Pursuant to Standing Order 79(3), the Speaker read the following message from Her Excellency the Governor General, presented by :
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Message on Estimates
Her Excellency the Governor General transmits to the House of Commons the Supplementary Estimates (B) of sums required for the public service of Canada in the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2021, and in accordance with section 54 of the Constitution Act, 1867, recommends these estimates to the House of Commons.
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laid upon the table, — Document entitled "Supplementary Estimates (B), 2020-21" (USB key included). — Sessional Paper No. 8520-432-02.
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Pursuant to Standing Order 81(5), the Supplementary Estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, were deemed referred to the several standing committees of the House as follows:
Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada, Vote 1b
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Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Votes 1b and 10b
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Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Vote 1b
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Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Vote 1b
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Department of Canadian Heritage, Votes 1b and 5b
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Library and Archives of Canada, Vote 5b
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Department of Citizenship and Immigration, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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Immigration and Refugee Board, Vote 1b
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Department of the Environment, Votes 1b and 10b
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Parks Canada Agency, Vote 1b
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Canada Revenue Agency, Vote 1b
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Department of Finance, Vote 1b
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Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, Vote 1b
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Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Votes 1b, 10b, 20b and L25b
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International Joint Commission (Canadian Section), Vote 1b
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Department of Public Works and Government Services, Vote 1b
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Privy Council Office, Vote 1b
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Shared Services Canada, Votes 1b and 5b
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Treasury Board Secretariat, Votes 1b, 10b, 15b and 20b
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Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Votes 1b and 5b
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Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Votes 1b and 5b
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Department of Health, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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Public Health Agency of Canada, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Vote 1b
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Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization, Vote 1b
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Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Vote 1b
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Department of Employment and Social Development, Votes 1b and 5b
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Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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Department of Indigenous Services, Votes 1b and 10b
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Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Votes 1b and 5b
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Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, Votes 1b and 5b
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Canadian Space Agency, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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Department of Industry, Votes 1b and 10b
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Department of Western Economic Diversification, Votes 1b and 5b
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Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Vote 5b
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Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Votes 1b and 5b
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National Research Council of Canada, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Vote 5b
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Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Vote 5b
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Canadian Human Rights Commission, Vote 1b
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Courts Administration Service, Vote 1b
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Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Vote 1b
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Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada, Vote 1b
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Communications Security Establishment, Vote 1b
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Department of National Defence, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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Canadian Energy Regulator, Vote 1b
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Department of Natural Resources, Votes 1b, 5b and 10b
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House of Commons, Vote 1b
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Leaders' Debates Commission, Vote 1b
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Canada Border Services Agency, Votes 1b and 5b
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Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Vote 1b
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Correctional Service of Canada, Vote 1b
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Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Votes 1b and 5b
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Parole Board of Canada, Vote 1b
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Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Votes 1b and 5b
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Royal Canadian Mounted Police External Review Committee, Vote 1b
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Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, Vote 1b
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Canadian Transportation Agency, Vote 1b
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Department of Transport, Votes 1b, 5b, 10b, 15b and 20b
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Marine Atlantic Inc., Vote 1b
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Office of Infrastructure of Canada, Votes 1b and 10b
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The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited, Vote 1b
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VIA Rail Canada Inc., Vote 1b
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Department of Veterans Affairs, Votes 1b and 5b
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The order was read for the consideration of the business of supply.
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, seconded by , moved, — That the Standing Committee on Health be instructed to undertake a study on the emergency situation facing Canadians in light of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that this study evaluate, review and examine any issues relevant to this situation, such as, but not limited to:
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(a) rapid and at-home testing approvals and procurement process and schedule, and protocol for distribution;
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(b) vaccine development and approvals process, procurement schedules, and protocol for distribution;
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(c) federal public health guidelines and the data being used to inform them for greater clarity on efficacy;
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(d) current long-term care facility COVID-19 protocols as they pertain solely to federal jurisdiction;
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(e) the availability of therapeutics and treatment devices for Canadians diagnosed with COVID-19;
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(f) the early warning system, Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN);
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(g) the government’s progress in evaluating pre- and post-arrival rapid testing for travellers;
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(h) the availability of paid sick leave for those in need, including quarantine and voluntary isolation;
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(i) the adequacy of health transfer payments to the provinces, in light of the COVID-19 crisis;
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(j) the impact of the government’s use of World Heath Organization (WHO) advice in early 2020 to delay the closure of borders and delay in the recommendation of wearing of masks on the spread of COVID-19 in Canada;
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(k) the Public Health Agency of Canada’s communication strategy regarding COVID-19;
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(l) the development, efficacy and use of data related to the government’s COVID Alert application;
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(m) Canada’s level of preparedness to respond to another pandemic;
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(n) the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Canada and a review of Canada’s emergency stockpile of PPE between 2015 and present;
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(o) the government’s contact tracing protocol, including options considered, technology, timelines and resources;
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(p) the government’s consideration of and decision not to invoke the federal Emergencies Act;
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provided that,
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(q) this study begin no later than seven days following the adoption of this motion;
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(r) the committee present its findings to the House upon completion and, notwithstanding Standing Order 109, that the government provide a comprehensive response to these findings within 30 days;
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(s) evidence and documentation received by the committee during its study of the Canadian response to the outbreak of the coronavirus, commenced during the first session of the 43rd Parliament, be taken into consideration by the committee in the current study;
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(t) that each party represented on the committee be entitled to select one witness per one-hour witness panel, and two witnesses per two-hour witness panel;
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(u) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, emails, documents, notes or other records from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, the office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the office of the Minister of Health, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, concerning options, plans and preparations for the GPHIN since January 1, 2018;
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(v) an order of the House do issue for a record of all communications between the government and the WHO in respect of options, plans or preparations for any future operation, or absence thereof, of the GPHIN, since January 1, 2018;
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(w) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, emails, documents, notes and other records from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, the office of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the office of the Minister of Health, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, concerning plans, preparations, approvals and purchasing of COVID-19 testing products including tests, reagents, swabs, laboratory equipment and other material related to tests and testing applications used in the diagnosis of COVID-19, since March 19, 2020;
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(x) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, emails, documents, notes and other records from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Privy Council Office, the office of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the office of the Minister of Health, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada concerning plans, preparations and purchasing of PPE, including gowns, gloves, masks, respirators, ventilators, visors and face shields, since March 19, 2020;
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(y) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, e-mails, documents, notes and other records relating to the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force and its subcommittees;
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(z) an order of the House do issue for all memoranda, e-mails, documents, notes and other records relating to the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution and monitoring strategy, including, but not limited to anticipated timelines for the distribution of an approved COVID-19 vaccine across Canada and the prioritization of population groups for vaccination;
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(aa) all documents issued pursuant to this order (i) be organized by department and be provided to the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel within 15 days of the adoption of this order, (ii) be vetted for matters of personal privacy information, and national security, and, with respect to paragraph (y) only, be additionally vetted for information the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to interfere with contractual or other negotiations between the Government of Canada and a third party, by the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel within seven days of the receipt of the documents, (iii) be laid upon the table by the Speaker, at the next earliest opportunity, once vetted, and permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Health; and
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(bb) within seven days after all documents have been tabled pursuant to paragraph (aa), the Minister of Health, the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry be ordered to appear separately as witnesses before the Standing Committee on Health, for at least three hours each.
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Debate arose thereon.
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