Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.

On June 14, 2021, Alice Wong gave the second part of her speech in the House of Commons on third reading of Bill C-30 (the 2021 Budget Implementation Act).

The following is a transcript:

The House resumed from June 11 consideration of Bill C-30, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on April 19, 2021 and other measures, as reported (with amendments) from the committee, and of Motion No. 2.

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to rise again to talk about this very important bill.

I had the privilege to serve as the Minister of State for Seniors for four years in the Harper government. In the ensuing days, my passion for being an advocate and champion of the golden generation has not waned. Indeed, in the last months of the previous Parliament, the House unanimously passed my motion, Motion No. 203, calling for action on fraud against seniors, which is a form of elder abuse. June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, so it is perfect timing that I am speaking to this very important issue.

Unfortunately, little has been done since my motion passed. For example, in the Lower Mainland, there has been a wave of scammers and thieves targeting seniors through phone calls or emails and taking advantage of those with weaker digital literacy. People of all ages are locked out of their Canada Revenue Agency accounts. Calls on the government to take further steps to address the systemic increase in elder abuse have once again fallen on deaf ears.

Of course, let us not forget those who take the time out of their day to provide support and aid not just to seniors, but to anyone who is struggling to meet the basics of everyday life. They are the informal and unpaid caregivers. Caring for the caregivers must be a central plank of any government steps to address a post-COVID-19 recovery. Unfortunately, there is little support for them in the budget.

In conclusion, the way forward needs to be treated through a reasonable, responsible, fiscally sound approach that spends Canadian tax dollars in a way that will best help Canada weather the fiscal storm on the horizon while also caring for the most vulnerable citizens. Moving forward, the government should seriously consider these urgent needs.

I am happy to take any questions.

Ms. Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre, NDP):
Madam Speaker, one of my concerns certainly has been the lack of support for seniors since the pandemic began. Could the member comment further on that?

Hon. Alice Wong:
Madam Speaker, because of COVID, a lot of seniors have been left alone and have not been able to seek assistance. Also, as I mentioned in my speech, a lot of fraud has been committed against them. Protecting seniors against all forms of elder abuse, including physical, mental and financial abuse, is very important. That is exactly what everybody should be doing, but I am afraid the government has done little or close to nothing about it.

On June 11, 2021, Alice Wong gave a speech in the House of Commons on third reading of Bill C-30 (the 2021 Budget Implementation Act). The speech was partially completed before the House had to pause for private members’ business.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the budget implementation bill and give some thoughts about the budget. The document itself, as tabled by the Minister of Finance, was 725 pages long. It is the largest budget document in federal history. Unfortunately, quantity does not necessarily mean quality.

In terms of quantity, we have record spending and deficits. This fiscal year and the last fiscal year are ranked one and two, and both contain the largest amount of spending and the largest deficits in recorded Canadian history. It is not even close to the third-highest deficit. The current deficit that will have to be paid by Canadians will total over half a trillion dollars. That is just for the last two years. There is surely more to come. If we write on a piece of paper the number 5 followed by 11 zeros, that is nearly the amount of accumulated deficit incurred since Confederation. We are far from where we were when the Prime Minister promised “a modest short-term deficit” six years ago.

Canadians will be paying for this spending for decades. Since all of the spending comes from borrowed money, we will also be paying interest. We are not paying off the debt today, but its effects will drag on our economy like an anchor weighing down a swimmer in the ocean.

Right now, interest rates are being held low. The Bank of Canada is purchasing government debt off the open market, which puts downward pressure on interest rates. This allows the government to borrow and spend, but this is impacting the lives of everyday people in my riding of Richmond Centre.

Consequently, the price of everything is increasing. Indeed, with easy credit due to low interest rates, the prices of real estate have skyrocketed. Young constituents of mine cannot afford a place to live, while older folks are sitting on a windfall. Rents are getting higher because landlords must afford to finance and pay back higher and higher levels of debt. Unaffordability of places to live is one of the consequences of huge government deficits.

Higher prices are also seen in everything else, ranging from food to gasoline, services, and the list goes on. Disruptions in supply chains due to COVID-19 are not helping. Everybody at street level can see this happening. Prices were bound to rise, but the government’s fiscal policy is making things a lot worse than they should be.

I do concede the point that last year in March, we knew a lot less about COVID-19 than we do today. Governments around the world reacted in different manners, but most were consistent in providing emergency supports to the population while we figured things out.

Beyond that, there was no excuse for what we have seen out of the government over the past half-year or so. The Liberal government has been very slow to bring us back on the path to recovery. Nothing illustrates this more than the snail pace of COVID-19 vaccinations that we have seen. Hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars were wasted in this initial effort.

We should be a first-world nation with first-world results, but instead the Liberal government has been lagging badly. Most Canadians at this point, including myself, are in the category of receiving a partial vaccination. Compared to our fully vaccinated friends down south in the U.S. and compared to countries like Israel, we have underperformed. This will cost us, and we see it in the budget today.

We see plenty of media out there showing obvious evidence that things are heading back to normal in places outside of Canada. People are attending sporting events, socializing and exercising without having to wear masks. Indeed, we are seeing hints of that occurring today from our provincial governments. However, people remember the initial promise of the federal Liberals when they said it would take two weeks to flatten the curve, which did not turn out as expected at all.

With this uncertainty, why would anybody want to make preparations for a recovery that may or may not occur? The rug has already been pulled from the floors of the restaurant industry in British Columbia, twice, with incredibly short notice.

My point is that the government’s failed response to the COVID-19 vaccinations has directly resulted in the necessity of additional emergency spending support. Tens, if not hundreds of billions of dollars would not have had to be spent had we seen one the leaders rather than a laggard in our COVID-19 response.

However, the current Liberal government has made so many missteps that will slow down this road map. The slowness of our government’s COVID response has also caused distortion in the labour market. I speak to businesses that cannot find employees because government benefits are competing with them, competing with businesses that want to hire. Going back to my original point about costs, it means the cost of labour is rising and this results in increased prices for everything. The volatile economic climate caused by the government’s missteps is stalling our recovery.

At least before COVID-19, Richmond was home to a vibrant tourism sector. Today, we have travel centres and tourism-sensitive areas of the economy that are completely shut down. We need to create an environment that would get this sector back to where it was. We support tourism, but not virtualism. This is what I have been telling people here in Richmond.

While nearly every industry from coast to coast to coast has felt the negative effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the hospitality and tourism industries have been especially hard hit, from international border closures, to provincial border regulations and stay-at-home orders, the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of Canadians, either directly the in tourism hospitality industry or in an adjacent field, have been hammered by COVID-19.

I have heard from countless constituents who work for airlines, the travel infrastructure, hospitality and in the tourism industry and they have all told me the same thing: “we need help”.

I want to take this opportunity to express my thanks to my colleagues from Niagara Falls as well as Durham for their efforts in bringing the voices of those in the tourism industry to parliamentarians and to this place to be heard, and indeed, they were heard.

Richmond Centre is also home to the YVR airport and to many great aerospace firms that operate and maintain our airlines, airplanes and helicopters. The budget funding needs to be implemented in conjunction with an aerospace strategy that allows us to compete in the global marketplace.

The final area I want to touch on is one which is extremely close to my heart. For a number of years, I was very fortunate to be able to serve not just Richmond, but Canadians from coast to coast—

The Deputy Speaker:
We have finished the time allocated for Government Orders for this afternoon. The hon. member for Richmond Centre will have two minutes remaining in her time and then the usual five minutes for questions and comments when the House gets back to debate on the motion.

It being 1:30 p.m., the House will proceed to the consideration of Private Members’ Business as listed on today’s Order Paper.

On June 10, 2021, Alice Wong asked a question in the House of Commons regarding the shootings in front of the YVR terminal in Richmond.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, last month, a man was murdered in broad daylight outside of YVR. We have since learned that the victim had ties to gangs. Following the shooting, I, along with my colleague from Steveston—Richmond East, asked the minister what steps he would be taking.

Instead of targeting legal, law-abiding firearm owners, when will the Liberal government take action against dangerous and violent gangland slayings taking place on the streets of Richmond and in other communities across Canada?

Hon. Bill Blair (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for the opportunity to remind this House that we have promised Canadians that we will strengthen gun control in this country, while of course the Conservatives have promised to weaken it.

I would also point out to the member opposite that we actually provided $327 million to the provinces and territories to support law enforcement efforts to do gun and gang investigations, including in her community. She voted against that funding. We are also making monies available for communities to invest in kids and in families in order to prevent this gun violence. Again, the member opposite voted against this.

Our communities need more than tough talk. They need the support we are providing.

On May 26, 2021, Alice Wong gave a statement in the House of Commons in memorial of the passing of Johnson Su-Sing Chow.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour a well-respected, world-renowned Chinese Canadian artist, Professor Johnson Su-sing Chow, who contributed significantly to the cultural fabric of Canada. He just passed away at the age of 98.

I have known Professor Chow for many years. In fact, his calligraphy of a Chinese classical piece on governance is still hanging in my office as a constant reminder of his kindness, talents and humbleness.

As the founder of the Chinese Canadian Artists Federation and a dedicated educator at UBC and overseas, he donated generously his artwork to many charities.

Professor Chow’s passion in the classics, calligraphy and landscape won him many awards.

He once said, “Since I moved to Canada [in 1980]…I refuse to do anything else such as making a fortune. My aspiration for life is to promote the traditional Chinese art and culture to the world.”

Our condolences to Frank, Jackie and the Chow family. Professor Chow will be greatly missed.

On May 11, 2021, Alice Wong asked a question in the House of Commons regarding the shootings in front of the YVR terminal in Richmond.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, in my home riding of Richmond Centre, on the front steps of the domestic terminal at the YVR airport, a 28-year-old was gunned down. All major roads leading out of Richmond were then shut down and the roads were jammed for miles in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the getaway vehicle, which was later found burned. At least as of this morning, the multiple shooters had not been arrested.

The RCMP confirmed that this was related to an ongoing gang conflict. When will the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness prioritize action against truly violent crimes?

Hon. Bill Blair (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to remind this member that when we made available $327 million to the RCMP and provincial and municipal police services across the country to tackle gun violence, she voted against it. I will also say that we have been in contact with the police of jurisdiction with respect to the recent spike in gun violence. I spoke recently to the Solicitor General in British Columbia. We are committed to working together to continue to address the incidents of gun and gang violence taking place in British Columbia. We are also making significant investments, particularly in the community in the lower mainland, to invest in community organizations that help kids make better choices with respect to gun violence.

On May 11, 2021, Alice Wong gave a statement in the House of Commons in memorial of the passing of Ambrose Won-Chul Choi.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, this past week, greater Vancouver lost a pillar of its community. Ambrose Won-Chul Choi and his family immigrated to Canada in 2004 and started their family business. After years of hard work, Ambrose Holdings Canada became a successful exporting company and started to give back to the community.

The Ambrose and Matilda charity concerts have raised funds to benefit hospital foundations, homeless shelters and numerous charities. They have also touched many hearts in my riding of Richmond Centre. I was there during Veterans’ Week last year at a special concert they coordinated at YVR to honour the veterans and to thank the frontline people at the airport. To cheer the medical staff of the Richmond Hospital, the Richmond Food Bank and children with disabilities, they delivered to them boxes of chocolates, the locally made Matilda’s chocolates.

Ambrose, a proud Canadian of Korean descent, suffered a heart attack and is now with the Lord. To Matilda, Eric and Alex, I thank them for sharing with us their beloved husband and father. He will surely be missed.

On May 7, 2021, Alice Wong asked a question in the House of Commons regarding the availability of COVID-19 vaccinations.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, in the middle of the largest global health crisis seen in over a century, seniors need more than a token benefits increase. What seniors really need are vaccinations so that they can enjoy the rest of their years secure from COVID-19.

Countries such as Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore are beating Canada to vaccinate their people. When will the Minister of Health account for her failure to bring wide distribution of vaccines?

Hon. Anita Anand (Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the supply of vaccines coming into this country is such that Canada ranks in the top three or four countries in the world for vaccine administration. We have had 18.4 million doses delivered to Canada. The provinces and territories have administered 15 million doses, and 36% of Canadians have had one dose. Those numbers are increasing rapidly because of the continuous supply of vaccines coming into this country, which are serving all demographic groups, including our seniors.

On April 23, 2021, Alice Wong asked a question in the House of Commons regarding the tourism industry.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):

Madam Speaker, this past weekend Richmond lost another small business. After nearly 50 years of faithful service to the community, Hanson Travel was forced to permanently close its doors due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, Mr. Lau is not alone. I have heard time and again from struggling businesses in Richmond that the government needs to take steps to help support Canadians in the air travel industry, including travel agents.

When will the government finally take real action to support our tourism industry?

Hon. Mélanie Joly (Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, Lib.):

Madam Speaker, obviously we know that tourism operators and travel agencies have gone through difficult times. That being said, we have been there for them since the beginning and there is also good news for them in the budget. I hope my colleague will share the good news about the $1 billion to support the tourism sector, making sure businesses have access to the wage subsidy and rent relief programs until September, as well as a lot of support through the regional development agency. There will be a new one in British Columbia, so that is also good news for tourism operators in her home province.

On April 13, 2021, Alice Wong gave a statement in the House of Commons on the topic of the Richmond Community.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, COVID-19 has caused an unspeakable amount of suffering and I offer my sympathies to those who have been affected. We tend to dwell on the negatives, but instead let us reflect on the positives.

My home city of Richmond has consistently posted the lowest per capita COVID case numbers in Metro Vancouver. However, the numbers do not tell the whole story. The story is truly about the vast majority of Richmondites taking responsibility for their health and keeping safe while continuing to function during this terrible pandemic.

Anxiety in these times is high, but we are resilient, adaptive and considerate of others. This speaks to our community as we weather the COVID storm. Just like all storms, this one will pass and Richmond will lead the way.

On March 8, 2021, Alice Wong asked a question in the House of Commons on the treatment of women in government-sanctioned quarantine facilities.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, today is International Women’s Day, the day we should be celebrating the achievements of women across Canada. Instead, we read headlines about women being the victims of sexual assault in government-mandated quarantine facilities. When will the government reverse its practice of turning a blind eye to sexual assault? When will it take steps to protect our vulnerable women in government-sanctioned quarantine facilities?

Hon. Patty Hajdu (Minister of Health, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, every woman deserves to live a life free of violence and harassment. Our government takes these allegations very seriously. They are being fully investigated and we have put into place processes to ensure this does not happen again.