Bill C-14 (Historical)

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020

An Act to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 30, 2020 and other measures

This bill is from the 43rd Parliament, 2nd session, which ended in August 2021.

Sponsor

Chrystia Freeland Liberal

Status

This bill has received Royal Assent and is now law.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament has also written a full legislative summary of the bill.

Part 1 amends the Income Tax Act to provide additional support to families with young children as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic progresses. It also amends the Children’s Special Allowances Act to provide a similar benefit in respect of young children under that Act. As part of the Government’s response to COVID-19, it amends the Income Tax Act to provide that an expense can qualify as a qualifying rent expense for the purposes of the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) when it becomes due rather than when it is paid, provided certain conditions are met.
Part 2 amends the Canada Student Loans Act to provide that, during the period that begins on April 1, 2021 and ends on March 31, 2022, no interest is payable by a borrower on a guaranteed student loan and no amount on account of interest is required to be paid by the borrower.
Part 3 amends the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act to provide that, during the period that begins on April 1, 2021 and ends on March 31, 2022, no interest is payable by a borrower on a student loan and no amount on account of interest is required to be paid by the borrower.
Part 4 amends the Apprentice Loans Act to provide that, during the period that begins on April 1, 2021 and ends on March 31, 2022, no interest is payable by a borrower on an apprentice loan and no amount on account of interest is required to be paid by a borrower.
Part 5 amends the Food and Drugs Act to authorize the Governor in Council to make regulations
(a) requiring persons to provide information to the Minister of Health; and
(b) preventing shortages of therapeutic products in Canada or alleviating those shortages or their effects, in order to protect human health.
It also amends that Act to provide that any prescribed provisions of regulations made under that Act apply to food, drugs, cosmetics and devices intended for export that would otherwise be exempt from the application of that Act.
Part 6 authorizes payments to be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund
(a) to the Government of Canada’s regional development agencies for the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund;
(b) in respect of specified initiatives related to health; and
(c) for the purpose of making income support payments under section 4 of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act.
Part 7 amends the Borrowing Authority Act to, among other things, increase the maximum amount of certain borrowings and include certain borrowings that were previously excluded in the calculation of that amount. It also makes a related amendment to the Financial Administration Act.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-14s:

C-14 (2022) Law Preserving Provincial Representation in the House of Commons Act

C-14 (2020) Law COVID-19 Emergency Response Act, No. 2

C-14 (2016) Law An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying)

C-14 (2013) Law Not Criminally Responsible Reform Act

Votes

April 15, 2021 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-14, An Act to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 30, 2020 and other measures

March 8, 2021 Passed 2nd reading of Bill C-14, An Act to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 30, 2020 and other measures

Debate Summary

This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Bill C-14 implements measures from the fall economic statement, including adjustments to the Canada Child Benefit, student loans, and rent subsidies, while increasing the government's borrowing limit.

Liberal

Increase support for young children: The bill provides up to $1,200 in 2021 for each child under six for low- and middle-income families entitled to the Canada Child Benefit.
Ease burden on businesses and students: The bill changes the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund and eliminates interest accrual on Canada student and apprenticeship loans for 2021-22.
Invest in public health: The bill advances over $500 million for safe long-term care facilities and $133 million towards virtual and mental health care.
Urge swift passage of bill: Liberals argue the bill is crucial for pandemic support and recovery, criticizing the opposition for delaying its passage for months.

Conservative

Supports pandemic support measures: The party supports parts 1-6 of the bill, which provide critical pandemic support like Canada child benefit increases, improvements to the rent subsidy, and waiving student loan interest.
Opposes large increase in borrowing: Conservatives oppose the historic $700 billion increase in the maximum borrowing authority, arguing it is far more than needed and lacks details on how the funds will be spent.
Concerned about national debt: The party expresses significant concern about the massive increase in national debt, arguing it is unsustainable and creates a heavy burden for future generations.

NDP

Extend pandemic supports: Calls for extending wage and rent subsidies and CEBA loans with more flexibility to ensure all businesses, including start-ups, survive until the pandemic ends.
Address systemic issues: Urges federal action on affordable housing, binding national long-term care standards, accessible child care, and re-establishing domestic vaccine and medicine production capacity.
Tackle opioid crisis: Demands a national public health emergency declaration, decriminalization of personal possession, and investment in safe supply and supports to prevent deaths.
Make wealthy pay fair share: Argues the cost of the pandemic response should be borne collectively, paid for by taxing wealthy individuals and large corporations.

Bloc

Supports bill's specific measures: The Bloc supports several parts of the bill, including measures for children's special allowances, emergency rent subsidy, eliminating student loan interest, and preventing therapeutic product shortages.
Concerns about debt limit increase: The party raises concerns about Part 7, which proposes a significant increase to the national debt limit before the government's spending plan (budget) is presented, questioning transparency.
Calls for targeted sector support: The Bloc advocates for specific aid for sectors severely impacted by the pandemic, particularly the strategic aerospace industry and the cultural sector, which they argue have been neglected.
Demands fairer tax system and social support: They demand taxing web giants, cracking down on tax havens, increasing health transfers to provinces, and boosting Old Age Security for all seniors aged 65 and over.

Green

Supports relief measures in bill: The Green Party supports measures in the bill providing relief for low and middle income Canadians, students, virtual care, mental health, substance abuse, and business rent.
Lack of transparency in finances: Members criticize the lack of detailed financial information in the statement and budget, hindering parliamentarians' ability to effectively scrutinize spending and control the public purse.
Calls for more support programs: The party criticizes the government's pandemic response and calls for expanded support for small businesses, non-profits, universal child care, pharmacare, guaranteed livable income, and housing.
Focus recovery on green economy: The party emphasizes that economic recovery must focus on renewable energy and meeting climate commitments, criticizing current legislation for insufficient accountability on climate goals.

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Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Madam Speaker, I want to first agree with my colleague that individuals within the health system have shown a great deal of resilience and courage in their response. My critique was with the government's level of preparedness for this situation. In particular, it was not building up the capacity in advance to support health workers in those efforts. In the early days especially, there were many concerns by people in the health system about having access to basic equipment and whether they would be able to access the equipment they needed to be safe while providing vital health services.

With respect to the member's question about transfers to the provinces, under Conservative governments, transfers to provinces went up significantly every year for health, and we can certainly have those debates about appropriate levels. However, it is not just about resources. There are certain things that were missed by this government, in terms of having plans in place and maintaining stockpiles, that would have been relatively less intense in requirements for resourcing if they had been done in advance. It is not just about resources. It is also about thinking ahead.

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:30 p.m.

Green

Paul Manly Green Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his speech, for his concern and care for potential crises, and the need to plan for them to protect our children and make sure they are prepared.

I would like to know why the member did not mention climate change at all as one of those potential crises and if he believes in climate change. Do we need to do something about it, such as banning fracking, not building any more pipelines and moving away from fossil fuels toward a clean energy economy?

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Madam Speaker, if I had a 20-minute speech, I would have had many more things to say.

I agree with the member that human-caused climate change is real. It is a problem, and it requires a response. As Winston Churchill said, “It is not enough to do our best. We must know what to do and then do our best,” so I would quibble with some of the member's proposed solutions.

What we see from the left-of-centre parties in the House are often policies that would simply push industrial activity outside of the country and not actually respond to the global challenge of emissions. Our party's approach has always been to encourage a stronger environmental performance by supporting development that is cleaner and working to export that technology.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-14, An Act to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 30, 2020 and other measures, be read the third time and passed.

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:35 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes

Resuming debate.

Is the House ready for the question?

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Question.

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:35 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes

The question is on the motion.

If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request a recorded division or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

The hon. member for Kingston and the Islands.

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:35 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

I would request a recorded vote.

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:35 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes

Pursuant to order made on Monday, January 25, the division stands deferred until Thursday, April 15, at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions.

The hon. member for Kingston and the Islands.

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:35 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Madam Speaker, I believe if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to see the clock at 5:56 p.m. so we can begin private members' hour.

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:35 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes

Is that agreed?

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 14th, 2021 / 5:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

The House resume from April 14 consideration of the motion that Bill C-14, An Act to implement certain provisions of the economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 30, 2020 and other measures, be read a third time and passed.

Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2020Government Orders

April 15th, 2021 / 3:10 p.m.

The Speaker Anthony Rota

It being 3:10 p.m., pursuant to order made on Monday, January 25, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at third reading of Bill C-14.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #92