better spring.
Canadians are looking for a more detailed plan. They are looking for leadership. They are looking for unity to get us past this.
Will the Prime Minister and the government finally stop dividing Canadians and bring them together in hope and optimism to finally get us past this pandemic?
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