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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)

May/3/23 2:51:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as you heard, my colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary for Global Affairs informed this chamber that we will leave all options on the table for any agents who may be engaging in conduct which goes beyond— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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The Speaker

May/3/23 2:51:39 p.m.
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Order, order. The hon. minister can continue.

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Hon. Marco Mendicino

May/3/23 2:52:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, my colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary for Global Affairs, informed this chamber that if any agent representing a foreign government exceeds their lawful authorities and activities here, we will take whatever appropriate steps are necessary. Canada's record in condemning the actions of foreign and hostile actors is universally well known. We will continue to take the steps that are necessary to protect our institutions.

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Mr. Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, CPC)

May/3/23 2:52:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if the minister does not have the honour or dignity to provide a clear answer to a very precise question, then we will need to default to the parliamentary secretary. The Vienna Convention is very clear. Article 9 gives a country the full authority to expel any diplomat it wants. Since Monday, Canadians have been aware that a diplomat from Beijing acted in an unacceptable manner toward an MP. To attack an MP is to attack all MPs and Canadian democracy as a whole. When will the government send him packing?

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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)

May/3/23 2:53:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government is focusing on an issue that affects everyone in the House. That is why we supported the opposition member who works for the community of Wellington—Halton Hills. That is why we created new powers for our intelligence service. That is why we will work around the clock, seven days a week, to protect all MPs in the House and their families so that they can do their work.

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Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)

May/3/23 2:53:48 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, Canada's failure and neglect is so evident in Grassy Narrows First Nation with the decades of mercury poisoning. Governments knew and did nothing, so Chief Turtle and his nation fought back. Three years ago, the Liberals finally announced they would build a mercury treatment centre. Three years later, nothing has been built. It is neglect once more. Grassy Narrows is doing its part. Why are the Liberals continuing to fail Chief Turtle and his nation?

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Hon. Patty Hajdu (Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, Lib.)

May/3/23 2:54:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that what has happened in Grassy Narrows is a national tragedy. In fact, we have to do better to protect waterways across this country from the kind of toxic poisoning that Grassy Narrows now lives with. That is why this government has worked with Grassy Narrows and Chief Turtle to build a recovery centre, but we have to do more to prevent these kinds of tragedies in the future. I will be meeting with Chief Turtle and council this afternoon.

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Mr. Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway, NDP)

May/3/23 2:54:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians pay the third-highest prices in the world for prescription medicines. Since 2015, the Liberals have been promising to lower costs, but failed to deliver. Now officials from Canada's drug price regulator confirm the Minister of Health stopped them from lowering drug prices for Canadians by billions of dollars. Former board member Matthew Herder testified that big pharma knows it can get the minister to do its bidding. Why are the Liberals putting big pharma's profits ahead of Canadians' health?

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Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport, Lib.)

May/3/23 2:55:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government and the Minister of Health appreciate the leadership and contributions of the PMPRB as an independent quasi-judicial body. The minister does not provide direction to the PMPRB and, as stated in section 96(5) of the Patent Act, the PMPRB must consult with various parties, which include the minister, before issuing any new guidelines. In this context, on November 28, 2022, the Minister of Health sent a letter to the PMPRB, which is available online for everybody who would like to see it.

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Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Whitby, Lib.)

May/3/23 2:56:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my question is to the chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs. Yesterday, Conservative MPs in the finance committee held the committee hostage, blocking supports to countless middle-class Canadians. Not only is that shameful, but this obstruction caused our PROC committee meeting to be cancelled. It is at that same committee meeting that we were set to hear from high-level Conservative Party staffer, Jenni Byrne, as part of our study on foreign interference. Does the chair not find this highly suspicious? Will the committee address these avoidance tactics by the Conservatives?

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Hon. Bardish Chagger (Waterloo, Lib.)

May/3/23 2:57:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member for Whitby is correct. It is very concerning that Conservative members are filibustering at finance committee to avoid Jenni Byrne's testimony. It is essential that Canadians be able to have confidence in our democratic institutions, and that is why all parties agreed— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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The Speaker

May/3/23 2:57:37 p.m.
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Order, order. There seems to be some confusion here. I just want to remind the hon. members to just get up when it is their turn to speak, just a few seconds before, maybe five or 10 seconds before. It just makes the job for the Speaker a lot easier, so that we do not have confusion. Please, I know everybody is trying to help each other, but offering advice across the floor is not a good idea. Maybe just help yourselves out. The hon. member for Waterloo, from the top, please.

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Hon. Bardish Chagger

May/3/23 2:58:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member for Whitby is correct. It is very concerning that Conservative members are filibustering at finance committee to avoid Jenni Byrne's testimony. It is essential that Canadians be able to have confidence in our democratic institutions, and that is why all parties agreed to prioritize the study on foreign election interference. Canadians now know that the previous Conservative government knew of foreign interference in our elections. Jenni Byrne served in senior roles to both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party. She was to appear yesterday evening, yet the Conservatives chose, using dirty tricks, to avoid accountability. They say this is a serious matter, but they sure— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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The Speaker

May/3/23 2:58:47 p.m.
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I understand that there may have been something offensive said, but I have no idea what the hell it was, because I could not hear it. I apologize for using unparliamentary language. The hon. member for Brantford—Brant.

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Mr. Larry Brock (Brantford—Brant, CPC)

May/3/23 2:59:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, the public safety minister is misleading the House. He claimed that the RCMP had taken decisive actions to shut down all Beijing-funded police stations, yet contrary to this claim, two Montreal community groups under investigation for holding secret Chinese government police stations say they continue to operate normally, with no closure requests from the RCMP. Why is this minister misleading Canadians? Why would he not shut these stations down?

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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)

May/3/23 3:00:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with respect, it is the quality of that question that betrays the member opposite's understanding of what we do in elected government and what our police agencies do, which is operationally independent. It is astonishing to me that the member opposite does not understand that. The RCMP have been clear that when there have been activities associated with police stations they have taken concrete action. If more pop up, our expectation is that they will do so, backed by the record investments that the government has put into keeping our communities safe.

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Mr. Larry Brock (Brantford—Brant, CPC)

May/3/23 3:00:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our democracy is at stake. The public safety minister looked Canadians in the eyes and claimed that decisive action had been taken to shut all of these stations down. This minister has a significant credibility deficit. He has misled Canadians in the past and continues to do so today. When will the minister finally stand up, prioritize the safety of Canadians, stop mocking the Conservatives and shut these stations down?

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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)

May/3/23 3:01:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we take this issue very seriously, which is why the RCMP have been on top of it, providing public updates to everyone around the actions they are taking to disrupt any foreign interference that may be affiliated with these so-called police stations. Obviously if there are more threats along these lines, our expectation is that they will do so, but they will do so in a manner that is respectful of operational independence. It is quite shocking to me that at this stage in the member opposite's career he does not understand that important democratic principle.

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Mr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, CPC)

May/3/23 3:01:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on our side, we are simply talking about the facts. Fact one: Two months ago, the RCMP announced that there were two police stations being run by Beijing, one in Brossard and one in Montreal. Fact two: The Prime Minister has already clearly stated that he would take any action possible to stop hostile operations in Canada. Fact three: Last Thursday, the Minister of Public Safety stated in committee that the police stations run by Beijing were closed. Why is the Minister of Public Safety misleading Canadians?

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Hon. Marco Mendicino (Minister of Public Safety, Lib.)

May/3/23 3:02:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with respect, my colleague must read the RCMP's updates. The RCMP indicated that it is taking concrete action on activities of the so-called police stations run by Beijing. With the help of our government's investments, it will remain vigilant on this issue.

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