44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 10, 2022 10:00AM
- Feb/10/22 2:31:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the current Liberal government continues to use vaccines as a political weapon rather than a tool. Unlike other governments, the Liberals cannot seem to figure out how to move forward. We do not need more job vacancies or supply chain issues. Canada and Canadians need to get back to normal.
Instead of creating new vaccine mandates for federally regulated workplaces, will this minister listen to the science and his MPs, and move toward lifting these mandates?
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- Feb/10/22 2:32:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to answer this question about vaccination. The Prime Minister mentioned just a moment ago that 80% of Canadians of all ages had received their full doses. Every day, about 10,000 more Canadians are getting their first vaccine, and 55% have received a booster dose. Every day, 180,000 people in Canada receive a booster dose. We have approximately 50% of children between five and 11 being vaccinated. About 6,000 of them every day receive their first dose.
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- Feb/10/22 2:33:06 p.m.
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Before we go to the next question, I just want to remind all the members that if they are not speaking and they are in their seats, to please wear their masks. It is the rule of the House. For those who cannot hear me, do I have to say it again? There we go. I think we have their attention. Good.
The hon. member for Calgary Midnapore.
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- Feb/10/22 2:33:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 98% of federal employees have received at least one dose of the vaccine. They are not the enemy. Even Canada's public health authorities have said that it is time to re-evaluate existing measures and not blindly keep current restrictions.
Does the minister agree with Dr. Tam's recommendation or does he prefer to ignore the science?
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- Feb/10/22 2:34:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member is quite right to congratulate the 99% of public servants who have been vaccinated.
Vaccination is not a punishment. It is a protection. When we get vaccinated, we protect ourselves, our colleagues, our family, our children, our community and our friends.
It is not a punishment. In fact, it is the only means to get through the current wave and all the other waves and variants that will emerge in the coming months and years.
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- Feb/10/22 2:34:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been misled. Our travel restrictions are not symmetrical with those of the United States. Our requirement for an arrival PCR test is the only one in the G7, and the minister knows that.
PCR arrival testing is wasteful, it is punitive and it is ineffective. Canadians want to know: On what day will the government drop these ineffective and costly travel restrictions?
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- Feb/10/22 2:35:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, speaking of science, I want to remind every member of the House that we are still in a pandemic. We still have thousands of people in hospitals. We still have thousands of surgeries being cancelled. We will follow the science and, as conditions change, we will change our regulations and we will change our rules. However, we cannot take advice from a Conservative Party that has not even been able to convince Canadians of vaccination. We will take advice from scientists and from our public health workers.
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- Feb/10/22 2:35:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, can somebody update the minister's talking points? Across the country provincial governments are listening and they are presenting plans. The chief public health officer of Canada, as well as provincial health officers, have all said it is time. We have 90% of Canadians who are vaccinated, so I am asking the Prime Minister when he will stop traumatizing Canadians and give us a plan to live our lives with COVID.
What is the threshold? What day will he lift the restrictions?
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- Feb/10/22 2:36:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to bring my colleague back to earth. We are in the middle of a pandemic. We have thousands of people in hospitals. We have surgeries being cancelled. We will adjust our measures as the circumstances change, and the way we change our measures is by listening to scientists and by listening to experts.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Feb/10/22 2:36:38 p.m.
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I am having a hard time hearing the response. The noise is too high. I am going to ask the minister to start again so I can hear the full answer.
The hon. Minister of Transport.
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- Feb/10/22 2:36:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians understand that we all need to follow science to protect our loved ones and to protect our health care workers. Canadians will do whatever it takes to protect their loved ones. I can assure everyone our government will do what is needed to protect our health and to protect our economy.
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- Feb/10/22 2:37:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, diapers, baby food, groceries, fresh produce and manufacturing in our auto sector are all at risk. The Essex-Windsor border brings the necessities of life to Canadians. It can also bring our country to its knees. We must have open, honest dialogue with Canadians.
My bags are packed. Will the Prime Minister commit right now to fly with me to Windsor and then to Washington to give Canadians their lives back by ending the mandates once and for all?
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- Feb/10/22 2:37:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, speaking of honest dialogue, can we be honest here? The Conservative Party, for the last two weeks, has been justifying blockades and protests. For the last two weeks, it has been absolving the responsibility of lawbreakers and those cutting off our supply chains. We will stand firm. These blockades are illegal. They must end today. They are having an impact on our economy.
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- Feb/10/22 2:38:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, traffic over the Blue Water Bridge, which is a direct link to my riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, is backed up because the Liberal government will not lift the mandates. Our Prime Minister's divisive words only add fuel to the fire and encourage the blockades. There are tractors parked on the 402 right now. The Prime Minister is doing nothing to stop the division he has created and give hope to our nation, which is beautiful but weary.
What is the Prime Minister doing today to end the mandates and restore Canada's supply chains?
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- Feb/10/22 2:39:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, speaking of fuelling the fire, these Conservatives, for two weeks, have been providing excuses for lawbreakers. They have been providing justification and saying people are above the law. They may have changed their leader, but they continue to flip-flop. The Conservative Party must condemn the blockades and call on all of them to go home so we can restore order in our supply chains.
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- Feb/10/22 2:39:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a crisis, but I unfortunately cannot ask the Prime Minister a question.
Based on his behaviour and the government's answers, one would think they are campaigning against the Conservatives. That is not what this crisis is about. Every single one of us here was elected by our constituents.
We have the right to receive real, serious answers to our questions about the very real crisis we are facing. I even offered to keep anything said in the meeting a secret.
Since the Prime Minister will not behave responsibly, could the Deputy Prime Minister tell him to call a meeting with the party leaders?
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- Feb/10/22 2:40:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely prepared to talk with the other parties. We are holding discussions on the current situation every day, and we will try to work with each party.
Allow me to make it clear to the Conservative Party that these protests are unlawful and it is time for them to stop. We must work together to put an end to the protests going on outside.
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- Feb/10/22 2:41:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, “we must work together”. The last time I checked, the government House leader is not the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister needs to take responsibility.
The Liberals seem to be having fun. Have they started to think about how they will respond on Monday after a third weekend of siege and blockades affecting airport traffic and emergency communications? Have they thought about this or are they still having too much fun?
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- Feb/10/22 2:41:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every day for the past two weeks, the Conservative Party has supported the illegal protests happening outside. The Conservative Party has been taking pictures with protesters and bringing them coffee and other things. This is unacceptable.
We are here every day trying to reduce tensions and find a solution. We need to set aside partisan games. It is time for the protesters to leave Ottawa so that life can get back to normal.
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- Feb/10/22 2:42:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge, the siege of Parliament Hill, threats at the Ottawa airport and border blockades in Alberta and Manitoba are not isolated incidents. It is not up to any particular city or province to deal with this. They are targeting Canada.
That is why the Prime Minister of Canada needs to take the lead. We are witnessing an organized occupation by experts in police and military tactics targeting the federal government. When will the government find a way to deal with the crisis happening right before its very eyes?
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