Evidence of meeting #13 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 chair.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

1:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will now take a short break.

We're going to take a short break to allow employees supporting the meeting to switch in safety, including myself.

1:15 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

We will now carry on with Mr. Baker for Etobicoke Centre.

Mr. Baker, go ahead.

1:15 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, I'll be sharing my time with the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.

My question is for the Minister of Health.

Minister, in Etobicoke Centre, we are mourning the loss of 42 residents to COVID-19 at the Eatonville Care Centre. This week, we received a disturbing report from the Canadian Armed Forces documenting appalling and completely unacceptable conditions in the Eatonville Care Centre in Etobicoke, Orchard Villa in Pickering, Altamont Care Community in Scarborough, Hawthorne Place in North York, and Holland Christian Homes Grace Manor in Brampton.

It is beyond reprehensible that our seniors are being treated this way. As I said in the House of Commons on May 7, we need immediate action and comprehensive reform of long-term care. The four other MPs who represent the residents of these homes and I wrote to Premier Ford yesterday to urge him to appoint a third party manager to oversee all operations, to call a full public inquiry—because a government commission is not enough—and to work in partnership with the Government of Canada to establish enforceable national standards for long-term care homes across our country.

Minister, will you call on the Government of Ontario to establish a full public inquiry, and will you work with provincial governments to establish and implement enforceable national standards for long-term care homes across Canada so that our seniors from coast to coast to coast can receive the quality of care they deserve?

1:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

The honourable minister.

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I thank the member for his very important question. I think all Canadians were horrified, shocked and saddened to hear about the conditions that elders were living in in those particular homes and that many seniors struggle with across the country. There is no question that we have to do better for our seniors.

I know the Prime Minister has been very vocal about the need to do more to support provinces and territories to provide better care for seniors, no matter where they live.

1:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

Mr. Baker, you have another 20 seconds or so if you can manage that.

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON

Thank you. I'll pass on my time to the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.

1:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

We'll now go to Mr. Drouin, member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Mr. Chair, we know that farmers across Canada have been going through some difficult times in recent months. In my riding, farmers are looking for labour and young people are looking for jobs. The Canada summer jobs program plays a vital role in meeting this demand. I was very pleased to hear that the government has enhanced the youth employment and skills strategy program to help create 700 new jobs for young people in the agriculture sector.

Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food tell us when and how our farmers will be able to apply for this new program?

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, in these unprecedented times, our producers are working that much harder to feed Canadians while facing challenges that are not always easy, particularly in terms of access to labour.

To help them, this week, the Prime Minister announced an increase in the youth employment and skills strategy program to help young people be hired in the agricultural sector.

This is a $9.2-million investment that will help to attract young Canadians between the ages of 15 and 30 and to provide them with an exceptional experience in the agricultural sector.

I encourage all producers to apply through the Agriculture Canada website.

1:20 p.m.

Conservative

Bruce Stanton Conservative Simcoe North, ON

I think you finished, Mr. Drouin.

We'll move on now to Mr. Johns, Courtenay—Alberni.

1:20 p.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

Mr. Chair, I'll be splitting my time with the member for Winnipeg Centre.

In early April, the NDP asked for a commercial rent abatement program so that tenants could apply for help instead of depending on their landlords, but the government chose to leave commercial tenants helpless if their landlord can't or does not want to apply. On Monday we wrote to ministers again, asking them to negotiate a nationwide moratorium on commercial rent evictions with the provinces and territories so that tenants can't be kicked out.

Will the minister take action to ensure that no small business owner is evicted during COVID-19?

1:20 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

The honourable minister.

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We recognize the challenges that small business owners in particular, as well as landlords, are facing during the course of COVID-19. We have worked together with the provinces to come up with an approach that would provide an incentive for landlords to give a rent reduction to commercial tenants. We opened that as of Monday.

Of course, we recognize that this is a jurisdiction of the provinces, so it will be up to the provinces to consider the next steps, if any, in this regard. We are looking toward seeing many landlords sign up for this. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage landlords to sign up for this, which not only gives them a sense of security but also their tenants.

1:20 p.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

That's a no, so the government is still failing small businesses. If small business owners can't make June rent, thousands will have to close permanently. If the government won't negotiate a moratorium, will it at least let tenants apply for the Canada emergency commercial rent assistance program so they can get help with 50% of their rent?

1:20 p.m.

Liberal

Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Again, Mr. Chair, I think it's important that we have clarity of understanding of jurisdictions. We have worked with the provinces in this regard. The federal government is working through the CMHC to provide support to landlords, which is conditional on their working with their tenants, but of course, it is a provincial area of jurisdiction, so any further actions and any decisions on restricting evictions are in the provincial jurisdiction and not ones that the federal government is able to move forward on.

1:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

We'll now go to Ms. Gazan, Winnipeg Centre.

1:25 p.m.

NDP

Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Mr. Chair, they talk about wanting to support small businesses, but their failure to make rent support work is putting businesses out of business. When it comes to the rent for people's homes, the government didn't even try. Many people in my riding could not make rent on April 1 and May 1, and June 1 is coming up.

When will the government act to ensure that families and individuals make their rent payments?

1:25 p.m.

Liberal

Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON

Mr. Chair, for individuals, of course we've worked hard to provide support. Over eight million individuals are taking the Canada emergency response benefit. For businesses, of course, we've put in place not only the business account for small businesses but additional support through the wage subsidy program. We know that the rent approach is one that can have an important impact. I would encourage landlords to—

1:25 p.m.

NDP

Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

1:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

Ms. Gazan, just a moment.

Go ahead on your point of order.

1:25 p.m.

NDP

Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

I just want to remind my honourable colleague that his response is supposed to be within the same time period as the question I asked. It's just a friendly reminder.

1:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

That is accurate. In fact, the minister was just coming up to the same amount of time it took for your question. I am monitoring that, and we will interrupt if one of the ministers responding goes more than just a short time over. In fact, we try to cut it off at the appropriate time, allowing a word or two perhaps to finish a phrase, and that's the extent of it. I'll watch that closely, the member can be assured.

Let's go ahead then and finish up.

You have another minute and 20 seconds to finish up, Ms. Gazan.

1:25 p.m.

NDP

Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Mr. Chair, Winnipeg Centre is the third-poorest riding in the country, and COVID-19 has put many of the residents in my riding on the verge of homelessness. Instead of bailing out its corporate buddies, when will this government provide proper rental assistance so that families and individuals do not end up on the streets?

1:25 p.m.

Conservative

The Acting Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton

The honourable minister.