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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 33

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 17, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 33 - Feb/17/22
Hon. Chrystia Freeland (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:29:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we did take responsibility and we are doing so now. I am calling on all members of Parliament to be accountable to the Canadians who elected them and to take responsibility for Canada's democracy and economy and for protecting the national interest. That is what we are doing and what we will continue to do.
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Mr. Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South, NDP)
  • Feb/17/22 2:30:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the story of this pandemic has been a story of solidarity, of Canadians taking care of one another. However, Canadians are now wondering what the plan is to get out of this pandemic. We know that the plan to get out of this pandemic has to include a science-based approach. We also know it has to include an approach to invest in our health care system. Will the Prime Minister commit to making sure our health care system is never again in fear of collapsing, and that we have an evidence-based plan to move past this pandemic?
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Hon. Chrystia Freeland (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:30:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our country is moving past this pandemic. This is thanks to the hard work and common sense of Canadians, thanks to the fact that 90% of Canadians are vaccinated, and thanks to the heroism of our health care workers and our essential workers. For that reason, Canada has one of the best outcomes in the western world when it comes to mortality rates. Had we had the U.S. level of mortality, an additional 66,000 Canadians would have died. We are getting past the pandemic thanks to Canadians.
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Mr. Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South, NDP)
  • Feb/17/22 2:31:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the story of this pandemic has been a story of solidarity. People across the country took care of one another. However, people are getting frustrated because the pandemic made their problems worse. Folks are having a harder and harder time finding affordable housing and making ends meet. Will the Prime Minister commit to working together to solve these problems people are facing?
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Hon. Chrystia Freeland (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:31:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yes, absolutely. Our government is working hand in hand with municipalities, the provinces and all Canadians to bring about a strong recovery after the COVID‑19 recession. The good news is that Canada's GDP is now back to where it was before COVID‑19, and we have recovered all the lost jobs. We have work to do, and we will do it together.
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Mrs. Dominique Vien (Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, CPC)
  • Feb/17/22 2:32:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister cannot justify the invocation of the Emergencies Act. He cannot tell us what tools he used and what steps he took before deciding to use this extraordinary piece of legislation. He can hardly criticize us for seeing this as a ploy to cover up his failure to act, his lack of leadership and his negligence. I want to give him another chance to enlighten us. What steps and measures has he taken over the past three weeks that have failed so badly that they warrant invoking the Emergencies Act?
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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:33:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question. The government is learning a lot from concrete actions that have been taken since the illegal blockades began. For instance, the government has offered additional resources to police forces, which is making a difference. However, at the same time, the blockades have caused the police a great deal of frustration. That is one of the reasons why we invoked the Emergencies Act. We will continue to provide police services with all the tools they need.
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Mrs. Dominique Vien (Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, CPC)
  • Feb/17/22 2:33:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec and other provinces have the situation under control without using the Emergencies Act. In fact, they do not want it. The Prime Minister has been warned. Will this Prime Minister, who listens only to himself and is introducing emergency legislation without consulting anyone, respect the wishes of the provinces not to have this legislation enforced in their jurisdiction, as is the case for Quebec?
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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:34:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the short answer is yes. We have consulted with all the provinces and territories. The Emergencies Act is being enforced in co-operation with all the provinces. That is how it works. Our duty is to continue working with the provinces and territories, as well as with municipalities and police forces, to end this blockade. It is time to leave now.
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Mr. Alain Rayes (Richmond—Arthabaska, CPC)
  • Feb/17/22 2:34:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for three weeks, the Prime Minister did nothing. He added fuel to the fire by provoking the protesters. He even hid in his cottage during this crisis. Now he is invoking the Emergencies Act to improve his image. Unlike the Liberals, the provinces have acted and are managing the situation in a responsible and peaceful manner. Will the Prime Minister confirm that he will not use the emergency powers against Quebec and other provinces in Canada that are opposed to them?
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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:35:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, police services have been working hard and spending a lot of energy to de-escalate the situation on the ground. For example, today there is a dialogue between the police and the blockaders to encourage them to leave now. This is the most effective solution, and the government will continue to provide all the resources and tools that the police need.
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Mr. Alain Rayes (Richmond—Arthabaska, CPC)
  • Feb/17/22 2:36:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the provinces demonstrated leadership in managing the situation. That is what the Liberals lack. The Prime Minister has invoked the Emergencies Act to offload his responsibility for a crisis that he himself fuelled by stigmatizing the protesters who are here in Ottawa. This Prime Minister wants to manage the border between Ukraine and Russia, but he is not even capable of managing the street in front of Parliament. That is the reality.
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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:36:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with all due respect for my colleague, there is no justification for these illegal blockades. The debates in the House on the pandemic are very important, but the way these blockades are being held in Ottawa or at the border is unacceptable. That is why we invoked the Emergencies Act: to help police end these blockades.
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Mrs. Karen Vecchio (Elgin—Middlesex—London, CPC)
  • Feb/17/22 2:37:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the lack of action from the government has resulted in the reaction to end the protests and blockades by invoking the Emergencies Act. It is the most reactive step taken to date. Canadians are looking for hope and for a plan. The government decided to vote against having a plan. What proactive steps did the Prime Minister actually take prior to putting in these restrictions?
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Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:37:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course we have been clear about being there every step of the way to support law enforcement as this situation has continued. It is important to reflect on the steps the Conservative Party has taken during this process, starting with the interim leader, who said, “I don’t think we should be asking [these people] to go home”, inferring that the Conservatives should take this as a political opportunity. There is the member for Carleton, who is a leadership aspirant, saying that he stands with the illegal activity occurring outside and that we should “Keep the momentum going.” Of course, this continues with the members for Yorkton—Melville, Saskatoon—Grasswood and Cypress Hills—Grasslands. Again and again and again, they encourage the—
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The Speaker
  • Feb/17/22 2:38:34 p.m.
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The hon. member for Elgin—Middlesex—London.
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Mrs. Karen Vecchio (Elgin—Middlesex—London, CPC)
  • Feb/17/22 2:38:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, perhaps the House leader did not understand. What I am looking for is an answer to the question about the plans and what this Prime Minister has actually done. Step one, he stigmatized, traumatized and divided Canadians, just as the House leader is doing today. Step two, he hid in a cottage. He did not react. When things were going on, we did not hear from the Prime Minister. Step three, he whipped his caucus, where every single member, with the exception of one, voted against a plan. This leadership has failed. It has failed. What actions did the Prime Minister actually take prior to putting in these restrictions?
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Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:39:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every one of us walks through what is going on outside every day. We see the residents of Ottawa being terrorized by this illegal occupation that is occurring. Will the members opposite stand today, every single one of them, and clearly say that it is time to go home? Will they stand, every single one of them, and stop tweeting, stop encouraging and stop saying things like “Keep the momentum going”? Instead, will they ask those folks outside to go home, to make sure that this illegal activity is not something that their party, a party that is supposed to stand for law and order, stands with?
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Ms. Kristina Michaud (Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ)
  • Feb/17/22 2:40:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly is unanimous: Quebec does not want the Emergencies Act. Even though the Prime Minister said that his order would be geographically targeted, we see that it covers all of Canada. It applies not only to Quebec, but also to Quebec infrastructure such as hospitals, dams and vaccination centres. There is no crisis in Quebec, as evidenced by the fact that the SQ is helping in Ontario. On what basis does the Prime Minister believe it is necessary to suspend fundamental freedoms in Quebec just because he has lost control of the siege in Ottawa?
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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)
  • Feb/17/22 2:40:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that is not how the act works. The Emergencies Act was introduced with all the protections in the charter. All the powers, all the authorities and all the measures included in the declaration will apply in a manner that is consistent with the charter.
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