44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 22, 2022 10:00AM
- Sep/22/22 2:40:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this morning we spoke about how important the temporary measures were during the pandemic. We also talked about the fact that some temporary benefit programs are naturally coming to a close, but that workers will continue to have access to regular benefits.
We look forward to launching our long-term plan to improve the employment insurance system.
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- Sep/22/22 2:47:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the pandemic exposed the flaws in the employment insurance system. The Liberals responded to the emergency with temporary patch jobs while promising real reform someday. Those temporary measures run out on Saturday. On Sunday, thousands of people will be stuck with the old system that does not work. The unemployed deserve respect. Women, part-time seasonal workers and freelancers deserve respect.
Will the Liberals wake up, or will they condemn workers to getting screwed by the old system the Conservative Party leader is such a fan of?
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- Sep/22/22 2:47:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are committed to completely overhauling Canada's employment insurance system. Some temporary benefits programs implemented during the pandemic will indeed come to an end, but regular benefits will continue to be available to workers, as they were before the pandemic.
We are looking forward to announcing our long-term plan. We are looking forward to increasing EI sickness benefits to 26 weeks before the end of December.
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- Sep/22/22 2:57:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, during the pandemic, we worked closely with the Quebec government, Mr. Legault's government, to create a path for the guardian angels.
These refugees worked on the front lines of our public health system. That is just one example of how refugees have made very positive contributions.
At the same time, we will continue to strengthen the integrity of our borders by making investments in additional resources for CBSA and for all police services because, on this side of the House, we believe in a fair and equitable system.
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Madam Speaker, the Minister of Finance has been very open in listening to all members of Parliament on all sides of the House. Over the last three years we have brought in all sorts of programs, whether it is CERB, direct payments for seniors and people with disabilities or support for students. There has been a smorgasbord of all sorts of programs over the last three years and up to today, not to mention the programs prior to the pandemic itself.
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- Sep/22/22 7:36:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week marks one year since the 2021 election and it has been another difficult year for many, with more uncertainty on the horizon. The impacts of the pandemic continue to be felt in our communities. Our health care system is under intense strain and the rising cost of living is adding stress to the daily lives of Canadians.
In the last election the Liberals made a promise to Canadians that they would take steps to improve access to mental health care here in Canada. That is certainly needed as polls have shown that about half of Canadians suffered from worsened mental health since the onset of the pandemic. Unfortunately, too many Canadians are unable to access mental health care when they need it because of long wait-lists or financial barriers. We need a national mental health wait-time strategy to ensure people can access support in a timely way. We need to break down the financial barriers that keep people from getting the care they need.
A cornerstone of the Liberals' promises on mental health was to establish a new permanent transfer to the provinces and territories to expand publicly funded mental health care and address backlogs. Canadians were told that an initial investment of $4.5 billion over five years would be made in this country through the Canada mental health transfer by the Liberals. Here we are a year later with no idea of when this money will get out the door. When the government announced its intention to establish a $10-a-day child care program, there were deals with all the provinces and territories in place within a year. Meanwhile, the Canada mental health transfer was nowhere to be found in the 2022 budget, and there has been no transparency on when this much-needed investment will be made.
That is why I tabled Motion No. 67, to encourage the government to act without delay in creating this transfer and to take the steps needed to ensure mental health is put on an equal footing in our universal public health care system.
I am going to read the text of Motion No. 67, as it reflects what mental health stakeholders have been telling us and calling for. It states:
That
(a) the House recognize that,
(i) Canada is experiencing a mental health and substance use crisis that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,
(ii) too many Canadians are unable to access mental health or substance use supports in a timely manner,
(iii) lack of access to community-based mental health and substance use services increases demands on hospital emergency rooms and primary care providers,
(iv) untreated or inadequately treated mental illness carries significant social and economic costs; and
(b) in the opinion of the House, the government should:
(i) without delay develop legislation that will enshrine in law parity between physical and mental health in Canada’s universal public healthcare system, ensure timely access to evidence-based, culturally appropriate, publicly funded mental health and substance use services beyond hospital and physician settings, recognize the importance of investing in the social determinants of health, mental health promotion, and mental illness prevention, and include national performance standards and accountabilities for mental health and substance use services,
(ii) without delay establish the Canada mental health transfer to sustainably fund the provision of mental health and substance use services and disburse an initial investment of $4.5 billion to the provinces and territories,
(iii) report to Parliament annually on progress towards achieving national performance standards for mental health and substance use services.
As we try to recover from the COVID–19 pandemic and navigate uncertain economic times, mental health cannot wait. Therefore, I ask the government when it will follow through on its promises on mental health and deliver help to Canadians who are struggling.
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- Sep/22/22 7:40:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Courtenay—Alberni for his advocacy and for the opportunity to address the House on what we are doing to support the mental health needs of Canadians.
We know that this pandemic has had a toll on the mental health of Canadians, due in part to the increased isolation, stress, anxiety, depression and loneliness that so many faced during the pandemic. Additionally, COVID-19 has pushed an already stressed health care system to its limits, and it can be a challenge for Canadians to know where to look for help, to find help, to find the right help and to access that help right away.
Right from the start of the pandemic, we have been there for Canadians during these difficult times. We acted right away during the very early days of the pandemic by introducing Wellness Together Canada. The Wellness Together Canada portal has served as an invaluable connection for many Canadians, allowing them to get the help they need even when they could not leave their homes, or to use it as a stepping stone to receive advice on where to find more specialized care.
The Wellness Together Canada portal is convenient and accessible, and it is working. With more than 2.7 million users, we know that this portal is helping to meet Canadians' needs.
Another need that we are addressing is the establishment of a three-digit suicide prevention hotline. As of next fall, on November 30, 2023, Canadians will have access to an easy-to-remember 988 number to call when they are in need.
We also recognize that even more needs to be done.
The Canada mental health transfer is a new permanent federal transfer to the provinces and territories to help governments expand the delivery of high-quality, accessible and free mental health services. Our government pledges to ensure this new permanent transfer is well-crafted. That is why budget 2022 includes a renewed commitment to work with the provinces and territories to develop a mental health transfer.
The Government of Canada also remains committed to funding the transfer with an initial investment of $4.5 billion over five years.
The Minister of Mental Health and Addictions has also undertaken extensive stakeholder outreach to gather views to inform the development of a comprehensive and evidence-based mental health plan. This engagement is ongoing and will also inform the development of the mental health transfer. The mental health transfer will be established with the benefit of input from the ongoing provincial, territorial and stakeholder engagement.
Our government has made historic investments in mental health, including $5 billion to the provinces and territories through ongoing bilateral agreements, which will provide $600 million annually to support the 2017 common statement of principles on shared health priorities. This is currently helping to increase the availability of mental health and addiction supports for Canadians. This existing transfer provides $600 million annually until 2027.
As we have also announced, we plan to work with the Standards Council of Canada to develop national standards for mental health and addiction services to meet the mental health and addiction needs of Canadians. We invested $45 million in this initiative in budget 2021.
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