1st Parliament, 3rd Session, 12th Sitting

The twelfth Sitting of the third Session of the first Parliament lasted approximately 25 minutes and saw no bills passed. Due to technical difficulties the first five minutes of the sitting were held in the Discord voice chat on the MHoC server as opposed to the regular Google Meet.

## Question Period

### Hon. Brentan Lam MP

Brentan Lam, MP for Carleton, asked 6 questions of the Prime Minister, filling in as Leader of the Official Opposition.

#### **Tuberculosis**

> Mr. Deputy Speaker, so yesterday marked World tuberculosis day - a day to draw awareness about the effects of TB. This is a disease with significant health social and economic consequences. And this year's theme is "The Clock is Ticking, and TB is indeed an urgent matter. And so, can I ask the Prime Minister to help raise awareness to end the stigma and discrimination associated with tuberculosis and does he agree with me that it's a time for Canada and the world without tuberculosis?
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#### **Boil Water Advisories**

> "I thank the Prime Minister for his candid reply, and my next question is - secondly, Canada is blessed with one of the world's largest freshwater reserves the Great Lakes but water shortage lack of access to clean and safe water is still endemic in many First Nation reserves. As of November 2020, 60 water advisories still remain in place, despite the fact that the previous administration had promised to end all of them with the investment of billions of dollars. The United Nations have condemned Canada's mismanagement of water and lack of regulations surrounding its quality. Contaminants found in their water include coliform, *E. coli* and uranium, which its consequences from exposure range from serious, gastrointestinal disorders to increased risk of cancer. We just celebrated World Water Day on Monday, and does the Prime Minister agree that this must be a watershed moment - pun intended - where this administration will introduce new policies and approaches to solve the Water Crisis on reserves once and for all?\*"
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#### **Racism Against People of Asian Descent**

> I'm sure the whole house would join me in extending my sincerest sympathies and condolences to those grieving families of the victims of the Atlanta shooting spree that happened last week. This tragedy is one of too many accounts of anti Asian assaults in North America.  Yes, Canada has its fair share, sadly. What is both saddening is that virtually no substantial support has been given to Asian Canadians. Schools are ill equipped to deal with such issues and there has been a lack of response from the  government to champion Asian pride and culture. We celebrate Black History Month  and International Women's Day in order to recognize the obstacles that exist for many African-Americans and  women in society. And therefore, can I ask the Prime Minister to confirm that he fully recognizes that there is racism against Asians in this country and show his support for the celebration of AAPI Month in May.\*
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#### **Student Debt**

> I again, thank the Prime Minister for his reply. Mr. Deputy Speaker, students up and  down this country share one sentiment: the government is all of talk but no action so far. There has been no moratorium on student debts; students are saddled with the immense amount of interest that come with loans. The previous administration introduced CESB for post-secondary, students who are unable to find a job because of covid-19.  Those students received $1,250 every four weeks for a maximum of 16 weeks from May to August 2020.  Mr. Speaker, can I ask the Prime  Minister whether he intends to bring back CESB to alleviate the burden of  students or will he continue to sit idly by?
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#### **Uighur Genocide**

> Okay, so I'm gonna move on to my next  question, I would like - Mr. Deputy speaker - I would like to draw the Right  Honorable Prime Minister's attention to the atrocities committed against the Uighurs. And I'd like to ask him what he has made of the findings by Newslines Institute on China's breach of the 1948 Genocide Convention laid out by the United Nations? And if he has not, I would be  very happy to direct him to the report. What they found, Mr. Deputy speaker,  was disgusting and horrifying. They found and I quote, "mass internment, forcible sterilization of Uighur women". To put it in the Chinese officials'  words, "to ensure that Uighur women are no longer baby-making machines". Canada cannot turn a blind eye to the massive genocide that is happening right in front of us and we should be equally appalled by what is happening in Xinjiang as what had happened in Auschwitz. Mr. Deputy speaker, will the Prime Minister impose a ban on all products produced by slave labor, and will he say to Xi Jinping, "We're not doing any business with China anymore until you free the Uighurs"?\*
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#### **EU Vaccine Shipments**

> And lastly, I'm sure the prime minister is aware of the EU's threats to stop exports of vaccines into foreign countries. They have threatened the UK of the possibility of banning the AstroZeneca vaccines produced in the Dutch Factory and they have already stopped Italy from exporting a batch of 250,000 vaccines to Australia. What is stopping them to do the same thing to us? The European Union is acting in bad faith, they are choosing a time of international crisis to toy with ideas of protectionism. Can the  Prime Minister use all diplomatic strategies to ensure that our program of vaccinating Canadians will not be delayed by a ban from the EU?
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### Hon. Harry Casteel PC MP

Harry Casteel, MP for Ottawa—Vanier, questioned the Prime Minister on his response to one of Lam's questions.

> Thank you speaker. So I'm continuing on with one of the  topics that the almonds were hurting brought up and which Steve, I don't work wonders, just wanted to and I'm  wondering what adrenal prime. Minister's current intenders are regarding and education in  particularly whether and since from, from what from his response from,  what I gathered, to make your trying  to  Sort of alleviate, the symptoms of  recurrent education system by helping  with student debt.  But everyone doing whether you have  any plans to make further more murder  scientists to get rid of the problem.  As I believe we have discussed a  little bit in the past.\*
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## Statements By Members

### Petitions

#### **Small Business Tax Cuts**

The Honourable Brentan Lam presented a petition to the House from his constituents. It was created by one Jeremy D. Powell, and had 256 signatures.

> WHEREAS:
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* > Governments have shut down small businesses and hit them with heavy costs during Covid-19;
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* > Carbon taxes, payroll taxes, and other taxes are stifling the growth of small start-ups;
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* > Local small businesses form an essential part of the community through supporting charities and providing products and services that locals love
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> We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to relieve small businesses of excessive costs and burden from taxes, and to reimburse them of the excessive financial loss which lockdowns have incurred.
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## Footnotes

\* While we at the wiki do attempt to revise quotations from transcripts, there are times in which we cannot be certain what was said.