COVID-19 Pandemic Committee on May 20th, 2020

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Chair, I'd first like to take a moment to thank everyone who provides essential services, who have worked tirelessly since this crisis began.

I want to thank all of our health care workers and everyone who works in essential services for all they do during this crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having significant impacts in communities across the country. Canadians are feeling the impact of the pandemic, whether it is on their health or their lifestyle, as we're all in confinement, on their finances or on their jobs.

Companies of all sizes as well as constituents have reached out to me, as I'm sure they have to all the MPs in the House, in order to let us know about their concerns. This is why we've been able to modify programs in order to help as many Canadians as possible.

The government has implemented several measures to help a majority of Canadians, businesses and community organizations. Several of them are located in the riding of Saint-Laurent. I applaud those efforts. Despite strong measures, including the Canada emergency wage subsidy and the Canada emergency commercial rent assistance, there are still small businesses that are falling through the cracks.

Can the minister explain to the House what our government is doing to help these businesses?

What measures has our government put in place for those who may require additional help to recover from COVID-19 in order to get back to work as soon as possible?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages]

I thank my colleague, who is the member for Saint-Laurent, a beautiful riding next to the riding of Ahuntsic-Cartierville.

We have provided various forms of support in the context of this pandemic. First, of course, is the Canada emergency response benefit, or CERB, which is $2,000 a month. My colleague, Minister Duclos, had the opportunity earlier to mention all the measures to individuals.

I am pleased to present all the measures for businesses, be it for the Canada emergency wage subsidy or the $40,000 emergency loan, which was expanded yesterday with new criteria. There's also the regional relief and recovery fund, which will be administered by Canada's regional development agencies. In Quebec, it will be done through the Réseau des SADC.

This is good news for our businesses, which unfortunately fell through the cracks. Going forward, support will be offered through the regional development agencies. We're talking about $1 billion. We're here to work with you.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

We will go to the honourable member for Simcoe—Grey.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

We are blessed in Simcoe—Grey to usually have a very strong tourist industry. We have many great destinations, such as the Nottawasaga Inn Resort; the world's longest freshwater beach, Wasaga Beach; and, of course, the Blue Mountain resort.

Andrew Siegwart, the president of Blue Mountain's village association, has told me he believes that not a single tenant is going to benefit from this rent relief. Many landlords simply cannot afford the 25% contribution they are asked for under the commercial rent assistance program. Their margins just don't allow it.

Tourism operators are calling for direct support for tenants, as the present system still has too many cracks. I have heard the minister say today that she hopes that landlords will do the right thing. Some can't, and I can tell you that tenants need to rely on a lot more than hope.

Will the government commit to providing direct support for our tenants today?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Although the tenant-landlord relationship is ultimately the responsibility of provinces and territories, our government has stepped up to provide support through the tools that we have with the CMHC so that small businesses can get the rent relief they need. We will continue to monitor the program closely and ensure that Canada's small businesses are supported during this challenging time, and as the Prime Minister announced this morning, the portal will be available on May 25.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Madam Chair, I was hoping for something a little more than hope.

My next question is relating to agriculture. Simcoe—Grey dairy farmers like Bonnie den Haan of Sheldon Creek Dairy are being particularly hard hit during this COVID-19 pandemic by the decline in milk consumption and a lack of cull capacity in Canada. The entry into force of CUSMA is yet another challenge for an industry that is still recuperating from past trade deals.

Support was announced in 2019, and the minister continually mentions that the government has provided $345 million in direct payments to farmers. We appreciate that, but that was one year of an eight-year program.

Can the minister tell us today when dairy farmers can expect to know the plan for the balance, and the compensation, of these future agreements?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Madam Chair, in Canada, we're fortunate to have a supply management system for the dairy sector. It's truly a privilege, and this allows us to protect family farms and encourage the rural vitality of the various regions.

We're also fortunate to have the Canadian Dairy Commission, a well-structured, competent and experienced organization. Through the increased loan capacity that we gave it last week, it has the opportunity to buy more surplus milk, butter and cheese, and to better manage its stocks.

We announced $1.75 billion in compensation for the agreements with Europe and the trans-Pacific zone. The first payment was made in December or very early this year. After we manage this health crisis, we'll be able to continue the compensation payments.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Madam Chair, I guess they won't be able to put on the milk calendar the exact date they will be getting that payment.

Only 59% of rural homes in Canada have reliable access to high-speed Internet. With schooling, work, government services and even socializing now being done online, the situation has become unbearable. Many of my Simcoe—Grey constituents are being charged hundreds and even thousands of dollars in overage fees since the pandemic began.

The government has committed to connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2030, but this is not fast enough for what's going on in society today.

When will the government commit to a fast-track program to make sure that one of the most essential infrastructure products that we can have now, the Internet, will be available to everyone in my riding?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Thank you for your important question.

I can assure you that our government has a plan. We are on it and we are working to move ahead with even greater urgency because of the challenges that COVID-19 has presented. This is an opportunity for us to bridge the rural-urban divide and help our economy recover faster from the pandemic.

To date, the investments that have been set aside are working to connect 400,000 households in this country, and we will not stop until we work with as many partners as possible to connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet.

[Terry Dowdall, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

I have just as a quick one. As a former mayor of Essa Township, I understand the complications and challenges facing municipalities from COVID-19. Kathy Jeffery, who is a town councillor on the FCM, wants to ask what the municipalities are going to do. They're not eligible for any of the funding whatsoever. What is this government going to do to help?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

We agree that municipalities are essential. We are working closely with them and we encourage the provinces to do the same.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

We will go to the honourable member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Madam Chair, first I'd like to acknowledge the recent Canadian Armed Forces tragedies, both the Cyclone and the Snowbirds crashes in the recent past. As well, this past Monday was the 10-year anniversary of Colonel Geoff Parker being killed in Kabul, Afghanistan. Further, I just found out in the last couple of days that retired sergeant Kyle Parker, someone else I had the honour to serve with, has passed away. My thanks go to all those who have served and are still serving in the Canadian Armed Forces, along with their families. Your sacrifices will not be forgotten.

Madam Chair, I'd like to recognize the government for making important changes yesterday to the CEBA. This will help many sole-proprietor businesses and farmers in Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound. However, businesses are still required to have a business chequing account versus a personal chequing account. Trelford General construction, in my riding, has been operating for over 25 years but fails to qualify for the loan because it uses a personal chequing account.

When will the government remove the criterion that small businesses must have a business chequing account?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you to the honourable colleague for recognizing the Canadian Armed Forces. We need to take that time. Thank you so much.

I also want to answer his question by saying that yesterday we did expand CEBA to include dividends and contracts to be part of the CEBA program, and we continue to work on potential solutions to help business owners and entrepreneurs who operate through their personal bank accounts, as the member mentioned, or have yet to file a tax return because they are a newly created business.

We will continue to work with our departments and the members of Parliament to try to find ways to resolve these difficult situations for businesses.

I also want to mention to the House that since the CEBA's launch, over 612,000 businesses have applied for the CEBA program—

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The honourable member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Madam Chair, the question was “when”.

I asked the government a month ago, here in the House, to look into reopening some Service Canada offices in a limited capacity, while respecting provincial health guidelines, in order to serve those Canadians who do not have Internet or phone access. The minister replied that she would take this on as a personal challenge.

When will this occur?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Madam Chair, of course we recognize that when we're dealing with Service Canada issues, it's important to have the proper infrastructure in place. We look forward to working with the different jurisdictions to make sure that we deal with the situation in a timely manner. We know that Canadians want to have access to the service, and of course the digital infrastructure component of it is critical.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

I am more than willing to help out myself. I'm pretty sure that in a month I could get the physical infrastructure necessary into a Service Canada office to make it operational.

Farmers across Canada, including fruit and vegetable growers like Nighthawk Orchards in my riding, are taking on the financial risk related to COVID-19 in order to provide Canadians with healthy, safe and local foods. They have been consistent with their ask to the government: Give us better business risk management programs.

Time is running out. If the government fails to help protect our farmers, some may never recover financially and we will all face food security challenges for years to come. When will the government stop stalling and finally improve AgriStability and other business risk management programs?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Madam Chair, we're working very hard to improve the risk management programs. These are cost-shared programs with the provinces. At a minimum, I meet weekly with my provincial colleagues to find solutions and improve the risk management programs. In a typical year, these programs provide support to the tune of $1.6 billion and, in a year like this, it could be much more. So, I encourage producers to sign on. Producers also have access to the other programs that are available to businesses.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Can the government please confirm the information within the briefing note, “Information On Carbon Pollution Pricing And Implications For Grain Drying”, dated 20 December, 2019, is indeed classified as secret—yes or no?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Madam Chair, the report is public, but there was some budget-related information that was confidential.

[The Acting Chair, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The honourable member for Regina—Wascana.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Madam Chair, this year's Grey Cup is scheduled to be played in the city that I represent, Regina, Saskatchewan.

Unfortunately, the future of the CFL and the Grey Cup championship are in jeopardy due to the current pandemic. The members from Regina—Lewvan, Regina—Qu'Appelle and I would like to know, what plan does the government have to save this important part of Canadian culture while at the same time respecting the interests of taxpayers?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Ahuntsic-Cartierville, QC]

I thank the hon. member for his question.

Last week, I had a chance to talk to the commissioner of the CFL, Mark Cohon, and I also had a good conversation with the minister of sport, Steven Guilbeault. Definitely, we know Canadians love the CFL and we really hope that the member's city will be able to host, but the reality right now is that we need to make sure that we continue to follow our public health experts and make sure that we follow the best advice in the circumstances.

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Madam Chair, according to a recent CBC news report, this government shut down its national emergency stockpile warehouse in Regina, Saskatchewan, last year. In doing so, two million N95 masks and nearly half a million medical gloves were taken to the Regina garbage dump.

I have two questions for the minister: Why was the Regina warehouse shut down, and why was the stockpile of personal protective equipment never replaced?