Evidence of meeting #1 for COVID-19 Pandemic in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was point.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC
Students in post-secondary education usually plan on working through May, June, July and August so that they can pay for their tuition, so they can support themselves through the year. That is a frame that many, many students across the country face. There are students who get support from parents. There are students who don't need to work, but most of them do. That is extremely important.
In this situation, we've seen that targeting students with specific support while also creating more summer jobs for them, more opportunities for them to serve their country, is exactly the kind of thing that will give them the support they need to pay their rent and groceries, but also a chance to contribute to their country at a historic time where we need the energy, dynamism and forward-thinking approach that young people have to get this country through this.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
I just want to make a suggestion for people who are answering and asking questions. If they're looking at the screen and they see my picture in one of the squares and they see mute come off, that means they're out of time. How's that for a signal? We'll try that out to see if that works.
We'll move on to the honourable member for Elgin—Middlesex—London, Mrs. Vecchio.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to focus on looking at the shelters. I have been speaking with the Minister of Women and Gender Equality. We know that funds are being directed through banks to the shelters directly using Women's Shelters Canada and the Canadian Women's Foundation.
Are there lists specifically of organizations that have received this money so far?
Maryam Monsef LiberalMinister of Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Boozoo. Aaniin.
As-salaam alaikum to Muslims observing Ramadan.
Many thanks to my colleague for her collaborative efforts. We have worked with provinces and territories to validate the list, to ensure there is not duplication of efforts and that we are working to address the gaps.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Mr. Chair, I would like to know when this list will be available. We recognize that there are many groups that may not be part of these networks, so they're falling through the cracks. In order to get the contingency funding out the door, when will this list of organizations that received the funding be available? When can organizations that are not part of those networks expect to see money?
Liberal
Maryam Monsef Liberal Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Mr. Chair, my colleague is right. We are working to ensure that groups that are outside the categories of sexual assault centres and women's shelters receive funding. So far, $50 million has been invested. We are working to secure more. Those lists are working lists, and if my colleague would like, we can ensure that she has access to them. We are being open and transparent about all of our measures throughout the COVID crisis, and certainly her efforts and her care on this issue are appreciated.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Moving on to agriculture, Mr. Chair, I'm dealing with many agricultural producers in our area. Just last Friday, I spoke to people in the Granton area who work in oilseeds, hogs, turkeys, beef and grains. Many of them shared the same concern: They are about to plant, but they do not know whether there will be processing available. Many of these people have finished hogs and would like to get them off, but right now there is no processing available in many of these areas. Processors are shutting down, and we already had a lack of capacity prior to this pandemic.
How is the government addressing this key issue, which will impact Canada and the entire world's food supply if we don't have processing available?
Marie-Claude Bibeau LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My colleague brought up a situation I am hearing about regularly, as well. It is true that the food processing sector....
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
We have a problem, and I have to interrupt you.
Ms. Vecchio, were you not hearing it?
Conservative
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
Like a number of sectors, the food processing industry is currently facing a workforce challenge. Some employees are sick, and businesses are committed to safety. So they are implementing important measure to ensure their workers' safety. For that reason, the productive capacity has decreased, and that directly impacts our producers, especially those involved in the production of beef and pork. We are working every day with them to decide what the best mechanisms to help them would be. A whole series of risk management programs is already available to them, and we are continuing with our efforts to find the best possible solution.
Conservative
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Thanks very much.
You're talking about looking at these right solutions, but I'm looking at the time frames. When you have a hog that has to be finished, or if you own turkeys and they're shipped off but then sent back to your farm because they cannot be processed, what are the farmers supposed to do? They're looking at having to euthanize some of their livestock, and we know that this is the stuff that's being used to feed our Canadian families and to feed people across the world.
What are some of the immediate measures this government is going to take to make sure that our food security is safe and that we can continue supplying our food from start to finish?
Liberal
Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC
I want to reassure my colleague that, first, our food safety in Canada is protected. We have increased the funding to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to make sure that we have all the inspectors where they have to be to protect food safety in Canada.
We have also put in place different measures to help our farmers. They have more access to financing through Farm Credit Canada. We have made some changes to the stay of default of the advance payments program. We are also helping the producers in terms of foreign temporary workers.
I understand what she's saying about the livestock timing, and I can assure her that we're working very hard on finding a better solution to support this specific sector.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
We will now go to the honourable member for Louis-Saint-Laurent, Mr. Deltell.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Chair, my question is for the Minister of Finance.
We know that the Government of Quebec is announcing economic recovery measures as we speak. However, I talk daily with business owners from my riding, and they say they are experiencing a major workforce issue.
That workforce issue is not the same as the one they had before the crisis. Their current problem is caused by government assistance. It may appear strange, but that is the reality. Many workers are saying that, by receiving $2,000 a month, they are making more money by staying at home and doing nothing than they would be if they were earning their living.
What is the Minister of Finance's message to the Canadians who are saying that receiving government assistance is more profitable than working?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We know that it is very important for people who cannot work right now to have enough money. We also know that some people struggle to motivate themselves to work. That is why we are collaborating with each of the provinces, including Quebec, and with each territory to provide them with the funding they need for their essential workers.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the minister's answer, especially because it was in French. I congratulate him on that.
If we want to stimulate the economy, people should not be paid to stay at home doing nothing. They have to work. That is what stimulating the economy involves.
The minister talked about Quebec. The Government of Quebec has announced a very positive measure for the farming sector. We know that sector is important, especially this time of the year and over the upcoming period. In fact, fields cannot be shut down on Friday at 5 p.m., as field work takes place during the summer. To encourage people to go work in the fields, the Government of Quebec will give them money: an additional $100.
The current measures implemented by the federal government, including those for students, are making it more attractive for people to stay at home than to go work in the fields. What message does the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food have for Canadians who are saying they will make more money by staying at home than by going to work in the fields?
Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Employment
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We are doing everything possible to enable students to gain work experience if they want to. I think students really want to help their community. The measures we have implemented—not only the benefit, but also the creation of 76,000 jobs—will help students and encourage them to work. We do not want to encourage them not to work.