44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 2, 2022 11:00AM
- May/2/22 2:53:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his collaboration on the health committee. I would like to acknowledge that he has served for many years not only in the Canadian Armed Forces, but also as a family doctor. He knows that today we know more about COVID‑19 than ever before and are in a very different place than we were two years ago. We have safe and effective vaccines and a highly vaccinated population. We also have new treatments that can help patients from getting seriously ill.
Our government will keep making decisions, as we have been over the past couple of weeks. It would be nice if the Conservatives would acknowledge that things have been changing over these last couple of weeks. We will continue to adjust our advice and public health measures based on the evolution of this virus.
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- May/2/22 2:54:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are in a different place, but there are nearly four million Canadians whose charter rights are still being violated. They cannot leave or enter the country and cannot even travel domestically, even though all of the provinces have lifted their vaccine mandates. They are being prevented from visiting relatives, who in some cases are dying.
Will the transport minister admit that vaccinated and unvaccinated people can both get and transmit COVID and that there is no longer any justification for violating the charter rights of Canadians?
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- May/2/22 2:54:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the last two years have been very difficult on Canadians. We have had lockdowns. We have had public health measures. People lost their jobs because of the uncertainty of the pandemic. Governments around the world, provincial governments and municipal governments were all grappling with doing the right things to protect the health and safety of Canadians. Many decisions included vaccination mandates and other public health measures. We are seeing that our government and other governments are slowly adjusting these measures. We will continue to consult our experts as we review those decisions.
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- May/2/22 2:55:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are two years in and the testing of incoming international travellers is creating significant bottlenecks at Canadian airports. Many Canadians still cannot travel. The public servants who could be working from home to clear the current government's backlog on just about every single service it offers have been cast aside.
The ideological crusade of the government is having an impact on our reputation. When will it admit that it got it wrong and lift the ineffective and now obviously vindictive federal mandates?
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- May/2/22 2:55:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Conservative Party does not agree with our government's decisions when it comes to public health measures. However, talking down vaccines and public health measures is not a wise thing to do to bring Canadians along. We can debate the need for those measures, but calling them vindictive is unwise. I call on my hon. colleague to realize that we are doing everything we can to protect the health and safety of Canadians. If the Conservatives disagree with us, they can argue that with the health experts.
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- May/2/22 2:56:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is the same thing every spring.
Just as predictable as the return of warm weather is the return of federal delays in processing temporary foreign workers. Once again, the same farmers must pay for the same market studies. Once again, the arrival of workers is delayed and farmers are afraid they will miss their chance to harvest their crops.
As Albert Einstein said, insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. When will Ottawa finally put an end to this tradition of failure and transfer the program to Quebec?
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- May/2/22 2:57:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that immigration is vital to fighting the labour shortage. IRCC is prioritizing work permit processing for in-demand occupations in industries such as health, agriculture, food and seafood production.
In the first quarter of 2022, we processed more than 100,000 applications for work permits. That is nearly double the number of work permits processed in the same period last year.
We will continue to ensure that Canadian employers have access to the workers they need to ensure the economic recovery of Canada and Quebec.
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- May/2/22 2:57:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois has proposed plenty of possible solutions.
At the very least, the federal government could eliminate the requirement for the same market impact assessments every year when everyone knows there is a labour shortage. It could speed up foreign workers' arrival in Canada by collecting their biometrics here. It could deal with their work permits once they arrive in the country.
There are plenty of things that the government could do, but it refuses to do better. Since it is refusing to take care of temporary foreign workers, why not let Quebec take on that responsibility?
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- May/2/22 2:58:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that the temporary foreign worker program is vital to the Canadian economy.
Employers should be able to get decisions regarding workers' contracts. That is why we are taking additional measures to address the labour shortage.
We are moving the cap on low-wage positions for employers in seasonal industries. We are extending LMIA validity from nine to 18 months, and we are expanding flexibility for LMIA applications in low-wage occupations. We are also increasing the maximum employment duration for high-wage and global talent streams from two to three years. We will continue collaborating with employers to ensure—
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- May/2/22 2:59:27 p.m.
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The hon. member for Beauce.
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- May/2/22 2:59:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this government has pulled off a hat trick, managing to destroy a trifecta of services: immigration, employment insurance and passports. Everything is a complete disaster.
My constituents are sick of sitting on hold or waiting weeks, or even months, to get answers from the officers handling their files.
Did the government not anticipate a surge in passport renewal applications after two full years of no travel? This government is always in reaction mode. When will it take action and reduce wait times for passport renewals?
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- May/2/22 3:00:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As I told the House, we are seeing an incredible increase in demand for passports.
That being said, Service Canada is working very hard to ensure that Canadians get their passports before their travel date. Just this past weekend, we opened 12 Passport Canada and Service Canada centres on Saturday to help process passport applications.
Our employees are working at night and on the weekends to make sure that Canadians get their passports on time.
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- May/2/22 3:00:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am not looking to stir up trouble, given that I am not a member of the Bloc, but the majority of Canadians are starting to return to in-person work after two years of a pandemic.
However, certain federal workplaces are still largely shuttered, and Passport Canada is no exception. Visits are by appointment only, but if anyone wants to make an appointment, they had better be ready to spend hours on the phone.
Canadians deserve better service. How is it possible that we members can work on site, when that is not the case at a Passport Canada office?
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- May/2/22 3:01:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have good news. Passport Canada and Service Canada will be opening nearly all of their service centres this week.
We have spoken with unions and the employees, who are already working long hours, even at home, for the specific purpose of serving Canadians. We know that it is important because there are many people who want to travel right now. Services will be available in offices across the country.
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- May/2/22 3:02:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, poor planning has resulted in unacceptable wait times for Canadians to get a passport. The Liberal government is profiting from Canadians' desire to travel yet offering less service. It knew this need was coming yet clearly was not prepared, and now Canadians are paying the price. Passport Canada is charging a $45 transfer fee, plus an additional $110 fast processing fee. All these unnecessary processing fees are making a 10-year adult passport $315 instead of $160.
Why are Canadians paying for the Liberals' inability to plan?
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- May/2/22 3:02:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I have said numerous times in the House, we are experiencing an incredible increase in demand. For the past two years, many Canadians followed the advice of government and did not travel. Now they are looking forward to travelling again, and therefore there is a big increase in demand.
That being said, Service Canada and Passport Canada are doing everything they can to meet this unprecedented surge in demand. Just this past weekend, we opened 12 centres on Saturday to assist. Passport officers are working day, night and on the weekends to meet the demand. We will continue to provide the best service possible that we can to Canadians, understanding the—
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- May/2/22 3:03:21 p.m.
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The hon. member for Fredericton.
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- May/2/22 3:03:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, eliminating all remaining long-term drinking water advisories on reserve is a priority for the government. To accomplish this long-awaited aspiration, it is indispensable that first nations communities need to access reliable funding for their water and waste-water services over long periods of time.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services inform the House on how the government is working in partnership with first nations at every step of the way to ensure sustainable access to clean drinking water in first nations communities, specifically in Atlantic Canada, a territory governed by the peace and friendship treaties?
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- May/2/22 3:03:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, access to clean drinking water is fundamental. That is why budget 2022 will provide $173.2 million to support the transfer of services in 17 communities to the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority. Recently, Chief Ross Perley stated, “It gives us self-determination on drinking water”.
We will continue to work with all communities to find and support indigenous-led solutions to strengthen water management on reserve.
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- May/2/22 3:04:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this year's budget raises more questions for Canada's wine industry than it answers. Last year's budget dedicated $101 million over two years in support of a trade legal excise exemption replacement program, an amount the industry says falls way short of what it needs. This year's budget now forecasts the government generating $135 million over that same two-year period.
Where is that extra $34 million in forecasted revenue going? Will it be given back to the wine industry to support its needs? Which is it? You promised to make them whole. Will you do so?
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