Evidence of meeting #15 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 indigenous.
A video is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michael Kram Conservative Regina—Wascana, SK
Mr. Chair, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan have all started free trade negotiations with the United Kingdom. Why hasn't Canada?
Liberal
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Mr. Chair, I want to thank the honourable member for the question.
We, of course, are going to make sure that we will always act in the interests of Canadian businesses, and I want to assure Canadians that CETA continues to apply to our trade with the United Kingdom. We will make sure that our further work will always take into account the interests of Canadian businesses.
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to know how many full-time and part-time employees are currently working for the Liberal Party of Canada.
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
On a point of order, Mr. Chair.
I am not sure that the number of employees at the Liberal Party, the Bloc Québécois, or the Conservative Party is relevant to government management.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
I am not sure whether that is a point of order, but I will let Mr. Therrien continue.
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
If he stays with me, he will understand. He can trust me. I would like to know how many people work full time and part time for the Liberal Party of Canada. It is a simple question.
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Mr. Chair, I know that they think it’s funny to pilfer taxpayers’ money from government coffers. But that is not our style. The Liberal Party took money through the emergency wage subsidy program. I would just like to know how many people work for the Liberal Party of Canada.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
I do not know how many people work for the Liberal Party, but I can say that the emergency wage subsidy is for all sectors of the economy. That is how we can protect employees across the country who are working for businesses facing a reduction in revenue of 30% or more.
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
They have 157 MPs and they have known for two weeks that we are working on the wage subsidy. Not one member wondered how many people work for them. They are too busy helping themselves to the cookie jar.
In an article in La Presse on May 25, Liberal Party spokesman Braeden Caley said that between 75 and 100 employees were receiving wages subsidized through this program. Is that correct?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
I am very focused on our concern, which is to protect Canadians across the country who are working for businesses facing a reduction in revenue of 30% or more. It is very important for them and for our economy.
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Let's use a round number. Let's say 100 employees.
How many employees in the Liberal Party of Canada are threatened by the pandemic? You should know; it's your party.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
I would like to remind honourable members to direct their questions through the Chair.
The honourable minister has the floor.
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We stand by our approach of protecting employees across the country. We want to make sure that they have enough money to meet the challenges that they are facing during the pandemic.
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
I would actually say that they want to have enough money for their next election campaign.
I would like to know how much taxpayers' money has been taken from the emergency wage subsidy program and will be used as election loot for the Liberal Party of Canada.
How much money have you taken from the program?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
The emergency wage subsidy program allows us to protect 75% of the income that employees were earning before the crisis, to a maximum of $847. This is important for them and, of course, very important for our economy.
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Mr. Chair, since I am not getting an answer, let me share with you the very simple calculation I cobbled together. One hundred employees at $847 a week is $340,000 a month. That is the amount of taxpayers' money that the Liberal Party is putting into its pockets. If we multiply that amount by three—that's three months, since it started on March 15—we get over $1 million. That is the amount they will have put in their pockets, to be used as election loot for the Liberal Party.
Given that the Liberals are extending the emergency wage subsidy, will their party continue to help itself to the money?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
The purpose of the emergency wage subsidy is to protect employees. So every business must ensure that the money goes to the employees. That is very important. It is how employees and their incomes are protected. It will help millions of families across the country to be in a better situation.
Liberal
Bloc
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
They have already taken $1 million out of the register, so that is settled.
My question is twofold. First, are they going to pay back that $1 million?
Second, I hope they will not be taking another $1 million by September. Can I at least be reassured of that?
Liberal
Bill Morneau Liberal Toronto Centre, ON
We will continue with our approach to protect employees and businesses needing it during the crisis.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
We will take a short break so that our employees can safely change places.
We can now continue.
We'll go now to Mr. Van Bynen.
Liberal
Tony Van Bynen Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Scarborough Centre.
Mr. Chair, as parliamentarians, our greatest responsibility is to keep Canadians safe. During the previous Parliament, our government made significant investments in the CBSA and the RCMP, and provided funds to provinces and territories to invest in programs that combat gun and gang violence and support our communities in providing positive alternatives for youth engagement and activities.
On May 1, our government banned assault-style weapons. This is something that we pledged to do during the last federal election and something that victims' groups, law enforcement and everyday Canadians called on for decades, but we must know that we need to take more action to keep our communities safe.
Mr. Chair, I'm sure that this continues to be an important issue for many communities.
Can the minister tell the House and the constituents of Newmarket—Aurora what further steps our government will take to keep Canadians safe?