44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 15, 2022 02:00PM
Madam Speaker, the member has such a long track record of service in this place, so I have a very broad question for him, because I know he has a lot of knowledge.
This is a complicated thing to figure out, how to best represent our neighbours, given the geography of Canada and how far spread out we are. Could he expand on the importance of ensuring that from a riding size perspective and a population perspective how that representation is important? We are representing people, but we are also representing territory.
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- Jun/15/22 7:52:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his collaboration on the health committee over the last couple of months. It has been challenging. That said, I would just caution that when we use language like “the vaccines do not prevent transmission and do not prevent this and that,” it limits all of those things. It is very well-founded that the vaccines are very, very good at limiting all of those factors and they have been very effective in keeping our communities safe, as the member well knows. He regularly states in the House, and I am glad that it is true, that his riding is one of the most vaccinated ridings in Canada. I am happy to hear that. That is fantastic.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has been supporting Canadians and the Government of Canada has implemented policies and public health measures to prevent the spread of infection. We have provided access to vaccines to minimize serious illness and death and we have worked hard to preserve health system capacity and reduce transmission to protect high-risk populations.
Just yesterday, as a result of all this good work, the Government of Canada was able to announce that we are suspending the vaccine mandate for federally regulated transportation sectors as well as federal employees.
With better levels of immunity from vaccination, the wider availability of antiviral drugs and lower hospitalization rates, Canada is now better equipped to effectively manage the COVID-19 pandemic and reduce pressure on the health care system.
While the suspension of vaccine mandates reflects an improved public health situation in Canada at this point in time, the COVID-19 virus continues to evolve and circulate in Canada and globally. COVID-19 remains a public health threat and staying up to date with vaccinations, including booster doses, remains the best line of defence against serious illness, hospitalization and death.
Because vaccination rates and virus control in other countries vary significantly, current vaccination requirements at the border will remain in effect. This will reduce the potential impact of international travel on our health care system and serve as an added protection against any future variant.
Vaccination continues to be one of the most effective tools to protect Canadians, including younger Canadians, our health care system, as well as our economy, and, as my colleague mentioned, to prevent lockdowns and to prevent more disruptions to small businesses.
The Public Health Agency of Canada has been providing guidance and advice related to the pandemic for more than two years. The agency will continue to review Canadian and international evidence and data from vaccine manufacturers to support public health decision-makers and program implementation. Additionally, it will work to address barriers to vaccination and improve confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine program through communication efforts.
The public health experts' guidance and advice regarding vaccine mandates was and will continue to be informed by the latest scientific evidence available. Effectiveness, availability and the uptake of vaccines and the evolving domestic and international epidemiological situation, hospital and ICU capacity, long-range modelling, as well as the effectiveness of other public health measures to keep Canadians safe are also taken into consideration.
This pandemic is not over. I think we can all agree on that. Staying up to date with vaccinations, including booster doses, is absolutely critical. The Public Health Agency of Canada is working with provinces, territories, indigenous communities and stakeholders to examine vaccination strategies in both the short and the long term.
While my colleague was asking me the question, I did look up some numbers. In the worst weeks of this pandemic in Canada, we were averaging upward of 200 deaths per day. That is a massive number and a huge tragedy. Today the numbers are lower, thanks to all of the public health measures, and we are averaging 32 deaths a day, based on a seven-day average. This pandemic is clearly not over. If at any other time in our parliamentary careers or in our adulthood, we were experiencing something that causes 30 Canadian deaths a day, I think we could all agree it is of great concern.
A year or two ago, when we started talking about vaccinations, we all agreed in the House that vaccinations should not be a political issue. We all had to work together to ensure that our communities had all of the information necessary. We had a good campaign and I think we all have to recognize that the campaign is not over. We need to work together to keep our communities safe.
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- Jun/15/22 7:58:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's health measures have been and will continue to be based on review, analysis, expert opinion and science. We are going to continue to take into account the evolving scientific evidence related to the virus and its characteristics as well as its epidemiology. We will also consider emerging variants of concern, the value and impact of public health interventions and the impact of vaccination and vaccine effectiveness as we move forward. Again, staying up to date with vaccinations, including booster doses, remains the best line of defence against serious illness, hospitalization and death.
The waves of this pandemic have risen and fallen for more than two years now, and as they rise and fall, we shift our priorities accordingly. We continue to respond to the challenges that we face in the ongoing management of COVID-19.
I thank the member for his conversation tonight.
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- Jun/15/22 8:12:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague and friend for his advocacy for his neighbours. I would also like to thank him for his recent work on his private member's bill on decriminalization. It is so important and I was proud to support it in the way that I could. Let me put it that way. I have a lot of respect for the member and I want to support that work as best as I can.
The member is probably wondering why the parliamentary secretary for health and sport is answering a question about transportation. I am filling in for a colleague tonight. Many will also appreciate that I have spent some time on the water, so maybe I can do it some justice.
This government's overarching goal is to ensure that Canada's transportation system supports our ambitious economic growth and jobs creation agenda. Canadians require a safe, reliable and sustainable transportation system that facilitates trade and the movement of both people and goods.
To advance sustainable growth, Canada's system of Canadian port authorities is responsible for leading infrastructure development on federal port lands. Working at arm's length from the federal government, Canadian port authorities are governed by boards of directors, who are relied upon for setting the strategic direction and managing operations, including securing financing for infrastructure improvements.
Recognizing that global supply chains continue to be disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, labour shortages, the growing impacts of climate and other key factors, it is a priority to ensure that Canadian supply chains are resilient and fluid. Building on the National Supply Chain Summit that was held in late January, the Minister of Transport also created a Supply Chain Task Force which is consulting broadly with industry associations and experts to examine key pressures and make recommendations regarding short-term and long-term actions to strengthen the efficiency, fluidity and resiliency of transportation infrastructure and the reliability of Canada's supply chain.
In addition, the Government of Canada has dedicated considerable funding to Canada's trade and transportation infrastructure through the $4.2-billion national trade corridors fund. As of March 2022, approximately $2.1 billion in funding has been announced for 102 strategic projects across Canada, which are leveraging more than $4.4 billion in total infrastructure investments from private and public partners for air, marine, rail and road projects across every province and territory. Through the national trade corridors fund, the government took immediate action to address current supply chain challenges and launched a dedicated $50-million call for proposals to relieve supply chain congestion at Canadian ports, which were closed in February.
In addition, the government continues to invest to improve Canada's trade corridors through the call for proposals to increase the fluidity of supply chains, which closed at the end of March. Furthermore, the Canada Infrastructure Bank has announced important investments into port infrastructure, including $300 million into the Contrecœur container terminal at the port of Montreal.
The government is investing in Canada to promote rapid and sustainable growth and that is why the government will continue to support Canada's ports.
I thank my hon. colleague for this important conversation.
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- Jun/15/22 8:17:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, like the member, I have important infrastructure projects in my riding as well, including ones for transportation. I can tell him that we have benefited from recent investments and I would be happy to work with the member on future projects in his riding as well.
The Government of Canada is committed to supporting Canada's ports as they are critical for Canada's economic recovery from COVID-19 and beyond. Consequently, the government will continue to invest in infrastructure at Canada's ports.
We look forward to supporting key port infrastructure projects with the additional $1.9 billion that was announced in budget 2022 for the national trade corridors fund. To date, the national trade corridors fund has committed nearly $500 million toward port and marine infrastructure development proposals across Canada to support Canadian trade, which is leveraging more than $1 billion in total investments with public and private partners.
This government has always aimed to invest in Canada to promote strong and sustainable economic growth. Canada's ports will play a key role in achieving this goal in the future and through the proposals they are able to advance under the national trade corridors fund.
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