SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 104 - Sep/28/22

Mr. Francesco Sorbara (Vaughan—Woodbridge, Lib.)

Sep/28/22 2:54:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the COVID‑19 pandemic has taken a toll on the mental and physical health of public servants and many Canadians. Public servants have nevertheless faithfully served Canadians throughout the pandemic and continue to do so. How is the government working with the unions to strengthen health care supports for public servants?

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Context: House Hansard - 104 - Sep/28/22

Hon. Mary Ng (Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, Lib.)

Sep/28/22 3:16:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, small businesses, particularly restaurants across the country, have seen enormous support from the people in their communities throughout this pandemic, and I thank them for ordering online and for supporting them throughout a very tough time. We have been with them and we have had their backs throughout this pandemic. I want to assure this member and owners of all small businesses and all those restaurants, just like the one I grew up in and worked in, that we have their backs and we will continue to help them through this difficult time.

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Context: House Hansard - 104 - Sep/28/22

Mr. Mark Gerretsen (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Senate), Lib.)

Sep/28/22 7:38:53 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I certainly respect the comments from my colleague, whose riding neighbours my own. I disagree with his assessment of the situation when he characterizes the government as playing politics on this issue. This government has always operated from the position of science and listening to experts, not from the position of listening to politicians rail on for political gain, which unfortunately is what we have seen from this member and, particularly throughout the pandemic, members of the Conservative Party. The reality of the situation is that at every turn, when decisions have been made, whether it has been to remove requirements for mandates or for the ArriveCAN app, it has always been done with the understanding that it was in the best interest of Canadians. It is also important to point out that Canadians, and indeed the federal public service, which includes the members of our Canadian Armed Forces, showed up in large numbers to be vaccinated, and by and large, the vast majority of Canadians were on board with the requirements that were set out by the federal government in conjunction with the expert advice that was given to the government to make those decisions. I agree with the member that members of the armed forces are the best in the world. They come into action and respond to requests at times of need. As somebody who represents a riding that has a base at CFB Kingston, I am witness to that on a daily basis when I am in my riding. It is extremely unfortunate, in my opinion, that this is being characterized by the Conservatives, as it has been doing almost since day one, as an attack on Canadians and as political motivation, when the only objective from the beginning has been to take care of Canadians and protect Canadians so we could get through this pandemic in the best form possible. If one reflects on where Canada is, at every step of this pandemic, we have always been in a better position, especially when we compare ourselves to our neighbours to the south. Per capita, we had fewer fatalities. We had more people become vaccinated. We had more people respect the requirements imposed upon them by the various levels of government. Now we are finally starting to see us get to the end of this pandemic and come out on the other side, and we are a better country because we were able to do that together.

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