44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 17, 2022 10:00AM
- Jun/17/22 11:22:42 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, as the hon. member and many Canadians know, after two years of travel restrictions in this pandemic there is an unprecedented backlog of applications both in Canada and around the world. This has led to delays in processing and issuance, but the minister has been adamant with the department to address the situation and improve service and we continue to do so on a day-to-day basis because the situation is not acceptable. Canadians need their documents. We will keep Canadians informed about additional measures as we take them, and encourage people to plan ahead to ensure they have passports planned before booking. I would like to also emphasize that those who—
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- Jun/17/22 11:44:00 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is accusing us of serving up the same lines. Would he have us add fuel to the fire and spend billions of dollars at a time when inflation is the issue?
We already spent $300 billion during the pandemic to help Canadians. Now is not the time to spend more. Yesterday was simply an opportunity for us to explain the support measures we put in place in the April budget that are there to help Canadians this year.
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- Jun/17/22 11:55:34 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, after stridently defending it, the government has suspended the vaccine requirements to travel domestically or outbound internationally. Provinces have acted to lift COVID-related mandates, citing high vaccine rates, reduced hospitalizations and lower COVID case counts. Even Liberal caucus members want all federal pandemic restrictions lifted.
The Prime Minister's Office is acting alone, and using these mandates as political weapon of choice. When will the Prime Minister put an end to divisive mandates that do not follow the science?
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- Jun/17/22 11:56:13 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, on this side of the House, we agree that Canadians want to get back to normal, and we all want to get back to normal but we have to be honest. The COVID pandemic is not over yet.
At every step, we have adapted our COVID-19 measures based on the current situation. This week, we were able to announce that we are lifting the travel mandates. We are pausing them because this pandemic is not over. Because of our strong vaccine rates, we are able to relax some of those requirements, but Canadians continue to die from COVID-19 and we cannot take our foot off the brake just yet.
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- Jun/17/22 11:57:23 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, this pandemic continues to highlight the challenges in long-term care, including gaps in infection prevention and staffing.
I have personally seen these challenges on the front lines as a nurse. Our government has made significant investments, including $4 billion to provinces and territories, to improve the standard of care in those facilities. I would like to remind the member opposite that her party voted against the measure when we put it in the fall economic statement. There was $41.9 billion in cash support for provinces and territories through the Canada health transfers.
We will keep working with provinces and territories so that we can continue to fight this pandemic and ensure that seniors in long-term care have the supports they need.
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- Jun/17/22 12:01:13 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, my question is for the public safety minister. Just before the pandemic, I met with his predecessor on the subject of placing defibrillators in every RCMP cruiser. He agreed with me that this would save 300 lives per year, and he expressed personal pride at the fact that earlier in his career he had placed defibrillators in every city of Toronto police cruiser.
Could the current minister advise the House as to whether RCMP cruisers have been receiving defibrillators since the time of this conversation?
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- Jun/17/22 12:05:10 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, one in three Canadians say that their mental health got worse due to the pandemic.
While many Canadians struggle with mental health issues, certain groups in Canada have been disproportionately affected.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions inform the House of the announcement she made with the Red Cross regarding the work of community-based organizations across the country?
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- Jun/17/22 12:05:44 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her important question. This allows me to reaffirm that good mental health will always be a priority to our government.
This funding will not only help enhance resilience in communities across Canada but also support those whose mental health has been most affected by the pandemic.
Yesterday, I was pleased to announce that our government will provide $10 million in funding to the Canadian Red Cross for mental health programs and support as we work to build a resilient recovery. The funding announced yesterday is part of the $100‑million investment provided in budget 2021 to support populations disproportionately affected by the COVID‑19 pandemic.
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-293, An Act respecting pandemic prevention and preparedness.
He said: Madam Speaker, I am introducing the pandemic prevention and preparedness act because the last two years have been impossibly hard for all of us. The costs of prevention and preparedness are insignificant in comparison with the significant human and economic costs of a pandemic. The purpose of this act is to prevent the risk of, and prepare for, future pandemics and to promote transparency and accountability toward that goal.
Specifically, the bill would require the health minister to collaborate with other ministers, other levels of government and indigenous communities to develop a pandemic prevention and preparedness plan and table an updated plan in Parliament on a regular basis. There are factors that the minister would have to consider in the course of that plan, and those factors are informed by UNEP, IPIS, the independent panel and other experts. The minister would also have to establish an advisory committee to review and learn the lessons of our COVID response, and appoint a national pandemic prevention and preparedness coordinator.
We need to do all that we can to prevent and prepare for future pandemics, and this bill would ensure that this obligation remains in focus for any future government in the years ahead.
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- Jun/17/22 12:26:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions.
The first is on long-term care. I rise to present this petition on behalf of Canadians who are concerned about conditions in for-profit long-term care, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The petitioners are calling on the government to research and support alternative and co-operative models of care. They are asking the government to consult and identify the types of multi-stakeholder co-ops that would ensure quality care, and to implement this new model of care within 24 months of research completion.
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