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Hon. David Lametti (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)

Feb/15/22 3:15:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for asking that question in the stead of the hon. member for Northwest Territories. I thank him for his leadership and his wisdom. The Gladue principles, just like the revitalization of indigenous justice systems, calls to action from the TRC and the implementation plan for the MMIWG, are concrete steps toward making our justice system fairer. However, we understand there are still systemic issues in our criminal justice system that we need to address. It is impossible to undo centuries of colonialism in only a few short years. Far too many women and girls endure serious injustice, including discrimination and disproportionately high rates of violence. We are going to work on this with indigenous leadership to get—

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:15:48 p.m.
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I am afraid that is all the time we have for today.

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Mr. Rick Perkins

Feb/15/22 3:15:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order arising out of question period. I would like to seek unanimous consent to table the four House of Commons fisheries committee reports that the Liberal government has not responded to on small-craft harbours.

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:16:15 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay. Some hon. members: Nay.

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:17:27 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-10

It being 3:16 p.m., pursuant to an order made on Monday, February 14, 2022, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at the second reading stage of Bill C-10. Call in the members.

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:30:54 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-10

I declare the motion carried. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to a committee of the whole. Pursuant to the order made on Monday, February 14, 2022, Bill C-10, an act respecting certain measures related to COVID-19, is deemed considered in the committee of the whole, deemed reported without amendment, deemed concurred in at report stage, deemed read a third time and passed.

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:31:35 p.m.
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Earlier today, questions were raised in the House about the wearing of masks in the chamber. I note that all members are certainly wearing their masks, and I applaud them for that. As members will know, since the beginning of the pandemic, my fellow Chair occupants and I have consistently reminded members to wear their masks in the House when they are not speaking in debate. This is in keeping with public health advice that states masks should be worn, especially when social distancing is not possible, as is often the case in the chamber. In fact, as soon as one leaves the chamber, the wearing of masks is mandatory, further to measures adopted by the Board of Internal Economy. This is for the safety and security of members and staff. That said, further to the Speaker's ruling of December 2, 2021, only the House can determine the rules that it will apply to itself and its committees. While the Board of Internal Economy has strongly recommended that members wear a mask when they are at their place during parliamentary proceedings, it cannot impose such a requirement. Ultimately, the House has sole authority to determine how it conducts its proceedings. As Speaker, I am the servant of the House. To date, all parties have supported the Chair's efforts to encourage the wearing of face masks when not speaking and have raised points of order when this practice has not been followed. This being Tuesday, I understand the House leaders will be meeting later today, and I would encourage them to discuss this issue so that there can be clarity for all members. I thank all members for their attention.

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Mrs. Cheryl Gallant

Feb/15/22 3:34:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order. When you were reading things out, you said that we had to have our masks on once we leave the chamber. Does that mean we can have them off when we are in the chamber? The Speaker: Yes. Mrs. Cheryl Gallant: Yes, we do not have to wear them in the chamber, but we have to put them on as we leave the chamber?

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:34:31 p.m.
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Exactly.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

Feb/15/22 3:34:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order. Just to be clear, it is highly recommended that we wear the masks inside the chamber. On that note, I would ask if there is unanimous consent of the House to have members wear their masks unless they are actually speaking.

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:34:52 p.m.
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Do we have unanimous consent? Some hon. members: No.

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:35:23 p.m.
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The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage has seven minutes and 30 seconds remaining in his elocution.

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Mr. Chris Bittle (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Lib.)

Feb/15/22 3:35:51 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-12

Mr. Speaker, in regard to your ruling with respect to masks, we have been hearing, from the opposition, a lot of shouting about science. They say, “Listen to the science.” However, the number of MPs who removed their masks as soon as your order was issued is rather shocking. The science is clear on masks, and I truly hope that the hon. members on the other side who are heckling me, maskless—

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The Speaker

Feb/15/22 3:35:59 p.m.
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Order. I want to make sure individuals and MPs recognize that whoever has the floor should have the respect of the House. I also want to remind the hon. member that the decision from the Speaker clarified what the policy was, and I would hope that everybody would respect that.

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Mr. Chris Bittle

Feb/15/22 3:36:30 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-12

Madam Speaker, I also hope that the opposition respects what the Speaker said, which was that he highly encouraged the use of masks. We were being lectured on science and that we should listen to the science, and the science is clear on mask usage. I am seeing a lot of unmasked faces on the other side, and that is disappointing because, as we are talking about vaccinations—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Feb/15/22 3:37:05 p.m.
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Order. Again, I think that matter has been dealt with, and I would ask the parliamentary secretary to speak to the issue that is before the House, which is Bill C-12.

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Mr. Chris Bittle

Feb/15/22 3:37:11 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-12

Madam Speaker, I was just moving on to seniors, who are looking forward to us listening to science and listening to public health. I will move on to the debate at hand. I had already given some of my remarks before the break, but as a first step, our government is providing $742.4 million for one-time payments. These payments would help alleviate the financial hardship faced by GIS and allowance recipients who received pandemic relief benefits in 2020, but who also faced a reduction or loss of their GIS or allowance benefits in July, 2021. As the payments would be automatic, seniors would not need to take any action to receive the one-time payments. These payments would also fully compensate affected seniors. They would be non-taxable, too. We estimate that the 183,000 GIS clients who qualified to receive CERB or similar benefits in 2020 would benefit. We did not want to just provide a quick fix. We also wanted to ensure that seniors would not be facing such a loss—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Feb/15/22 3:38:24 p.m.
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Order. The hon. member has the floor. There are a lot of discussions being had here, and I know that they are side discussions. I would just ask members to please step outside the chamber if they wish to have side discussions. I am sure that they want to attentively hear what the hon. parliamentary secretary has to say, because I am sure they are going to have questions and comments for him.

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Mr. Chris Bittle

Feb/15/22 3:38:51 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-12

Madam Speaker, I am sure they are just excited to hear the rest of my speech. The buzz on the other side is encouraging for me to keep going and defend our seniors. As I said, we did not want to provide a quick fix. That is why we introduced this bill. Bill C-12 would permanently exempt federal pandemic benefits from the calculation of GIS or allowance benefits, beginning in July, 2020, and would prevent this from ever happening again. To be clear, the following benefits would be exempt: the Canadian emergency response benefit, including any CERB amounts paid under the Employment Insurance Act, the Canada recovery benefit, the Canada recovery sickness benefit, the Canada recovery caregiving benefit and the Canada worker lockdown benefit. Once again, we are proposing this change to the OAS act to ensure that this problem never happens again. Bill C-12 would make an important legislative change that would provide seniors with certainty and peace of mind in the future if they receive GIS and allowance benefits to which they are entitled, without the need for a one-time payment. To strengthen Canadians' financial security later in life, we provided one-time payments of $500 in August, 2021, to OAS pensioners who would be age 75 or older on June 30, 2022. We are also permanently increasing OAS pensions for seniors 75 and over, beginning in July, 2022. We have taken these steps because seniors face increased financial pressures and vulnerability as they age, but the well-being of seniors has been a priority for our government since 2015. Before COVID, we had already improved the Canada pension plan, reduced income tax for seniors and moved to enhance the GIS. We increased the GIS for nearly 900,000 low-income seniors. As a result of this and other measures, an estimated 45,000 seniors were lifted out of poverty. We put thousands of dollars back in the pockets of future Canadian seniors by restoring the age of eligibility for OAS and the GIS to 65 from 67. Many of the members on the other side voted in favour of actually increasing the retirement age, not for their own pensions but for other seniors in Canada. We enhanced the GIS earning exemption for working low-income seniors to help them keep more of their benefits and more of their hard-earned money. This means that seniors could earn up to $5,000 without a reduction of their GIS benefit. Our government is moving forward with its plan to increase the OAS pension by 10% for seniors 75 and over, and will start in July of this year to provide people receiving the full OAS pension with an extra $766 in the first year. This will be the first permanent increase to the OAS pension, above and beyond inflation adjustments, since 1973. We reduced income taxes for seniors by increasing the basic personal amount. Once we have fully implemented this measure in 2023, 4.3 million seniors will benefit, and 465,000 of them will see their income tax reduced to zero. Our government has helped seniors in myriad ways beyond direct emergency payments and tax relief. We recognize the sad reality that the COVID pandemic has brought isolation to many seniors, and to our most vulnerable seniors. The sense of isolation and vulnerability cannot be overstated, so our government continues to find ways to address those issues. The pandemic has tragically highlighted the challenges to long-term care homes. It has exposed gaps in infection prevention and control and staffing. That is why, in the fall economic statement, our government committed up to $1 billion to the safe long-term care fund to help provinces and territories support infection prevention and control, make improvements to ventilation, hire additional staff and top up wages. We are also committed to affordable housing, and we are working to improve palliative care, end-of-life care, and to supporting Canadians' mental health through the Public Health Agency of Canada. In conclusion, I am proud of the measures we have developed and are still developing on all aspects of senior care, but this must not simply be a stopgap measure. We are constantly working hard to find permanent solutions that will bring ongoing comfort and relief to the men and women who have worked hard, who have contributed to Canada and who are proud and privileged to call it home. Seniors deserve nothing less than the best care and consideration that we can provide. We acted quickly to resolve this issue. I hope my hon. colleagues will agree that this bill deserves swift passage.

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Ms. Marilyn Gladu (Sarnia—Lambton, CPC)

Feb/15/22 3:43:38 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-12

Madam Speaker, the member opposite is from my former hometown of St. Catharines. I heard him talk about the increased OAS, and the $500 bonus that those over age 75 were going to get. I had been critical before that the government disenfranchised seniors between the ages of 65 and 75, but I noticed that the mandate letter of the minister says that she is supposed to increase the OAS and the GIS for seniors over 65. Would the member opposite not admit that this recognizes the huge failure of the government, when it disenfranchised seniors between the ages of 65 and 75?

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