44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 31, 2022 10:00AM
- Mar/31/22 10:13:53 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition on behalf of over 13,500 Canadians.
There was $342 million spent on testing at our borders, yet the Public Health Agency could not verify 30% of them. Canadians want an end to testing and travel restrictions. I agree with them. It is time to end the COVID theatre and let Canadians travel freely.
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- Mar/31/22 10:26:36 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, how quickly my friend has forgotten. It was not that long ago when we had a national election and the leader of the Conservative Party was going to actually keep a carbon tax. He supported a carbon tax. What the Conservative Party of Canada supported was a price on pollution. Not only did the Conservatives promise that, but in part of their platform they were actually going to spend more money than what we were proposing to spend.
Does my friend opposite not realize that, if we are saying one thing during a national campaign, there is a certain expectation that Canadians might believe what we are saying during the election? Now they are taking a flip-flop not on one or two issues but even on a basic understanding of COVID, as the member said regarding getting vaccinated once or twice and getting a booster. It does not mean that we cannot get infected, but what it does is it minimizes the effects. I am wondering if the member could maybe provide his thoughts on being consistent.
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- Mar/31/22 1:02:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, housing is, indeed, top of mind for all Canadians, irrespective of what's happening with COVID and what's happening in the world today. Everybody's hearts and minds are with Ukrainians today and every day as long as this unprovoked illegal aggression is under way.
Housing is top of mind, both from a housing affordability perspective and an affordable housing perspective. I do agree that the underused tax is only one of the many things we have to look at. We introduced a $72-billion national housing strategy and a $4-billion housing accelerator fund. We will be introducing many measures in the coming weeks and months to address the housing issue in Canada right now. It will require steps to be taken at every level of government for us to urgently address this very important issue.
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- Mar/31/22 2:28:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government has always supported scientists and researchers, who have played a crucial role in Canada's progress, including in the fight against COVID-19.
Our investments and programs support world-class science and research across the country. We remain committed to providing the resources needed to ensure that all of our scientists and researchers can deliver to position Canada as a leader in innovation.
We will continue to support a strong science and research ecosystem that reflects the talent of Quebeckers and all Canadians.
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- Mar/31/22 2:32:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us recall a bit of history. Canada entered this crisis in a strong fiscal position, allowing the government to take decisive action to put in place the supports that Canadians needed during the worst health crisis in a century. Our response to COVID was $511 billion invested in the lives, livelihoods, communities and provinces of this country. It kept people in their homes and in their jobs.
While the other side is fighting itself over leadership, we are going to keep fighting for Canadians and affordability every day.
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- Mar/31/22 6:36:51 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has been supporting Canadians. Our goal has been to minimize serious illness and overall deaths with minimal disruption to society. With the recent emergence of the BA.2 variant, we are seeing rising cases and differing levels of severity in regions across the country. This reminds us that COVID-19 is still circulating.
The Public Health Agency of Canada provides guidance and advice on recommended public health measures. This is done at both individual and community levels. The agency's guidance has been informed by scientific evidence, expert opinion and established public health practices. It aims to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of people living in Canada. Across the country, there is variability in how jurisdictions are assessing risks and adjusting approaches. However, we continue to recommend using individual public health measures, such as wearing a mask in indoor public settings, as the COVID-19 situation evolves. We expect recommendations for these measures, of course, to change.
Vaccines and therapeutics continue to be important cornerstones of our pandemic response. We are fortunate that vaccination coverage rates in Canada are high, but there are still more opportunities to enhance our protection.
Vaccine-related requirements and restrictions have helped keep Canadians safe. They have supported safe working conditions and spaces for federal public service workers and travellers on federally regulated transport. They have also been a tool to support vaccine uptake to help prevent serious illness and to help prevent our health care system from becoming overwhelmed.
With vaccines widely available and higher levels of immunity due to prior infection, Canada is in a much stronger position now than we were at the beginning of the pandemic. Our best advantage going forward will be maintaining a state of readiness. This includes all of us keeping our COVID-19 vaccinations up to date and getting a booster dose when eligible. Canadians should also continue to make informed personal choices to protect themselves, their families and their communities based, of course, on their local situations and personal circumstances.
Using individual public health measures in a layered approach and, along with vaccines and therapeutics, results in fewer hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. Provincial and territorial governments and regional local public health authorities will continue to make decisions about when it is necessary to maintain, ease or reinstate public health measures. In doing so, they will consider indicators of readiness, the most recent evidence, the current situation and other factors.
As Canada moves forward with its ongoing pandemic response, a risk- and evidence-based approach will continue to be used across jurisdictions.
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- Mar/31/22 6:51:31 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am here to express again the frustrations of people with disabilities as they continue to wait for a Canada disability benefit act to be tabled in the House. We know they face too many challenges in what is clearly an unequal world. COVID-19 has exacerbated the obstacles people with disabilities face every day, and with the addition of immunity risks, just going out in the community for food or medical appointments is no longer an option for some. The government must act now. It has an obligation to uphold the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and ensure dignity and full equality for all.
Last week, during question period, and again at committee, I asked about the dire financial circumstances that too many people with disabilities are living with. I let the minister know that they feel they have been abandoned by the Liberal government. I ask again for the Canada disability benefit act to come to the House immediately.
In the minister’s response to my question, the disproportionate impact of COVID on people with disabilities was acknowledged. The minister also shared that getting financial relief to them was difficult based on logistical challenges of federal data systems. It is beyond time for the government to do better for the disability community.
Following up on my question last week on the Canada disability benefit act and on eligibility for the imminent tabling of it, the minister spoke of government systems not allowing for the easy identification of persons with disabilities to get them the benefits they need. It was said that persons with a disability are not as easy to identify as seniors and parents are. Why not? The reason appears to be priorities. People with disabilities need to be prioritized. They have waited too long. The fact that they cannot be easily reached to receive income supports needs to be corrected immediately.
The government has the opportunity this tax year to begin to codify persons with disabilities, based on receiving provincial supports as an indicator. This will give the government a head start on administering what I trust is the imminent Canada disability benefit when it becomes law.
Since forming government in 2015, the Liberals have spoken about the importance of lifting people with disabilities out of poverty, yet their actions to delay bringing a CDB bill to the floor and having inadequate information systems to reach potential beneficiaries do not make sense. I am asking today that the parliamentary secretary explain this disconnect. In addition, I ask if the upcoming budget has included the necessary funds to begin a Canada disability benefit to improve the living conditions of persons with disabilities. I would also like to hear from the parliamentary secretary about all the ways that the government plans to finally uphold its commitment to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for full realization of all human rights.
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