Evidence of meeting #14 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.

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On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

12:55 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

Mr. Chair, this committee is neutered. It has no powers to introduce supply day motions, no powers to test government confidence, no powers to do the usual things that Parliament does. At times of crisis, the bedrock principles of rule of law and democracy are tested, and our democratic principles are buckling under the pressure from this government.

They came to office promising greater transparency, but they broke almost every one of their promises. They broke their promise on electoral reform. They appointed an anti-Conservative organization, Unifor, to the media bailout fund. In the last parliament, they tried to give the PMO control over this legislature in Motion No. 6, and in the last election, they rigged the leaders' debates in their favour, and now they have suspended Parliament.

Instead of this neutered committee that meets for only a few days with a few members, will the government commit to the full re-opening of this House with all its powers with social distancing on Monday, September 21?

1 p.m.

Liberal

Pablo Rodriguez Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC

Mr. Chair, the government's objective is always to try to resume Parliament as it was before. Today, we have to live with this pandemic, but we will do everything we can to return to a normal situation as quickly as possible. That is clear and precise.

The opposition asked for more time, especially to ask questions, and that is what it got. I would like my colleague to tell me one thing. Over the past few weeks, we have sent suggestions to opposition members about the operation of Parliament and they have never responded. I would like to know why.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON

Mr. Chair, the full parliament with its full powers sat through two world wars, previous pandemics and the October crisis in 1970. The governments of those days did not seek the suspension of the House.

The government is not only failing to defend democracy here but also abroad. It can't utter the word “Taiwan”. It is failing to be strong and clear on Hong Kong and, while the situation today is not that of decades past, it is clear that Canada in the past stood for the rights of people in Hong Kong. Canada needs to take much stronger diplomatic action on Hong Kong. There are some 300,000 Canadians living there, and they are looking for the government's support.

When will this government act? When will it threaten economic sanctions like the U.S. administration has? When will it provide asylum and a clear path to citizenship like the U.K. government has? When will it speak up against the Communist Party of China's United Front workers operating here in this country? When will it do like Australia did in calling for an international investigation of COVID-19, and organize an international coalition of like-minded democracies to defend Hong Kongers and the violation of the Sino-British treaty?

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister.

1 p.m.

Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Chair, I'll remind the member to look at our statement of May 28. It's already done. Canada has spoken to the world; Canada has spoken up. We've made a first declaration with our colleagues in Australia and the U.K. to say that we have deep concerns.

We all know that the one country, two systems—the high degree of liberty and freedom enjoyed by the people in Hong Kong—has made Hong Kong what it is today, a beacon when it comes to trade and financing. We know that and have expressed deep concern. Again, on May 28, with the United States, with the United Kingdom and with Australia, Canada was front and centre in saying that we have deep concerns that the imposition of a national security law by Beijing would undermine the very foundation, the very principles that have made Hong Kong so successful. We said that we and our international partners would look at the implications and the ramifications that this might have on our arrangement.

I've called for a meeting of our Five Eyes partners tonight. I'll be chairing a meeting of our Five Eyes partners with the foreign ministers. We will be discussing it and will continue to raise our voices to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, and we will do it with our allies.

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will now go to Mr. Maguire.

1 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Chair, farmers have contacted my office about the massive delays with processing the advance payment program loans. Some put their applications in almost two months ago, and not a dollar has flowed.

What's the point of having an advance payment program if there's no payment?

Can the Minister of Agriculture tell us when these delays will end?

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

The honourable minister.

1 p.m.

Compton—Stanstead Québec

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Chair, I can assure you that we are working with all the independent operators. This program is not administered by their officials, but by partners. I can assure you that, under the circumstances, they are doing their best to make the advance payments—

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Farmers understand that some of the delays were caused by staff having to work remotely. However, did the minister approve a policy change on April 1 that made the eligibility for these loans more difficult during the middle of a pandemic, yes or no?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, a number of changes and improvements have been made to the program. To make things easier for our administrators, we have postponed some of the changes that could have been problematic.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Yes, so some of the changes made it more problematic for the producers.

The minister must take responsibility for these delays. Farmers deserve an answer on why she changed the program. Who advised her that it would be a good idea to make it more difficult for the farmers to access the advance payment program in the middle of a pandemic? Or did she just go ahead and do this on her own?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, we are constantly working with the administrators of the program. We are fully prepared to respond to their requests so that the advance payments program can best serve our producers across the country.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Livestock producers are telling me that the premiums for the western livestock insurance program are too high. I told the Minister of Agriculture over two weeks ago that this was a problem, and yet she went out and said that farmers needed to make better use of existing support.

When will the Minister of Agriculture listen to what the farmers are saying so they can actually use the existing programs?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, I would like to remind everyone that we have put in place certain measures to improve access to AgriStability.

We have also significantly improved the AgriRecovery program. Over the past few years, this program amounted to about $15 million. It is now $100 million for pork and beef producers alone, not counting the $77.5 million for food processors.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Livestock producers in my riding and several across Canada are still waiting for the Minister of Agriculture's promise for an AgriRecovery program. When will the Minister of Agriculture stop rubbing salt in the farmers' wounds and provide the rest of the story she has been saying is on its way for over a month now in her AgriRecovery promise?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, we have committed $50 million to beef producers and $50 million to pork producers through the AgriRecovery program. Here is how the program works: the federal government contributes up to 60% and then the provinces implement it how they see fit.

1:05 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

The funding announced by the Minister of Agriculture for the livestock industry was insufficient, and what was promised has not been delivered. This has caused hogs to be euthanized and over 100,000 feeder cattle to become overweight. The industry is in a crisis. How many livestock producers need to go bankrupt before they get the help they deserve?

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-Claude Bibeau Liberal Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Chair, once again, we have significantly increased the amounts available through AgriRecovery. It is $50 million for beef producers and $50 million for pork producers. These programs are administered by the provinces. There is also $77.5 million for processors.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Ms. Chabot, you have the floor.

1:05 p.m.

Liberal

Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB

Mr. Chair, we know that not everyone experiences economic recovery in the same way. In some sectors, such as tourism, fishery, hotels and restaurants, we do not know when activity will resume or whether it will resume slowly. This is a major concern for workers, because they do not know what will happen tomorrow. They do not know how much they will be able to earn this summer.

Given that the CERB lasts 16 weeks, they are all afraid that they will be left with nothing. Without a job, they have no income.

Will the Minister of Finance announce now that he is extending the CERB?

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON

Mr. Chair, we moved very quickly at the early onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to support workers—those who have lost their jobs, who were laid off, or those whose jobs simply disappeared—through the Canada emergency response benefit. It has provided immense support to the over eight million Canadian workers who have applied to the CERB.

We will continue to support those workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic period.

1:10 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Mr. Chair, my question was clear. We know why the CERB was put in place. It does not need to be explained to us again.

For some workers, the CERB will end tomorrow morning. There will be no recovery in their sector. Examples include bars, sports training, arts and culture. They don't know when they will start up again.

Is the government prepared to extend the Canada emergency response benefit now?

1:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON

Mr. Chair, the workers that the honourable member identified, including those who were not eligible for the EI, were also covered by the Canada emergency response benefit. We moved quickly. We recognized the urgency of the situation, which is why we took action to support workers and their families through the Canada emergency response benefit. We have processed over eight million applications through that benefit.

We will continue to support Canadian workers at this very difficult time.

1:10 p.m.

Bloc

Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC

Mr. Chair, are we going to continue to help workers in these difficult times? The answer is simple.

Some don't know what they are going to do tomorrow morning. They do not know whether they will have an income to pay their bills. They have families, they have other needs. The CERB is going to end. This is the last period for some people.

Can you do anything about it? Can I walk out of the House today and tell all those people that the CERB is going to be extended?