Technology and Innovation in Southern Ontario  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to speak about the good work that our government is doing through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. I know that my colleagues on both sides of the House will agree that supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs leads to strong local and national economies.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the member brings up a very good point. We know how critical personal support workers are in our communities. We know how effective they are in helping people avoid having to go to emergency rooms, which, frankly, saves us money. We know that this is a critical need, and we also know that there are fewer and fewer people getting into this profession.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is not wrong. This is a huge challenge before us. Nobody is suggesting otherwise. Nobody is suggesting that this is going to be easy or that the federal government can do this on its own. The question that should be asked of the member is, quite frankly, why we are not all focused on the same issue.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, obviously I reject the premise of the question. I know that the member was not part of the previous government, but I do have to remind him that the previous government just simply did not answer the phone when the provinces called. We know this. We know that there was a complete detachment between the federal government and the provinces.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to take part in today's debate. I will cut to the chase. Condemning the federal government's interference in the jurisdiction of provinces and territories is not only incredibly flawed but also quite unfair. If anything, Canada's unique federal structure gives provinces and territories more autonomy to implement programs and policies that work best for their inhabitants, while simultaneously giving them a platform to leverage their strengths so that they can shine on the world stage.

Military Veterans Wellness Program  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the work of the military veterans wellness program, championed by Constable Aaron Dale of the Toronto police. This program provides increased training and awareness for law enforcement assisting veterans in crisis. In my riding, constables David Cassidy and Brian Serapiglia have been instrumental in bringing the program to Waterloo region.

Persons with Disabilities  Mr. Speaker, let me first say it is unacceptable that anyone, regardless of their abilities, should experience the treatment that we have seen in some cases in the media recently. Today, at the national air accessibility summit, we convened a diverse group of participants from across Canada, including representatives from the community of persons with disabilities and the air travel sector, to ensure that all service providers in the air travel ecosystem uphold their responsibilities to help make travel a seamless experience for all.

Persons with Disabilities  Mr. Speaker, all Canadians have the right to travel, and this is especially important to the more than eight million Canadians who have a disability and expect a barrier-free travel experience. We know that barriers in the transportation system often result in unacceptable impacts for passengers with disabilities, including to their health, independence and dignity.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I have to agree with my colleague from the NDP. There is a lot to unpack in that speech, for which, frankly, we do not have nearly enough time. The member talked about, essentially, a conspiracy theory about officials benefiting financially from the horrible crisis.

Small Business  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for her continued advocacy for small businesses in Canada. We share that view. That is why the CEBA program supported over 900,000 small businesses through the pandemic, and we estimate that 80% of them have repaid their loans so far. As we move away from the pandemic, we are taking serious concrete action to support small businesses, both by providing funding and by cutting costs.

Small Business  Mr. Speaker, I answered that question in the previous answer, and nearly 80% of small businesses have actually already paid back their CEBA loans. As we move forward from the pandemic, small businesses have nearly three years, until the end of 2026, to repay their CEBA loans, and they have access to a low interest rate of 5%.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the program was announced in Budget 2021 (April 19, 2021) with ambitious targets to support all small and medium sized businesses across Canada looking to adopt digital technologies. Although uptake was slower to ramp up in the first year, the Canada Digital Adoption Program saw continued growth in the number of signed grant agreements month over month throughout 2023, and into early 2024.

Small Business  Madam Speaker, the CEBA program supported over 900,000 small businesses through the pandemic, and we estimate that 80% of them have repaid their loans so far. As we move away from the pandemic, we are taking serious, concrete action to support small businesses, both by providing funding and by cutting costs.

Small Business  Madam Speaker, as we move forward from the pandemic, small businesses have nearly three years, until the end of 2026, to repay their CEBA loans, and they have access to interest rates as low as 5%. Meanwhile we are investing in communities in order to strengthen our economy. Earlier this month we announced $2.5 million in federal funding to enhance the indigenous women's entrepreneur program and create an indigenous youth entrepreneurship program.

Small Business  Madam Speaker, the CEBA program provided unprecedented support to nearly 900,000 small businesses and helped keep their doors open and their lights on. Last year, our government extended the forgiveness qualification deadline by one year, to the end of this year. We know that times are still tough and that is why our government has extended the full loan for another year.